Adam Smith

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, February 9; Wednesday, February 10; Thursday, February 11; and Friday, February 12, 2016, I was on medical leave while recovering from hip replacement surgery and unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 64 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3036, as amended). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 65 (on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 609). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 66 (on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 609). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 67 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4470, as amended). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 68 (on agreeing to the Eddie Bernice Johnson Amendment to H.R. 3293). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 69 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 3293, with instructions). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 70 (on passage of H.R. 3293). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 71 (on agreeing to the Kelly of Illinois Amendment to H.R. 3442). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 72 (on agreeing to the Duffy Amendment to H.R. 3442). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 73 (on agreeing to the Grijalva Amendment to H.R. 3442). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 74 (on agreeing to the Takano Amendment to H.R. 3442). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 75 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 3442, with instructions). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 76 (on passage of H.R. 3442). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 77 (on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 611). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 78 (on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 611). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 79 (on agreeing to the McMorris Rodgers Amendment to H.R. 2017). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 80 (on agreeing to the Schrader Amendment to H.R. 2017). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 81 (on passage of H.R. 2017). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 82 (on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 757). personal explanation

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 1; Tuesday, February 2; Wednesday, February 3; and Thursday, February 4, 2016, I was on medical leave while recovering from hip replacement surgery and unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 46 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2187, as amended). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 47 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4168). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 48 (on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 594). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 49 (on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 594). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 50 (on agreeing to the Palazzo Amendment to H.R. 3700). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 51 (on agreeing to the Al Green Amendment to H.R. 3700). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 52 (on passage of H.R. 3700). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 53 (on passage of H.R. 3762, objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 54 (on passage of H.R. 3662). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 55 (on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 595). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 56 (on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 595). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 57 (on agreeing to the DeSaulnier Amendment to H.R. 1675). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 58 (on agreeing to the Issa Amendment to H.R. 1675). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 59 (on agreeing to the Carolyn Maloney Amendment to H.R. 1675). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 60 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 1675, with instructions). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 61 (on passage of H.R. 1675). ``Yes'' on rollcall vote No. 62 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 766, with instructions). ``No'' on rollcall vote No. 63 (on passage of H.R. 766).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, January 11; Tuesday, January 12; and Wednesday, January 13, 2016, I took medical leave to attend appointments related to an upcoming hip replacement surgery and was unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 34 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 598, as amended), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 35 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3231, as amended), ``No'' on roll call vote No. 36 (on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 583), ``No'' on roll call vote No. 37 (on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 583), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 38 (on agreeing to the Kildee Amendment to H.R. 1644), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 39 (on agreeing to the Cartwright Amendment to H.R. 1644), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 40 (on agreeing to the Sewell Amendment to H.R. 1644), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 41 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 1644, with instructions), ``No'' on roll call vote No. 42 (on passage of H.R. 1644), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 43 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 757, as amended), Pursuant to a unanimous consent request made by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and agreed to without objection, the roll call vote No. 44 and the motion to reconsider thereon were vacated and further proceedings on the question of passage of H.R. 3662 postponed as though under clause 8 of rule 20 through the legislative day of January 26, 2016, and ``No'' on roll call vote No. 45 (on passage of H.R. S.J. Res. 22).