Mac Thornberry

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Yes, sir.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Heck), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make a couple of points. Number one is I share a lot of the concerns about the effect of sequestration on the military, but as this conversation continues, it is clearer and clearer that the real problem here is budgets, and now we hear taxes. This bill cannot solve either of those problems. We cannot rewrite the Tax Code or raise taxes. We can't repeal ObamaCare. There are lots of things we can't do. But we can do some things, and we should do that. Secondly, a dollar of OCO is a dollar spent just as much as a dollar of base is spent, and that is why I say I don't really think if you are on the ground in Afghanistan you care about what the label put on the money is. And, by the way, the increase in the OCO account is operations and maintenance money, which is only good for 1 year anyway. Next point. In fiscal year 2013, Israel missile defense was funded in OCO, and yet we had Members on that side of the aisle, including some who are complaining about that, vote for it. That is what we do sometimes. Finally, this President signed into law the exact provisions on restricting GTMO transfers.

Mr. THORNBERRY. I yield myself an additional 30 seconds. Mr. Speaker, in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, this President signed into law the exact restrictions on Guantanamo transfers that we have in this bill. Now, is it all of a sudden such a big deal that he has decided that he is going to veto the bill over it? I think that is a hard case to make. Mr. Speaker, at this point, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), the distinguished chair of the House Small Business Committee.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik), the distinguished vice chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness.

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, after 41 years in uniform, General Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest-ranking military officer in the land, retires today. More than once this year, we on the Armed Services Committee have expressed our gratitude for his service and bid General Dempsey farewell as he testified before our committee for what we expected would be his final hearing; but, time and time again, world events brought him back to us. That underscores what a consequential job General Dempsey has had. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the senior military adviser to both the legislative and executive branches of government. I am personally very grateful for his willingness to spend time, formally and informally, with members of our committee discussing our country's security, providing his best military advice on an unprecedented spectrum of serious and diverse threats during an era of declining resources and when Congress and the President have very different views on national security policy. All of that has been a tremendous challenge. In his four decades of dedicated service, General Dempsey has led our forces against threats far different from those we faced when he left his native New Jersey to become a West Point cadet. Instead of Soviets in the Fulda Gap, General Dempsey has had to confront a newly aggressive Russia, an expanding China, Iranian-backed instability in the Middle East, as well as ISIS and al Qaeda. And those are just some of the threats we can see. General Dempsey has also had to face increasing cyber attacks on our military and our country, the threat posed by diseases like Ebola in an increasingly mobile world, and a tremendous amount of change within the military, itself. In honoring him and his service, we also honor, through him, those who have served under him. To meet the challenges that the United States faces around the world and to meet our sacred obligations to our servicemembers and their families requires a commitment to service and sacrifice that separates America from the rest of the world and separates those who serve in the military from much of our own population. It takes something special. For having that ``something special'' and for serving our Nation with honor and distinction for 41 years, I know I speak for my colleagues in thanking General Martin Dempsey and his wife, Deanie, for their service to our country as they move into the next phase of their life together. Mr. Speaker, I will now extend my remarks with further discussion of the career of General Martin Dempsey. General Dempsey's career has been a lesson in dedication to country and selfless service. A career armor officer, he has commanded at every level--from Platoon Leader to Combatant Commander--and his assignments have carried him and his family across the United States and around the world. As a company grade officer, he served with the 2nd Cavalry in Europe and the 10th Cavalry at Fort Carson. Following troop command, he earned his Masters of Arts in English from Duke University and was assigned to the English Department at West Point. He subsequently earned additional advanced degrees from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the National War College. In 1991, General Dempsey deployed with the Third Armored Division in support of Operation Desert Storm. He later commanded a battalion in Germany and then served as the Army's ``senior scout'' as the 67th Colonel of the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment--the Brave Rifles--before reporting to the Joint Staff as an assistant deputy director in the J-5 and later as a Special Assistant to the 14th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 2003, General Dempsey commanded the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad and returned to Iraq in 2005 as the Commanding General of the Multi-National Security Transition Command--Iraq. From 2007 to 2008, he was the Deputy Commander and then Acting Commander of U.S. Central Command, and from 2008 to 2011, he commanded U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. Appointed to serve as the Army's 37th Chief of Staff, General Dempsey led his beloved Army a short 149 days before being tapped to serve as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In that capacity, and as the Nation's highest-ranking military officer, he has served as the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and Congress. General Dempsey's job has required him to coordinate and build consensus among the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Services, and the Combatant Commands. He has also developed important relationships with military leaders in other nations. He has guided the Joint Force in executing an extraordinary range of global responsibilities, from counter-terrorism and crisis response, to supporting our allies, building partner capacity, and humanitarian assistance. His efforts to strengthen key alliances, bolster new partnerships, and more closely integrate the military with other tools of national power and influence are commendable. General Dempsey's tenure as Chairman has been marked by significant transitions in military operations and personnel in an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable security environment. A firm believer in constantly learning and growing, General Dempsey guided the Joint Force to study, learn, and incorporate lessons learned over the past 14 years. In addition, recognizing the shifting nature of the security environment and our ability to respond to it, General Dempsey led a paradigm shift in how we posture and employ this Joint team around the world. At the same time, the past few years have witnessed exponential growth of the cyber threat against our Nation, and General Dempsey has pushed the expansion of our cyber capabilities in response. He has championed the rapid development of our cyber forces, and implemented the Joint Information Environment to optimize and better defend our military's information technology infrastructure. These initiatives will be critical to the future security of our Nation. As principle steward of the military profession, he renewed an internal commitment to strengthen the Profession of Arms and reinvigorated education, training, and leader development. He managed historic decisions, including reforms to General and Flag Officer ethics, and Department- wide improvements in Sexual Assault Prevention and Response. His stewardship set conditions to preserve the strength of the all- volunteer force and to ensure service members departing the military successfully transition back into their communities. As he retires, General Dempsey should take great pride in his role in ensuring our military remains the best supported, best trained, best equipped, and best led force on the planet. With over four decades of dedicated service to our Nation, General Dempsey and his family deserve our most heartfelt gratitude and admiration. He and Deanie have our very best wishes for the next phase and the challenges and opportunities it will inevitably bring. Our Nation, our Joint Force, and our Army are all better for his leadership and distinguished service. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 12 of rule XXII, I move that meetings of the conference between the House and Senate on H.R. 1735 may be closed to the public at such times as classified national security information may be broached, provided that any sitting Member of Congress shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the conference.

