Mike Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Bryant who have been married 57 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. Leonard and Mary Bryant met in Sunday School at Green Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. They attended Southern Union and Selma University graduating with a degree in Theology. They were married on October 6, 1957. The Bryants have lived in Opelika their entire lives and have been pastor at three churches in Waverly, Dadeville and Fort Davis, all in Alabama. Leonard and Mary raised four daughters including: Lindie Bryant- Payne, Carmella Bryant-McGhee, Dale Bryant-Williams and Janyce Bryant. They have seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Leonard and Mary Bryant for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Dr. and Mrs. A.L. Wilson who have been married 66 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. A.L. Wilson and his wife, Nancy Mae, were both born in Elmore County, Alabama and married on August 8, 1948. The Wilsons moved to Lee County in 1954 so Dr. Wilson could be pastor of Thompson Chapel AME Zion. Dr. Wilson served as pastor there for 50 years. A.L. and Nancy Mae raised six children and have eight grandchildren. They include: Vandy Wilson, a retired Air Force veteran and father of three; Dr. Linda Wilson, who has a Ph.D in nursing and has one child; Carolyn Wilson-Dandridge, an Air Force veteran and mother of two; Barbara Wilson-Frazier, a graduate of Tennessee State University; Michael Wilson, a graduate of Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC; and Authurine Wilson-Sims, deceased after a short, but successful life as a teacher of special education. She leaves behind two children. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Dr. and Mrs. A.L. Wilson for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Gerald and Mary Sykes who have been married 59 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. Gerald and Mary Sykes met in Lanett, Alabama, while attending a birthday party in August of 1952. They dated for three years and married June 3, 1955. Gerald entered the ministry in 1968 in Atlanta, Georgia and has served five churches as the full-time pastor. He retired in 2012 and served three churches as interim pastor and is currently serving as full-time pastor at Waverly Baptist Church in Waverly, Alabama. The Sykes raised two daughters and have two grandsons and four great- grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Gerald and Mary Sykes for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Loren Sutton who have been married 58 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. Loren and Elouise met at Southeastern Bible College in 1953. They were married in Birmingham, Alabama, on June 8, 1957. Loren and Elouise accepted their call to ministry on April 6, 1958 and served as pastors in Townley and Jasper, both in Alabama, before they arrived in Opelika, Alabama, to start a new church in March of 1965. The Suttons have four children and three grandchildren including: Loren Sutton Roberts, wife of Dr. Don Roberts; Elizabeth Sutton; Timothy Sutton; Dr. John Sutton. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Loren and Elouise Sutton for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Bennie G. Adkins, of Opelika, Alabama, for being awarded the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama on September 15, 2014. In his honor, I am submitting into the Congressional Record the following summary of his service and heroism as written and prepared by the United States Army: ``Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins was drafted into the Army Dec. 5, 1956, at the age of 22, from Waurika, Oklahoma. Upon completion of initial training at Fort Bliss, Texas, he was assigned as an Administrative Clerk-Typist to a garrison unit in Giessen, Germany, with a follow-on assignment to the 2nd Infantry Division, at Fort Benning, Georgia. After attending Airborne School, he volunteered for Special Forces, in 1961. He served with the Special Forces for more than 13 years with the 7th, 3rd, 6th and 5th Special Forces Groups (Airborne). While in the Special Forces, he deployed to the Republic of Vietnam for three non-consecutive tours. His first tour in the Republic of Vietnam lasted from February 1963 to August 1963. His second tour of duty in Vietnam lasted from September 1965 to September 1966. His final Vietnam tour lasted from January 1971 through December 1971. Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins distinguished himself during 38 hours of close-combat fighting against enemy forces, March 9-12, 1966. At that time, then-Sergeant First Class Adkins was serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces at Camp A Shau, in the Republic of Vietnam. When Camp A Shau was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the early morning hours of March 9, then-Sergeant First Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position defending the camp. He continued to mount a defense even while incurring wounds from several direct hits from enemy mortars. Upon learning that several Soldiers were wounded near the center of camp, he temporarily turned the mortar over to another Soldier, ran through exploding mortar rounds and dragged several comrades to safety. As the hostile fire subsided, Adkins repeatedly exposed himself to sniper and mortar fire, while moving casualties to the camp dispensary. Adkins exposed himself to enemy fire transporting a casualty to an airstrip for evacuation. He and his group then came under heavy small- arms fire from members of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group, which had defected to fight with the North Vietnamese. Despite this overwhelming force, Adkins maneuvered outside the camp to evacuate a seriously wounded American and draw