Michael Turner

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. I thank the gentleman for his response, and I look forward to working with him on this important issue.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. I had the privilege of serving as the chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. I want to thank my ranking member, Loretta Sanchez, for her support in completing the markup of this bill, and I want to extend my thanks to the subcommittee's vice chairman, Paul Cook. I also want to thank our chairman, Chairman Thornberry, for his leadership and his bipartisan work. Now, I had a sentence here where I said I was thanking Ranking Member Smith for his work on a bipartisan basis because of his support for this bill when it came out of the committee, but due to his recent opposition to this bill, I am going to cross that part out. Mr. Chairman, the committee's focus, though, has been on a bipartisan basis, and you will hear the members stand and talk about the provisions that we worked on on a bipartisan basis, and that is why it actually deserves, I think, everyone's support. It supports the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. It provides the equipment they need and the support that they deserve. I believe that the committee's bill strikes the appropriate balance between equipping our military to effectively carry out its mission and providing oversight. Under this bill, Congress provides additional funding for new National Guard Blackhawk helicopters, F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, Navy strike fighters, unmanned aerial systems, lethality upgrades for Stryker combat vehicles, improved recovery vehicles, Javelin antitank missiles, and aircraft survivability improvements for Apache attack helicopters. We support the National Guard and Reserve component. This bill provides additional funds as part of a National Guard and Reserve equipment account to address significant equipment shortages and modernization equipment for the Guard and Reserve. This bill also calls for continued action to eradicate sexual assault in the military. I want to thank Congresswoman Tsongas, Chairman Wilson, my ranking member, Ms. Sanchez, and Ranking Member Susan Davis for working on a bipartisan basis for these provisions. This bill provides greater access to Special Victims' Counsel for Department of Defense civilian employees. It addresses issues of retaliation against victims and those who report sex crimes. It enhances sexual assault prevention for male victims. It prohibits the release of victims' mental health records without an order from a judge, and it provides additional training for our military leaders. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to pay tribute to General Janet Wolfenbarger, the first female four-star general for the United States Air Force, for her 35 years of distinguished and honorable service in the United States Air Force and to our Nation. General Wolfenbarger has had a distinguished career, beginning with her graduation from the United States Air Force Academy. She has held a variety of assignments at headquarters Electronic Security Command and Air Force Systems Command. The General has held several positions in the F-22 System Program office, served as the F-22 Lead Program Element Monitor and was the B-2 System Program Director for the Aeronautical Systems Center. She commanded the Aeronautical Systems Center's C-17 Systems Group, Mobility Systems Wing. She was the Service's Director of the Air Force Acquisition Center of Excellence at the Pentagon, and then served as Director of the Headquarters AFMC Intelligence and Requirements Directorate. She served as AFMC Vice Commander and as the Military Deputy to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions. As Commander of AFMC, General Wolfenbarger authorized and directed groundbreaking initiatives, revolutionizing how the Air Force and AFMC will conduct business for years to come. Gen Wolfenbarger oversaw the successful reorganization of AFMC from 12-Centers to 5-Centers. This dramatic reinvention of the Command led to a myriad of innovative mission and cost effectiveness programs, such as the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Should Cost initiative and the Air Force Sustainment Center's Road to a Billion and Beyond. Furthermore, she collaborated with the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) to develop the Bending the Cost Curve initiative, an effort designed to improve internal Air Force acquisition processes, enhance industry interactions throughout the acquisition lifecycle, and expand competition among traditional and non-traditional industry partners. Finally, she fulfilled the Secretary of the Air Force's vision for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center reorganization effort and guided the stand-up of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center. She received numerous military awards for her service including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Achievement Medal. She also received the highest honor from the Air Force enlisted corps, the Order of the Sword. I have known General Wolfenbarger for many years and deeply value the service she provided to our country. Although she will be sorely missed, I wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. General Wolfenbarger encompasses a myriad of noble traits but her honesty, her ability to provide straight assessment and her uncompromising ethical character have truly set her apart from the rest in her distinguished career. Her service and her dedication to duty honor the Air Force and our great nation. General Wolfenbarger truly exemplifies the core values of the Air Force, ``Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do.''

