Michael Turner

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Rep. Wasserman- Schultz, Rep. Miller, and Rep. Boyle for their leadership on this bill. H.R. 7764 authorizes a commission to study the potential transfer of the Weitzman Museum of American Jewish history to the Smithsonian Institution. Just last week, the House Committee on Administration unanimously passed this legislation out of their committee. The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia serves as a powerful reminder of the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to the fabric of the United States. The Weitzman Museum was established in 1976 as the only museum in the Nation dedicated exclusively to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience. This bill is the first step in bringing the Weitzman into the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. By bringing this museum and its collections into the Smithsonian, Congress will ensure that the story of Jewish Americans is shared with the widest possible audience. I am proud to be one of the lead Members on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate a husband and wife from my Congressional district in Dayton, Ohio, who have reached a rare milestone, celebrating their 80th wedding anniversary. Berman Layer and his wife Violet Layer are both 101 years old. They were married on Berman's 21st birthday, on September 16, 1944. At the time, Berman served in Europe as an aerial photographer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After serving three years in both France and Germany, Berman retired from the military and returned home to the United States. He used the GI Bill to attend Ohio State University, and graduated in 1950. During their eight decades of marriage, Berman and Violet have served as business and civic leaders in their community. They owned and managed a small business called Layer Repair Solutions in Dayton. Berman was elected to the Miami Township Board of Trustees in Montgomery County and served from 1978 through 1997. He helped establish the Miami Township Park Board, was a member of the Ohio Township Association, and served as an officer for that organization for 15 years. Berman and Violet have been faithful members of the Parkview Methodist Church in Miamisburg for the past 70 years. They served as nature tour guide volunteers for school children at Cox Arboretum for over 40 years. They have visited all 50 states and toured 23 foreign countries. The couple have one son, two daughters, and eleven grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, Berman and Violet's love for each other has kept them together for more years than many people live. Together, they have shared the joys and challenges of marriage, and set a fine example for many young husbands and wives. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Berman and Violet Layer as they each celebrate 101 years of a life well-lived, and 80 years of love and treasured memories. I wish them more years of good health and happiness together.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, on July 24, 2024, I was unable to vote due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 393.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate TAC (The Abilities Connection) Industries, a nonprofit organization located in my Congressional district, that provides job opportunities to people with disabilities through its participation in the AbilityOne Program. AbilityOne is a federal program that provides employment opportunities to approximately 40,000 people who are blind or have significant disabilities, including more than 2,500 veterans. TAC Industries recently received the 2024 Innovation Award at Source America's annual X-Force conference in Orlando, Florida. This award honors a nonprofit that developed ``innovative work methods, products or services.'' TAC Industries partnered with Clark State College in Springfield, Ohio, which is also in my district, to create the Fresh Abilities restaurant, a farm-to-table quick service restaurant on the campus, which functions simultaneously as an employment center and a training program for workers with disabilities. Through their partnership, TAC developed a curriculum that included over 100 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on skill building. They utilized the college's classroom facilities for their employees' food safety training. In the restaurant, the employees were then trained in how to prepare meals, how to make sales, and develop customer service skills. Employees at Fresh Abilities gained the unique experience of working in a safe, inclusive environment while getting the training and support they need to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Clark State students, faculty and employees gained access to healthy food, and the college's administration was able to divert funds previously spent on food service to other student-focused areas. For individuals with disabilities, the opportunity to pursue a fulfilling, meaningful career of one's own choosing with a path for advancement is important to their quality of life. I appreciate the work TAC Industries undertakes to provide these employment and vocational opportunities, and congratulate them on receiving this prestigious award.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, on July 25, 2024, I was unable to vote due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 400.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the Bob Ross Auto Group, located in my congressional district in Centerville, Ohio, as they celebrate a half-century of service to its customers and the Greater Dayton community. The Bob Ross Auto Group, which consists of three franchises, Buick, GMC and Mercedes-Benz, commemorated its 50th anniversary on February 22, 2024. Over the past five decades, this family-owned dealership has become a pillar of the community and earned the trust of thousands of customers for their automotive and service needs. The dealership contributes to a variety of charitable causes and community events, and to the Nation as a whole, through its support of the American Cancer Society's efforts to raise awareness and find a cure for breast cancer.