Regardless of the party they are from. Host anthony desposito, freshman lawmaker. Come back again. That will do it for us this morning. A reminder that the house is coming in now. We will be back here tomorrow at 7 00 a. M. Eastern. Now live coverage of the floor of the house of representatives. The speaker the house will be in order. The prayer will be offered by chaplain kibben. Chaplain kibben would you pray with me. Merciful god, how hard it is in these days of contest and contention not to keep score. Both outside and inside these chambers, we are hardwired to tally wins and losses. But while this may be the nature of things, forgive us when we gloat over our enemys loss when we find ourselves selfishly satisfied when our opponent stumbles. All around us there are countless situations where we find ourselves so inclined. Internationally, when a power suffers not just the loss of a certain battlefield advantage, but the devastating attrition of its young men and women sacrificed on the front line. In world, god, there is no rejoicing. We pray for peace on both sides of the conflict in ukraine and reconciliation for all who have suffered so terribly and unnecessarily. So too we pray for ourselves as the battle lines have been drawn between parties and the debate rages on all sides. Remind us once more that to disparage our opponent is no less an act of human being ris than it is hubris than it is to celebrate whether our adversary stumbles. Call us to our better serves with hearts and minds governed by the compassion you have shown us time and again. May your mercy be our battle standard and your love the weapon of our choosing. In the peace we find only in your name, we pray. , amen. The speaker amen. The chair has examined the journal of the last days proceedings and announces to the house her approval thereof. Pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1 the journal stands approved. The pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentleman from ohio, mr. Carey. Mr. Carey i pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The speaker the chair will entertain up to 15 requests for oneminute speeches on each side of the aisle. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition . Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. I rise today to honor and memorialize Community Leader and advocate, linda. Linda graduated from Imperial High School in 1964 and dedicated her life to improving the lives of others. She committed her time and energy to improving the health and wellbeing of those in her community, especially those in the imperial valley. Mr. Ruiz despite her own diagnosis, linda showed her passion for fighting cancer through her advocacy and volunteer work with the American Cancer Society action net. For network for over 20 years and through her incredible contributions to working on policies through the local, state and federal levels. Linda is survived by her husband, steve, daughters stephanie and christina, and her grandchildren. A community and family mourns the loss of a loved one, an advocate and a friend. Today we recognize her and thank her. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition . Without objection. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you, madam speaker. Right now were on the path to a Government Shutdown caused by extremist members who are unwilling to put politics aside to do whats right for the country. A Government Shutdown would be a disaster for North Carolina. It would leave 6,574 federal workers in my district without a paycheck. It would jeopardize benefits for over 49,000 veterans in my district. Mr. Nickel and it would hurt our economy. The last shutdown permanently cost our country 3 billion. That was only a partial shutdown. We cant afford to do that again. Thats why ive introduced the no budget, no pay act. This bill has a simple idea. Members of congress shouldnt get paid if we dont do our jobs. Im proud to say this bill now has bipartisan support in the house. I came to congress to get things done and ill continue to work in a bipartisan way to avoid a Government Shutdown and do whats right for North Carolina. Thank you, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition . Madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on h. R. 4365, and that i may include tabular material on the subject. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Pursuant to House Resolution 723 and rule 18, the chair declares the house in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for consideration of h. R. 4365. The chair appoints the gentleman from ohio, mr. Carey, to preside over the committee of the whole. The chair the house is in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for consideration of h. R. 4365, which the clerk will report by title. The clerk a bill making appropriations for the department of defense for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2024, and for other purposes. The chair pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the first time. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the Ranking Member of the committee on appropriations or their ris respective designees. The gentleman from california, mr. Calvert, and the gentlewoman from minnesota, ms. Mccollum, each will control 30 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from california. Mr. Calvert mr. Chair, i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is the chair the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Calvert i rise today in support of h. R. 4365, the fiscal year 2024 defense appropriation bill. Which is the result of months of hearings, briefings and engagements of all members and subcommittees. Provide for our Strong National defense, this bill recommends 826. 45 billion for the department of defense and the intelligence community, which is 27. 8 billion above fiscal year 2023s enacted level. When i became chairman of the subcommittee, i made it clear to the department they would not receive any blank checks, any requests that lacked adequate justification, or did not directly support d. O. D. s mission, would not be funded in the bill. It is our constitutional obligation of congress and this committee in particular to ensure that proper and appropriate use of taxpayer funds, at a time when the department of defense leadership is more focused on cultural issues and War Fighting Missions, this obligation is more critical than ever. Im proud to say that due to the hard work of the members of the subcommittee, the bill funds our defense needs in a fiscally responsible manner. Specifically, this bill cuts nearly 20 billion from the president s misguided request and reinvests these funds into war fighting capabilities and Additional Support for our Service Members. I also approached crafting this bill with a comprehensive strategy focused on specific lines of effort. Investing in americas military superiority, to deter the peoples republic of china, combating illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids which are killing over 100,000 americans every year, shaping a more efficient and Effective Work force, creating a culture of innovation, enhancing oversight of all programs to ensure the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. And taking care of Service Members and their families. To counter china, this bill doubles funding for the internal International Security cooperation programs for taiwan, provides an additional 200 million to accelerate the delivery of the e7, prohibits the decommissioning of ships to grow the fleet, aids aircraft like the f35 and the ch53k. Continues investments in next generation platforms, supports recapitalization of the nuclear triad. To enhance d. O. D. s efforts to counter the flow of deadly drugs into the country, the bill includes a historic investment of 1. 