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Chair, I want to thank Congresswoman Stefanik and also Chairman Dent for their support for this amendment providing funding for the planning, design, and construction of an additional missile defense site capable of protecting the homeland from a long- range ballistic missile attack. As Congresswoman Stefanik is very well aware, we currently possess only two sites, both located on the west coast, limiting our ability to target and intercept incoming ICBMs either that are targeting the east coast or that are originating from the east. Dating back to 2007, the United States Northern Command in charge of defending the homeland recommended the construction of the east coast site. One thing that we know: under President Obama's plan for missile defense, he canceled President Bush's third site that was to be located in Poland and provide ICBM coverage for the east coast of the United States continental. He then canceled phase 4 of his own phase adaptive approach that would have similarly provided that coverage. The only opportunity that we have left with those two options gone is to look to the east coast site. Two Presidents and three Secretaries of Defense have all recognized the advantages of an additional missile coast defense site in order to provide further protection against long- range ballistic missile threats from regions such as the Middle East. As China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea push for more advanced launch vehicles, the construction of an east coast site will dramatically improve the ability of our military to intercept incoming threats by increasing the opportunity to engage and defeat those threats. I urge support for this amendment.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend Chairman Price for the work that he has done. The chairmanship of the Budget Committee is one of the most difficult. He has a 360-degree responsibility of all aspects of funding the Federal Government, balancing our priorities, looking at our financial security, and most of the time, we ask the Budget Committee chairman to produce a budget. In this instance, we asked him to produce two. I greatly appreciate that the chairman has produced two. We have what is coming to this floor, Price 1 and Price 2. I am here to speak in support of Price 2, but even beyond that, I am asking people to vote ``no'' on Price 1. It is very important that you vote ``no'' on Price 1. We can't pass multiple budgets. We have to have one agenda coming out of this House, and that one agenda is only the difference between Price 1 and Price 2 with respect to how do we defend this Nation. Now, Price 2 has $523 billion for the Department of Defense and $96 billion in overseas contingency operations funding. It fully funds our national defense. It is the amount that is endorsed by Chairman Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Department of Defense. It is what he has asked for from this House and what he says is necessary in the face of things such as ISIS, ISIL, what is happening in Libya, what is happening with Putin and his aggressiveness. The Secretary General of NATO was just here today and spoke to Members of Congress, and he said we are facing a Russia that is both willing to use its military force, modernizing its military force, and also is not being bound by international agreements. This is only going to be able to be responded to not by force, but by strength, a strength that we must give in this budget of Price 2. Secondly, the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Ray Odierno, was before us, and I asked him: What will happen if we go to the sequestration levels? What happens if we don't fully fund, as in Price 2? He says that it means that it will take us longer to do our mission. It will cost us in lives. It will cost us in injuries. The difference between Price 1 and Price 2, from the Chief of Staff of the Army, is lives and whether or not we can win and do our mission and whether or not our men and women in uniform are injured. That is serious stuff. It is serious enough that people in this Congress need to vote ``no'' on Price 1 and ``yes'' on Price 2. Mr. Chairman, we cannot afford to jeopardize our national security and reduce funding for defense anymore. Our men and women in uniform need to have a clear message, and that clear message is that we are behind them. That message only comes by a vote ``no'' on Price 1 and a vote ``yes'' on Price 2. I urge all Members of Congress to support our men and women. Vote ``yes'' on Price 2.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, on February 27, 2015, I was unable to vote on roll call votes 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, and 105. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on Ordering the Previous Question for H. Res. 129, ``yea'' on H. Res. 129, ``yea'' on the Motion to Request a Conference on H.R. 240, ``nay'' on Approving the Journal, ``yea'' on H.J. Res. 35, and ``nay'' on a Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 240. Mr. Speaker, on March 16, 2015, I was unable to vote on roll call votes 113, 114, and 115. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 647, ``yea'' on H.R. 648, and ``yea'' on H.R. 876.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, U.S. natural gas exports will create American jobs and will bolster our strategic partnerships. I serve as president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and many foreign leaders and officials have expressed to me their need for energy diversification. As you know, Russia, the largest supplier of natural gas to Europe, has repeatedly used natural gas pricing to draw governments closer to its orbit and punished West-leaning governments with higher prices. U.S. natural gas exports will foster a more dynamic and competitive world energy market, helping to curb the use of energy as a political weapon. And regardless of where natural gas from the United States is shipped, increasing supply in the global market will help international customers with greater choice and leverage to negotiate prices. In fact, the Obama administration has made this exact same argument. The State Department's energy envoy recently stated: Now where the gas will go doesn't matter. The fact that we have