Scott Taylor

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 559. personal explanation

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record remarks on behalf of my constituent, Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman. Rabbi Zoberman is the Founding Rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Born in Chu, Kazakhstan (USSR) in 1945, he is the son of Polish Holocaust Survivors. ``It was early Sunday morning and I was leaving the house on the way to preach at Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach. I am, gratefully, this historic church's Honorary Senior Rabbi Scholar. Having visited Poland, Lithuania, and Israel earlier this summer, I was eager to share my unsettling and transforming experiences from the trip, experiences that still keep me up at night. My 97-year- old mom's call from Haifa, Israel, 6,000 miles away, alarmed me. My indomitable mom, a Holocaust survivor from the Ukraine, worriedly uttered, ``What's happening in Virginia?'' She was referring, of course, to the tragic events that unfolded in Charlottesville due to the neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and KKK (What an unholy alliance!) repulsive rally. That truly anti-American, vile anti-Semitic rally resurrected history's worst images which led to untold pain and loss. My mom's keen conscience and life's trying legacy, prompted her to be deeply concerned about what transpires in America 2017. After all, she is a witness that hatred of the other, fueled by prejudice, bigotry and jealousy, can end up, as it did, in gas chambers and mass executions of millions. The presence of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in our nation's capital is a poignant statement and a timely warning that democracies, even our great one, are vulnerable institutions; that poisonous ideas and pernicious minds can undermine all that we so cherish. Virginia and the entire United States are ``For Lovers'' and not haters! Had the blessings of our uniquely American interfaith relations existed back then in Europe the magnitude of the Holocaust would surely be diminished. It is high time to revisit our educational system to ensure our basic American values of democracy, diversity and decency that have made America a leader, are taught on all levels lest the American dream becomes a nightmare. When I examined the Ayelet Tours' June 2017 advertised trip to Poland and Lithuania accompanied by Professor Natan Meir of Portland State University (what an added bonus to a pilgrimage of sacred witness!), I couldn't but notice that my father's hometown of Zamosc in southeastern Poland was on the itinerary. My first exposure to Poland was at age six months old in 1946 when my family of Polish Holocaust survivors returned home from Siberia and Kazakhstan (then USSR) where I was born. However, we left after only four months. Some 1500 Jews were murdered by Poles who begrudged our survival and eyed our properties. I visited Poland in February 1992 for a packed three-day trip sponsored by the Chicago Board of Rabbis. I recall seeing the sign leading to Zamosc and my frustration of not going there. This time I was in Zamosc and I am still overtaken by breathing the same air generations of my ancestors breathed, loved and labored till the tragic onslaught of Nazi terror. Imagine my speechless elation at being in the restored Sephardic ``Renaissance Synagogue'' built in the early 17th century, the only such edifice in Poland, which officially opened on April 5, 2011 with Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski in attendance as Honorary Patron. After all, my great-grandma Dina Menzis Zoberman was a descendent of Spanish and Portuguese Jews whose industrial and communal leadership in Zamosc was immense. Dina and her husband Rabbi Yaakov Zoberman perished in the Belzec death camp along with other family members and many of Zamosc's 14,000 Jews. I led our 17-member group in the memorial kaddish prayer. Half a million entered this latest of the six major Nazi death camps to be cared for (the American Jewish Committee played a pivotal role) and only three survived at war's end with two of them murdered following testifying in court! Poland was the world center of Jewish life before WWII. Less than half a million Polish Jews survived out of 3.5 million, about half of the Holocaust's six million victims. Warsaw, Poland's capital has been rebuilt from its ruins and is now a thriving international metropolis. Its new Museum of the History of Polish Jews is called The Polin Museum. Polin is the Hebrew word for Poland meaning ``here we sleep and stay.'' This state-of-the-art museum is promising testimony to the new Poland