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on the afternoon of Thursday, January 7 and January 8, 2016, I took medical leave to attend to an appointment related to an upcoming hip replacement surgery and was unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 7 (on agreeing to the Johnson (GA) Amendment to H.R. 712), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 8 (on agreeing to the Cummings Amendment to H.R. 712), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 9 (on agreeing to the Lynch Amendment to H.R. 712), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 10 (on agreeing to the Johnson (GA) Amendment to H.R. 712), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 11 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 712, with instructions), ``No'' on roll call vote No. 12 (on passage of H.R. 712), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 13 (on agreeing to the Johnson (GA) Amendment to H.R. 1155), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 14 (on agreeing to the Cummings Amendment to H.R. 1155), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 15 (on agreeing to the Cicilline Amendment to H.R. 1155), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 16 (on agreeing to the DelBene Amendment to H.R. 1155), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No . 17 (on agreeing to the Cicilline Amendment to H.R. 1155), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 18 (on agreeing to the Pocan Amendment to H.R. 1155), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 19 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 1155, with instructions), ``No'' on roll call vote No. 20 (on passage of H.R. 1155), ``No'' on roll call vote No. 21 (on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 581), ``No'' on roll call vote No. 22 (on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 581), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 23 (on agreeing to the Cohen Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 24 (on agreeing to the Conyers Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 25 (on agreeing to the Deutch Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 26 (on agreeing to the Moore Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 27 (on agreeing to the Moore Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 28 (on agreeing to the Waters Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 29 (on agreeing to the Johnson (GA) Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 30 (on agreeing to the Jackson Lee Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 31 (on agreeing to the Nadler Amendment to H.R. 1927), ``Yes'' on roll call vote No. 32 (on the motion to recommit H.R. 1927, with instructions), and ``No'' on roll call vote No. 33 (on passage of H.R. 1927).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and congratulate Linda Stone--a longtime anti-hunger advocate in Seattle-- on her retirement. For the last 30 years, Linda has been a prominent leader in the fight to end hunger. She is known throughout the region for her tenure as the Food Policy Director for the Children's Alliance, a public-policy organization that advocates for the needs of children. Her history also includes service as the Director of the Governor's Task Force on Hunger and as the founder of the Washington Food Policy Action Center. Linda served as the driving force behind a strategic plan to end childhood hunger in Washington State and to create a summer meals program for children who experience food insecurity when not in school. She also showed transformative leadership through her involvement with the Western Regional Anti-Hunger Consortium, a coalition of 10 western states that collaborate on anti-hunger initiatives. She led the coalition's efforts to secure over $6 billion in funding for the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She also helped to create a system that assisted local farmers at community farmers markets to sell affordable fresh fruits and vegetables in areas that previously lacked affordable access. Linda has been recognized for her extraordinary efforts numerous times, including being named National Child Advocate of the Year in 1997 by Voices for America's Children. She is acknowledged by her colleagues as having been an unwavering and powerful champion for families that experience food insecurity. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Linda Stone on her retirement and recognize her tremendous impact in the fight to end hunger, the work she has done in Washington State and beyond.