U.S. House of Representatives: July 27-31
The U.S. House of Representatives came back in session Monday for its final week before a month-long August recess. On Monday, the House is in session and will consider a whopping 17 bills under suspension of the rules. Over half of these bills come from the Homeland Security Committee. A full list of bills can be found here. While not a part of the official House schedule this week, looming in the legislative shadows of Capitol Hill is the pending expiration of federal highway programs and funding. Two weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed an extension bill to provide highway funding through Dec. 18 in order to provide more time for the two chambers to come to an agreement on a full highway bill. However, last week and over the weekend, the Senate took under consideration a multiyear highway bill, putting the upper chamber at odds with the lower chamber as the debate over how to extend funding for the program, and for how long persists. The current authorization expires on Friday. Other legislation on the floor for a vote this week includes: H.R. 427: the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. This bill aims to increase transparency in the federal regulatory process. The bill would modify the federal rule-making process by preventing “major rules” — those generally having an annual economic impact greater than $100 million — from being implemented unless Congress enacts legislation approving them. This legislation passed the House previously both in 2011 and 2013, but has no chance to pass the Senate and is strongly opposed by President Obama. Alabama co-sponsors: Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-1), Rep. Martha Roby (AL-2), Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03) Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-5) H.R. 1994: the VA Accountability Act. The bill expands the ability of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to fire or demote VA employees based on performance or misconduct. It also includes provisions to protect VA whistleblowers against retaliation by supervisors Alabama co-sponsors: Rep. Martha Roby (AL-02) H.R. __: VA Budget and Choice Improvement Act. This legislation has yet to be assigned a bill number, but is written to address a $2.5 billion gap in the VA budget. The shortfall is the result of higher-than-anticipated demand for veterans health services and a lack of flexibility to shift money within the overall VA budget, according to the VA. To cover the gap, the VA has asked Congress to allow the VA to divert $3 billion from the “Choice Program,” an emergency fund set up in the wake of last year’s wait-times scandal to subsidize non-VA care for veterans and help reduce the time it takes to get medical appointments. FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). While not officially on the schedule, there has been time set aside to consider a potential conference report that House and Senate conferees are currently working on as differences in the two chambers respective NDAAs remain unresolved.
Mike Rogers: Taking care of our military
Properly funding our military is one of Congress’ most important jobs and critical in keeping our homeland safe and ensuring our country’s readiness. People across the globe look to the United States for leadership when it comes to our military. But our prestige as the world’s most dominant military will be in danger if Congress doesn’t do more to ensure our military remains strong. On the Armed Services Committee, my focus continues to be strengthening our national defense. Recently, I was selected to serve as a key negotiator on discussions between the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act. From my perspective, you can’t win a war if you don’t have the best equipment to fight a war. Back home, the Anniston Army Depot is one of the most efficient maintenance and repair facilities in the entire military. I was pleased about two amendments included in the House-passed version of the Defense bill that would help protect jobs at facilities like the Anniston Army Depot. You may have seen on the news recently the Army announced cuts in the active duty military due to the relentless defense budget cuts imposed by President Obama. From his first day in office, Obama has sought to cut funding for our national defense. From the push for sequestration to his current veto threats of defense authorization and appropriations, these actions are threatening the creation of a shell of a military to face our very real threats in this dangerous world. Another area we must focus on is new, non-traditional threats. Not all our enemies are on the land, air or sea. Space is the next battlefield. Assured access to space and the pressing national security issue of reliance on foreign rocket capabilities is one of my top priorities. We cannot ignore this because of the very important role space plays in our national security. Mike Rogers represents Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District. He is in his third term.