approved exports of natural gas has already had an impact on Europe. And where the molecule actually ends up going also doesn't matter. Now, I understand there have been questions about whether or not European countries, such as Ukraine, are prepared to receive U.S. natural gas. Many of our European allies are implementing infrastructure projects to diversify their natural gas resources. For example, Poland and Lithuania are opening LNG import terminals to reduce their dependence on Russian gas. Just last week, Poland and Ukraine announced an agreement to construct a pipeline that will allow Ukraine to access natural gas from two LNG import terminals, potentially from the United States. England and Spain already have contracts in place to receive U.S. natural gas. These are just a few examples of how these infrastructure projects will help Europe diversify its natural gas resources. Mr. Speaker, last year, President Obama, in a joint statement with European leaders, welcomed U.S. natural gas exports to help our European allies and our strategic partners. I am encouraged by the President's statements. These words must be followed by action. The President must work with Congress to enact H.R. 351. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2015, the 53rd consecutive National Defense Authorization Act. I want to personally thank the chairman and Ranking Member Smith; our staff director, Bob Simmons; my MLA, Morley Greene; Senator Inhofe and the ranking member; and, of course, Secretary Hagel for having included in this bill important legislation that will protect the custody rights of our men and women in uniform. This has been a battle for 7 years, and I greatly appreciate their tenacity and their support over what has been a long battle. No longer will random family law courts across the Nation be able to penalize our men and women in uniform by taking custody of their children away as a result of their having served their Nation. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of serving as the chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee as well as the cochair of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus. Under the full committee leadership of Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith, with my ranking member, Loretta Sanchez, we have done a bipartisan effort in this bill. It supports the men and women, and it also helps retain defense technology superiority, sustains our critical defense industrial base, and helps to maintain continued modernization for our military. Additionally, we provide full funding for the Joint Strike Fighter and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle programs, and the bill includes additional funding for National Guard and Reserve Component Equipment modernization, Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Stryker combat vehicles, tactical wheeled vehicles, body armor, and unmanned aerial systems. I also believe that this bill is incredibly important because of the provisions that are in this bill with respect to sexual assault. I want to thank my cochair, Representative Tsongas, Military Personnel Subcommittee Chairman Joe Wilson, and the ranking member, Susan Davis, for her help on the issues of sexual assault in the military and also custody. These provisions are incredibly important and will provide additional protections to our men and women in uniform.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, as President of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly and co-Chairman Congressional Romania Caucus, I congratulate Romania on its Great Union Day, celebrating the anniversary of its unification on December 1, 1918, and its 25th anniversary of independence following the fall of communism. Romania is a stalwart U.S. and NATO ally. Romania and the United States work closely together to confront a host of global challenges, including through our joint efforts to bolster regional defense, halt nuclear proliferation, and increase energy security. For example, the Permanent Forward Operating Site at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base not only enables a vital U.S. forward presence in the region, but also provides essential opportunities for joint training with NATO allies. With the signing of the U.S.-Romania Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement in September 2011, Romania established itself as a key strategic partner in NATO's emerging missile defense capabilities effort. The Missile Defense Interceptor site at Deveselu Air Base near the Bulgarian border will provide missile defense protection to our allies in Europe and the Middle East. Tragically, ongoing events in Ukraine are unsettling the region and testing the transatlantic alliance. As you know, Russia seeks to once again destabilize much of Eastern Europe and restore influence over territories lost following the collapse of the Soviet Union. That is why it is critically important for the United States, Romania, and other European allies to continue to work together to strengthen the transatlantic alliance and bolster regional security. The strategic partnership between the United States and Romania has greatly advanced our common interests in promoting transatlantic and regional security and free market opportunities, and should continue to foster greater economic and cultural exchanges, trade and investment, and social contacts. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in celebrating Romania's Great Union Day and its 25th anniversary of independence since the fall of communism.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to welcome my good friend Pastor David Gray as our guest chaplain today. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Pastor Gray grew up active in the Presbyterian church and has gone on to lead a distinguished life of service. Holding both a law degree and a doctorate of ministry, Pastor Gray is a former public servant, having served as a staffer in the Senate and a true spiritual leader that has helped numerous individuals and families grow in their relationship with God. Currently, Pastor Gray serves as the head pastor at Bradley Hills Church and resides in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife, Bridget, and their four children. On behalf of the United States Congress and the people of his hometown in my district of the 10th Congressional District of Ohio, I want to thank Pastor Gray for his commitment to his faith and for opening the House today with his prayer.