fire away from the aircraft, all the while successfully covering the rescue. Later, when a resupply air drop landed outside of the camp perimeter, Adkins again moved outside of the camp walls to retrieve the much-needed supplies. During the early morning hours of March 10, enemy forces launched their main assault. Within two hours, Adkins was the only defender firing a mortar. When all mortar rounds were expended, Adkins began placing effective recoilless rifle fire upon the enemy, as they infiltrated the camp perimeter and assaulted his position. Despite receiving additional wounds from enemy rounds exploding on his position, Adkins fought off relentless waves of attacking Viet Cong. Adkins then withdrew to regroup with a smaller element of Soldiers at the communications bunker. While there, he single-handedly eliminated numerous insurgents with small-arms fire, almost completely exhausting his supply of ammunition. Braving intense enemy fire, he returned to the mortar pit, gathered vital ammunition and evaded fire while returning to the bunker. After the order was given to evacuate the camp, Adkins and a small group of Soldiers destroyed all signal equipment and classified documents, dug their way out of the rear of the bunker, and fought their way out of the camp. Because of his efforts to carry a wounded Soldier to an extraction point and leave no one behind, Adkins and his group were unable to reach the last evacuation helicopter. Adkins then rallied the remaining survivors and led the group into the jungle, where they evaded the enemy for 48 hours, until they were rescued by helicopter, March 12. During the 38-hour battle and 48 hours of escape and evasion, Adkins fought with mortars, machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and hand grenades, killing an estimated 135-175 of the enemy and sustaining 18 different wounds. Adkins' extraordinary heroism and selflessness, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflect great credit upon himself, Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces and the United States Army. After Vietnam, Adkins served as First Sergeant for the Army Garrison Communications Command in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. He then joined Class #3 of the Army Sergeants Major Academy in El Paso, Texas. After graduation, Adkins served with the Special Forces at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and then led training at Fort Sherman's Jungle School in the Panama Canal Zone. He retired from the Army in 1978. Adkins earned his bachelor's degree from Troy State University, in 1979. He earned his Master's Degree in Education, in 1982, and then, a second Master's Degree in Management, in 1988, all from Troy State University. Simultaneous to pursuing his degree programs, he established the Adkins Accounting Service, Inc., in Auburn, Alabama, serving as its CEO for 22 years. He also taught night classes at Alabama's Southern Union Junior College, for 10 years, and at Auburn University, for six years. Adkins has been married to his wife, Mary, for 59 years, and together they have raised five children. Adkins' previous awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster and ``V'' Device, the Purple Heart with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal with Bronze Clasp and Five Loops, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one Silver Service Star and one Bronze Service Star, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with ``60'' Device, the Republic of Vietnam Bravery Medal with Brass Star, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Device, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Special Forces Tab, the U.S. Army Master Parachutist Badge, the Vietnamese Parachutist Badge-- Two Awards, the Expert Badge with Rifle and Pistol Bars, the Sharpshooter Badge with Carbine Bar, and the Marksman Badge with Machinegun Bar.'' Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Command Sgt. Maj. Adkins for his service and congratulating him on receiving such a well-deserved honor. He is a true American hero.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Rev. and Mrs. Willie Frank Smith, Sr. who have been married 50 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. Rev. and Mrs. Smith met in Selma, Alabama and were married on July 28, 1964 at New Canaan Baptist Church in Camp Hill, Alabama. Rev. Smith has served as the pastor at churches in Camp Hill, Valley and Notasulga. The Smiths have three children including: Willie F. Smith Jr., a minister, medical transcriptionist and Christian education consultant; Monique Smith Gadson, a professional counselor and mother of two daughters Nia and Imani; and Patrick T. Smith, Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and father of Gabrielle and Caleb. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Rev. and Mrs. Smith for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Larry Presley who have been married 56 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. Larry and Donna met while attending Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. They were married on August 30, 1958 in Overland Park, Kansas. They moved to Lee County, Alabama, in 1987. Larry has been in the ministry 57 years and still serves as full-time minister in Opelika, Alabama. The Presleys have two sons, Lynn and Jamey. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Larry and Donna Presley for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Jerrell McNutt who have been married 59 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. Jerrell and Vera McNutt married on September 2, 1955, at Needham Presbyterian Church in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Mr. McNutt, a World War II veteran, earned three degrees and for the past 48 years has taught graduate-level Theology using the experimental method Clinica Pastoral Education (CPE). He has also served as CPE Supervisor for over 27 years at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tuskegee, Alabama. Mrs. McNutt has served as chief nurse in a Psychiatric Facility, Labor and Delivery and Geriatric Care. The McNutts have three children, six grandchildren and one great- grandson including: Linda Joy Jones, a teacher and mother of two sons and grandmother to one grandson; Barbara Vickery, an RN and mother of one son and one daughter; and Jerry Lester McNutt, an audio engineer, and father of two sons. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Jerrell and Vera McNutt for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I thank the chairman. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and passage of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014. This legislation would stop another unlawful regulatory overreach by the EPA which, in this case, would expand the definition of the waters of the United States. We have all seen that this administration believes it can bypass Congress to create laws through executive rulemaking, and it is flatout wrong. The administration's proposed rule could have damaging effects on American property rights, particularly those in Alabama's largest economic sector, agriculture. Expanding the role of the EPA, as this proposed rule does, to enforce almost all bodies of water, including puddles, small ponds, and ditches, will have a profound and, I fear, a very negative impact on those who produce our Nation's food and fiber. As we approach the 227th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, I want to remind my colleagues that the Constitution created three separate but equal branches of government. The Congress writes the laws, not the executive branch. This is an issue the Congress of elected officials must address, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington. I urge my colleagues to stand for common sense and support H.R. 5078.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Hunt who have been married 66 years and serve as clergy in Lee County, Alabama. Jerry and June Hunt were married in Atlanta, Georgia on October 24, 1948. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt both grew up with a father who served as a pastor. Pastor Hunt served as the associate pastor with his grandson of the church where his father and his wife's father served as pastors. This church was Fellowship Primitive Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia founded in 1829 in Tucker, Georgia. Pastor Hunt owned a business and was pastor of a church in Atlanta before moving to Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church in Lee County, Alabama in 2008. Jerry and June have three children including: Frances June Hunt, mother of seven; Jerry M. Hunt, Jr., father of three; and Virginia Ann Hunt Corley, mother of three. The Hunts have 13 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Jerry and June Hunt for their tireless service in the Lee County community.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mr. Leonard Peevy. Mr. Peevy has been a dedicated member of American Legion Post No. 79 for 60 years. Leonard Peevy is an Alabama Army National Guard Veteran who has served our country through three tours. These tours took him to the Korean War and Berlin. He joined the American Legion after returning for war, and he has served the American Legion in numerous capacities. He has served on local, district and state levels. Mr. Peevy served as the state commander of the American Legion in 1993. He was also awarded a certificate from the national American Legion for his dedication over the past 60 years. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Mr. Leonard Peevy for his tireless dedication to serving our nation's Veterans. His service to our state and country is an inspiration.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Mrs. Edna Farrell, a resident of Arbor Springs Health and Rehabilitation Center in Opelika. Mrs. Farrell was recently named the 2014 Ms. Alabama Nursing Home. Edna Farrell is a native of Brooklyn, New York. She is also a Cornell graduate and a retired nurse and was a member of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. When she graduated from the corps, she had three Maltese crosses on her shoulders, a sign of high ranking. Her husband who fought in World War II and Vietnam, took the family from Brooklyn to Fort Benning, Korea and Honolulu. Mrs. Farrell was named Ms. Arbor Springs Health and Rehab Center in the nursing home's pageant last year. Farrell was named the 2014 Ms. Alabama Nursing Home this July during the pageant, which was held in Birmingham. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mrs. Edna Farrell on her achievement and wishing her great success during her reign as 2014's Ms. Alabama Nursing Home.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for the House's attention today to recognize Janice Jennings who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the Capstone College of Nursing at the University of Alabama. Mrs. Jennings was born in Anniston, Alabama. She graduated from Saks High School and went on to attend Gadsden State University, where she got her degree in Nursing. In 1983, Jan married her husband Jeff and soon after in 1987, her only daughter, Jessica, was born. Jan went on to receive her Business degree from Jacksonville State University in 1989. Perhaps most notably, Jan welcomed another addition into the Jennings' household in 2010: a labradoodle named Tully. Although she lives in North Carolina now, Jan remains a dedicated fan of the University of Alabama. This dedication to her beloved Crimson Tide has led her to pursue a degree from the University. Through hard work and dedication, she will be achieving a lifelong goal on August 2, when she walks across the stage in Coleman Coliseum to receive her degree. Mr. Speaker, we join her family and friends in celebrating Jan's accomplishments and congratulating her with a hearty Roll Tide.