U.S. House of Representatives: July 6-10
The U.S. House of Representatives returns Tuesday after a weeklong holiday recess ready to tackle a busy July agenda. They’ll begin with a vote on three noncontroversial bills under suspension of the rules. After Tuesday’s suspension votes, members will resume consideration of H.R. 2822: the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2016. The bill provides a total of $30.2 billion in discretionary spending in FY 2016 for the Interior Department, the EPA, the Forest Service and a variety of other agencies. That total is $246 million (1 percent) less than current funding and $3.1 billion (9 percent) less than requested by the Obama administration. It’s considered a controversial bill because it decreases funding for EPA by 9 percent and limits the EPA’s regulatory authority. It also cuts funding for Forest Service activities and for the Fish and Wildlife Service. Other legislation on the floor for a vote this week includes: H.R. 5: the Student Success Act. The House originally began consideration of H.R. 5 in February, but postponed completing consideration at that time. The bill reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, sometimes also referred to No Child Left Behind, NCLB). The bill makes fundamental changes to many ESEA programs. Alabama co-sponsors: Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-1) H.R. 6: the 21st Century Cures Act. This bill is a bipartisan medical research and innovation bill intended to assure American leadership in biomedical research for the future and to allow drugs to get to patients more quickly, while also ensuring they are safe and effective for use. Alabama co-sponsors: Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-3) H.R. 2647: the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015. The bill would modify federal forest management practices by restoring fundamental land management capabilities to the U.S. Forest Service, such as routine thinning practices to improve forest health and reduce wildfire threats. Alabama co-sponsors: Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-6) Aside from the floor activity, the House will continue to work with the Senate through a conference committee to resolve the differences between their two versions of the National Defense Authorization Act. They are hoping to produce a final conference report before the August congressional recess, despite that President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the defense policy bills produced by both of the chambers.
Mike Rogers: CMP could sell vintage firearms
As many of you across east Alabama may have seen or heard in the news: The National Defense Authorization Act recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives with my strong support. This critical piece of legislation outlines how Congress will support our nation’s military. I was relieved to see that Congress increased the overall authorized funding for our nation’s military. Several key provisions important to east Alabama made it into the bill. The first was a commitment to help protect jobs at important military facilities like the Anniston Army Depot, one of the Army’s most productive and efficient facilities. Folks across east Alabama may remember a few years ago when the depot had to furlough some workers because of the Pentagon’s poor budget management. The new provision would protect facilities like the depot that operate under the Working Capital Fund from being forced to furlough workers in order to meet arbitrary budget demands from the Pentagon. Another was my amendment to allow the Army to transfer its surplus vintage firearms to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) which has its southern headquarters in Anniston and will soon have the CMP park open in June in Talladega County. If you’re a gun owner like I am, you may be familiar with the M1911A1. This iconic pistol used to serve as the standard U.S. armed forces sidearm, until it was replaced by the Berretta 9mm pistol. Although a few thousand of these pistols have been sold to foreign countries for a small fee, the remainder are in storage. That costs the taxpayer about $200,000 a year. As a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, I believe this bill is a common-sense approach to not only save the taxpayer money, but to allow gun collectors to add this vintage pistol to their collection. It is my hope that both provisions will stay in the bill as the process moves forward in the Senate. I also hope the administration will ultimately support them. Providing for our national defense is a top priority to keep our country safe and our defenses strong. Mike Rogers represents Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District. He’s in his eighth term. You can sign up for his e-Newsletter at www.mikerogers.house.gov.
Alabama delegation gets behind federal National Defense Authorization Act re-approval
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, funding the Pentagon and related military and intelligence operations through the next fiscal year. The bill was a site for a great deal of activity by Alabama lawmakers, who mostly supported the bill. U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, for instance, worked to keep a small fleet of littoral combat ships — in-shore frigates the Navy calls “networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats” — growing in the face of recent cuts. Byrne told Alabama Today he is happy with Friday’s result. “I am very proud of our efforts to secure authorization for three more Littoral Combat Ships,” Byrne said Friday, “My colleagues in Congress are continuing to realize what our Navy leaders have said all along: The LCS is a critical piece of our naval fleet. I will continue to work tirelessly to support our nation’s Navy and the hardworking men and women at the Austal shipyard in Mobile.” Another member of the House Republican caucus from the Yellowhammer state, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, also voted “yea” on the measure and largely concurred with Byrne’s findings. “The NDAA is critical in providing for our national defense,” Rogers, a six-term congressman from Alabama’s 3rd District. “I was proud of the provisions included under jurisdiction of the Strategic Forces subcommittee I chair. I was also pleased language was included in the legislation to help protect jobs at facilities funded by the Working Capital Fund, like the Anniston Army Depot.” Rogers also offered an amendment to transfer out-of-date