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, ongoing events in Ukraine, especially the tragedy involving Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, pose a significant security threat not only to Europe but also the world. Russia's military aggression, its tacit support of pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists, and its use of energy as a political weapon warrant a strong response. The United States and our European allies must take strong and definitive action to strengthen the transatlantic alliance, and stem Russian aggression and its efforts to destabilize the region. The United States must stand with our European allies and re- emphasize its commitment to a strong security alliance. While I agree with the overall goal of President Obama's European Reassurance Initiative to increase U.S. rotational deployments, allied training, and strategic planning, ultimately this proposal lacks a long-term strategy and commitment to our partnership with Europe. We can and must do more. That is why I authored H.R. 4433, the Forging Peace through Strength in Ukraine and the Transatlantic Alliance Act, which calls for decisive action to remedy the current crisis in Ukraine and deter greater Russian aggression in Europe. Specifically, the measure would bolster U.S.-Ukraine security relations by seeking to provide technical assistance to the Ukrainian military and increase U.S. intelligence information sharing. H.R. 4433 would also authorize the Secretary of Defense to ensure the operational availability of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system site in Poland and require the deployment of a short-range air and missile defense system to Poland. In addition, the bill would require the Secretary of Defense to stop plans for the relocation and consolidation of U.S. dual-capable aircraft based in Europe, conduct site studies for the construction of weapon storage and security systems and protective aircraft shelters in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries, and coordinate with NATO countries to assess the possibility of altering the posture of forward deployed U.S. nuclear weapons. Several of the provisions of my legislation are included in the House-passed version of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. Strengthening the NATO alliance is also a critical component to pushing back against Russian aggression. The partnership between the United States and Europe through NATO has been the bedrock of stability in the region. However, it is clear that Russia seeks to once again destabilize much of Eastern Europe and restore its control over territories lost following the collapse of the Soviet Union. We must provide immediate reassurance to our European allies that the United States remains firm in our commitment to security. We must also make a strong push for the further enlargement of NATO. Specifically, the United States should support the accession of Montenegro, put a full diplomatic press on the issue of resolving the conflict between Macedonia and Greece, seek resolution to the constitutional issues of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and encourage the membership prospects of Georgia through the Membership Action Plan process. In fact, I authored an amendment, which the House approved unanimously, to the House-passed Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act expressing strong support for the ongoing NATO enlargement initiatives. Bolstering regional and global energy security is another key aspect of the transatlantic alliance. Russia has repeatedly used natural gas pricing to draw governments closer to its orbit and punished West- leaning governments with higher prices. Previous disputes between Ukraine and Russia led to natural gas shutoffs in 2006 and 2009, negatively affecting downstream European countries. In April 2014, Russia's state-owned monopoly, Gazprom, increased the price of natural gas on Ukraine by 80 percent. And in early June 2014, Gazprom cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine. The United States must continue to support efforts to help our European allies diversify their energy resources. In fact, multiple U.S. Administrations have previously supported initiatives to supply Europe with alternative and reliable sources of energy, such as the Southern Gas Corridor which will bring natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe. That is why I authored H. Res. 284, a bipartisan resolution which recognizes the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor to energy security and our strategic partnerships. At the same time, energy diversification initiatives may offer opportunities to benefit the United States economically. For instance, U.S. companies are involved in the development of growing recent natural gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean, which may help countries in the region to bolster political and economic ties and present another source of energy for Europe. And many of our European allies have expressed strong interest in purchasing U.S. natural gas to help diversify their resources and strengthen their independence. Increasing U.S. natural gas exports, along with development of other sources such as the Southern Gas Corridor and the Eastern Mediterranean, will help diversify world natural gas supplies and create a more competitive, transparent, and diversified global natural gas marketplace. This will help curb the ability of countries like Russia to use energy as a political weapon. In fact, U.S. natural gas production has already influenced global markets. Natural gas previously destined for the United States, but no longer needed as a result of increased production, was diverted to other markets. This increased supply has made the global natural gas market more competitive, helping to put pressure on contracts indexed to the price of oil and allowing several European countries to successfully renegotiate their long-term contracts with Gazprom. Lifting self-imposed restrictions on U.S. natural gas exports will emphasize to our allies that the