which is free from both Nazism and Communism, proudly acknowledging its 1,000 years of Jewish life which contributed so much to Poland. It is significantly located next to the imposing Warsaw Ghetto Monument. How moved I was that after emerging from the breathtaking museum tour, the large IDF (Israel Defense Forces) annual delegation of ``Witnesses in Uniform'' conducted a memorial ceremony at the monument. It is an educational attempt to bond Israelis with past heroism and sacrifice. The servicemen and women also assist in cemetery work. We welcomed Shabbat at the Progressive synagogue of Beit Warszawa and in the morning, we joined at the Orthodox Nozyk Synagogue, the only one that survived the war, and met there Poland's Chief Rabbi who is American, Rabbi Michael Schudrich. We encountered Israeli tourists who took the 3 1/2-hour flight from Tel-Aviv to Warsaw on attractive ``deals'' with also a shopping spree in mind. The Chopin piano recital by Anna Kubicz was an elegant touch of Polish culture. A memorable visit to Lodz with its reminders of a great industrial past of Jewish input. The former large Litzmannstadt Ghetto, the last of Poland's to be liquidated and second in size only to the Warsaw Ghetto, is a stark reminder of a tragic end. Controversial Chaim Rumkowski was the head of the Judenrat, the Jewish Council appointed by the Germans. In Lublin, we were at the once renowned Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva and the touching Brama Grozdka-NN Theater in the old Jewish quarter which preserves the rich Jewish past by very dedicated Gentile Poles. I'm still haunted by the photo of a Lublin Jewish boy who resembles by own grandson Danny, and the grim struggle and fate of the Jewish children and their helpless parents in the ghettos and camps. At the Majdanek death camp, the first major one to be liberated by the Russians as part of the Allied Forces, I mentioned in Hebrew to a number of Israeli officers from the delegation that they arrived 70 plus years too late. They responded that there was then no State of Israel, ``that's the point'' I retorted. Of the 360,000 lost lives, there, 120,000 were Jewish. I was enchanted in Krakow by the largest Market Square in Europe, Wawel Castle, the Jagiellonian University with its Institute of Jewish Studies, the Cathedral which was home to Pope John Paul II and more. In the medieval Jewish Quarter of Kaziemierz there are restaurants offering Jewish dishes and Klezmer music in Yiddish and Hebrew by Poles who capture the Jewish spirit. I was moved by hundreds of American Jewish youth who celebrated Jewish life, connecting to both a glorious and painful past as they continued to Israel's Jewish rebirth. Being in Oskar Schindler's life-saving factory turned museum was an important reminder of those Righteous Gentiles who heroically stood by us. The Krakow JCC established with the aid of Prince Charles of England is uplifting indeed, and the instructive Galicia Jewish Museum where Professor Edyta Gaworn, its academic advisor, addressed us. The city is host to the famous annual Jewish Culture Festival. Visiting vast Auschwitz-Birkenau (symbol of evil's essence) where the Nazi death machine claimed a million and one-half Jewish lives was an eerie experience of shock and numbness. How monstrously deceptive is the infamous welcoming sign, ``Arbeit Macht Frei'' (work makes you free). We witnessed the sites of once vibrant small Jewish communities in Poland's pastoral countryside, and the creative and noble synagogues' restoration as Jewish museums and cultural centers thou sadly without Jews; Sejny's neo- Baroque synagogue is home to the Borderland Foundation dedicated to Poland's rich multi-cultural heritage that is Polish, Jewish, Lithuanian, Belaurussian and Russian; Tykocin's 17th century Baroque synagogue; picturesque Sandomierz with its cathedral depicting a medieval blood- libel painting of rabbis sacrificing a Christian baby for matza baking. However, following much Jewish protest there is a recently placed plaque testifying that the alleged never took place; Chmielnik with its uniquely renovated synagogue- museum, a bima encased in glass and memorabilia of a once flourishing community. Captivating Vilnius (Vilna), Lithuania's capital, evokes memories of Jewish religious and cultural heights. We attended the burial place of the Vilna Gaon, delighted that one of our fellow travelers from New York had recently discovered he was a descendent of this great rabbi. We visited the former ghetto as well as the Ponar Forest where 70,000 Jews were murdered, and the site of the famous escape tunnel dug by Jews who were ordered to burn the exhumed bodies. The calm forest belies the