Robert Wittman

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize those men and women who have served this great Nation with honor, men such as Major Jamie M. Glines, United States Marine Corps. For the past year, Major Glines, call sign ``Banana'', served on my staff as a Congressional Defense Fellow. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Major Glines is a proud Marine Corps Aviator. During his assignment, he provided senior-level guidance for defense, veterans, foreign affairs and intelligence matters. Major Glines executed his work as a liaison to the constituents of the First District and the numerous defense installations in the First District with distinction. Furthermore, he provided exceptional support to me as my staff liaison to the House Armed Services Committee in my roles as the Readiness Subcommittee Chairman, the Co-Chair of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus, and the Chairman of the United States Naval Academy's Board of Visitors. Major Glines directly contributed to my goal of providing excellent constituent service to the people of the First District. He was responsible for bringing numerous constituent inquiries to a successful conclusion and he was able to leverage his personal and operational experience in the Marine Corps to respond to the most challenging inquiries. In addition to his efforts on behalf of the First District, Major Glines took on projects with regional, state and national implications, demonstrating his ability to view a challenge from many angles and develop innovative solutions often requiring collaboration across many levels of government. Major Glines's work ethic, duty to mission, and commitment to servant leadership is without equal. I believe that his personal drive to achieve excellence in his work has and will set a very high standard for his peers. I would also like to thank Major Glines for the service and sacrifice he has made, and continues to make, for our Nation and our great Marine Corps. His keen sense of honor, impeccable integrity, boundless work ethic, humor and loyal devotion to duty earned him the respect and admiration of my staff and the First District of Virginia. As an UH-1Y Huey pilot with over 2,000 flight hours, Major Glines completed multiple deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and served as an instructor at the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron. Major Glines is headed to Marine Corps Aviation in the Pentagon where he will continue to work on Congressional matters. I have no doubt that Major Glines will continue to serve the Marine Corps honorably and with distinction. I wish him, his wife Elise, and his children Arlene, Jordan, Michael, and Zoe the best of luck as they continue their journey together as a Marine family. It was an honor and a pleasure having him serve on my staff. We all can sleep soundly at night knowing that men and women like Major Jamie Glines are members of our all-volunteer force and they stand ready to defend our country and take the fight to our enemies; far away from their families and the comforts of the United States of America. Major Jamie Glines, thank you. Best of luck to you and God bless you, your family, and all the Marines you are charged with leading. Semper Fi.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bowling Green Town Manager Stephen Manster on the occasion of his retirement from public service. Throughout his forty-year career, he worked in both local and regional levels of government. Mr. Manster was hired by the Town Council as Town Manager on January 3, 2006. Before coming to Bowling Green, he served for nineteen years as the Executive Director of the Rappahannock Area Development Commission (RADCO). During this time he was able to work with the Town and Caroline County extensively, leading to a seamless transition into the Town Manager position. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Pennsylvania State University and a Degree of Master of City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University. He has also completed extensive graduate work in the Master of Public Administration program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Manster's commitment to public service demonstrates a rare sense of dedication to duty, and I am pleased to recognize this special occasion. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in celebrating the career of Mr. Stephen Manster.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in strong support of S. 2943, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. First, I would like to thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership here, and also our Readiness Subcommittee ranking member, Ms. Madeleine Bordallo. I thank them so much for all of their help and constant and tireless efforts in this endeavor. The efforts behind the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act were truly bipartisan. Mr. Speaker, throughout the year, we heard testimony from all of our service branches about the necessity to address our military's alarming readiness shortfalls. Their accounts were sobering, to say the least. We now confront the maintenance, sustainment, and readiness issues that we put off until tomorrow. Today, we have the responsibility of reducing the risk for our warfighters by making sure that they are well-trained and have combat-ready equipment. There are a number of provisions in this conference report that aim to bolster our military readiness. In addition to the pay raise and increases in end strength, this report directs several assessments of the military departments' plans to rebuild