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and congratulate Gary Brackett, longtime Business and Political Manager for the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, on his retirement after nearly four decades of service to the Tacoma-Pierce County community. The Puget Sound region is home to a large number of military personnel, retirees, and their families. Over the course of Gary's 36 years at the Chamber, his top priority has been to advocate for this community in Pierce County and beyond. When Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM)--and other military installations--faced drastic cuts to its workforce in recent years due to federal budget cuts in defense spending, Gary led local efforts to retain as many troops as possible by providing the U.S. Army with a quantitative analysis of JBLM's vital role to the region and to U.S. national security. His diligence and successful coalition-building helped to minimize the negative impacts that a reduction in military personnel would have entailed, including a projected $1 billion loss in economic activity in the region that could have resulted. Throughout his career at the Chamber, Gary made it a priority to not only interact with local and state leaders, but to have a presence in Washington, D.C. as well. He was instrumental in helping to secure federal funding for the construction of much-needed elementary schools at JBLM, local water and sewage projects, and other transportation infrastructure improvements on base. In recognition of his leadership, Gary was asked by Governor Inslee to serve on the Washington Military Alliance (WMA) where he worked to ensure the continued liveliness of Washington's military and defense sector community. Gary's success at building coalitions includes his significant role in the development of an ongoing positive relationship between JBLM and its surrounding communities. Through his work to create the Chamber's Military Affairs Forum, base commanders and personnel have the opportunity to interact with local business and political leaders on a monthly basis. The Forum has served as an open platform to discuss controversial issues including joint land use and clear zone funding. Due to its success over the years, the Military Affairs Forum has served as a model for similar military communities across the country. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Gary Brackett on his retirement and accomplishments. His leadership has been critical to fostering a thriving economy and maintaining the quality of life of Pierce County businesses and military personnel and their families in Washington State.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Joni Earl, longtime Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Seattle area's regional transit system, Sound Transit, on her retirement. Joni has been an extraordinary and transformative civic leader; forever changing the public transportation system in the Puget Sound region. Joni's public service has been a lifelong endeavor and began when she was just a teenager, when she served as Assistant Treasurer at the City of Bremerton's City Treasurer office. Upon graduation from Washington State University, Joni would continue her career in 1987 as the City Manager of Mill Creek. Later, she brought her leadership abilities to Snohomish County as the Deputy County Executive until 2000, when she was recruited to join Sound Transit as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Joni was tasked with saving a $1.9 billion light rail project that was years behind schedule and a billion dollars over budget. Just months after arriving, Joni was unexpectedly appointed to the role of CEO, where she discovered the true extent of Sound Transit's difficulties with several projects behind schedule, over budget, and in danger of losing federal and public support. With the agency's future very much in doubt, Joni spearheaded Sound Transit's remarkable turnaround in the early 2000s. She immersed herself in the subject material, gaining a realistic perspective from agency staff and realigning expectations for the then-troubled light rail line. Her skillful navigation of the relationship with the Sound Transit board, which includes local elected officials from throughout the region, won her the trust of Democrats and Republicans alike. To those who had worked with Joni in the past, the transformation of Sound Transit came as no surprise: her career is filled with stories of successful turnarounds. Thanks to Joni's careful stewardship, the Puget Sound region's transit system is today on stable footing with Sound Transit rolling out new light rail and bus service. The initial portion of an extensive light rail system--the first of its kind in the region--was up and running by 2009; in 2016, a new light rail extension to the University of Washington is set to open months ahead of schedule and $150 million under budget. Moving forward, Sound Transit is expected to expand its light rail throughout the region, providing new transportation opportunities for citizens and transforming the economic vitality of the region in the process. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize Joni Earl on her retirement from Sound Transit and for her lifetime of service to the Puget Sound region. It is without a doubt that her leadership and commitment to a better future of public transit will continue to impact the region for generations to come.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jim Haggerton, Mayor of Tukwila, Washington, on his retirement. There have been few greater champions for the City of Tukwila than Jim Haggerton. For over four decades, Jim has dedicated himself to bettering his community in many ways. After concluding his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Jim and his wife, Carol, purchased their home in the McMicken Heights neighborhood in 1972. There, they raised their two children, Terri and Care. Despite the rigors of a hectic schedule with a young family and a burgeoning career, Jim found time to devote to his city. He served nine years on Tukwila's Planning Commission, helping to guide the city through a period of tremendous growth. He built on this service when he was elected to serve as a Councilmember; a position that he held for thirteen years. Then, in 2007, he was elected as Tukwila's Mayor. As Mayor, Jim led the successful effort to develop and implement the city's first Strategic Plan, which was notable for its creation of the award-winning Community Connectors program. He also led the negotiations for dozens of major development and public infrastructure projects that have benefited the entire region. These include Jim's efforts to bring transit options to Tukwila, including light and heavy rail. Expanded transit access has accompanied and supported the development of commercial projects that attract commerce from surrounding communities. In addition to his work at City Hall, Jim has been a tireless advocate for Tukwila in a long list of regional organizations. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Association of Washington Cities, Sound Cities Association, and the Cascade Water Alliance. He also served as the President of the Southcenter Rotary Club and is a member of the American Legion Post 235 in Tukwila. As Jim passes the baton following his decades of service, he leaves the city on strong footing. Tukwila today has a AA rating from Standard and Poors, despite the challenges posed by the recession and ongoing recovery. Engagement with the community has never been stronger, either. This past year, Tukwila was recognized for its efforts to engage the city's diverse communities in the update of Tukwila's Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize Mr. Jim Haggerton for his years of service and his tremendous impact on the City of Tukwila and King County.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis), the ranking member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I just want to start on the last point about certainty and the President's veto. The bill the President vetoed had $38 billion in it in OCO funding, which the appropriators had not appropriated and which was highly unlikely to be there. If the President had signed that bill, the uncertainty would have been enormous. There would have been $38 billion promised in the NDAA with no guarantee whatsoever that it was going to show up. Now, once we got a budget resolution, we were able to get $33 billion of that $38 billion, and that is good. But, still, if he had signed that bill, we would now be scrambling to figure out where to cut that $5 billion in a bill that we had already passed. Make no mistake about it: the bill that we passed and that the President vetoed gave no clarity to our troops or to the Department of Defense because it had $38 billion in it that the budget resolution and that the appropriators were not going to approve. Until we got that resolved, we could not legitimately pass a bill that would give our troops and the Department of Defense any degree of--forget certainty--any degree of understanding of what money they were going to be able to spend. So passing an NDAA with a bunch of money in it that isn't reflected in the budget resolution, that isn't reflected in the appropriations is hardly supporting our troops and hardly giving them any sort of clarity as to what money they are going to have. Now we have a little bit of that clarity because of that budget resolution. I won't be so bold as to say that the President's veto of the NDAA was part of the incentive for getting that budget resolution, but I am sure it didn't hurt because we wanted to clarify that very important national security process. But more than anything, there was $38 billion in there that wasn't going to be there. That is not keeping a promise to our troops. So I am glad that we got that clarity. I am glad it happened as soon as it did. I was skeptical we would get the budget resolution so quickly, but I am glad that we did. I think it does now give our troops and the Department of Defense the sense of clarity on the budget for at least the next 2 years that they need. As I have said, we need to go beyond that. We need to get rid of the budget caps. We need to get rid of, I believe, the Budget Control Act so that we can have some degree of planning ability for the next 5 to 10 years for the Department of Defense and for all these other departments that are important to national security, but also important to economic security. That matters as well to our country. So I am glad that we have arrived where we are at. I, again, want to thank the chairman and thank all of the members of the committee for all of their very, very hard work. In particular, before I wrap up today, I want to thank Betty Gray, who works on our staff, who--and, if you look at her, you would not believe this in a million years--who has actually been here for 40 years. I don't think she's aged in any of those 40 years. But she has served the Armed Services Committee and, gosh, more Members than any of us could probably count for 40 years. She is the epitome of a public servant and the epitome of exactly everything that the HASC staff stands for in terms of always putting the troops first, always being concerned about our national security. I don't know how we would function without Betty. She makes the trains run on time, makes sure everyone is doing what they need to be doing, and has just done a fabulous job. And she is just a truly wonderful person as well, has been a good friend to many, many Members and many, many staff members. But also, I think the great thing about Betty is, she has always managed to do something that is very difficult for all of us, and that is balance both professional and personal life. Her husband, Dick, and her children, Zach and Cal, have always been just number one priority for her. She takes care of them, and she also takes care of us. So for 40 years, she has been a dedicated public servant. I just want to have those of us who are here give a round of applause for Betty Gray and her 40 years of amazing public service. I don't know what we will do if she ever decides to retire. We like to think that no one is irreplaceable, but Betty comes as close as anyone I could possibly imagine. So I thank her for her help and leadership and for 40 years of dedicated public service. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the career of Betty Gray, a loyal public servant and a key staff member on the House Armed Services Committee. Betty has served in Congress for 40 years--a benchmark only the most dedicated public servants achieve. Betty typifies what it means to be a public servant, a colleague, a friend and, most importantly, a mother and wife. Anyone who has had the opportunity to meet Betty quickly understands that the most important thing in her life is her family. Her husband, Dick, and two children, Zach and Cal, are at the center of her life. We all fear the day Betty decides to retire. While no one is irreplaceable, some people come very close. Betty is one of those people. Her institutional knowledge and administrative skill set are unrivaled. After 40 years of service, Betty has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and depth of understanding about the Armed Services Committee and the Congress that cannot be replaced. When she retires, a part of Congress will retire with her. Betty is a true professional. Ask anyone who has worked with Betty about the quality of her service and the response is unequivocal: Betty has always been the quiet, consistent presence on the committee--the person who is never rattled, regardless of how chaotic or stressful things become. Betty is always here to remind us of whether what we're thinking has been tried before, and failed, or whether it has worked. An eagle-eye editor of letters and memoranda, Betty is literally the person who makes sure that we ``cross our T's and dot our I's.'' Not only is she the person with the clipboard checking off staff at Member meetings, she is the person who assures that the Members know the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the meeting. Throw five conflicting times and dates at her, and Betty can make calm out of schedule chaos. As security administrator for classified information regarding the committee's special access programs, Betty literally handles our deepest, darkest secrets. For 37 years, she has shepherded every National Defense Authorization Act through committee markup, ensuring every roll-call vote is tallied correctly and serving as the committee's unofficial historian. On a more personal level, she's the librarian of the House Armed Services Committee, the school counselor, the motherly presence who remembers everyone's birthdays, and, on occasions, even the school nurse. She is the go-to person to get things done and the one who lends a helping hand or a listening ear. Betty has out-lasted eight Speakers of the House, seven Presidents, and ten House Armed Services Chairmen. Speaking as someone who has been here for a while, I understand the difficulty of achieving that level of longevity. We are here today to celebrate all that Betty has done for her country and for Congress, and to thank her for her service. You are a true public servant, Betty. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Betty Gray for her distinguished career. I am confident that others will continue to benefit from her service. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), the ranking member of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. I just want to thank Congressman Hunter for his kind words for Mr. Thornberry and me. It is really the whole committee, and particularly the staff, that puts this together. I think it is the staff that I am most impressed with. They are absolutely 100 percent dedicated to the national security of this country. I think Mr. Hunter is absolutely correct that the first and most important responsibility we have is to protect this country and to give the troops the equipment that they need to succeed in that venture. I was particularly moved by Congressman Sam Johnson's comments about not having the equipment that he needed in Vietnam. I thank Mr. Thornberry for his leadership in trying to make sure that we don't repeat that mistake. I think we have worked in a bipartisan way to achieve that goal: to make sure that the men and women who serve our country have the equipment and the training that they need to perform the missions that we ask them to do. I thank Congressman Hunter and Congressman Sam Johnson of Texas. I think their words were very well said. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes. I want to thank the chairman for his hard work on this piece of legislation. As always, I think he correctly described the process and all the work that went into it. It is always a challenge in the House and the Senate, Republicans and Democrats. There are many, many provisions in this bill that we argued over to reach agreement and reach consensus; but really, this bill is a reflection of the way Congress should function. It goes through committee; it goes through the House; it goes through the Senate committee, Senate; and then we conference and discuss those issues. I think this year, we flexed that as well. We had a very robust discussion with Members participating. I particularly want to thank the staff for their outstanding work. They always have to work very, very hard on all of those provisions--I think it was 647 that the chairman mentioned--to make that happen. Our staff is second to none, and I thank them for that. I thank the chairman and all the Members for participating in this bipartisan process. As the chairman stated, we have a good product. It takes some important steps on acquisition reform, it takes some critical steps on reforming our retirement system in a way that I think will benefit the troops, and it does all the other things that the chairman said it does. I will say that the political maneuvering that the chairman mentioned is not irrelevant because that is the one place that this bill still isn't quite there, and that is on getting rid of the budget