Michael Turner

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I would inform Congressman Harris, the Ambassador to NATO from Hungary openly supports this center, and I know Poland does also. This is something that is important overall for NATO, and it does have the support of both of those nations, and there is no intention other than to support democracy in this. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. NATO is the most successful military alliance in history. Our shared democratic values are a critical piece of that success. We are reminded of the importance of this alliance daily as Putin continues his inhumane assault on innocent civilians in Ukraine. Together, with our NATO allies and partners, we are unified in a strategic approach to counter our adversaries. Ukraine is not alone on the front lines of the global battle between democracy and authoritarianism. The United States and our NATO allies are supporting Ukraine. Vladimir Putin's unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine has unified the NATO alliance. Most recently, the world watched in horror as images from Bucha have surfaced; mass graves and bodies strewn throughout the street. NATO must be resolute in its efforts to continue its support for Ukraine. This resolution introduced by Congressman Connolly and myself will affirm the democratic values of NATO and establish a Center for Democratic Resilience. Having served as the President of NATO PA, I support the fundamental role this organization plays in strengthening and defending democracies worldwide. I also congratulate my colleague for his efforts in support of this global organization, Congressman Connolly, who currently serves as the President of NATO PA, has represented the United States very well there, and brings forth a resolution that is of great importance to the founding issues and certainly the substance of NATO. The resolution we are considering today advances this goal by reaffirming that NATO is an alliance founded on democratic principles and calling on the U.S. to support the establishment of this center within NATO headquarters. This center would and could monitor challenges and threats to democracy, natural rights, and the rule of law among member nations. Partnering with democracy promotion organizations, the center will assist member states and aspiring member states to preserve and foster democracy among their ranks. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me today in support of this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris).

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. I thank Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Rogers, and, of course, chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Jim Cooper, for once again delivering a National Defense Authorization Act in a bipartisan manner. This is, as the chairman was saying, the one time a year that we all come together, and that is counter to the narrative you see in Washington, that this truly is a bipartisan product. I thank the committee staff for continuing that culture. Madam Speaker, DOD leaders have made it clear that we must do more to deter adversaries. I am confident that this bill will do that in countering both Russia and China. As the ranking member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, I am particularly proud of the progress this bill makes on the issues of nuclear modernization missile defense in space. Specifically, the bill fully funds our triad modernization program, to include the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, the Long-Range Standoff Weapon, the B83 gravity bomb life extension, and the two-site solution for plutonium pit production in Los Alamos and the Savannah River Site. The bill prohibits the retirement or reconversion of the W76-2 low- yield warhead; requires the integration of the LRSO air-launched cruise missile with the B-21 bomber; and creates a floor of 400 U.S. ICBMs. On missile defense, it fully funds the Next Generation Interceptor and supports ensuring our homeland missile defense outpaces the North Korean ICBM threat. It also funds Guam and additional THAAD interceptors. On Space, we continue to push for declassification of programs that will help us counter China and Russia. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his comments and the chairman for the work in this bill that is done to try to deter and prevent sexual assault. Madam Speaker, this NDAA bolsters our national security. It improves the lives of our servicemembers, and will help us counter the threats of China and Russia.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, Representative Garamendi is correct. Russia and China are in an arms race; we are not merely modernizing our forces. It is sad that we are here trying to defend against an amendment that will weaken our national defense just as yesterday the majority cut a billion dollars from the defense of Israel in its Iron Dome, which will only make it more likely that there is conflict. Cutting our nuclear deterrent also just increases the likelihood that there would be conflict. This is about making certain our country remains safe. This is about our national security. Everyone should vote ``no'' on this amendment. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson).

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore).

