Robert Wittman

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Robert Ashton Caruthers, Jr. in honor of his 60th birthday on November 3, 2022, and his service for the Bowling Green Fire Department. Robert, or Robby, is a native of Hanover County, Virginia, but has lived in Caroline County, Virginia, since 2000. Robby is a dedicated husband and father. He and his wife, Dr. Ada Caruthers, have two children, Katie and Ashton. He is a beloved member of his family and community, and they are grateful for his unwavering contributions and selfless service. Robby is a diligent farmer who is the second largest sweet corn producer in Virginia. He farms 1,100 acres of grain and 400 acres of vegetables. He is on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Farm Bureau and the Agricultural Advisory Board for the Caroline County Agricultural Fair. And he donates to the Virginia State Fair and advocates for ``Farm Use'' license plates and non-insurable crops policies. Robby is a leader of his community. He is an honorary member of the Bowling Green Fire Department because he helps raise $60,000 annually for the department through the Sportsman's Dinner Auction. He avidly supports the Future Farmers of America and the Caroline County Little League. He helped start some food banks in Caroline County, and donated produce to local churches. He helped write the Virginia Bottle Bill to reduce litter on Virginia's roads, and he volunteers to clear snow off the roads during the winter. Robby is also passionate about preserving local history. He is a lifelong contributor to the Port Royal Historical Society and is a Hanover Tavern Foundation Sponsor. Furthermore, he maintains two historic properties in Caroline County. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and 60th birthday of Mr. Robert Ashton Caruthers, Jr. A U.S. flag has been flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. May God bless him and his family.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Larnie Allgood for his contributions to the Mechanicsville Tea Party. Larnie joined the Mechanicsville Tea Party when it was established in 2010. He then served as its president in 2014 and 2018, and as its vice president in 2015 and 2017. He is affectionately described by his fellow Tea Party members as a ``workhorse'' who is ``loyal to the preservation of our constitutional form of governance and conservative principles.'' He has selflessly dedicated his time and money to help the Mechanicsville Tea Party inform others about the constitutional principles of our Nation's Founders. Specifically, he preserved the Mechanicsville Tea Party during the COVID-19 pandemic. He established and maintained the Party's post office box with his own money. He advocated for government officials who supported the Constitution and opposed those who did not. And he frequently canvassed for candidates he believed in. He is also a dedicated father and husband. He and his wife, Rachel, have been married for 58 years. Both are from Mecklenburg County in Southside Virginia. They have two children: Teresa and Richard. They also have four grandchildren: William, Nathan, Kyle, and Emma. Larnie and Rachel moved to the Richmond area in 1972 and have lived there ever since. Larnie worked for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and later for the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company. He also served on the Hanover Sheriff's Citizen Advisory Board. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and service of Mr. Larnie Allgood. A U.S. flag has been flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of his service to the Mechanicsville Tea Party and his community. May God bless him and his family.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 95th birthday of Mr. Granville Edison Fisher, Jr. Granville is a veteran, a pillar of his community, and a loving father and husband. Granville is a lifelong resident of Westmoreland County. As a youth, he attended the Kremlin School and A.T. Johnson High School. He then attended Virginia State College and Echols Mortuary School. However, before attending Echols, he heroically served in the U.S. Army in World War II in the Occupation of Japan. After returning home and graduating from Echols, Granville began working at Weldon's Funeral Home. In 1995, the business changed its name to the Weldon-Fisher Funeral Home. The funeral home has operated for an impressive 72 years. Granville also selflessly serves his community. He has been a Deacon at Galilee Baptist Church for 65 years and counting, and a part of the Northern Neck Deacon's Union since 1985. Furthermore, he formerly served as a Worshipful Master at the Westmoreland Masonic Lodge No. 212. He served on the Peninsula Emergency Service Council Board of Directors for 11 years and has served on the Central Virginia Health Service Board of Directors since 2000. He is also the former President and a current member of the Westmoreland Chapter of the Virginia State University Alumni Association. Most importantly, Granville is a dedicated father and husband. He and his late wife, O. Bernice Roane Fisher, to whom he was married for 45 years, had 4 children: Mr. Gary Wayne Fisher, Sr., Ms. Cecelia A. Robinson, Pastor Darryl E. Fisher, and Dr. Wanda M. Fisher. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and service of Mr. Granville Edison Fisher, Jr. May God bless him and his family.