United States is a strong energy security partner and send an immediate signal to markets that new supplies of natural gas will be available, helping to influence prices and new infrastructure construction decisions. And regardless of where U.S. natural gas is shipped, increasing supply in the global marketplace will help provide international consumers with greater choice and thus increased leverage to negotiate pricing contracts. In fact, Obama Administration officials, including the State Department's energy envoy, Carlos Pascual, have made this very argument. In addition, fostering a more diverse and competitive global natural gas market can complement U.S. and European sanctions on Russia. Oil and gas receipts constitute more than 50 percent of Russia's federal revenues. President Obama, in a March 2014 joint statement with European leaders, welcomed U.S. natural gas exports to help our European allies. While I am encouraged by the President's statement, immediate action is needed to put force behind these words. Over the past several years, I have worked to reduce self-imposed regulatory barriers to exporting U.S. natural gas. Specifically, in the 112th Congress I authored with then-Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), H.R. 6699, the LNG for NATO Act, which sought to expedite U.S. natural gas exports to NATO countries. In the 113th Congress, I authored with Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), H.R. 580, the Expedited LNG for American Allies Act, to expedite U.S. natural gas exports to NATO countries, Japan, and other countries of national security interest. I also authored H.R. 4139, the American Job Creation and Strategic Alliances LNG Act, to expedite U.S. natural gas exports to World Trade Organization countries. And I am an original co-author of H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act, which the House recently approved with bipartisan support, to require the Department of Energy to consider natural gas export permit applications in a timely manner. It is imperative that the President work with Congress on these energy security initiatives to follow through on his stated support of global energy security and U.S. natural gas exports. The United States, in partnership with our European allies, must respond strongly to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Reinforcing our defense relationships with Europe, particularly Ukraine and Eastern Europe, strengthening our strategic partnerships through NATO, and enhancing European and global energy security are critical components to bolstering the transatlantic alliance and deterring further Russian aggression in the region.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Major General Patrick M. Higgins, Deputy Director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, or JIEDDO, who will retire from the United States Army on September 1, 2014, after 34 years of distinguished service. In his final tour of duty, Major General Higgins led efforts to disrupt threat networks that support, supply and employ IEDs globally. Through his contributions, JIEDDO has made significant strides in reducing the effectiveness of the IEDs and eliminating the enemy networks that seek to use these devices to harm our troops. Major General Higgins has commanded within the special operations community at the detachment, battalion and group levels, culminating in assignment as the Commander, Joint Forces Special Operations Component Command in Iraq. He has served in numerous special operations staff assignments and director-level positions within the Joint Staff. Major General Higgins has earned numerous awards and decorations including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with ``V'' device, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, among others. I am proud to share in the celebration of Major General Higgins' long and distinguished military career. I would also like to congratulate his wife, Susan, and his three daughters, Sarah, Emily and Jessica, whose love and support has aided and strengthened Major General Higgins throughout his career. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. I want to thank the author of H.R. 6 for his leadership on this important issue. Mr. Chairman, lifting self-imposed restrictions on natural gas exports is a win-win situation for the American people. It will create American jobs and strengthen our allies' independence, bolstering our economic and strategic partnerships. As chairman of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, many foreign leaders have expressed to me the need for energy diversification and its importance to strengthen our strategic partnerships. We already cooperate with our allies on a variety of security issues. Energy security must also be a component of our strategic alliances. America's emerging role as an energy producer has the potential to enhance our security relationships and influence the global marketplace. As we have seen in Ukraine, Russia will not hesitate to use its energy resource dominance to expand its sphere of influence. Just last week, Russia's state-owned monopoly, Gazprom, cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine. In the Asia Pacific, Japan is a critical security partner as we counter threats posed by countries such as North Korea. Already the world's largest importer of natural gas, Japan is dependent on Russia, the Middle East, and Africa for nearly 50 percent of its natural gas imports and is seeking greater imports as a result of its 2011 nuclear power plant disaster. Increasing U.S. natural gas exports, along with the development of other sources, such as the Southern Gas Corridor and the Eastern Mediterranean, will help diversify world natural gas supplies and create a more competitive, transparent, and diversified global natural gas marketplace. In fact, U.S. natural gas production has already influenced global markets. Natural gas previously destined for the United States but no longer needed as a result of increased production was diverted to other markets. This increased supply has made the global natural gas market more competitive, helping to put more pressure on contracts indexed to the price of oil and allowing several European countries to renegotiate their long-term contracts with Gazprom.