readiness, enhance exercises, and modernize training requirements. It also provides for increased military construction above the President's budget request. It provides the Department of Defense with flexibility for hiring civilians to fill critical manpower capability gaps, in particular, at our defense industrial base facilities: our depots, arsenals, and shipyards. It increases funding to the military service operations and maintenance accounts, critical elements we need to do to restore readiness. None of these readiness provisions were included arbitrarily. They were specifically targeted to begin to reverse the decline in the readiness of our Armed Forces and bring them closer to achieving full- spectrum readiness levels. That is an absolute must if we are to combat and deter the threats to our national security from around the world. Mr. Speaker, in that vein, I strongly urge support for S. 2943, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, and encourage my colleagues in the House to support it as well.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, it truly is an honor and a privilege to reflect on the careers of three dear friends as the gentleman spoke so eloquently about Congressman Randy Forbes, Congressman Scott Rigell, and Congressman Robert Hurt. They have been true Virginia leaders. They are all statesmen in the truest sense of the word. They are all servant leaders in their putting others before themselves, and they have done that throughout their tremendous careers in public service. Randy Forbes is a dear friend. Randy is one of those unique individuals who truly, truly puts others first in everything that he has done. I have known Randy through the years, back to his days in the Virginia General Assembly, where he created great opportunities for folks, not only in the district that he represented, but he also made an impact on the State of Virginia. He was a very thoughtful and eloquent legislator. He understood what government's role was. He wanted to make sure that that was done properly. He also played a critical role in his party. The Grand Old Party was better off in Virginia because of Randy Forbes' leadership. We were blessed to have him in that capacity there for a number of years. I have known Randy as a dear friend but also, truly, as one of the most effective legislators whom we have seen up here on Capitol Hill. His time, Mr. Chairman, on your Committee on the Judiciary is marked by many great accomplishments there as well as by some very sound and thoughtful judgments and, most importantly, by some very probing questions when it came time to interview panelists or witnesses who came before the Judiciary Committee. He was extraordinarily adept at that as he was--and still is--on the House Armed Services Committee. It was tremendous to watch Randy as he would pick apart an issue and get critical information from witnesses or panelists who came before our committee. Whether it was in a briefing or whether it was to really ascertain the facts of a situation, he was extraordinary in his opportunities there. He really cares passionately about our Nation's military, about the men and women who serve and what we provide for them to serve. He has done a spectacular job in efforts to rebuild our Nation's Navy. In fact, this year, for the first time in 8 years, our Navy is actually back to growing again. We are building more ships than we are retiring, and that is due in no small part to Randy Forbes' leadership and the things that he has done to make sure that things like our new carrier program with the Ford-class carriers and with our new Ohio-class replacement submarines, termed the Columbia-class, are on track, as well as the Virginia-class with our new destroyers. He has been extraordinary in making sure that he has been an advocate to ensure that our sailors have what they need as well as our marines have what they need, and he has done that every minute that he has served there on the Armed Services Committee. I have learned a lot from Randy. I have valued his counsel, but I have also watched his leadership as he has done things for our Nation that I think are extraordinarily important. I believe those accomplishments are things that will be valued and will have an effect on this Nation, not just in years to come but for decades to come. He has truly had that type of influence. Mr. Chairman, I agree with you. I hope that Chairman Randy Forbes of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee has an opportunity to continue to serve this Nation in another capacity in which he can use that expertise, that extraordinary history of leadership and legacy of leadership there on the House Armed Services Committee. I think our Nation will be better off for having Randy there in a future capacity in leadership. I am hopeful that that will happen, and I truly value the things that he has done. Randy isn't somebody who just focuses on the Nation's military. He is also a fighter for our individual liberties and freedoms, specifically our religious liberties and freedoms. He has been the cofounder and co- chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, where he has been a staunch advocate to make sure that we push back against those intrusions on our religious liberties and freedoms. He has done an extraordinary job there. I value that relationship that I have with Randy as a member of the Prayer Caucus and for the things that he has done. He has been unafraid to be out there in the forefront to make sure that he points out those efforts that are antifaith efforts and to make sure that he stands strong on the side of those folks who want to make sure