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I will begin by saying that I do not agree with everything in this bill, but the committee passed a bill worthy of support. I especially commend Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Rogers for navigating a markup that was 16 hours and 12 minutes long, including the debate of almost 900 amendments. The House Armed Services Committee agreed on a bipartisan basis to increase our national security topline by over $35 billion, accounting for the damaging impacts of inflation or our military, and the rising threats we face today. I am particularly proud of the decisive final bipartisan vote of 57 to 1 that passed this bill out of committee. Unfortunately, this bipartisan national security effort is in peril. The Rules Committee has allowed a series of particularly harmful and sometimes unrelated provisions that Speaker Pelosi would like to, once again, tack to the backs of our servicemembers, endangering Congress' support of their service and our national security. I specifically hope during our floor debate we can move to exclude these harmful riders. As to the committee mark, we started once again with an anemic budget request from the Biden administration that in the Seapower portfolio requested only 8 ships and proposed the retirement of 24 ships, many of these ships well before the end of their expected service life. Fortunately, with the additional topline funding provided, we authorized 13 battle force ships and rebuffed the administration's request to retire 12 ships early, committing ourselves to growing the Navy instead of shrinking it. We also invested in our strategic deterrence capabilities, providing funding for the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and the B-21 bomber programs. In the end, this is a strong Seapower statement. Before I conclude, I specifically thank Chairman Joe Courtney, and thank him for his leadership in the Seapower Subcommittee. He is a navalist. He is a teammate and a dear friend who has the vision to see our national security perils and the political fortitude to respond to our most serious threats. My friends, this is good legislation that, in its current form, is worthy of support. We must remain focused on delivering a bill that provides the resources our servicemembers need to advance the common defense of our Nation.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment. Again, this is really about making sure that there is the proper workforce placed in the right areas where the work is to be done. We have heard time and time again today that the unavailability of skilled workforce in many areas is causing delays in construction jobs. The last thing we need is delays in military construction jobs because of this inconsistency in the availability of a skilled workforce. It also undermines competition. Competition is a good thing. Why wouldn't we want to open it up and make sure that everybody who has the capability to do this work is able to compete? I think those things are incredibly important. When we don't have competition, we know that that increases the cost to the United States Government. Why would we want to increase costs on these projects so we do fewer projects? There is already a backlog of these military construction projects. This will only add to the backlog. It will only make it more difficult to complete these projects. It will add to the costs. It will add to delays. All of these things are counter to what we need to be doing. With a backlog of these projects, we need to be assuring that there is competition reducing costs and reducing timeframes.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield a 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher).

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes. I have to speak in opposition to this amendment. The bottom line is that the LCS does have capability. It has a mine-hunting capability. It has a fast-attack capability. That is a capability that we would give up at a time when we need that capability. If you are going to do away with that capability, the question is, with the savings that you accrue, which is about a half-billion dollars, what are you going to do with those dollars to create comparable capability today? The answer is, you can't do it. It takes 6 years to build a destroyer to replace the capability that the LCS has today. And if you take that half a billion dollars and you put it in savings, the question is: Where would you spend it today? Well, we see some of the places where the Navy would like to spend it. They would like to spend almost a half a billion dollars in fixing a building in Hawaii, one of the Pacific fleet command buildings. They are also looking at--OSD would rather put $3 billion in climate change, and for that matter, invest $2 billion into a $15 an hour minimum wage. I would argue that getting rid of ships that have a capability that does have an impact to counter the Chinese is what needs to be done today rather than waiting 6 years to build a ship that in some way, shape, or form could counter that--in turn, trying to spend these dollars to repair a building, for climate change, or for minimum wage increases. Folks, China is at our doorstep today. That is the threat that we face today. My opposition to this is about, Why are we giving away capability that we need in the face of Chinese capability that is at our doorstep? Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time both sides have remaining?

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford).