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for the House's attention today to recognize the congregation of Alexandria Baptist Church, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary with a celebration on August 3. The Alexandria Baptist Church was organized the first Sunday in April of 1914. There were 22 members of the original church, and the first pastor was Rev. John W. Stewart. After six years of holding services in the Odd Fellows Hall in Alexandria, plans were made to build a church. Four years later, the present church was built. Many of the early pastors at Alexandria Baptist Church were students from Howard College. Two passenger trains carried these student pastors back and forth from Birmingham each Sunday. The people of Alexandria Baptist Church live out the church's mission statement, ``To Love God and To Love Others'' each and every day. On August 3, 2014, Alexandria Baptist Church members will gather with former pastors, leaders, members and staff to commemorate their successful 100 years. Please join me in celebrating this milestone and wishing them many more years of success.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois. As chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, I am deeply familiar with our nuclear forces. In this case, we are talking about the long-range standoff weapon, LRSO, which is the follow-on replacement for the existing air-launched cruise missile, or ALCM. The fleet of existing ALCMs are old and their reliability is declining. We have heard directly from the U.S. Strategic Command that they are well past their service life and have military effectiveness concerns. Projected adversary air defense improvements will impact its effectiveness even more. And this is a weapons system we are planning to sustain until 2030. We need to start development of the nuclear warhead for the LRSO next year to meet the 2030 deployment date. The funding that this amendment seeks to eliminate is critical to getting this effort started and on- track. The disarm-America crowd will say there is no military requirement for this weapon. On the contrary, I have here a letter from the Under Secretary of Defense for acquisitions, technology, and logistics, stating: ``The Department of Defense has established a military requirement for a nuclear capable standoff cruise missile for the bomber leg of the U.S. triad.'' There is a clear military requirement for LRSO. Preserving long-range cruise missile capability is a critical component of the U.S. strategic and extended deterrence strategies. Gravity bombs and conventional weapons cannot provide the same deterrence and defense effects. There is a clear national security imperative for LRSO. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I thank the chairman. Madam Chair, yesterday, we received a letter and white paper from the Chief of Naval Operations and the Director of the Naval Reactors program. I will include these documents and statement for the Record that I will be submitting shortly. This eight-star letter from our Nation's most senior naval officer makes clear that the cuts made to the Naval Reactors' budget request over the last 4 years are endangering the safety and reliability of the Navy's nuclear fleet. With the 12 percent reduction proposed by the bill before us today, Naval Reactors will have taken over $600 million in cuts over 5 years. The letter from the admiral is clear: The persistent cuts have put Naval Reactors in the position of being unable to provide for a safe and reliable nuclear fleet, to design and test the nuclear reactor plant for the Ohio replacement program, and to safely and responsibly manage the aging infrastructure and the facilities for processing naval spent nuclear fuel. This approach is no longer sustainable. Naval Reactors is a critical defense priority contained in this much larger appropriations bill. I share the admiral's concern that, if sustained, these reductions will endanger national security and the Naval Reactors' unparalleled 60-year record of safe and reliable nuclear operations. I urge the gentleman from Idaho to review these proposed reductions and their impacts as this bill progresses and to restore the Naval Reactors' funding to the budget request level in a conference or in a potential continuing resolution. I and my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee stand ready to support these efforts. Department of the Navy, Washington, DC, July 7, 2014. Hon. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: We write today to express our strong concern over proposed cuts to Naval Reactors' (NR's) portion of the FY15 National Nuclear Security Administration budget request. Our Navy and our national security rely on a nuclear Fleet of 10 aircraft carriers and 73 submarines, including our 14 Ohio-Class ballistic missile submarines--over 40 percent of our major combatants. These warships form the backbone of our Navy, enabled by the 93 reactors that power them--reactors provided, operated, and regulated solely by NR. NR has been doing this for our nation for over 60 years, compiling over 166 million miles safely steamed on nuclear power--it is an unmatched record of safety and effectiveness. The funding level proposed in H.R. 4923, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, proposes reducing NR's funding below the request by $162 million which places operation of that nuclear Fleet including sustained carrier operations and the nation's security at risk. If enacted, this would be the fifth consecutive year of significant marks to NR's requests for funding. To date, these