Mr. TURNER. In fact, President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, and Secretary of Energy Moniz have welcomed LNG exports to strengthen our strategic alliances. Mr. Chairman, I will submit their statements for the Record. President Obama, Current and Past Administration Officials Welcome U.S. LNG Exports President Barack Obama, in a joint statement with European leaders at the EU-US Summit on March 26, 2014: The situation in Ukraine proves the need to reinforce energy security in Europe and we are considering new collaborative efforts to achieve this goal. We welcome the prospect of U.S. LNG exports in the future since additional global supplies will benefit Europe and other strategic partners. Secretary of State John Kerry, in a joint statement with European energy leaders at a meeting of the EU-US Energy Council on April 2, 2014: The Council further welcomed the prospect of US LNG exports in the future since additional global supplies will benefit Europe and other strategic partners. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, in a joint statement with European energy leaders at the G7 Rome Energy Ministerial meeting on May 6, 2014: No country should depend totally on one supplier. We intend to promote a more integrated LNG market, including through new supplies, the development of transport infrastructures, storage capacities, and LNG terminals.

Mr. TURNER. Regardless of where U.S. natural gas is shipped, increasing supply in the global marketplace will provide international consumers with greater choice and thus increased leverage to negotiate prices. U.S. natural gas exports will create jobs right here at home and will help foster a more competitive natural gas market. Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of H.R. 6.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Azerbaijan on its Republic Day. On May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan declared its independence from the Russian Empire--making it the first democracy in the Muslim world. Unfortunately, only a few short years later in 1920 Azerbaijan was invaded by the Russian Red Army and was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan regained its independence in 1991. Azerbaijan continues to be an important partner with the United States in counter-terrorism efforts and initiatives to bolster energy security with strategic allies. With its vast resources of oil and gas, Azerbaijan is a key component to help our strategic allies in NATO and other European countries diversify their energy resources. Many of our strategic allies in Europe are heavily dependent upon natural gas from one source or from unstable regions. And the ongoing events in Ukraine are a stark reminder that the United States must enhance our strategic partnerships with allies in Europe and Eurasia. That is why we must continue to support initiatives such as the Southern Gas Corridor which will route natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe. The Caspian Sea region holds significant energy resources and proven natural gas reserves. In particular, the Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan is one of the world's largest gas fields, with over 30 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas. The Southern Gas Corridor will help our European allies diversify their energy resources by providing an alternative and reliable source of natural gas. This will increase global energy supplies and create a more competitive natural gas market, helping to bolster energy security and help improve geopolitical stability in the region. Successive U.S. administrations have supported the development of energy resources in the Caspian Sea region, including earlier oil and gas pipelines from Azerbaijan to neighboring nations, as well as developing stronger trade relationships and international partnerships with the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia. In fact, on April 2, 2014 Secretary of State John Kerry, in a joint statement with European energy leaders at a meeting of the EU-US Energy Council, stated ``The Council reaffirmed the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor to bring gas to Europe, urged for timely construction of a dedicated, scalable pipeline which keeps the options open for additional supplies, and agreed to explore investments to strengthen gas supplies to Central and Southeast Europe.'' The Southern Gas Corridor is an important starting point to provide Europe with an alternative and reliable source of energy. Establishment of the pipeline lays the foundation for opportunities for greater amounts of natural gas development and further pipeline infrastructure to bring additional energy resources to Europe. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Azerbaijan on the 96th anniversary of its Republic Day.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, on May 28, 2014, I was unable to vote on rollcall votes 241 and 242. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on H. Res. 599 and ``yea'' on H.R. 503.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, in 2008, during the depths of the recession, a former General Motors plant closed in the city of Moraine, Ohio. The plant was set for demolition, which would have ended any hope of jobs returning to the site. Moraine Mayor Elaine Allison, City Manager David Hicks, and Economic Director Michael Davis all worked very diligently to preserve this resource and make certain this plant was not a parking lot. Their tireless efforts paid off. Last Thursday, the city of Moraine officially welcomed Fuyao, a thriving auto parts manufacturer, back to the former GM facility, creating hundreds of new jobs throughout the region. I want to congratulate the mayor, city council and city manager and economic director of Moraine for this great accomplishment and teamwork. They rallied the community behind this resource. Congratulations to the leadership in Moraine. It was great working with you on this project.