1 billion in drug interdiction and counterdrug activities, including increased funding for the counternarcotics support, demand reduction, the national Counterdrug Program and the national counterdrug schools. The bill also moves mexico into an area of responsibility which will forest ar more hole foster a more holistic approach to latin American Security issues. Tthis bill cuts over 1 billion from the budget request for the department civilian work foargs. This accomplishes this work force. This accomplishes this goal through attrition while engaging employees in Sexual Assault and response duties. I want to be clear, no one will be fired as a result of this language. During our analysis of the budget request, the services and agencies across d. O. D. Reported attrition rates as high as 14 . This bill directs d. O. D. To adopt Smart Business practices to become more effective and efficient, which is desperately needed. The bill also mandates a reassessment of d. O. D. s man Power Requirements. A plan to adopt technology to improve its business processes, and provides 751 million for the chief data and Artificial Intelligence office to further accelerate business modernization. This multipronged approach is critical to create a fiscally sustainable and efficient work force and is informed by previous defense reform efforts. Next, we are aware the Department Must innovate faster to keep pace with global threats. To do this, the bill includes over 1 billion to the Defense Innovation unit, to get needed capability into the hands of the war fighter. The bill focuses on nearterm delivery of capability, partnering with the private sector. We cannot continue to take decades to produce new systems or even worse, invest billions into programs that must be eventually canceled due to nonperformance. The bridge, the valley of death, the bill includes 300 million to expand the successful procurement Pilot Program. Further, it creates a newport foal yo to rapidly field portfolio to new portfolio to rapidly field technologies through nontraditional entities within the department. To get the department focused on its War Fighting Mission and away from culture wars, the bill includes a number of new general provisions that send a clear message to the department. These include funding prohibitions on teaching Critical Race Theory, facilitating access to abortions that attempt to ignore the longstanding Hyde Amendment, overreach by the Biden Administration on Climate Change, and promoting socalled diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The fact that the committee has to address these issues reflects the failure of the departments leadership. Finally, investments in Weapons Systems do not matter, we fail to invest in our most important resource, our Service Members. With changes in this bill, junior enlisted Service Members will receive an average pay increase of 30 this. Will have a Significant Impact or 30 . This will have a Significant Impact on recruitment and retention. I was shocked to see the Biden Administration opposed the pay increase. As an appropriator, it is our responsibility to ensure our military has the resources necessary to defer conflict, if we do get into a fight, and we win and they lose. This bill makes it clear that any adversary that challenges the United States military is not in their best interest. Before i close, id like to comment on the number of amendments weve received from this bill. Im supportive of this open, transparent and inclusive process. I will have to be mindful not to rob our readiness accounts to fund other priorities. I look forward to working with all members on this as we move forward in the process. Finally, i would like to thank all the staff for the incredible work they do to vet this budget request, work with the members, put forward recommendations, assemble the final product. As my Ranking Member and former chair, ms. Mccollum, knows, putting together this bill is not an easy task. I want to thank her and her staff for their cooperation. This is not this is a strong bill for our Service Members and their families. I look forward to working with my friends on the other side of the aisle, the senate and the administration, to enact a bill as soon as possible. Not doing so is a disservice to the men and women of the United States armed forces. I strongly urge support of this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman from california reserves. The gentlewoman from minnesota is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i thank you, mr. Chair, and i yield myself such time as i may consume. The chair the gentlewoman is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i rise today in opposition to h. R. 4365, the fiscal year 2024 defense appropriations act. As chair of the subcommittee last as chair last congress i understand think the difficult process required to put this together. Thats why i want to thank minority staff here today, jennifer, jason, if a rules committee farooq, mike in my personal office. And the fabulous minority staff that gets to work with a great majority staff who worked so hard for all of us. I wish the bill before us was more focused as our job as appropriators. Im training and equipping our troops and ensuring our Service Members and their families have their needs met at home. Thats why its disappointing to see the majority use the appropriations process and the defense bill to push an extreme socialist policy agenda. The riders included in this bill they divide, they do not unite. Here are just a few examples. The bill prohibits the department of defenses policy to ensure that Service Members and their families have access to leave and travel allowances for basic Reproductive Health care. The departments policy is legal under federal law. The department of justice has concluded that fact, and i quote from them, the d. O. D. May lawfully extend funds to pay for Service Members and their dependents to to obtain abortions that the d. O. D. Cannot perform due to staff requirements. Why is that important that the d. O. D. Cannot perform due to statutory requirements . First i want to be clear. I do not support the Hyde Amendment, but let me address it and what this prohibition does even to Services Legal under the Hyde Amendment. It prohibits the d. O. D. From using funds or facilities to perform an abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger. Thats not in keeping in spirit with the Hyde Amendment. So what does that mean to the nearly 20 of our forces that are women . They do not get to choose where they serve. 80,000 of those women are stationed in states that restrict Reproductive Health care. If you serve in those states, and you are pregnant because of rape, or you are on a base that does not offer obstetrics and gynecology service, then you must travel, you must travel out of state for health care that you are entitled to. This bill interprets the Hyde Amendment in a way that it was never intended. Many Service Women and dependents will lose access to the exceptions of the Hyde Amendment if they are not allowed to travel to seek the health care they need. This language, in fact, is a de facto National Abortion ban. And i believe using our Service Members to do that is shameful. Young women will refuse to serve, women will exit the force because of this. Husbands and fathers will not want to serve in states where their families will be negatively impacted. Thats why i offered an amendment in rules to strike this provision, but the majority chose not to make it in order. I wish they had. I wish we would have all had the courage to bring this to the floor and allow a debate that our Service Members deserve. The majority has also cut programs for diversity, equity, and inclusion which will discourage recruitment from all across america. The private sector are embracing programs like this to keep a happy, healthy forceful workforce. There is language in here that bans Critical Race Theory, but it goes far beyond that, mr. Chair. In fact, the bill seeks to define what can and cannot be taught in our military academies on whether or not certain topics cause discomfort . This language reads like a ban on teaching american history. Sometimes