indescribable slaughter that should have shaken heaven and earth. Faina Kukliansky, Chair of Lithuanian Jewish Communities addressed us. At the Genocide Museum (a former KGB prison) we were exposed to the bloody brutalities of the Soviets toward Lithuanians in general along with mass deportations to Siberia, all regarded by Lithuania as genocidal policy. Lakeside Trakai, the medieval capital of Lithuania, offered us a respite, and we were enlightened at the Karaite museum, learning how this sect escaped Nazi persecution. We are grateful to The Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland for its remarkable initiatives and accomplishments! The observed signs of Jewish renewal are encouraging and heartwarming, but surely this amazing journey was bound to stir deep and mixed emotions. I continued by myself to Israel and how rewarding it was to know that there is a welcoming Jewish state following unfathomable destruction! To top it all, the aircraft carrier USS H. W. Bush whose homeport is Norfolk arrived in Haifa, my hometown, with close to 6,000 sailors and pilots aboard following bombing ISIS targets. It was the first American carrier to arrive in Israel in 17 years, spending July 4th in Israel. It was greeted enthusiastically, reaffirming the special bond between the two democratic allies. I fondly recall being present when a Torah Scroll (democracy's foundation) originally from Germany was presented to this incredible vessel, symbol of American freedom's resolve.''

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Chair, on rollcall vote No. 445, I incorrectly voted ``no.'' I would like to reflect that I intended to vote ``yes.''

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brian Schools on his recent selection to the Board of Directors at the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, NAFCU. Mr. Schools has been President and CEO of Chartway Federal Credit Union in Virginia Beach since 2015. Mr. Schools joined Chartway Federal Credit Union in 2008 and served as vice president of lending, corporate strategy officer, and corporate divisional president, until he assumed his current role. Mr. Schools has more than 20 years of business leadership experience and holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Virginia Tech and a Master of Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He has also served as a Board member of Chartway's We Promise Foundation, which provides financial support to make dreams and wishes come to life for children facing medical challenges. He is known at his credit union as a highly capable leader who has the experience, the determination, and the drive to position Chartway for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Mr. Schools' business experience and leadership will bring a tremendous amount of expertise to the NAFCU Board. I wish Mr. Schools the best of luck in his new role on the NAFCU Board, and look forward to working with him in this capacity. I ask that my colleagues join me today in congratulating Brian Schools on this achievement.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 2772, the VA Senior Executive Accountability Act. This bipartisan bill brings transparency and accountability to senior VA leadership. Mr. Speaker, my area has the fastest growing veterans population in the Nation. Our OIF, our OEF, and our women's veterans population is rapidly growing. Recently, our main VA hospital was rated at a one-star out of a five- star rating. In making a change, the VA simply swapped out the underperforming leadership with another VA hospital. This, Mr. Speaker, is unacceptable. My bill would require the VA to issue reports on any reassignment of VA leadership and how much the cost is. Additionally, the Secretary of the VA would have to personally sign off on the reassignment. Mr. Speaker, veterans need to trust that they are getting the best care possible. They need to trust that they will have transparency. They need to trust that there will be accountability. I want to thank the chairman, the ranking member, and all those on the committee for their work, their dedication, and their commitment to upholding our sacred responsibility of care for those who upheld their own sacred responsibility to our Nation.