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4435, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. I want to begin by thanking Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership in this committee and this being truly a bipartisan effort. This will be Chairman McKeon's last bill. He has not only been a leader for our committee and in Congress, but he has been a tremendous mentor for so many of us in Congress. His legacy will leave a lasting impact not only in legislation affecting the Department of Defense, our national security, and our men and women in uniform, but the Members of Congress who serve. And certainly, as we look to the future of the Armed Services Committee, his legacy will be in his mentoring of the other members of the committee. I serve as chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee as well as the cochair of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus. I first want to thank the subcommittee's ranking member, Loretta Sanchez from California, for her support in completing the markup of this bill. The committee's focus has been to support the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families, providing them the equipment they need and the support that they so deserve. This bill helps to retain defense technology superiority, sustains the defense industrial base, and maintains effective modernization for our military. The committee bill includes additional funding for Abrams Tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Stryker Combat Vehicles, Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, body armor, and unmanned aerial systems. I believe the committee bill strikes the appropriate balance between equipping our military to effectively carry out its mission while also providing aggressive oversight to ensure appropriate use of taxpayers' dollars. The bill again this year takes a significant step in combating the issue of sexual assault in the military by incorporating the FAIR Military Act of 2014, a bipartisan bill first introduced by myself and Representative Niki Tsongas. I would like to thank Representative Tsongas, Military Personnel Subcommittee Chairman Joe Wilson, and Representative Davis, ranking member on the Personnel Subcommittee, for their leadership on this issue. I want to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership that has allowed a bipartisan solution on sexual assault. Under this bill, Congress limits the use of the ``good soldier defense,'' which allows a defendant to cite unrelated, subjective factors during trial, such as military record. It requires commanders be assessed on their ability to create a climate where a victim can report a crime without fear of retaliation. It ensures that the changes and provisions regarding military sexual assault prevention from the FY14 defense authorization apply to the military service academies. Finally, this bill provides the child custody protections that our military men and women deserve. I, again, want to thank Chairman McKeon for his help on protecting the custody rights of our men and women in uniform. No longer will our men and women face deployment while having to worry whether or not they have the custody of their children upon return. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill and to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4435.

Mr. TURNER. I want to join Chairman Rogers in his effort to oppose this amendment. Mr. Chair, as we know, this is one of the annual reoccurring Representative Blumenauer's reductions of nuclear weapons efforts. And I would support reducing spending on nuclear weapons if we were talking about Mr. Putin's reducing his funding on nuclear weapons or Russia reducing their funding on nuclear weapons, which we know they are not going to do. So this is a continued unfortunate exercise of discussing unilateral reductions in the United States' funding its nuclear weapon deterrent, which is a dangerous thing to do, especially as Mr. Putin is continuing his efforts to escalate conflict throughout the world and also is looking to increase his overall nuclear weapons capability. Now, the other thing is, this isn't even needed. The bill already provides the budget request level of $117.5 million to purchase 17 of these radars that would be purchased under this amendment, 15 of which will go to the Air Guard, and it is certainly a prudent and efficient investment, but, additionally, the HASC bill also funds the National Guard and Reserve equipment account, which, if the Air Guard really thought they needed these radars, they could go buy them from that without turning to our nuclear deterrent. So why would this be damaging? Well, already, the DOD nuclear activities are $2 billion short of their 2010 commitment, and our deferred maintenance across the DOD, the deferred maintenance--stuff that we need to be fixing that we are not fixing--has a backlog of $3.5 billion, and this amendment would take another $39 million out of that effort to satisfy that backlog. This should, as Chairman Rogers said, be seen exactly for what it is, another effort to unilaterally reduce the nuclear deterrent of the United States. I think this would be a better focus if it was focused on Russia, and it certainly does nothing to improve the overall capability of our Air National Guard. They have all the resources that they would need.