that their religious beliefs are protected. He has done an extraordinary job there, not just here in Virginia, but also across the Nation. He has been seen as a true leader there. Again, it goes to the heart of that servant leader that Randy truly is. We will miss him in those capacities. I know that he will continue to make sure that he is a beacon defending religious freedoms and liberties in whatever capacity he continues after his term here in Congress. We look forward to his efforts there also. As well, the gentleman spoke of Congressman Robert Hurt. Robert and I have a lot in common. Robert comes from the small town of Chatham in Pittsylvania County. He began there on the town council--the same place as I began in the little town of Montross. Both are very, very similar towns. Robert also has that heart of a servant leader by which he looked at where he could best serve his citizens there in the town of Chatham as well as going on to the general assembly there in Richmond, which is where he and I served in the house for a number of years. He went on to the State senate and then, later, here to the House of Representatives. Mr. Chairman, just as you spoke of them, Robert and his wife, Kathy, graciously sat down with Kathryn and me to ask questions about what service would be like if he were to decide to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Of course, we told him what the challenges were but also what he could accomplish in that role. I believe that he, again, put the Virginia way first in making sure that he was there to serve when he made that decision. It certainly was one that I know was a difficult one for him but was one that he came here with a lot of passion about as to what he could do to make a difference in the direction of this country, and Robert has continued that. I have known Robert through the years. He has always been a man of deep personal conviction but also a man of deep passion. Robert is a lover of life, but he is also one who never backs away from an issue that he feels passionately about. As you know, I have watched Robert get up and give speeches. Boy, I will tell you, if it doesn't make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, nothing will. He is an effective standard-bearer for issues that are important to the Nation and to Virginia. He has been a real leader there on the Financial Services Committee, whereby he knows those issues backwards and forwards. Again, it is that background that he brings from his time in local and State government that, I think, makes him an extraordinarily effective legislator here. We will certainly miss him, but I know that the next step in his career--with his wife, Kathy, and his three sons--will be one in which he will enjoy the time there in the small town of Chatham. I know he intends to go back and practice law there and get back to the important elements of what makes Chatham special and what makes Virginia special. We will miss him, but I know that he will be extraordinarily successful there. I have known Representative Scott Rigell for a number of years even prior to his coming to Congress. I will never forget the conversation that I had with him as he was--again, like Robert--thinking about running for Congress and how passionate he was about the direction this Nation was taking both in its deficit and its debt and as to what was happening to small businesses out there. As a small-business owner, he later went on to own some significant businesses there in the Tidewater area. He really saw what was unfolding in our Nation, and it caused him deep, deep concerns not only for himself and Teri, but also for his children and now for his grandchildren. What a person of passion--and very eloquent. He was also a person who wanted to make sure that we reformed the way government conducted business. He and I had many, many deep conversations about what that would look like and how process is important and how doing the work of the Nation was absolutely critical. Whether what we were doing was to help small businesses or what we were doing was to ensure that our Nation's military had what it needed or what we were doing was to address the Nation's finances, he was equally adept and well schooled in those subject areas. He was a quick study on issues but a thorough study. He was exhaustive in how he would look at information concerning legislation or what he could do on a particular issue, and I admired him for that because you knew, when Scott Rigell came to the floor to vote, that he knew that bill and that issue backwards and forwards. In fact, many times, I would go to talk to him about a bill that was coming up, and I could guarantee that Scott knew it without limitations. He was very, very passionate about that. That is the reason he came to Congress and what he came here to accomplish, and he did an extraordinary job in his years here. I deeply appreciate his service and the sacrifice that his family has put into this. As I know Teri will attest, there were long hours that were spent here. Teri came up here on the Hill many times and was by Scott's side; so, for the Rigell family, it really was a family affair in service. I know that he also has exciting things facing him in his next chapter of life and that his efforts will, indeed, continue to include public service; so we wish Scott and Teri and his entire family the best. We all are changed for the better because of the service of these three Virginia gentlemen--three Virginia statesmen--and what they have done here to affect not only their communities, whether it is in Chesapeake or in Virginia Beach or in Chatham, Virginia, but what they all have done to affect our great Commonwealth of Virginia and the lasting mark that they have left here for our Nation. We are all indebted to their service, indebted to the legacies that they have left behind, and indebted in our making sure that we continue the legacies of passion for the issues that are important to our Nation, whether it is for our military, whether it is for our small businesses, whether it is for our Nation's financial predicament it finds itself in. All of them have brought lasting change to this body and will continue, I know, in further capacities in their life after. We thank them immensely. We are all better off for their service, and I know that we will continue to confer with them now as repositories of wisdom in the issues that we have to deal with going forward. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Goodlatte, too, for taking the time tonight for all of us to be able to recognize their true servant leadership for the State of Virginia, their sacrifice, and truly the sacrifice of their families. As we all know, there is a sacrifice of families, too, for Members that serve here in Congress. Again, we wish Scott, Randy, and Robert all the best. We wish them God's blessings in the years ahead. I know that they will continue to lead and to serve in different capacities, but in equally as effective capacities.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th Anniversary of the Abingdon Ruritan Club located in Gloucester County, Virginia. The club was chartered on October 8, 1956 by only 29 members who came together to support fellowship, goodwill, and community service. After 60 years, the Abingdon Club has become the third largest of all Ruritan Clubs in the country. Throughout the Abingdon Club's 60 years, it has stayed committed to its founding principles of contributing to the public good. The Club has shown its support of the veterans of the First District by delivering care packages to VA Hospitals. Club members have also dedicated time to protecting our environment and natural resources. They participate regularly in the Gloucester County Clean UP and plant Sea Grass to help preserve our Virginia coastline. Moreover, the Abingdon Club has donated its time and membership to helping the children of Gloucester by giving gifts at Christmas time, supplying stuffed Rudy Bears to the Sheriff's Department for children in vulnerable situations, and offering college scholarships. The Abingdon Ruritan Club has made our community in the First District of Virginia a better place. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in congratulating them on 60 years of service and wish them many more to come.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with the sad news that Mr. Maxie Broaddus, a lifelong resident of Caroline County, Virginia passed away on December 31, 2015. As a fourth generation farmer, Maxie spent his entire life farming the land in and around his native county. At the young age of 16, he dedicated his life to hard work and his family, starting with only 650 acres of land. Maxie Broaddus was a businessman, role model, and friend to so many. At the time of his passing, he farmed 7,000 acres spanning the counties of Caroline, Essex, and Richmond, making him the executive of one of the largest growing operations in all of Virginia. He was always open to new ideas and technology, allowing his business to thrive. As a member of Salem Baptist Church, he enjoyed fellowship as he walked in faith every day. He also had a passion for helping the children of the area. He donated both time and talent to countless children's events and was often heard saying, ``It's all about the kids.'' Maxie was never one to seek out recognition for his good works. He was known and respected for his dedication and will continue to inspire the members of the Caroline community. Maxie loved the people of Caroline County, he loved our great Commonwealth of Virginia, and he loved his country. He always gave of himself to make the lives of others better. He is survived by his daughters, Mindy Broaddus, Jessica Broaddus, and Danni Broaddus; his mother, Pat Homes; his brother, Mike Broaddus; his half-brother, Leo Mitchell; his grandsons, Weston James, and Own Wade Parker and his aunts, Mary Scott Haley and Jackie Dean. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me and countless others as we recognize the many contributions of Maxie Broaddus.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I missed a recorded vote on September 7, 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted ``NO'' on roll call vote No. 484, Cicilline of Rhode Island Amendment No. 2.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 484, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Shiloh Baptist Church of Bowling Green, Virginia on its 150th Anniversary. During its 35 years of selfless service to the Kingdom of God and to the community, this church has proven itself to be a congregation full of energy, conviction, and action. Shiloh Baptist Church was formed in 1866 in the Bowling Green historic district located in Caroline County, Virginia. The Mattaponi Baptist Association, an association consisting of 72 local churches established to enhance fellowship, resolve issues, pool resources, and assist local churches further their mission, was formed in 1879 at Shiloh Baptist Church. Shiloh Baptist Church, led by Pastor Rogiers, has played a pivotal role in the community for the past 150 years. Shiloh Baptist Church has drawn members, both new and old, to Bowling Green, Virginia to celebrate the life of their church; occasions such as these illustrate to us that love combined with grace and trust will always stand the test of time. Mr. Speaker, it is with heartfelt gratitude that I congratulate Heritage Baptist Church on their 35th anniversary. I pray that the Lord will continue to bless and prosper this congregation for many years to come.