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I thank Congressman Grothman, my friend and colleague, for his leadership on this issue. I ask for strong support for this amendment which prohibits funding to be used for the parole program titled: ``Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.'' More than 10,000 Haitian migrants have settled in my congressional district in Springfield, Ohio, sent there by the Biden administration's unlawful use of the immigration parole program. I am going to say that again. More than 10,000 Haitians have settled in my congressional district in Springfield, Ohio. America is a Nation of immigrants, and Ohio has undoubtedly been enriched by those seeking the tremendous opportunities that our country has to offer. However, Biden's administration policies incentivize migrants to locate in the United States rapidly and in large numbers, moving to small and rural communities like in my district. You cannot find a city in this country that would be able to sufficiently handle this kind of surge. The city of Springfield is strained with infrastructure, housing, and schools all pushed to the limit. Last year, the community of Springfield formed an immigration accountability response team to address this unprecedented population explosion. These Biden policies are wrong and put these people and the city of Springfield in impossible circumstances. Mr. Chair, I urge strong support of this amendment.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Kaptur for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the newest member of the Ohio delegation, Congressman Mike Rulli. In addition to his dedication to public service at the local, State, and now Federal levels, Congressman Rulli brings to this Chamber first- hand knowledge and practical experience as a successful family-run small business owner. Mike and his family know the challenges that come with running a small business. They realize that small businesses are the job creators, an economic life blood of communities in Ohio and across the country. It is that real-world experience that will greatly benefit this institution as we debate key policies that affect every American household and business. Following in his predecessor's footsteps, Mike's business acumen and heart for service will represent Ohio's Sixth District well. On behalf of the growing Mike caucus and the entire Ohio delegation, I welcome Congressman Rulli; his wife, Kelly; and their family to the 118th Congress.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) Commander, Colonel Ariel Batungbacal, farewell and thank you as she departs command, after serving at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for the past four years--first as a NASIC Group Commander and then as the NASIC Wing Commander. Colonel Batungbacal commissioned in 2001, quickly rising through the ranks to Colonel and, most recently, confirmed to the rank of Brigadier General. In other words, through 23 years of dedicated service to her Nation, Colonel Batungbacal has earned a spot in the top two percent of all eligible members who achieve the General Officer rank. An outstanding achievement. Colonel Batungbacal distinguished herself through her dedicated service to the Department of Defense and her visionary leadership of NASIC, the U.S. Air Force's Service Intelligence Center. During her command, Colonel Batungbacal led the Center through an unprecedented organizational change, adopting an A-staff structure and realigning squadrons to better support mission execution for the high-end fight. Colonel Batungbacal elevated NASIC's analytic ecosystem by accelerating a multi-year digital transformation effort, prioritizing systems and processes that serve to increase information sharing and remove barriers to collaboration. By weaving these transformation efforts into the Center's near and long-term strategies, she provided the organization with an integrated, measurable path to success. The entire Center has leveraged this effort to accelerate 20 analytic modernization projects, with 245 efforts pending future Center action. Under her leadership, NASIC led a joint DoD and FBI project concerning a high visibility national effort, enabling critical analysis and dissemination to policy makers. While in command, she also hosted two U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence retreats, effectively showcasing NASIC's efforts aligned to the National Defense Strategy. This unprecedented, bipartisan committee retreat was also attended by 10 senior leaders of the intelligence community. I brought two Speakers of the House to witness the NASIC magic themselves and experience first-hand the tremendous impact these ``MacGyvers'' of the Air Force have on our national defense posture. During her tenure as the NASIC Wing Commander, Colonel Batungbacal oversaw the completion of a $155 million military construction project--one of the largest in Wright-Patterson's history. Most impressive, this project finished ahead of schedule and under budget. The world-class, purpose-built addition increased NASIC's footprint by 255,000 sq. feet, providing an additional 980 seats and cutting-edge lab space to the U.S. Air Force's largest Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. With an intentional focus on workforce development, Colonel Batungbacal repurposed an existing facility to provide internal training opportunities to grow and enhance the careers of her nearly 3,800-member force. Since the building's reopening in 2023, NASIC has hosted nearly 150 classes, training an excess of approximately 1920 individuals. Instructors are often in-house NASIC employees and specialists in their field, offering unique learning opportunities to enhance their colleagues' skillsets. In addition to her impressive accomplishments as Commander, Colonel Batungbacal's creativity and innovation has shaped the way NASIC is perceived across the Intelligence Community, the Department of Defense, and the state of Ohio. Colonel Batungbacal has left a lasting impression with her creative vision, unifying the mission across the Center and pioneering a recognizable NASIC brand. She will be missed, but I appreciate the lasting efforts she made upon NASIC, Wright- Patterson, and the Dayton community. We wish her the best of luck in her next endeavors at A2/6.