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my support for the National Defense Authorization Act. The United States of America is the greatest force for freedom, peace, and prosperity. We are the greatest because we have built a military that has the best equipped, the best trained, and the best led fighting force the world has ever known. Mr. Speaker, we all have a moral responsibility to every servicemember who puts their life on the line for America. That responsibility is to give them superior equipment, sound strategy that doesn't put them in unnecessary danger, and care for their families while they are away. This bill gives our troops a sorely-needed pay raise, and helps to rebuild our military, thus fulfilling our promise. In the words of George Washington: ``To be prepared for war is the most effectual means of preserving peace.'' I am proud of this bill, and I am thankful for my amendment to be included in it, that expands veteran opportunities to get credentialed. It allows servicemembers to use the skills they developed in the military to be more competitive in the workforce. It allows them to get credentialed for in-demand professions that are valued by our civilian employers. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of this bill, and I am thankful for all those who worked on it.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I was absent for the initial vote series due to my attendance of the funeral of Kyle Milliken. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 302, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 303, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 304.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, my generation has known two very profound events: war and recession. To some folks, a decade seems like forever ago, but for most Virginians, most Americans, the events of the financial collapse 10 years ago still haunt their memories today. Financial devastation hit the poor and middle class in this country unlike anything we have witnessed in our lifetimes: businesses shuttered, retirement plans halted, families losing many homes. In response, Congress passed Dodd-Frank, a bill with more regulations than all other bills passed during the Obama administration. Dodd-Frank regulations have pushed many community banks out of business. We lose one of them or a credit union every single day. Small-business lending, the driver of jobs in this country, has declined; everyday banking services have been reduced; and homeownership is increasingly out of reach. The Financial CHOICE Act provides more accountability over unelected bodies, unlocks small-business lending, allows community banks to survive, stops big-bank bailouts with our tax dollars, will increase homeownership, and it imposes the toughest penalties ever for financial fraud. This bill puts the American Dream into reach for millions of Americans.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the great men and women of law enforcement. As you know, it is National Law Enforcement Week, first established by President Kennedy in 1962. Imagine waking up every morning, rolling out of your bed, rubbing your eyes, getting dressed for work, kissing a loved one good-bye for what may be the very last time. You walk out your door not even thinking about the potential danger that awaits you, not even questioning who the person is asking for help, and not hesitating to step in the line of fire should you be required to. Notice that I said ``you.'' You, a Republican. You, a Democrat. Black, White, Brown, gay, or straight, for all types don the uniform every day. Men and women of law enforcement are a special breed amongst us. Theirs is a higher calling for service. They are part of the very fabric of our society. Without them, we would not have order, and our laws would be worthless. For those men and women of law enforcement in Virginia's Second District, and those around the Nation, we thank you. Your willingness to put the safety of others above your own demands respect, recognition, and, for some, remembrance.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record on behalf of my constituent, Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman. Rabbi Zoberman is the Founding Rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Born in Chu, Kazakhstan (USSR) in 1945, he is the son of Polish Holocaust Survivors. Rabbi Zoberman asked me to include the following remarks in the Record: We remember lest the world forgets or denies the genocidal tragedy that befell the Jewish people at the hands of Nazi Germany and its collaborators of the greatest crime in human history. We dare not forget the six million innocent Jewish victims who were all begrudged their covenantal bond with Israel's God of compassion, caring and love, ever prodding the human family to rise higher and higher. So much that is precious has been forever lost. Nazi ideology sought to eradicate Western civilization's life affirming Judeo- Christian system. We remember the survivors whose numbers are now being naturally diminished, and their resilient spirit that allows