caps. That is what all of that maneuvering was about; the original approach to this was to keep the budget caps in place and simply find OCO money. Now, the budget agreement upped the budget caps for a couple years, but still used a little OCO money. So it made progress, but it didn't get us there. Make no mistake about it. That issue is all about our troops and national security. Until we finally get rid of the budget caps and allow for a predictable--at least 5-, if not 10-, year future for our Defense Department, national security will be at risk. Now, it is great that we have got 2 years. It is great that we have got this one bill. But as many, many people in the Department of Defense--current Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, past Secretary of Defense Bob Gates--have mentioned, the last 5 years have been terrible for the Department of Defense. The last 5 years of unpredictable budgets, CRs, threatened shutdowns, actual shutdowns, budget caps--all of that has made it very, very difficult for the Pentagon to plan in the way that they would like. So the maneuvering that we went through to get to this point is far from irrelevant to what is in the best interests of national security and what is in the best interests of our troops. I think it is central to it. Even now, within this bill, we don't have as much money for readiness as I think any of us would like, and we don't have that predictability past 2 years. Two years is great, but we need to get past that. We need to get past the budget caps and build in some predictability going forward. So while it was frustrating, obviously, to go through the whole process and have it vetoed, once the budget was resolved, we put ourselves in a better position. Now we have turned what was a very good bill into a great bill and a bill that I am happy to support and that I believe is in the best interest of our troops and the best interest of national security. Again, I will emphasize this House will not truly get there until we have a more predictable budget future for national security in the Department of Defense. And not just the Department of Defense. As I mentioned in an earlier debate, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Treasury Department, the State Department, amongst many others, play a critical role in our national security. They, too, need some budget certainty and freedom from the caps and sequestration. All of that I think was very, very relevant to making our national security stronger and adequately protecting our troops. So I am pleased to stand up and support the bill today. I look forward to it moving forward. Again, I thank everybody for their very, very hard work in making it happen. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), the ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Loretta Sanchez), the ranking member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Betty Gray, a loyal public servant and a key staff member on the House Armed Services Committee. Betty has served in Congress for 40 years--a benchmark only the most dedicated public servants achieve. Betty typifies what it means to be a public servant, a colleague, a friend and, most importantly, a mother and wife. Anyone who has had the opportunity to meet Betty quickly understands that the most important thing to her is her family. Her husband, Dick, and two children, Zach and Cal, are at the center of her life. We all fear the day Betty decides to retire. While no one is irreplaceable, some people come very close. Betty is one of those people. Her institutional knowledge and administrative skill set are unrivaled. After 40 years of service, Betty has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and depth of understanding about the Armed Services Committee and Congress that cannot be replaced. When she retires, a part of Congress will retire with her. Betty is a true professional. Ask anyone who has worked with her about the quality of her service and the response is unequivocal: Betty has always been the quiet, consistent presence on the committee--the person who is never rattled, regardless of how chaotic or stressful things become. She is always here to remind us of what has been tried before and whether it did or did not work. An eagle-eye editor of letters and memoranda, Betty is literally the person who makes sure that we ``cross our T's and dot our I's.'' Not only is she the person with the clipboard checking off staff at Member meetings, she is the person who assures that the Members know the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the meeting. Throw five conflicting times and dates at her, and Betty can make calm out of schedule chaos. As security administrator for classified information, Betty literally handles our deepest, darkest secrets. For 37 years, she has shepherded every National Defense Authorization Act through committee markup, ensured every roll-call vote is tallied correctly, and served as the committee's unofficial historian. On a more personal level, Betty is the librarian of the House Armed Services Committee, the school counselor, the motherly presence who remembers everyone's birthdays and, on occasions, even the school nurse. She is the go-to person to get things done and the one who lends a helping hand or a listening ear. Betty has out-lasted eight Speakers of the House, seven Presidents, and ten House Armed Services Chairmen. Speaking as someone who has been here for a while, I understand the difficulty of achieving that level of longevity. We are here today to celebrate all that Betty has done for her country and for Congress, and to thank her for her service. You are a true public servant, Betty. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Betty Gray for her distinguished career. I am confident that others will continue to benefit from her service.