firearms to the federal Civilian Marksmanship Program: “[A]s a gun owner and gun rights supporter, I was thrilled my amendment, which would allow the Army to transfer its surplus vintage firearms to the CMP, was also included. I hope the Senate acts soon on this important piece of legislation.” U.S Rep. Gary Palmer also issued a statement Friday about his support of the measure, which now goes to the Senate for final approval before heading to the desk of President Barack Obama. Specifically he trumpeted his work with U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who joined him in supporting the bill. “A strong America is vital to our national security, and to that of our allies. The men and women who wear the uniform deserve to be given the equipment and training they need and the pay and benefits they earn. “I am pleased that the Congress passed an amendment I co-sponsored offered by Rep. Mo Brooks. This amendment stripped a provision that would have allowed illegal immigrants granted amnesty under the president’s unconstitutional executive order to join the military. I do not believe Congress should ratify the Administration’s illegal action, nor do I believe that the NDAA is the appropriate place to legislate concerning illegal immigration.” The Senate is expected to take up the bill soon, though no timeline was immediately available at press time. Amid the key provisions of the bill, according to staff analysis, are the following: Reforms the acquisition strategy to make the process less burdensome while maintaining accountability; Lays the foundation for reforming the military compensation system to help recruit and retain the best; Mandates the implementation of the Pentagon’s planned 20 percent reduction in headquarters budgets and personnel; Eliminates more than 460 mandated reports to free up vital manpower; Creates a Job Training and Post-Service Placement Executive Committee to help move members out of military service and into the workforce; Continues oversight and protection of our troops from sexual assault; Reinforces the mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL); Provides lethal aid to Ukraine in their fight against Russian-backed separatists; Prohibits the closure of Guantanamo Bay; and Authorizes a 2.3 percent pay raise for troops, compared with the President’s proposed 1 percent pay raise. With full support of the Alabama delegation, the bill passed Friday afternoon by a largely party-line 269-151 vote on the House floor.
Bradley Byrne: National defense bill includes critical reforms
There is no function of Congress more important than “providing for the common defense” of our nation. When our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, they made sure to give the Congress substantial influence over the military. Each year, Congress exerts some of that authority in a bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill lays out the policy and priorities for the Pentagon while also authorizing construction of military equipment and vessels. The NDAA does not actually provide funding, as that is done in a separate defense funding bill. The NDAA has long been a bill that earns support from both sides of the aisle. Even in today’s era of hyper-partisanship, the NDAA has remained a shining example of bipartisanship. While there will almost always be some differences in opinion, we generally all agree on the importance of supporting our nation’s military. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have the opportunity to play a key role in the drafting and passage of the NDAA. Just last week, the Committee held an almost nineteen hour markup on the latest version of the NDAA. I wanted to highlight some of the important provisions in this year’s bill. First, the bill authorizes the construction of three more Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), which are built in part by Austal USA in Mobile. Our military commanders have made clear that the LCS is an important component of the naval fleet, and it fills a critical void in the Navy’s capabilities. I will continue to support this program and the over 4,000 men and women who work at the shipyard. Next, the NDAA makes some much-needed reforms to the Department’s acquisition process in order to make it less burdensome while still maintaining accountability. The Pentagon currently spends too much time filling out paperwork and going through a bureaucratic process while preparing to acquire new equipment. The NDAA makes reforms that will help streamline that process. Like any government agency, the Department of Defense should constantly be searching for ways to become more efficient and effective. That’s why the NDAA cuts some of the fat at the Pentagon and ensures money is actually going to our service members. The bill eliminates over 460 mandated reports and calls for a reduction in the Pentagon’s headquarter personnel. It is more important now than ever before that we are recruiting and retaining the best and the brightest to serve in our military. In that regard, the NDAA calls for a 2.3% pay raise for active duty military. The NDAA also lays the foundation for reforming the military compensation system – by providing additional options to individuals who serve the nation for a period of less than 20 years – while rejecting the President’s efforts to raise healthcare costs for military personnel. The NDAA also includes provisions related to the ongoing conflicts around the globe. The bill reinforces the mission of the United States against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) while also calling on the United States to provide defensive lethal aid to Ukraine in their fight against Russian-backed separatists. Just as important, the bill would prohibit President Obama from closing Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. These are just a few of the important reforms included in this year’s bill. Ultimately, the Committee passed the NDAA at around 5:00 a.m. last Wednesday morning by a bipartisan vote of 60 to 2. The full House is expected to take the bill up the week of May 11. It is my sincere hope that we never lose focus on ensuring our sailors, soldiers, airmen, and Marines have the resources they need to defend our country. A capable military is a fundamental requirement for a vibrant democracy, and I will do everything I can to ensure our military remains strong. Bradley Byrne is a Member of the United States Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District. Photo Credit: AP file photo