them to rebuild their lives with the affirmation of life's undying goodness and the human capacity to overcome evil. We remember the rescuers, those righteous gentiles, who risked their own lives and the lives of their loved ones to protect and save vulnerable Jewish lives. Last but not least, we remember the liberators and heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice, fighting to preserve human dignity. My Jewish friend, Ed Shames, is one of the greatest of the Greatest Generation whose legendary legacy is captured in Airborne (the Combat Story of Ed Shames of Easy Company) by Ian Gardner. Edward David Shames was born on June 13, 1922, in Virginia Beach, when it was but a rural community. He was the youngest of the four children, of David and Sadie, who ran the ``Shames Provisions'' country store, with the family living above it. The father's sudden death at age 42 and the Great Depression challenged the family. He grew up rowing and fishing in Chesapeake Bay, target practicing with his father's pistols and learning navigation when hiking with a gift of maps and a compass from his sacrificial mother. Shames went to great length to firmly train his third platoon. Though his strictness was resented by some, it did pay in saved lives. Not only did Ed hold the best record for saved lives among the Division's 500 platoons, he also was the Division's first to receive a battlefield commission following D-Day. Furthermore, he was the first officer of his Division to enter Dachau a few days following its liberation and the horrors he faced are still with him today. The book's sales proceeds admiringly go toward wounded warriors and their families. I can personally attest to Col. Shames' keen convictions, biting humor, and profound humility of a soldier's soldier and a hero's hero. He was honored by the French Government and the legislature in Richmond, Virginia. As we celebrate Israel's 69th Anniversary, we look forward with lasting gratitude to the 50th Jubilee of the 1967 Six- Day-War miraculous victory, and the reunification of Jerusalem, the Jewish people's eternal capital. We recall the preceding gripping fear of another Holocaust, this time by the surrounding and menacing Arab states begrudging the triumphant survival of European Jewry's remnant which includes my own family. At last, all of Jerusalem's holy sites are safeguarded and respected. We pray for Shalom's blessing of elusive peace to embrace Israelis and Palestinians with the latter finally accepting the exceptional return of an ancient people uprooted from its native land by the Roman sword's power. For two trying millennia, Israelis, never abandoned its divine bond with Zion and Jerusalem, thus proving the superiority of the human soul's power. We marvel at Israel's world-class, astonishing accomplishments and innovations in its brief and challenging years of renewed sovereignty, even as it faces existential threats from a nuclear capable seeking Iran, its proxies', and the close presence of ISIS and Jihadist groups. The genocidal tragic Syrian scenario is entering its seventh year of massive human destruction and the greatest refugee crisis since WWII. President Trump's military response to the latest gas attack on the long abandoned Syrian civilians including children, reminiscent of the Holocaust, is deeply appreciated. New opportunities have emerged for rapprochement between Israel and the Sunni Arab states. We bemoan the precipitous and alarming global rise of anti-Semitism, the world's oldest hatred that made the Holocaust possible. The threats within the United States against Jewish institutions, the desecration of Jewish cemeteries and anti- Israel/Jewish activities in American schools make mockery of sacred memory, justice and truth, while enabling aggressors to persist and delay peace. The United Nations, created in the wake of WWII and the Holocaust, has shamefully turned into a bastion of anti- Israel propaganda as we praise Israel's valiant defense as well as staunch opposition to the destructive BDS movement by American Ambassador Nikki Haley, a shining light in a house of darkness. The unique bond of genuine brotherhood with the United States, vital to both countries, is between the world's leading democracy and the only democracy in the Middle East. The constructive role of American Jewry cannot be overstated.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Chairman, I just want to state I thank the gentleman, and I thank the gentleman on the other side, as well, for his support. I think this is the right thing to do for transparency and for accountability for our veterans in the VA. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe).