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor SouthEast Effective Development (SEED), a nonprofit from Seattle, Washington, on its 40th anniversary. SEED was founded in 1975 with the purpose of revitalizing struggling neighborhoods in Southeast Seattle. During that time, many community members lacked access to much-needed resources and the area was riddled with deteriorating infrastructure. As a result, SEED made it their mission to improve the quality of life in Southeast Seattle through a series of economic development, housing, and cultural programs. SEED is regarded by many as having been integral to rejuvenating one of the area's most historic business districts--Columbia City--and generating several other thriving commercial areas. Other projects have included the Rainier Valley Cultural Center, Rainier Valley Square, Washington Care Center, and The Dakota at Rainier Court. SEED's approach to economic development, which includes collaborations with the private sector, government, and non-profits, has proven to be a successful model. The result has been not only new commercial development, but also increased capacity in neighborhoods to lay the groundwork for future success. The organization's housing programs have also had a tremendous impact, including the addition of over 1,000 affordable housing units for low-income families. In 2005, one of SEED's housing development projects won the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Phoenix Award for its successful restoration of a contaminated building into a livable space. SEED is also credited for bringing the first medical clinic and the first senior living community to the area. In addition, SEED has worked to cultivate a more active arts and cultural scene in Southeast Seattle. The SEEDarts program has remodeled several structures into art galleries and performing arts theaters, and organized cultural events that have become staple community activities. Through SEEDarts, as well as its other programs, SEED continuously strives to nurture a stronger sense of community in Southeast Seattle. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize and congratulate SEED for its four decades of service to Southeast Seattle. SEED's enduring commitment to the strength and vitality of our community is truly admirable, and I look forward to hearing about their future successes.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Lori Province on her retirement after nineteen years with the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC), where she has worked tirelessly on behalf of workers in Washington State. Prior to joining the WSLC, Lori had a strong background in the labor community. She served as a union representative for the Washington State Council of County and City Employees and for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 120 in Everett. Upon joining the WSLC in 1996, Lori worked in a variety of roles including as the Field Mobilization Director as a Dislocated Worker Labor Liaison where she provided layoff aversion services along with Trade Act and NAFTA petition development. Lori also handled outreach to inform dislocated workers about the employment and training services available through the Workforce Investment Act, along with representing their interests and beyond. When Lori was appointed Field Mobilization Director in 2008, she supported and encouraged the participation of members from a wide variety of legislative and community programs. Her efforts were aimed at continuing the success of the WSLC's Labor Neighbor Political Program and tackling workforce training and apprenticeship issues. Lori has also been active in WSLC's Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) Monitoring Committee, as well as with several government task forces and councils focused on workforce development policies. After years of tireless work, Lori announced earlier this year that she would retire in November. Despite her retirement, Lori plans on remaining active in labor causes and will no doubt continue to make a positive impact on our community. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize and congratulate Lori Province on her retirement and her outstanding work in the labor community.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on Tuesday, November 3, 2015, I recorded an erroneous vote on the amendment offered by Mr. Ribble of Wisconsin. I intended to vote ``no'' on roll call vote No. 588, on agreeing to the Ribble Amendment to H.R. 22.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Hilary Stern, Executive Director at Casa Latina, on her retirement after twenty-one years of hard and dedicated work that has built opportunities and provided a voice for members of the Latino community in Seattle. Prior to starting Casa Latina, a Seattle-based non-profit, Hilary sensed tension between the incoming Latino workers and the community at large. In response, Hilary founded Casa Latina in 1994 and began offering services on the sidewalks and in borrowed space. These services included English classes and educational street theater productions. Despite the positive impact of these services, Hilary believed that Casa Latina could do more. This drove her to expand the scope of Casa Latina's services to also assist members of the Latino community to achieve greater economic gains and to participate to higher degrees in civic efforts. With this vision, Hilary was able to transform Casa Latina into a large, nonprofit social organization that focused on providing a variety of educational and economic opportunities for hundreds of Latino men and women living in Seattle. These services included its previous, traditional programs, along with others, such as day labor employment, workplace safety and job skill trainings, leadership development and dealing with issues of public policy that affect immigrant workers. After two decades at Casa Latina, Hilary recently announced that a new Executive Director would take her place in early 2016. Despite moving on from the role of Executive Director, Hilary plans to continue to be actively involved in contributing towards building a better society for everyone both within and outside of Seattle. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize and congratulate Hilary Stern on her outstanding work as Executive Director for Casa Latina.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jill Wakefield, Chancellor of Seattle Colleges, on her retirement after her forty impactful years working in higher education throughout Seattle. Prior to becoming Chancellor in 2009, Jill was already deeply involved in the Seattle's higher education community, having served in various capacities at South Seattle College (SSC) for more than thirty years. Jill began her tenure at South Seattle College as a program assistant in the Veterans office and her hard work resulted in a series of promotions; culminating with her tenure as President. While leading South Seattle Community College, Jill oversaw the development of leading-edge programs and upgrades to campus facilities. Upon being named Chancellor of Seattle Colleges, Jill's focus shifted to increasing the number of four-year degrees available and leading a district-wide initiative to promote green and sustainable programs. She also facilitated numerous grants and initiatives that supported both student success and retention, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Pathway to Completion and the City of Seattle's Pathways to Careers grants. Her success as Chancellor was quickly recognized throughout the Seattle area when she was named a 2010 Woman of Influence by the Puget Sound Business Journal, and later as one of 2012's Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine. Jill has devoted her time and expertise to other higher education organizations as well, including service on multiple boards for Seattle University and as President of the League for Innovation at SSC. Furthermore, she has served on the National Advisory Committee of Presidents for the Association of Community College Trustees and a variety of other boards that focused on not only improving higher education, but the general well-being of people throughout Washington State. After six years of amazing work, Jill announced earlier this year that she would retire in June. Upon her retirement, Jill leaves behind a lasting legacy as the district's first female Chancellor. Despite her departure, Jill is confident in the foundation that has been created for Seattle Community Colleges in educating the workforce of tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize and congratulate Jill Wakefield on her retirement and outstanding work as the Chancellor for Seattle Colleges.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) for its seventy-five years of service and stewardship in our community. The THA was created in 1940 to respond to the overwhelming demand for rental housing in the Pacific Northwest. World War II created a high demand for citizens to serve their country as well as to work in factories and shipyards to assist the war effort. Tacoma faced an immediate shortage of housing for newcomers and their families, and the THA made it a priority to provide affordable housing during these turbulent times. The Federal Government commissioned the design and speedy construction of large-scale housing developments throughout the Tacoma region. The THA managed Salishan, one of the largest housing developments with over 2,000 units. In coordinated efforts with the City of Tacoma and the U.S. military, the THA provided 3,723 housing units to individuals and families until the war ended in 1945. Salishan aged quickly during the post-war years, and by the 1990s, it needed significant renovations. In 2004, the THA received a $35 million HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its reconstruction. Today, the THA continues to provide housing assistance to over 12,000 individuals--roughly six percent of Tacoma's overall population. The majority of these persons are low-income families, children, seniors, or persons living with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize the work the THA has done for the Tacoma community. Their accomplishments and contributions to Washington State have helped to shape Northwest and I am confident that the THA will continue to be a positive contributor to the community in the years to come.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Kin On organization and its thirty years of service to the senior citizens of the Seattle area. From the beginning, Kin On has been an important part of our community and has been integral to serving seniors with respect and dignity. Through their provision of health, social, and education services, Kin On encourages Asian adults and seniors to remain mentally, physically, and socially active. Programs like these are models for other care facilities, as they keep seniors engaged and healthy in comprehensive and culturally sensitive ways. It is also encouraging to know that Kin On will expand its services and facilities in Seattle, expanding their capacity to serve the community. I am confident that the addition of a community center, assisted living, and adult family home--as well as a short-term rehab and sun room--will greatly enhance the experiences of those who benefit from Kin On's wide array of services. Once again, I want to thank Kin On for its service and congratulate them on thirty years of hard work and success in serving our senior community. I look forward to hearing about their future accomplishments.