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I, too, thank Mr. Biggs for bringing this amendment to the floor. It is incredibly important that we have this debate. It is important because our European allies need to be listening to it. However, this amendment is misguided in its effect, and it is misguided because this is the National Defense Authorization Act. Any amendment to restrict our options and our operations is to our detriment. Now, the 2 percent target was advocated by the United States at the Wales NATO Summit in 2014. At that time, only three countries met the requirement. This year, in 2024, 22 nations will be meeting the target, and two nations that just joined us in entering NATO, Finland and Sweden, came in already meeting that target. Now, I served as the head of the U.S. delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and had an opportunity as past president to address the Warsaw Summit in NATO in 2016, and I made the exact point that Mr. Biggs is making--Europe must step up to the plate and hit its 2 percent. We should not restrict our ability to have our operations with NATO. Currently, the Supreme Allied Commander is American. NATO doesn't do anything without the Americans leading. If there is a military exercise, it is the NATO U.S. commander who has decided that that operation will occur. To restrict our ability to operate under NATO is misguided and would affect our national defense. It would affect NATO intelligence operations and also all of our interoperability. Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Chair, I want to begin by thanking the Speaker for bringing this bill to the floor for the importance of serving our national security. This bill will have overwhelming support on this House floor today. When people ask why we should support Ukraine, I like to remind them of President Xi of China's trip to Russia last year. When President Xi stood next to Vladimir Putin, he had an open mike, and he said: ``Change is coming that hasn't happened in 100 years. And we are driving this change together.'' The ``we'' is Vladimir Putin and President Xi, and the ``100 years,'' we know what that is. That is World War I and World War II. They themselves stood together and articulated that this is a battle between authoritarianism and democracy, and we must stand for democracy and against authoritarianism. Also, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, our European allies have committed to giving more than $60 billion in military aid since Russia's unjustified invasion, while the U.S. has given roughly $42 billion. We are at less than half. Madam Chair, I include in the Record the link to the Kiel Institute report. https://www.ifw-kiel.de/topics/war-against-ukraine/ukraine- support-tracker/

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition of H.R. 4639. Vote ``no'' on H.R. 4639. The bill bans law enforcement from paying for information available to any willing buyer in all contexts. There is no exception, zero. There is no exception to even allow law enforcement to pay for stolen information to investigate and solve identity theft, data theft, data breaches, ransomware attacks. The bill will not make people safer. The bill puts police officers' lives at risk. It bans the police from data used to understand the danger they face when executing a search warrant or an arrest warrant. If this bill becomes law, police will be going in blind when executing a warrant, and this could cost lives. This bill is bad for law enforcement, bad for the intelligence community, and bad for national security. That is why, yesterday, The Wall Street Journal wrote an editorial opposing this bill. It is also why this bill is uniformly opposed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, the National Association of Police Organizations, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Fusion Center Association, and the National Narcotic Officers Association Coalition. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues: Do not digitally defund the police.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, there is a SCIF off of the House floor to provide additional information to Members that I am not able to present here. This amendment is to correct a technical issue that was found by the FISA court with respect to critical intelligence and a technological issue in which there was a gap. Again, 702 is about collecting data and information on foreigners abroad. You have to be both. You have to be a foreigner, and you have to be abroad. You can't be a foreigner in the United States, and you can't be an American abroad. It is about foreigners abroad. There have been people who have been saying on this amendment that this is about collecting at your local Starbucks, this is about collecting at your local McDonald's. It is not. It is about foreigners abroad. I end with this: With respect to the Biggs-Jayapal amendment, this important surveillance tool of foreigners abroad is limited to just foreigners abroad and individuals who are in the United States who are being recruited by terrorist groups and organizations and the Chinese Communist Party when they communicate with them and their communications end up in the inboxes of the Chinese Communist Party, Hezbollah, Hamas, and al-Qaida. If we are reading the inbox of al-Qaida, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Chinese Communist Party, and there is an email in there from somebody located in the United States because they are being recruited, either to do espionage, or because they are being recruited for terrorism, my colleagues want the government to read that. Now, our constitutional protections, which we dearly uphold here and everybody is committed to, is that no American shall have their inbox, their outbox, their electronic communications, and their data spied on by their government. Our constitutional protections require that there be a warrant, and no one should stand in this well and pretend that they do not. There are constitutional protections for American communications within their data. However, if a person located in the United States is communicating with al-Qaida, Hamas, and the Chinese Communist Party, in this limited group of people that we collect under 702, they can pose a threat to this country. Additionally, if the Biggs-Jayapal amendment passes, we will go dark. We will no longer see solicitations from the Chinese Communist Party to students in the United States to go and spy for them. We will no longer see al-Qaida recruiting people in the United States to undertake terrorist attacks. We will no longer see people who are sympathetic with Hamas, who contact Hamas and say: How can I perpetrate a terrorist attack in the United States? It is imperative that the Biggs-Jayapal amendment fail and that this underlying bill, which punishes the FBI but protects the American people, pass. Mr. Chair, I urge passage of this bill and a ``no'' vote on the Biggs-Jayapal amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, we had Members stand and say that they are for vetting foreigners who want to come into the United States. I assume we should vet them for whether or not they have ties to terrorist groups and organizations. Perhaps we should just ask them because I am sure they will tell us the truth, but they won't, which is why we have 702. Section 702 collects information on foreigners abroad and terrorist groups and organizations. What this amendment does is it allows us to search Hamas on these individuals who want to come into the United States, to find out if they are affiliated with Hamas because they are not just going to tell us. If my colleagues are for vetting, my colleagues are for vetting, looking at terrorist groups and organizations to see if they have ties to people who are trying to come into the United States.