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

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I respect the chairman, but he is wrong. This ship does have capability against China. It is capability that is operable today. If you get rid of this ship, you have nothing. The replacement for this ship is 6 years out. You can't fight something with nothing. Getting rid of this ship is the wrong thing to do. It has its challenges--let's fix those challenges. Let's get this ship operational. Let's get it out there. We know that it can do the job in a variety of different ways. Even if it is not in the Indo-Pacific in a direct role, it can be in other ways that will free up ships to be in the Indo-Pacific to do their role. This is the wrong effort to retire these ships--all nine of these ships. Let's make sure we stand by the agreement that we came to in the committee and go to keeping the five ships. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I missed the below vote. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 278.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, as a sportsman, I have long been a supporter and cosponsor of the Recovering America's Wildlife Act (RAWA). This bipartisan legislation aims to promote and enhance Virginia's and our nation's conservation efforts and ensure the health of fish and wildlife across the U.S. RAWA would provide dedicated funding for the implementation of state fish and wildlife agencies' action plans and complement the American System of Conservation Funding, which is the financial contributions of hunters, anglers, target shooters, and boaters through excise taxes and related user fees, to ensure healthy populations of fish and wildlife for future generations to enjoy. These conservation efforts could include reintroduction of imperiled species, conserving and restoring important habitat, fighting invasive species and disease, and more. This would significantly reduce the number of species in decline and would ultimately prevent these species from needing protections afforded under the Endangered Species Act. Restoring fish, wildlife, and their habitats is an effective way to restore critical natural infrastructure, create resilient habitats and communities, create jobs, and is an issue of national importance that has no political affiliation. Unfortunately, I was not able to support H.R. 2773 on the House floor (Roll No. 267) because of changes to the bill text and failed attempts to address spending offsets after the Natural Resources Committee reported the bill on June 9, 2022. The bill that came to the floor contained substantial differences than the original introduced version of H.R. 2773. Additionally, the Majority failed to work with Republicans to address spending offsets and include a sunset provision. I still support the original intent of RAWA to support State and tribal conservation efforts to restore wildlife. I look forward to Senate action to advance these goals while addressing the concerns of Natural Resources Committee Republicans and bill cosponsors that arouse when this legislation was considered on the House floor.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, on Friday, May 27th, Alfonso and Rose Marie Vastola of King George, Virginia celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They were joined by family and close friends to celebrate the occasion. Alfonso and Rose Marie met in Newark, New Jersey at an Italian- American club dance in the neighborhood where Rose Marie grew up shortly after Alfonso immigrated to the United States from Italy. They were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vailsburg, New Jersey in 1972 and were blessed with one daughter, Maria. Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Alfonso and Rose Marie on this exciting occasion. Happy 50th wedding anniversary.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Curran Smolinsky and his service to Virginia's First District and the Nation. Curran earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government from the University of Mary Washington, a prestigious university in Virginia's First District. As the Captain of the soccer team, Curran helped lead the Eagles to their first Continental Athletic Conference soccer championship in 16 years. Needless to say, Curran was as integral to the Mary Washington team as he was to my staff. Curran first joined my office as an intern in my office during the summer of 2015. During the summer of 2016, he rejoined my staff and assisted the other interns with integrating into our office. After graduation, Curran worked at Infinity Support Services as a program analyst, but after a call to rejoin our office, Curran gladly accepted. He has been with us for over three years now. During his time serving Virginia's First District, Curran admirably worked as a staff assistant, and quickly climbed the professional ladder to become a Legislative Aide in the Spring of 2021. Throughout his tenure here, Curran always put the concerns of Virginia's First District's constituents first. Curran has devoted his talents to the common good and dedicated his heart and mind to civil service. I would like to thank Curran for his contributions over the past three years. I wish Curran the best as he continues his career on the other side of the Potomac as he continues serving the nation at the Department of Defense. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing Curran Smolinsky for his dedicated service to Virginia's First District. May God bless Curran as he continues his career in public service.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the retirement of Mr. Rick Yost, the Superintendent of Fredericksburg Christian School. Rick has faithfully served as Superintendent since 2004. Each year, Rick's love for Fredericksburg Christian School and commitment to the students has grown exponentially. A polished leader and expert communicator, Rick worked tirelessly throughout his time as Superintendent to educate the next generation of Christian Americans and prepare them for a life of amazing opportunities. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments of Rick Yost. Words alone cannot express the positive impact he has had on the next generation. May God bless the next phase of Rick's journey and continue to guide him in all his endeavors.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Carol Dawson for her service to this country and to Virginia's First Congressional District. Carol served in several positions in the Department of Energy during the Reagan administration, served across numerous Boards in Virginia, and most recently as a prominent member of the Lancaster County Republican Party Committee. Carol's dedication to service and to citizen-leadership is an inspiration to others and I am thankful for her tireless efforts for Virginia's First District. Carol has worked tirelessly, not only as a federal employee, but also as a state and civil servant. Carol served on the board of directors of the National Conservative Campaign, as well as a member of the Virginia Racing Commission under former Virginia Governor McDonnell. When I was informed that Carol would be leaving Virginia's First District to move closer to her family in Florida, I was saddened that this district would be losing an outstanding citizen. Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me today to recognize Carol Dawson and her dedication to the constituents of Virginia's First District. Carol has and continues to live a wonderful life, and I wish her the best of luck on her future journey in life.