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment to the VA Accountability First Act. This amendment would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a semi-annual report to Congress on the reasons and costs of the transfer of any senior executive employees within the Department. Mr. Chairman, in my district and the surrounding area, we have the fastest-growing veterans' population in the Nation, specifically, with women veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom veterans, and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans. I am honored to serve in the district that has the largest population of Active Duty and veterans in the country. Our own VA center, where I personally receive care, was previously rated as a one-star facility, the lowest rating available; this, by the VA's own rating system. Now, I am pleased to say the center has made strides and progress in many areas. However, the director in charge during the time of poor performance was simply moved to another facility to be a director there. We have to do better. We will do better. The VA Accountability First Act of 2017 is a wonderful and great start. This amendment will contribute to more transparency, accountability, and oversight. We must continually and consistently hold the VA accountable for underperformance. Our veterans are sacred and deserve the same commitment to high standards they upheld as servicemembers. We should never defend mediocrity at the VA; rather, strive for better service, care, and excellence. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of the 2017 Defense Appropriations bill, a bill providing vital funding for the United States military and intelligence communities who continue to be engaged in responding, engaging, and destroying threats around the world. Mr. Speaker, I have the honor and the great responsibility of representing the largest concentration of Active-Duty military and veterans of any congressional district in the Nation. Who are they? Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, soccer coaches, neighbors. Our district has thousands of the less than 1 percent of the Nation that has gone forth over and over to fight for us; the best among us, fighting the worst in the world. In our district, Mr. Speaker, we have the largest naval base in the world, NASA, SEAL teams, Marines, Army soldiers, Air Force Combat Command, coastguardsmen, Oceana Naval Master Jet Base, national guardsmen, and many, many more. Mr. Speaker, we are moving toward the smallest Army since World War II, the smallest Air Force ever, Navy ships not being properly maintained due to budget, Marine planes not combat-ready. This is unacceptable. Our Nation requires a military, but our force is voluntary. We owe them more. We must take up this 2017 Defense Appropriations bill to help maintain a technological advantage. If we must send our men and women into harm's way, let us always send these warfighters with an unfair advantage. This bill provides essential equipment, platforms, and upgrades. We must give our force and our industrial base predictability and stability, the right equipment, the right training, and the right military superiority. This bill not only supports the warfighters, but their families as well who, Mr. Speaker, are the very backbone of our forces and an integral part of the tremendous sacrifice that has taken place for our Nation. This bill provides important investments in traumatic brain injury, suicide prevention, sexual assault prevention, and much more.

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, this bill gives a well-deserved pay raise, enhances health care, and eases the burden our Nation demands on military families moving forward. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in support of this bill.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, due to travel with President Trump, I was unable to attend votes. Had I been present, I would have voted nay on Roll Call No. 122, yea on Roll Call No. 123, nay on Roll Call No. 124, nay on Roll Call No. 125, and yea on Roll Call No. 126

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, due to my attendance of the dignified transfer ceremony of Chief Special Warfare officer Ryan Owens at Dover AFB, I was unable to vote yesterday. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 72; and YEA on Roll Call No. 73.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Chief Special Warfare Officer William ``Ryan'' Owens and his wife and his children. The Department of Defense announced his death January 28 in the Arabian peninsula after wounds sustained in a raid against al Qaeda. It should also be noted that two others were wounded in the raid and three others injured in a crash landing. I looked for my own words today, but I came across the profound writing of Andrew Stumpf, and I shall recite his powerful words today in honor of Chief Owens and his family: ``A Debt That Cannot Be Repaid.'' ``In a country that most would struggle to find on a map, in a compound that few possess the courage to enter, men from my previous life took the fight to our enemy. ``In that compound, they found men that pray five times a day for your destruction. Those men don't know me, they don't know you, and they don't know America. They don't understand our compassion, our freedoms, and our tolerance. I know it may seem as if those things are currently missing, but they remain, and I know they will return. Our capacity for them is boundless, and is only dwarfed by their hatred for you. They don't care about your religious beliefs; they don't care about your political opinions. They don't care if you sit on the left or the right, liberal or conservative, pacifist or a warrior. They don't care how much you believe in diversity, equality, or freedom of