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Mr. Garamendi, for bringing this forward. I do mean that ``thank you'' sincerely because he gives us an opportunity to highlight that this provision that he seeks to undo has strong bipartisan support. Representative Garamendi, although being my good friend, is in the minority of the minority. He gives us an opportunity to highlight that, in fact, his amendment would remove funding that is requested by President Joe Biden. It is of a program that was initiated by the Obama administration. These plans have been validated by three Presidential administrations--Democrat and Republican--six Congresses, and six Secretaries of Defense, and a bipartisan majority in Congress has voted repeatedly in support of this program. The same holds true for the warhead, which will eventually go on top of the missile. Both Democrat and Republican Presidents support this system as it will replace the oldest warhead in the U.S. arsenal. This will increase our safety and security. We have been told by Secretary Austin that to try to extend--if it could--the Minuteman III, it would take $38 billion more. We would have less capability. And earlier this year, we even had a failure of a Minuteman III ICBM test. This cannot be accomplished, and it has bipartisan support to move forward. This is about safety and security of our nuclear deterrent and our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I support the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. Thanks to the leadership of Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Rogers, as well as the chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Jim Cooper, this year's NDAA was, once again, compiled and reported for consideration on the floor today in a bipartisan manner. This bill is also the product of the diligent work of the committee staff whom I would like to thank including the Strategic Forces Subcommittee's PSMs, Maria Vastola, Grant Schneider, Ryan Tully, Whitney Verett, and Zach Taylor, as well as the committee's majority staff director, Paul Arcangeli, and minority staff director, Chris Vieson. Admiral Richard, the Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, has told us we are facing a situation our Nation has not encountered before. We must deter two peer nuclear-capable competitors simultaneously and must do so with each being deterred differently. I am confident that the FY 2022 NDAA before us today places us on the right path to properly observe both Russia and China. First and foremost, the bill increases top line defense spending by nearly $25 billion, reversing the harmful and reckless cuts from the President's budget, ensuring an annual growth of 5 percent over the previous year, and funding the DOD's most critical unfunded priorities. Next, with one exception, the NDAA continues to fully fund programs within the Department of Defense and Department of Energy that modernize the Nation's nuclear triad and modernize the nuclear command, control, and communications systems. This is especially critical to maintaining a safe, secure, and reliable strategic deterrent while China is undergoing an unprecedented and massive nuclear build-up and Russia is undertaking significant modernization of all three legs of its triad. Also, both Russia and China are developing brand-new, novel nuclear delivery systems. This NDAA fully funds capabilities necessary for the defense of Guam and prohibits reduction of our ICBM inventory while simultaneously halting efforts to retire or reconvert our low-yield nuclear warheads, which are currently deployed in defense of our Nation. And this NDAA reverses President Biden's detrimental and dangerous budgetary cuts to our missile defense systems. Madam Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this bill.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call 196 for H.R. 3005, I inadvertently voted No when I intended to vote Yes. Madam Speaker, my record shows my support for H.R. 3005 in the past. In the 116th Congress, this legislation, as H.R. 7573, passed the House of Representatives, and I voted Yes at that time. I intended to vote Yes on H.R. 3005 in the 117th Congress, and I am pleased to see that it passed the House.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to a respected community leader and trusted friend from my congressional district, Philip L. Parker, for his outstanding leadership and service to the business community and the Greater Dayton, Ohio region. Phil Parker became president and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce on April 29, 1994 and retired on July 31, 2020. Before joining the Chamber, Phil was Executive Director of the Home Builders Association of Dayton and the Miami Valley. For nearly a half-century, Phil has worked to make the Miami Valley a better place to live, work, and raise a family. When I served as mayor of the city of Dayton, and throughout my time in Congress, Phil and I worked together on many issues and community projects to advance our shared goals of promoting economic and job growth throughout Southwest Ohio. During his 26-year tenure as president and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Phil directed one of the 25 largest Chambers of Commerce in the nation. He oversaw the implementation of numerous transportation initiatives, such as the development of Austin Boulevard and much-needed improvements of U.S. Route 35 and I-70. Under his leadership, the Dayton Area Chamber was consistently recognized as one of the very best in the nation. In 1998, the Dayton Chamber was named Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Phil has been actively involved as a local, regional, state, and national volunteer, serving more than 500 volunteer hours a year over nearly 46 years. The generous amounts of time and energy he has contributed to a variety of volunteer and civic organizations, including the Greater Dayton Jaycees, the United Way, and the American Red Cross, have benefited our entire community. Phil has served on more than 50 boards over the years and currently sits on a dozen local boards including Greene Memorial Hospital, Soin Medical Center, Kettering College, and is a member of the Dayton Rotary Club. Madam Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Phil Parker as he celebrates his retirement. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking a truly outstanding citizen for his lifetime of service to the people of Southwest Ohio.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 147.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the Fairmont High School Boys Bowling Team in Kettering, Ohio, which is in my congressional district, on winning the Division I state championship. After nine previous appearances in the state tournament, this year's win was a fitting finish to an historic season that saw the Fairmont Firebirds bowling team bring home its first-ever state title. Months of preparation, practice, and experience enabled these talented athletes to out-bowl the competition and roll to victory in the tournament. These young men have set an example for all of us that success in life comes to those who are willing to set goals, and work hard to achieve them. I congratulate Head Coach Jeremy Fleck and Assistant Coach Matt Mahaffey on their victory in the state championship, and especially the student athletes: Dayton Foster; Dylan Potts; Tyler Milton; Tyler Stegemoller; Colton Mahaffey; and Isaiah Shannon. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the young men on the Fairmont High School Bowling Team on their hard-fought victory. They have made all of us from the Miami Valley proud.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to the life and memory of John E. Moore, Sr., a distinguished community leader from my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, who passed away on January 7, 2021, four days before his 98th birthday. John E. Moore, Sr. was a native of Birmingham, Alabama, whose family moved to Dayton, Ohio shortly after he was born. He graduated from Wilbur Wright High School in 1941. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the 2261st Quartermaster Trucking Company in Bangladesh, during World War II. After the war, John earned a degree in business administration from the University of Dayton and went on to pursue graduate studies at Ohio State University. He served for 35 years as a civilian employee at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He was the first Equal Employment Opportunity officer at Wright-Patterson in 1960, and became the first African-American chief of civilian personnel in 1972. In addition to serving our nation, John was involved with his church and his community his entire life. He gained a reputation as someone to go to when you needed something done. He had an active role in numerous civic organizations, including the Dayton Foundation, the Out-of-School Youth Task Force, Sinclair Community College's board of trustees, the Montgomery County Job Center, and was co-founder of Parity, Inc., which provides a mentoring program for urban middle school students that has helped many underserved young people gain the skills and self- confidence to become successful, productive adults. John E. Moore's name can be found etched along the sidewalks on the Dayton Walk of Fame, among a small circle of distinguished citizens who have impacted our city for the better. In 2014, the Dayton International Peace Museum named John a Peace Hero, in recognition of his leadership in youth, education, health, and civil rights. His lifetime of public service set an example for all of us who work to serve our communities and our nation. I am honored to have known him as a friend. On behalf of all those whose lives were touched by John's friendship and community service, I offer his family my heartfelt condolences.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of Bootsie Neal, a remarkable woman and public servant from my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, who passed away on January 24, 2021. Bootsie Neal was one of my dearest friends for over 25 years. Bootsie was born on September 9, 1952 in Newbern, Alabama and grew up in Buffalo, New York. She earned her bachelor's degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She moved to Dayton in 1974, where she spent the rest of her life, and earned a master's degree in postgraduate education at the University of Dayton. In 1991, Bootsie became the first African American woman to be elected to the Dayton City Commission, on which she served until 2004. Later in life, she inspired and became a role model for other women committed to public service and looking to run for office. I had the privilege of working with Bootsie while I was Mayor of Dayton. Together, we worked to turn the city around. We shared a mutual interest in urban revitalization and redevelopment. We implemented a comprehensive strategic plan that laid the foundation for the economic revival of the urban core of our region. Our focus was rebuilding the business district with jobs, housing, and amenities, and restoring and revitalizing our neighborhoods. Without Bootsie's leadership and partnership, we would not have balanced the city's budget for eight consecutive years, built the Dayton Dragons baseball stadium, the Schuster Center, and RiverScape MetroPark, All of these projects helped contribute to the revitalization and improvement of our city. Today, there are more people living, working, and enjoying downtown Dayton than there were twenty years ago. Bootsie will be deeply missed by all of us who knew and loved her. I valued her wisdom and treasured her friendship. Bootsie's legacy of service through her sorority Delta Sigma Theta, as well as to the entire Dayton community, will forever be cherished. On behalf of all those whose lives were touched by Bootsie's friendship and community service, I offer her family and friends my heartfelt condolences.