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 35th anniversary of Heritage Baptist Church, led by Pastor Michael Edwards. During its 35 years of selfless service to the Kingdom of God and to the community, this church has proven itself to be a congregation full of energy, conviction, and action. Heritage Baptist Church was founded by Pastor Michael E. Edwards and held its first service on June 28, 1981 at Potomac Senior High School. One year later, in 1982, Heritage Baptist Church moved to a new location on Telegraph Road in Woodbridge. As the church continued to grow in faith and in members, Heritage built a new church on Spriggs Road in Woodbridge, Virginia where it has continued its growth and expansion. Sensing the role it could play in the community and in educating children, Heritage Baptist church opened Heritage Christian School. The School began as a K5 through 9th grade institution with 70 students and, through the Lord's blessing, has grown to over 390 children in K4 through 12th grades. The School's mission is to equip young people, both academically and spiritually, to fight for the faith and to engage culture in the service of Jesus Christ. Heritage Baptist Church, with Heritage Christian School, has served the community by opening their doors to our office on April 30th, 2016. Heritage Baptist facilitated our Women Veterans Forum and staffed the event to help meet our administrative needs. Attended by representatives from the Veterans Affairs' Administration, the Virginia Department of Veteran Services, and many other Veteran service organizations, the event celebrated the role women have played in our nation's military and provided support resources to our local women Veterans. Heritage Baptist Church's support of this event shows their commitment to our nation's military, Veterans, and larger community. Mr. Speaker, it is with heartfelt gratitude that I congratulate Heritage Baptist Church on their 35th anniversary. I pray that the Lord will continue to bless and prosper this congregation for many years to come.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I would say to the gentleman that, when the Navy asks for the ability to reduce its organizational structure to make itself more efficient to do the things that it needs to do to indeed fulfill the role in the Asia Pacific, maybe we ought to do what the Navy asks for us to do. I am certainly an advocate for streamlined organizational structure and not more organizational structure. I think that this actually gets at that. It allows the Navy to perform its mission there in the Asia Pacific, allows that realignment to happen, but allows it to do so in a modernized organizational structure that the CNO is asking for. To me, that just makes sense. That is why I am strongly in favor of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, as the designee of the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes), I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Representative Forbes and myself that would strike section 8055, a provision that prohibits modifying the command and control relationships between U.S. Fleet Forces Command and the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Importantly, this amendment directly aligns with guidance provided by the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson, in his ``A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority,'' released just 5 months ago. In that guidance, Admiral Richardson advocated for examining the organization of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and their subordinate commands, with the end goal of clearly defining operational and wartime demands and generating ready forces to meet these demands. Further, this amendment would allow our Navy to conduct an internal review and amend its organization and direction as needed to create organizational effectiveness. The Navy has advocated for this opportunity, and granting their request would streamline processes and support the Navy's efforts to become a greater fighting force than ever before. Finally, this amendment eliminates redundant expenditures on Naval organizational structure and provides opportunities to redirect funds toward bolstering fleet readiness. This amendment is consistent with the FY 2017 NDAA that passed the House by a vote of 277-147. Specifically, section 910 of the House- passed FY 2017 NDAA reduces component commanders to the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral. This amendment grants our Navy the latitude it needs to effectively organize its own commands in order to meet our Nation's maritime defense demands. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, again, I would say that, based on the direction from the CNO and his directives of how the Navy is looking to reorganize itself to make sure that it has the ability to maintain maritime superiority--this came out just 5 months ago--to me, it makes perfect sense for us to be able to do that. It is to enable the Navy do the things that it needs to do. We have a modern Navy that needs the flexibility to make sure that it brings all of its assets forward, especially in the Asia Pacific, with new challenges there for our surface fleets, for our submarines, and for our aircraft carrier strike groups there. This, to me, is a needed change to make sure that the Navy can become more efficient organizationally to be able to get the job done. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the chairman of the subcommittee.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of our Virginia State parks. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay, the Commonwealth boasts some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the United States, and for the past 80 years, the Virginia State Parks have served as an avenue for families to enjoy the outdoors together. Outdoor recreation is such an important part of our national heritage, and our 36 Virginia State parks have fostered that tradition by helping generations of Virginians explore and understand our natural resources. With more than 600 miles of trails and convenient access to Virginia's major waterways, our Virginia State parks offer no shortage of opportunities for Virginians to go places they have never been before. I commend the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for their role in maintaining the Commonwealth's State parks and for preserving our lands in the public trust. I thank Virginia State Parks for keeping our Commonwealth beautiful. I wish them a happy 80th anniversary and many, many more to come.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize today's guest chaplain, Reverend Brian Britton, and thank him for delivering this morning's invocation. Reverend Britton serves as the senior pastor of The Dwelling Place Church in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he lives with his wife, Valerie, and daughter, Anastasia. In addition to his work in the First District, Reverend Britton pastors a church in Richmond, Virginia, and travels internationally to act as a missionary to communities in Africa, South America, and Central Asia. Pastor Britton will be leaving tomorrow to pursue his work in Africa. Our Nation was built on a foundation of faith. Through Reverend Britton, we can all see firsthand how God uses his ministry to eternally impact the lives of men, women, and children of his church, of his community, of his Commonwealth, and of this world. Thank you, Reverend Britton, for your prayer this morning, and for acting as a spiritual leader to those of the First District. May God continue to bless the Britton family, our Commonwealth, and our country.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the House amendment to S. 2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016. The House amendment includes the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act of 2016, better known as the SHARE Act, which passed with bipartisan support in February in the House. The SHARE Act is part of a group of commonsense bills that will eliminate unneeded regulatory impediments, safeguard against new regulations that impede outdoor sporting activities, and protect Second Amendment rights. These packages were similarly introduced and passed in the 112th and 113th Congresses. Outdoor sporting activities, including hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting are deeply engrained in the fabric of the United States' culture and heritage. Values instilled by partaking in these activities are passed down from generation to generation and play a significant part in the lives of millions of Americans. Much of America's outdoor sporting activity occurs on our Nation's Federal lands. Unfortunately, Federal agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management often prevent or impede access to Federal land for outdoor sporting activities. Because lack of access is one of the key reasons sportsmen and -women stop participating in outdoor sporting activities, ensuring the public has reliable access to our Nation's Federal lands must remain a top priority. The SHARE Act does just that. One of the key provisions of this bill, the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage Opportunities Act, will increase and sustain access for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on Federal lands for generations to come. Specifically, it protects sportsmen and -women from arbitrary efforts by the Federal Government to block Federal lands from hunting and fishing activities by implementing an open-until- closed management policy. It also, in the package, provides tools to jointly create and maintain recreational shooting ranges on Federal lands and allows the Department of the Interior to designate hunter access corridors through National Park units so that sportsmen and -women can hunt and fish on adjacent Federal lands. The package also protects Second Amendment rights and the use of traditional ammunition and fishing tackle. It defends law-abiding individuals' constitutional rights to keep and bear arms on lands managed by the Corps of Engineers and ensures that hunters are not burdened by outdated laws preventing bows and crossbows from being transported across national parks. This important legislation will sustain America's rich hunting and fishing traditions, improve access to our Federal lands for responsible outdoor sporting activities, and help ensure that current and future generations of sportsmen and -women are able to enjoy the sporting activities this country holds dear. Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important achievement.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, recently, the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus held its annual Member Shoot-Out at Prince George's County Trap and Skeet Center. This is a friendly competition between Republicans and Democrats where we get out there and we shoot trap, skeet, and sporting clays. I am pleased to announce that this year, Team Republican will retain the Shoot-Out trophy, with a winning score of 253-222. Our Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus is a bipartisan caucus made up of Members of the Republican and Democratic Parties that all come together to support our Nation's great shooting sports heritage, fishing and recreational shooting heritage, as well as all of us that love to hunt. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz). He is the co-chair of the caucus and winner of the Democratic Top Gun award.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate the importance of making sure that we are funding defense at the President's request. The FY 2017 request, I think, is minimally adequate, but it is not just me. The administration's own Secretary of the Army Murphy stated that this budget request is minimally adequate and that we are taking a high risk as an Army and as a Nation when the Army is funded at this level. So there is still risk there with this level of funding. As the chairman pointed out, we live in a more dangerous world today, but we see our Marine Corps and Air Force having to go to aircraft that are museum exhibits to cannibalize parts to bring them in to have a minimally operational cadre of aircraft. We see this, too, when we talk about only 9 of the 20 B-1 bombers are available today because they are lacking parts and when we have 30 percent or less of our Marine Corps helicopters available because they are lacking parts. We see that, in a squadron of 14 jets, only 3 in the Marine Corps are available because they are lacking parts. It is irresponsible not to provide to the brave men and women that serve this Nation the things that they need. We are asking them to go into harm's way. We are asking them to do tremendously difficult jobs. We are asking them to maintain safety. Yet we are not providing them the resources necessary. This amendment would do even more to take away what is already a challenging situation for those brave men and women that are doing a tremendous job and that, as their leaders have said, are being stressed to the breaking point because they do not have the basic resources to keep those aircraft flying, to keep those ships on the water, to keep those systems necessary to be able to perform the job that we have asked them to do. We have an obligation as a Nation that, when we ask those brave men and women to go into harm's way, to support them. It is unconscionable when we don't do that, when we have situations like 84 percent of our Marine Corps aircraft are in a nonready status, based on a 10-year average. So when we talk about taking dollars away, what signal does that send to the brave men and women serving in the military? I think this amendment cuts to the heart of what we must do as a Nation, and that is to rebuild readiness, not degrade readiness.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Thornberry, Ranking Member Smith, and the ranking member on the Readiness Subcommittee, Madeleine Bordallo, for all of their efforts. Chairman Thornberry over the last few months has highlighted the significant readiness challenges and budget choices we are facing. The reality is that these decisions we make here will affect the strength of our national security for years to come. The American people are concerned. And why shouldn't they be? The readiness obstacles that we face force our military leaders to choose between providing adequate training and equipment for troops at home and supporting our men and women who are already fighting on the front lines. We have heard verified media reports, for instance, that aircraft mechanics have taken drastic measures, even attempting to strip parts from museum pieces, to keep our fighters and bombers flying. We have heard testimony from each of our service branches about how critical it is for us to address our military readiness shortfalls. What we have heard has been sobering, to say the least. Today we are called to address these maintenance, sustainment, and readiness issues. That is our constitutional duty. I believe that this bill will move us toward that end goal of restoring full-spectrum readiness. This bill, for example, prohibits the Department from implementing another round of base realignment and closure in the absence of an accurate end strength assessment and it streamlines the Department of Defense's civilian hiring practices so that critical manpower capability gaps can be filled. Most importantly, this bill also includes more than $5 billion in additional funds for, among other things, ship and aircraft depot maintenance, aviation training and readiness, and long-neglected facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization accounts. Our military, an overruling force for good, is supported by the finest men and women in the world. They deserve our support in return. At the same time, I would like to note that these recommendations don't fully alleviate my concerns about our readiness shortfalls. Here in Washington we need to make sure that we fully understand what is at stake and how the choices we make affect those who serve and sacrifice on our behalf. We have to continue to focus on restoring readiness in the years to come and make sure that we properly man, train, and equip our forces so that they can meet the challenges on the horizon with the confidence and superiority we have come to expect. I ask the Members of the House to support this National Defense Authorization Act and vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4909.