Mr. TURNER. As Mr. Blumenauer knows, my comment is that they have all the resources they need to make a decision to purchase these radars. Everyone knows that this bill is underfunded, and it certainly underfunded nuclear weapons, and your bill, your amendment would only further reduce our nuclear weapons capability.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop for their hard work and dedication to ensure that we have a great bill for our vets and men and women in uniform, but also for their tenacity. I want to thank Chairman Culberson for his efforts and working with me on this amendment and also Ranking Member Bishop. Today, I rise in support of an amendment to provide funding for the planning, design, and construction of an additional missile defense site capable of protecting the homeland from a long-range ballistic missile attack. To date, two Presidents, as well as three Secretaries of Defense have recognized the advantage of an additional missile defense site in order to provide additional protection against a long- range ballistic missile threat from regions like the Middle East. As you may be aware, we currently possess only two sites, both located on the west coast, limiting our ability to target and intercept incoming ICBMs. Since 2007, the United States Northern Command, the combatant command in charge of defending the homeland, has, on numerous occasions, recommended the construction of an east coast site for this purpose. Just last year, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee--and, again, in testimony this year--General Jacoby, the U.S. Northern commander stated, ``The third site, if you built it, would give us better weapons access, it would give us increased inventory and increased battle space with regards to a threat coming from the direction of the Middle East.'' As China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea push for more advance launch vehicles, the construction of an east coast site will dramatically improve the ability of our military to intercept incoming threats by increasing the opportunity to engage and defeat those threats. With the 2009 cancellation of the missile defense site in Poland, coupled with an increased threat environment, it is imperative that we continue to act to protect the homeland from the long-range ballistic missile threat. Thank you for your consideration to this amendment. I want to, again, thank Chairman Culberson for his leadership in protecting our men and women in uniform, our national security, and our veterans. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, as a proud alumnus of the University of Dayton, I am here today to wish good luck to the Dayton Flyers. The University of Dayton men's basketball team has advanced to the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 for the first time in 30 years. The Dayton Flyers are the only team this season to have upset two top 25 teams in the second and third rounds of the NCAA tournament. But the city of Dayton has a history of being underestimated. Orville and Wilbur Wright started working on their so-called ``flying machine'' in a Dayton garage. As we all know, these pioneers of aviation went on to complete the first manned flight, transforming the way we travel and engage in commerce. It is fitting that the University of Dayton bears the Flyer name in honor of the Dayton tradition of succeeding despite all odds. Congratulations to the Dayton Flyers and Coach Archie Miller. You have a vast fan base of students, faculty, and alumni throughout the country who will be cheering you on tomorrow night.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lieutenant General Richard C. Harding, who is retiring after thirty-four years of accomplished and distinguished military service. Throughout his career as a senior officer, General Harding has provided invaluable testimony and advice to this body and in particular to the Armed Services Committee. Specifically, General Harding has provided his expert military advice on a wide range of defense and national security issues and especially on the workings of the military justice system in relation to the sexual assault crisis in which the military finds itself. I think I speak for all of my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee when I say that his depth of knowledge, outstanding leadership and professionalism, and deep respect and consideration for all of our men and women in uniform will be greatly missed. The son of an Air Force officer and grandson of a Naval officer, General Harding entered the Air Force with a direct commission in 1980 after receiving his Bachelor of Science degree and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas. Over the course of his career, General Harding served six tours as a staff judge advocate at the unified command, major command, numbered air force and wing levels. He also served in a variety of staff positions at Headquarters Air Force and as the Deputy Chief Counsel for U.S. Transportation Command. Before serving as The Judge Advocate General (TJAG) General Harding was the Commander of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency. During his tenure as TJAG, General Harding led the Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps during one of the most turbulent periods in military law and most challenging budget crises in history. He innovatively orchestrated the creation and implementation of the Federal Government's first-ever Special Victims' Counsel Program, ensuring legal representation for victims of sexual assault. This Program was subsequently adopted by the Secretary of Defense and implemented across the Department of Defense. Additionally, General Harding's focused processing initiatives revitalized the military justice system by drastically reducing court- martial processing times. He also resurrected the publication of the Air Force's standards of professional conduct by leading the drafting, coordinating, and publishing of the first-ever, Air Force Instruction 1-1, Air Force Standards, and he keenly consolidated the Judge Advocate and Inspector General inspection processes by creating a single two- tiered evaluation system to standardize and improve the delivery of legal services. Finally, General Harding astutely guided the Air Force through one of the most challenging budget crises in history by providing sage legal support for multiple manpower and personnel reductions, headquarters reorganizations, and field operating agency consolidations. Through my role as Member of the Armed Services Committee I have had the pleasure of working directly with General Harding during this time. He has faithfully executed his oath of office and constitutional duties as the top uniformed military lawyer for the United States Air Force and provided this committee and congress with honest, direct, and sound advice. He will leave a lasting legacy on our Armed Forces. For thirty-four years General Harding has performed his job professionally, honestly, and with great dedication. We will miss his leadership and vision, and wish him all the best as he retires from active duty service to our nation.