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to continue our chairman's lauding of the career of Mac Thornberry, again, over his objections. In my 18 years that I have served in Congress, I can tell you, not only has his leadership been essential on the Armed Services Committee, but his time, both as chairman and ranking member, has been incredibly important. He has served the Nation well. I want to thank Chairman Smith for his leadership. We have truly a bipartisan bill in front of us, and it is a result of Mac Thornberry and Adam Smith, their work to try to ensure that we do put America first. Contrary to the prior speaker--before we began to debate this bill, we heard accusations that this did not put America first. This puts America first. What is essential about this is that our adversaries are gaining on our capabilities. They are investing in modernization. They are investing in capabilities that will threaten our ability to ensure our safety and our liberty. This bill is about America first. I would like to highlight a few key issues in this bill. First, the conference report fully authorizes the administration's budget request for the National Nuclear Security Administration. These funds are critical to ensuring our nuclear weapons enterprise remains safe, secure, and effective going into the future. We have put off needed investment too long. There is no longer any margin of error or delay. Now, the NNSA must transform from a culture of sustainment and maintenance to a culture of development and manufacturing to meet the nuclear safety environment of the future. Second, I am pleased that the conference report removes a provision that would have prohibited the NNSA from conducting necessary testing and experimentation. Next, the conference report funds the ground based strategic deterrent, the replacement for the Minuteman III, which has provided the Nation with a nuclear security umbrella for half a century. Transition to the ground-based strategic deterrent will be one of the most complex projects the Federal Government has ever undertaken. The bill also continues the progress of Space Force, and the bill makes serious investments in missile defense by funding the Missile Defense Agency's highest unfunded priorities. It authorizes funds for nine SM-3 Block IIA missiles and a new THAAD battery. The conference report also includes a provision directing the DOD to collaborate with research centers so that we can bring forward information on our adversaries and what they are doing. Mr. Speaker, I encourage everyone to vote for this bill. It is important for the future and the security of America.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, last year, on August 4, 2019, around 1 a.m., a gunman opened fire on a crowded street in the Oregon district in Dayton, Ohio. The police officers at the scene ran toward the danger. Within a mere 32 seconds, because of the courageous acts of the police officers, the shooter was dead. Hundreds of lives were saved. A year later, our community is still reeling from this senseless act of evil. Even with the police's quick action, nine lives were lost: Lois Oglesby Megan Betts Saeed Saleh Derrick Fudge Nicholas Cumer Thomas McNichols Beatrice Warren-Curtis Monica Brickhouse Logan Turner My community remains thankful for the quick action of the Dayton police officers.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, John Lewis has a true legacy of leadership in this House, and he changed the world that we live in. When Congressman Lewis would take the podium, everyone in this House would fall silent and listen to him. I doubt in his long career in this House that the Speaker ever had to hammer the House into order to listen to John Lewis speak. A man who fought for the Voting Rights Act, John Lewis' legacy demands that Congress act. I call on Congress to pass and send to the President's desk for signature the bipartisan H.R. 1799 renewing the Voting Rights Act. Congressman Lewis was a giant in history, but he was a humble man in this House. He treated every Member the same and with dignity. He will be missed.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, we have before us, the National Defense Authorization Act that is proceeding as a bipartisan bill. Chairman Smith committed himself to that, and Ranking Member Thornberry worked diligently to make this a bipartisan bill. So you only see the differences, as Congresswoman Cheney was saying, when you come to these amendments. What is unfortunate about the differences between this side and that side of the aisle is amendment after amendment has been paraded on the other side of the aisle that want to disarm the United States, restrain our weapons programs, and shackle us to treaties where the other side cheats. I would have loved to have stood here while the time for this amendment was spent to implore Russia to stop cheating and to implore Russia to come to the table and begin to comply with the treaties that they have undertaken. I would love for the time when there were discussions of amendments on the other side to shackle our nuclear weapons programs to instead point out that China is launching more ballistic missiles for testing and training than the entire rest of the world combined. I would have loved for the speakers on the other side of the aisle to march down to the microphone and tell this country about Skyfall, the new weapon ICBM that Russia is putting together that is nuclear powered that can orbit the planet before it comes down and does its devastation. I would have loved for our adversaries to be the target of the words from the other side and not our own programs to defend our Nation. It is absolutely essential that we not stay in treaties that are negative to the United States and where our adversaries are not complying. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.