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Bobbiejo Lazo for receiving the Veterans of Foreign Distinguished Service Award. Bobbiejo has been the department of Virginia's State Service Officer for 7 years, and previously served as Post Junior Vice Commander. As State Service Officer, Bobbiejo has built a new organization to assist veterans from the ground through hiring and training personnel. Over the course of 7 years, Bobbiejo was able to lead her team in providing crucial high-quality support to veterans. Bobbiejo served in the Army for 6 years and earned her Veteran of Foreign War eligibility bravely fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her bravery has earned her numerous other military accolades including the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments of Bobbiejo Lazo. Words alone cannot express our gratitude for her service and excellent support of Veterans. May God bless Bobbiejo as she continues to serve her nation and our veterans. I look forward to seeing her continued excellence.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Jordan Wilson and his service to my office, Virginia's First District, and the Nation. Jordan joined my office in September 2016 and has diligently worked his way up from an intern to Director of Operations, striving for excellence in every task along the way. As Staff Assistant, Jordan improved our constituent services program; as Legislative Correspondent, he reformed our letter writing process; and finally, as Director of Operations, he developed processes to streamline my office's operations and worked to pursue my priorities coordinating and creating a schedule to maximize my time. Jordan has gone above and beyond to contribute to additional duties outside of my office as well. He has taught over 330 Hill staff through the Congressional Staff Academy's Superior Scheduling training and has become a singular hub for questions, concerns, and assistance for schedulers across the House and Senate. Further, Jordan served on the Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies in 2020-2021, where he served a crucial role in setting up COVID testing operations to ensure our Nation's leaders were safe, ultimately contributing to the success of Inauguration Day. I would like to thank Jordan for his contributions over the last 6.5 years. He has been a key member of my staff in every role he has taken up and contributed to the positive office culture that my office strives for. I wish Jordan the best as he continues his journey in public service as the Director of Member Services for the Committee on House Administration. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing Jordan Wilson for his dedication to Virginia's First District. May God bless Jordan as he continues his career in public service.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mathews County's annual May Faire event on Saturday, May 7, 2022. In the event is a joyous celebration that brings the entire community together to celebrate its rich history. May Day Festivities were commonplace in Mathews from the early 1900 to the 1980s. The Mathews Historical Museum reintroduced the festival concept in 2016 renaming it `May Faire'. May Faire honors the heritage of Mathews County each year exploring different themes from the county's past. The last and past event in 2019, celebrated Mathews' veterans on its ``Wall of Remembrance'' posting over 800 photographs of their sons and daughters dating back to the War of 1812 and to the war in Afghanistan. This year's theme, ``Celebrating Mathews Watermen'' will be a tribute to the residents who work or have worked on the water. Some of the local watermen have made their living on the water for over 50 years, including several working as successful menhaden captains. There will be a photo display, much like the veterans ``Wall of Remembrance'', that will display those local watermen and a permanent part of the museum. The Mathews May Faire event will be held on the Historic Court Green, at the Historic Court House as well as in the Mathews Historic Museum, Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The opening ceremony will include thanking the Coast Guard for remaining in Mathews. The day will proceed with hosting conversations with watermen, exhibits on crab pot making, net mending and a traditional `Maypole' dance by local school children. The Museum will host for its first traveling exhibit, ``Bay to Belly'' on loan from the Yorktown Watermen's Museum from April 1-May 30. During that time Mathews school children will be able to tour the museum to learn about the Chesapeake Bay and its incredible resources. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the celebration of Mathews County's May Faire 2022 and their rich history it symbolizes.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Randolph- Macon's NCAA Division III men's basketball national championship victory. This victory, a pinnacle for every athletic program, is a first in their program history and calls for joyous celebration. The hard-won title of champions comes after a 26-game win streak and only one defeat in their entire season. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and hard work of the student-athletes, coaches and staff of Randolph-Macon's men's basketball program. I look forward to seeing their continued excellence on the court and future victories.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA), an association of dedicated fishermen, outdoorsmen and women, hunters and conservationist that have fought relentlessly to maintain and improve our environment. Over the past 100 years, they have advocated for strong state and national policies to protect our air, water, and wildlife. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the accomplishments of the Izaak Walton League of America. May God bless the next 100 years of their conservation work, and I look forward to seeing their excellence for many years into the future.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I missed the following votes. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 60 and YEA on Roll Call No. 61.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bruce Thompson for his achievement on being selected as the 2021 Virginia Business Person of the Year. One of Hampton Roads' most prominent developers and hoteliers, this accomplishment comes after nearly four decades of investing in Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads. A long-time businessman in Virginia Beach, Bruce opened his first hotel, Ocean House Hotel, around 1982. His overwhelming success led to the founding of Professional Hospitality Resources, Gold Key, a timeshare company, and significant achievements in the restaurant business. Bruce played a major role in establishing high-end hotel and amenities at the Oceanfront and was crucial in the revitalization of the once condemned Cavalier Hotel, turning it into the centerpiece of the Cavalier Resort. Bruce's dedication and commitment have not been limited solely to the business sphere. He is also very active in politics and philanthropy. Over the years, Bruce has sat on numerous boards and commissions, namely, serving as Hampton Roads' regional finance chair. After his son Josh lost his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), his family founded a nonprofit that has raised more than $20 million for stem cell research and other ALS-related causes. Madam Speaker, I am thankful for Bruce's hard work and service to the entire Virginia Beach community. It is my honor to recognize Mr. Bruce Thompson today and I have full confidence that he will continue to be an integral contributor to the Virginia Beach and Hampton Road community.