reductions below requested levels have totaled over $450 million; this bill would bring that total to well over $600 million. These shortfalls have resulted in delaying the construction of needed facilities, effectively halting research and development, and deferring procurement of equipment needed to address emergent fleet issues. The persistent cuts have put NR in the position of being unable to provide for a safe and reliable nuclear fleet, design and test the reactor plant for the OHIO Replacement Program, and safely and responsibly manage aging infrastructure and the facilities for processing naval spent nuclear fuel. This approach is no longer sustainable. Moreover, the bill includes a number of provisions on the use of funds, continuing a trend that reduces NR's ability to manage the Program consistent with the priorities of safe and reliable operation of the fleet. As the Committee moves forward with H.R. 4923, we respectfully ask that you consider full funding for NR at the FY15 budget request and removal of restrictive provisions on the expenditure of funds. This is essential for continued operation of the nation's nuclear-powered fleet now and into the future. An identical letter has been sent to Representatives Rogers, Frelinghuysen, and Simpson; and Senators Mikulski and Levin. Sincerely, John M. Richardson, Admiral, U.S. Navy, Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. Jonathan W. Greenert, Admiral, U.S. Navy, Chief of Naval Operations.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize Ralph Preston Bolt, a constituent of mine from Anniston, Alabama. Mr. Bolt will be celebrating his 90th birthday on July 4th. Mr. Bolt was born on July 4, 1924, in Randolph County, Alabama. He graduated from Randolph County High School and after World War II, graduated from Auburn University in 1950. By the end of World War II, Mr. Bolt was a Staff Sergeant with the 94th Infantry Division. He was in the 302nd Battalion, Company K. With his division, he landed on Utah Beach 94 days after D-Day and ended up in Germany in 1945. His division spent just under a year in France and Germany. In 1947, Mr. Bolt married Betty Wright and had two sons, Ralph Preston, Jr. and James Andrew. He also has four grandchildren. Weathers Preston Bolt, Edward Morrissette Bolt, Sarah Sage Bolt and Anne Jacobs Bolt. Mr. and Mrs. Bolt reside in Anniston where he has been very involved in the community. Over the years, he has served on the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee and served as past Chairman of both the Chamber and YMCA Board. He was president of the Anniston Jaycees and is still a member of the Kiwanis Club of Anniston. He served on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Anniston and was recipient of the Silver Beaver award from the Choccolocco Council of the Boy Scouts of America following many years of service. He has also served on numerous boards and committees for the First United Methodist Church of Anniston where he is still an active member. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Mr. Bolt for his brave service to our country and join me in wishing him a very happy 90th birthday.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge Members to support my amendment and to support the underlying bill by my friend from New Jersey. I regret I have to bring this amendment today. It deals with a very arcane issue, the Treaty on Open Skies. In the FY15 NDAA, H.R. 4435, we included a bipartisan provision to require certification of the national security implications for Russian Federation proposals to implement new sensors on their Open Skies aircraft. These aircraft are allowed to fly over the United States to conduct surveillance flights. They are not supposed to supplement Russian intelligence collection on the U.S., yet not long after this body passed the NDAA on a 325-98 vote, the administration opted to ignore this body's concerns, ignore the concerns of a bipartisan group of Senators on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and approve a Russian request to improve its sensor platform. The administration did this without regard to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and illegal seizure of Crimea. The administration did this without regard to Russia's violation of the INF treaty. The administration did this without regard to Russia's compliance failings in the New START Treaty. The administration did this without regard to the fact that Russia is cheating on the Open Skies Treaty itself--just look at the State Department Web site. The administration did this without regard to the concerns of the Department of Defense and other government agencies. How did Russia respond to this decision by the administration to accede to Putin's wishes? The New York Times this past weekend answered that question this way: Rebels also claim to have shot down a Ukrainian AN-30 surveillance plane on June 6, 2014. The June 6 episode was of particular concern because it involved the destruction of one of the two planes that Ukraine used to monitor the Open Skies Treaty. Mr. Chairman, when will we learn that we can't respond to Russian aggression with concession? Putin responded, as he always does, by taking our concession and having his shock troops in Ukraine shoot down an airplane. We cannot continue like this. We cannot continue to ignore Russia cheating when it comes to our treaties. We cannot continue to allow Russia to misuse arms control treaties like the Open Skies Treaty. We cannot continue to allow Russia to foment violence on NATO's borders. We cannot continue to ignore the concerns of our military and other national security agencies just to make Russia feel good. I urge support of my amendment to send a message to Russia and safeguard our national security. With that, I would urge my colleagues to accept the amendment and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a very special occasion today--the 50th wedding anniversary of Mayfield and Faye Robertson. Mayfield Robertson and Faye Bowling met on September 8, 1963. Mayfield Robertson, who had returned home from serving in Germany just two years earlier, was playing baseball that day, and Faye Bowling was in attendance. On June 11, 1964, Mayfield and Faye got married. Together, Mayfield and Faye Robertson raised three children, Ryan, Lana, and Chad. They have six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Mayfield is now retired from the Anniston Army Depot, and Faye is retired from Sewell Manufacturing. The Robertsons have been very blessed. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Robertsons on 50 years together.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for the House's attention today to recognize Byron Pigg who is retiring from the position of Public Safety Director with the East Alabama Water, Sewer and Fire Protection District. Mr. Pigg is retiring after 33 years and 10 months of service. Prior to his service as a full-time employee, Byron served as a volunteer firefighter. He served as fire chief for 25 years of his full-time employment. During his tenure as fire chief, Byron worked to significantly upgrade the fire department. In 2005, he oversaw the construction of a new headquarters fire station. He received over $1 million in grant money to help improve the fire department. He also has served in numerous local, regional and statewide organizations. Mr. Speaker, we join his family and friends in celebrating Mr. Pigg's retirement and wish him the very best.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I thank the gentleman from New Mexico. I agree with the importance of the national labs. I look forward to working with you to find ways to strengthen their capabilities and meet their important missions. I expect we will be able to find a way to ensure nonprofits have access to our national laboratories without using defense funding to subsidize such work. Mr. BEN RAY LUJAAN of New Mexico. Madam Chairman, I appreciate all the staff's time on this.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to his amendment.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Chair, the Blumenauer amendment is a continuation of the gentleman's efforts to suggest that this Nation cannot afford its nuclear deterrence requirements, which are actually the Obama administration's requirements based on the President's personal promises. The gentleman, notwithstanding the views of the Obama administration, the military leadership, and the senior civilian leadership, wants to unilaterally cut our nuclear forces. He has earlier offered a proposal to try to put Members of this body at odds with the National Guard in an attempt to cut nuclear weapons funding. He has offered the REIN-IN Act to gut the U.S. nuclear deterrent, which is relied upon by 31 American allies, despite the expanding nuclear weapons programs of Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, and others. It is as if the gentleman missed Vladimir Putin's massive and unplanned nuclear weapons exercise just over a week ago and his invasion of Ukraine and his violation of the INF Treaty and his questionable implementation of the New START Treaty. Perhaps the gentleman should have heard Secretary Hagel's testimony before the Armed Services Committee this March when he said: ``Most everybody agrees that our ability to possess nuclear weapons and the capability that has brought us has probably done as much to deter aggression--nuclear deterrence and the start of World War III as any one thing.'' Or Chairman Dempsey's testimony when he was asked if, despite the disarmament echo chamber in this town, the debate about the U.S. nuclear posture and our strategic triad is over, he said: ``For the record, I can speak for myself and the Joint Chiefs, and you are correct.'' But here we are again today and again this year with a new effort to disarm this country's deterrent. It looks harmless: Let's ask for a CBO report. Has the gentleman asked the CBO if it can do this annual report? I did. They don't have the resources to do such a report. Is the gentleman aware of the current annual reports we receive? We have the Obama administration submit an annual report detailing these costs. It is called the section 1043 report. We get it every year. We then have the GAO audit that report each and every year. These are hundreds and thousands of man-hours to produce and at great expense each and every year. Yet let's add a third report, the gentleman says. Why? Because maybe this report will tell us something different than the other two reports? What have they all shown us? They have all shown us that, by any reasonable and informed estimate, we are spending less than 5 percent of the defense budget on our nuclear forces--less than 5 percent. It is a historical low. We will spend approximately $6 trillion on defense spending over the next 10 years. We will spend over $30 trillion, including the whole Federal Government. How much on our nuclear forces? According to these reports, approximately $300 billion. I am happy to debate the gentleman on the merits of our nuclear forces. What I am not prepared to accept is wasteful, unnecessary annual reports just so the nuclear disarmament crowd can throw another argument against the wall in hopes that maybe something will finally stick that supports its lonely position that we should be unilaterally reducing U.S. nuclear forces without regard to this Nation's security interests or those of our allies. I urge the defeat of this amendment and the return to common sense. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Will the gentleman yield? Mr. BEN RAY LUJAAN of New Mexico. I yield to the gentleman.