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Helen and Tayloe Murphy of Mount Holly, VA for their many years of dedicated service to conservation, beautification and preservation efforts in Virginia. Helen has been engaged in preservation and conservation activities for over 50 years. She has served on the boards of the Virginia Historical Society, the Virginia Nature Conservancy, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the Department of Historic Resources, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and the Rappahannock Community College. In addition to serving on these boards, Helen served as the President of the Menokin Foundation from 2004 to 2010 and the President of The Garden Club of Virginia from 1992 to 1994. Tayloe has also dedicated his life to public service. After graduating from Hampton--Sydney College, Mr. Murphy attended law school at the University of Virginia and then went on to serve as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy. Continuing his public service career, he was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1982 to 2000, and was later appointed Secretary of Natural Resources during Governor Mark Warner's administration. While a member of the General Assembly and as Secretary of Natural Resources he served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission and was its chairman three times. Tayloe has practiced law since 1960, and he has been a leading voice for environmental interests for decades, playing an instrumental role in the development of key legislation, regulations and policies. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Preservation Virginia. He is a former President of the Northern Neck Historical Society and serves on the Board of Directors of Union Bankshares Corporation. Tayloe just finished his term as President of the Menokin Foundation after serving for six years. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have shown an unwavering commitment to the conservation of Virginia's natural resources. Their leadership and hard work has not gone unnoticed. The Murphy's active involvement has made their community a better place and I am proud to have them as residents of the First District. I thank both Helen and Tayloe for their leadership of the Menokin Foundation and for working tirelessly to protect our natural resources and environment for future generations.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colonel Tanya S. Baker of Woodbridge, VA on the occasion of her retirement from the United States Army. Throughout her 30 year career, Col. Baker has selflessly served our country and community; namely, during the time she spent as North American Aerospace Command and United States Northern Command (NORAD and USNORTHCOM) Coordination Officer to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), at the Pentagon. NORAD USNORTHCOM is a tremendous institution and its Washington Office is charged with building trusted relationships with mission essential partners, such as DHHS. NORAD USNORTHCOM provides command and control of Department of Defense (DOD) homeland defense efforts and coordinates Defense Support of Civil Authorities. In performing both of these critical missions, USNORTHCOM defends America's homeland and protects our people, national power, and strategic freedom of action. Col. Baker was commissioned via Georgetown ROTC in May of 1986, after matriculating from George Mason University. She received her commission as a Medical Service Corps Lieutenant and served in many notable assignments of increasing responsibility, including Federal Coordinating Center Coordinator at Tripler Army Medical Center, in Honolulu, Hawaii and Battalion Commander for the Army Reserve Careers Division, 13th Battalion, in Aurora, CO. Such roles have enabled Col. Baker to positively and significantly influence her colleagues, fellow Soldiers, as well as the future strategic leaders of our military. Col. Baker holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from George Mason University and Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College. Col. Baker also completed a second Senior Service College--the Air War College. In addition to her academic success, Col. Baker has received an extensive number of awards and decorations. These include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with three Bronze Stars, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation Award and Army Staff Identification Badge. Such accolades are indicative of the high caliber of her unfailing and dedicated service to our nation. On June 6th, 2014, Col. Baker assumed duties as the NORAD and USNORTHCOM Coordination Officer to the Department of Health and Human Services, at the Pentagon. As a Coordination Officer, Col. Baker has directly and significantly contributed to NORAD and USNORTHCOM's mission success in response to the Unaccompanied Children Humanitarian Crisis and the international and domestic responses to the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. The trusted partnerships that Col. Baker meticulously built among diverse stakeholders will remain as her key national-level contribution and legacy. Even though she will no longer be present at NORAD and USNORTHCOM on a day-to-day basis, her legacy will inevitably carry on. Col. Baker is supported in her retirement by her parents: Thermus R. Baker, Sr. and Ruth B. Baker; her brothers: Thermus R. Baker, Jr., Everett S. Baker, Gary B Baker, and Reginald M. Baker; her sister Monica R. Frazier; and her faithful companion and dog Zoe Simone. Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to congratulate Col. Baker on the culmination of a distinguished 30 year career in the United States Army. I wish her all the best in this next chapter of her life.