speech. ``I'm sorry that you have never smelled the breath of a man who wants to kill you. I am sorry that you have never felt the alarm bells ringing in your body, the combination of fear and adrenalin, as you move towards the fight, instead of running from it. I am sorry you have never heard someone cry out for help, or cried out for help yourself, relying on the courage of others to bring you home. I am sorry that you have never tasted the salt from your own tears, as you stand at flag draped coffins, burying men you were humbled to call your friends. I don't wish those experiences on you, but I wish you had them. It would change the way you act, it would change the way you value, it would change the way you appreciate. You become quick to open your eyes, and slow to open your mouth. ``Most will never understand the sacrifice required to keep men from that compound away from our doorstep, but it would not hurt you to try. It would not hurt you to take a moment to respect the sacrifices that others make on your behalf, whether they share your opinions or not. It would not hurt you to take a moment to think of the relentless drain on family, friends, and loved ones that are left behind. Ideas are not protected by words. Paper may outline the foundation and principles of this nation, but it is blood that protects it. ``In that compound, a man you have never met gave everything he had, so that YOU, have the freedom to think, speak, and act however you choose. He went there for all of us, whether you loved him, or hated what he stood for. He went there to preserve the opportunity and the privilege to believe, to be, and to become what we want. This country, every single person living inside its borders and under the banner of its flag, owe that man. We owe that man everything. We owe him the respect that his sacrifice deserves. ``Saying thank you is not enough. ``We send our best, and lose them, in the fight against the worst this world has to offer. If you want to respect and honor their sacrifice, it needs to be more than words. You have to live it. ``Take a minute and look around. Soak it in, all of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. You have the choice, every day, as to which category you want to be in, and which direction you want to move. You have that choice, because the best among us, the best we have ever had to offer, fought, bled, and died for it. ``Don't ever forget it.''

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of General Mattis. I rise to speak to my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat. I rise to appeal to the unity of our Chamber, unity of our voice to the world, unity for our men and women who voluntarily fight on our behalf. Less than 1 percent of this Nation has gone forth for the past 15 years, over and over, sacrificing their youth, time with their loved ones, and sometimes their lives. Imagine you are standing there next to your spouse, best friend, or battle buddy at attention, and a flag- draped coffin passes you by, carried by an honor guard dressed in impeccable military uniform. Uncontrollable tears flow around the room as a ceremonial flag is tightly folded and presented to the stoic Gold Star family. ``Amazing Grace'' played on the bagpipes is at once the most beautiful and the most dreadful tone you have ever heard. You yearn to hear it again, and you never want to hear it again. Men and women like General Mattis, who have been here, understand the true costs of war. Men and women like General Mattis will think deliberately and carefully about putting the military into harm's way. Men and women like General Mattis will fight very hard to put the tools and the leadership in the hands of the military members so that they may win. Military members, perhaps more than our civilian counterparts, understand civilian control of the Armed Forces. For in every headquarters building that General Mattis or anyone else has served, there is a prominent display of pictures of civilian leadership above military commanders. I am not naive to the politics. I, too, believe he should have been here yesterday, but those opposed have made their point. We were divided yesterday, but we can unify today. I ask that you rise above politics. I ask you to support General Mattis not just with your words, but with your vote. I ask that you show the same unity military members show each other every single day. Let's give them a leader on day one.

Mr. TAYLOR

Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. A couple of weeks ago I stood in the Judea/Sumeria area in the West Bank speaking with numerous out of thousands of Palestinians working in factories, those who earn three times the salary that they would under the Palestinian Authority. They don't want their proudly made products boycotted. They don't want to lose their jobs. They don't want disruptive Palestinian Authority leaders to always speak for them-- whose own area has 40 percent unemployment and no opportunity. The Obama administration had 8 years to show their true colors. But when they didn't get their way, they insecurely, naively, and cowardly lashed out at our greatest and strongest ally in the Middle East. Women, religious minorities, LGBT, and Jews would not have equal rights, democracy, or peace in a Palestinian country. In fact, the Palestinian Authority punishes Palestinians by death if they sell their land to the Jewish people lawfully. The current administration has used the United Nations to both legitimize a profoundly flawed Iran deal and delegitimize Israel. To think that settlements are the only thing that stands in front of peace is dangerously naive. I urge my colleagues to stand with the bipartisan Royce-Engel resolution. I urge my colleagues to stand with Israel and to stand with the Palestinians in the West Bank.