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1 of rule XXII and by direction of the Committee on Armed Services, I move to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1735) an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate amendment, and request a conference with the Senate thereon.

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chair, I ask that the following exchange of letters be submitted during consideration of H.R. 1735: House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Washington, DC, May 1, 2015. Hon. William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Thornberry: I write to confirm our mutual understanding regarding H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. This legislation contains subject matter within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. However, in order to expedite floor consideration of this important legislation, the Committee waives consideration of the bill. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology takes this action only with the understanding that the Committee's jurisdictional interests over this and similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment to any House-Senate conference on this legislation and requests your support if such a request is made. Finally, I would appreciate your including this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 1735 on the House Floor. Thank you for your attention to these matters. Sincerely, Lamar Smith, Chairman.

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chair, I ask that the following exchange of letters be submitted during consideration of H.R. 1735: House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, May 1, 2015. Hon. William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. That bill, as ordered reported, contains provisions within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Committee, including those noted in addendum A. In the interest of permitting you to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this very important bill, I am willing to waive this committee's right to a sequential referral. I do so with the understanding that the Natural Resources Committee does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matter contained in the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I also request that you urge the Speaker to name members of the Natural Resources committee to any conference committee to consider such provisions. Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 1735 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you and your staff have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees, and congratulations on this significant achievement. Sincerely, Rob Bishop, Chairman. Addendum A:

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I support the en bloc. I hope all Members will, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 260, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I encourage Members to do the same thing, as well as on final passage. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 260, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds. Mr. Chairman this en bloc package consists of 11 amendments. They touch such important subjects as the nuclear enterprise review, the long-range standoff weapon, military manufacturing arsenals, and a variety of other very important topics. They are sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats. Four of these amendments are sponsored by Democrats. I believe they deserve the support of the whole House, but I also believe the full bill deserves the support of the whole House so that these important amendments have a chance to become law. I hope all Members will support not only the package, but final passage. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), the distinguished vice chair of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, at this point, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to my colleague from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Mr. THORNBERRY

Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chair, I ask that the following exchange of letters be submitted during consideration of H.R. 1735: House of Representatives, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, DC, April 30, 2015. Hon. William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Thornberry: I write to confirm our mutual understanding regarding several provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. This legislation contains subject matter within the jurisdiction of House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. However, in order to expedite floor consideration of this important legislation, the committee waives consideration of the bill on the following provisions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Title Section #--Name ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5......................................... Section 562--Availability of Additional Training Opportunities under Transition Assistance Program 5......................................... Section 565--Recognition of Additional Involuntary Mobilization Duty Authorities Exempt from Five-Year Limit on Reemployment Rights of Persons who Serve in the Uniformed Services 5......................................... Section 566--Job Training and Post-Service Placement Executive Committee 5......................................... Section 592--Honoring Certain Members of the Reserve Components as Veterans 7......................................... Section 701--Joint Uniform Formulary for Transition of Care 7......................................... Section 721--Extension of Authority for DOD-VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund 7......................................... Section 722--Extension of Authority for Joint Department of Defense- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund 12........................................ Section 1251--Sense of Congress Recognizing the 70th Anniversary of the End of Allied Military Engagement in the Pacific Theater 14........................................ Section 1431--Authority for Transfer of Funds to Joint Department of Defense- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund for Captain James A. Lovell Health Care Center, Illinois ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs takes this action only with the understanding that the committee's jurisdictional interests over this and similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. The committee also reserves the right to seek appointment to any House-Senate conference on this legislation and requests your support if such a request is made. Finally, I would appreciate your including this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 1735 on the House Floor. Thank you for your attention to these matters. Sincerely, Jeff Miller, Chairman.