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition because the National Security Agency stopped ``abouts'' collection in 2017 because it was fraught with peril. This amendment is not necessary because the intelligence community is not doing this and hasn't been doing it since 2017. I do want to go back and assist somewhat in the debate of some of the terms that are occurring with respect to the Biggs-Jayapal amendment. The Biggs-Jayapal amendment, as I indicated, would make us go blind. It would make it so that we can't read the inboxes and outboxes of foreigners abroad who are al-Qaida, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Chinese Communist Party. The reason I say that is because 702, which is the underlying bill here that is being reauthorized, is tailored only to the adversaries and those who want to do us harm. It is for national security threats. It is for our adversaries. Their inbox and their outbox are not protected. If you are a terrorist or if you are committing espionage or you are a spy and you are communicating with the Chinese Communist Party or Hezbollah, Hamas, or al-Qaida, right now, because we are spying on them, we can read those communications. America wants us to read those communications because it is how we keep America safe. On 9/11, we had terrorists inside the United States. For all intents and purposes, as people were saying in this debate, they were Americans. They weren't American citizens, but under this law, they were Americans and they had protection under the Constitution. Their communications to al-Qaida were not protected. At that time, we weren't looking. We were not looking. We were blind and we were not listening. Now, we are looking. If somebody is in this country and they are a terrorist or they are a spy for the Chinese Communist Party, we are looking at the Chinese Communist Party and al-Qaida. In reading those, we can take those to a court and get a warrant and then keep America safe from people who are here who intend to do us harm. This would shut that off. It would make us be blind with respect to those communications. Mr. Chair, vote ``no'' on the Biggs-Jayapal amendment, and vote ``no'' on this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, the gentleman is correct, the Intelligence Committee does oppose this amendment. We oppose this. There was a working group that was put together by the Speaker which had two Representatives of the Judiciary Committee, two Representatives of the Intelligence Committee, two Representatives appointed by the leadership and the chair, Mario Diaz-Balart. Every person in that working group opposed this amendment. Now, the underlying bill already includes a provision of a requirement that the FISA court now create transcripts and that those transcripts be transmitted to the Congressional committees of jurisdiction, which includes Judiciary and Intelligence. We will already know what is happening. The difference is whether or not you pull up a seat and you eat popcorn while you are watching the court. I want to go back to the Biggs amendment here for a second because the Biggs/Jayapal amendment is really what is dominating this whole debate. This amendment, if you just read the front page of it, clearly says that it is about the intelligence that is gathered from foreigners abroad. This is not about Americans' data. Americans' data is safe, constitutionally protected. They are inboxed and outboxed. No amendment on this floor can change the Constitution. No statute on this floor can change the Constitution. The statute that we are talking about is 702, which is the spying on foreigners abroad. Now, everybody in this House is pissed at the FBI and is pissed about the abuses that occurred. Punish the FBI. Pass this underlying bill. Do not pass the Biggs amendment and cause us to go blind and make America less safe. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. TURNER. What Mr. Biggs just said is a great description. If this amendment passes, the Chinese Communist Party, Hezbollah, and Hamas get to fully recruit in the United States free because we would have to get a warrant to monitor them--not to monitor Americans. Already the Constitution requires that you have to have a warrant and you have to go to court for a warrant because their constitutional rights have been protected since the birth of this Nation. Americans' inboxes and outboxes are protected by a constitutional right for a warrant. The inbox and outbox of Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Chinese Communist Party are not. If they are recruiting into the United States and people are communicating back with them, that is not protected speech. If you send a thanks for the bomb-making classes email to the head of Hamas, that shouldn't take a warrant for us to see because we need to protect Americans. Now, inside the United States, everybody's communications are protected. The Constitution is sound, and since the birth of this Nation, we have fought to ensure that. I would say it is the definition of a swamp when you stand on this floor and say you are going to give the American people something they already have; they have protections of their communications. They don't have the protection to be able to talk to Hamas and Hezbollah and the Chinese Communist Party and say that they are going to be recruited to be a terrorist to do espionage or to be a spy. That is what we are talking about. There should not be a warrant for those types of communications. We wouldn't be able to see them. We would go blind. Our Nation would be unsafe. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Himes), the ranking member of the Intelligence Committee.