[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15521-15522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO HAL ROGERS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this morning I would like to pay 
tribute to a fellow Kentuckian who has devoted much of his life to 
public service, my good friend Congressman Hal Rogers of Kentucky's 
Fifth District. Hal, of course, just won reelection in his district 
with a modest 100 percent of the vote. I imagine he will serve here in 
Congress for many years to come, but his term as chairman of the House 
Appropriations Committee is drawing to a close at the end of this 114th 
Congress. So I thought it fitting to say a few words about the 
extraordinary tenure of this remarkable man.
  Hal has served on the Appropriations Committee for more than 30 years 
and was selected as the 31st chairman 6 years ago. To mark the end of 
his chairmanship, family and friends and several special guests 
assembled a few months back in the House Appropriations Committee 
hearing room to unveil his official portrait as chairman of the 
committee.
  Hal's portrait hangs alongside those of former chairmen, including 
some who went on to become Speakers of the House and, in the case of 
James Garfield, President of the United States. Adding his portrait to 
this distinguished group is the continuation of a century-old 
tradition. Many of Hal's colleagues, including Speaker Ryan, were on 
hand to mark the occasion of a well-deserved tribute to a man I have 
been honored to serve alongside for many years and to have known for 
even longer.
  I first met Hal Rogers several decades ago and later worked with him 
during the 1971 Kentucky gubernatorial campaign. While the Republican 
candidate that year, Tom Emberton, did not win the race, it was clear 
to me after getting to know Hal that he was destined for great things. 
Born in the small town of Barrier, KY, Hal became first a country 
lawyer in the town of Somerset and then the Commonwealth attorney for 
the region. He was first elected to the Congress with the Reagan 
revolution back in 1980 and is now the dean of Kentucky's congressional 
delegation.
  Chairman Rogers is legendary in Congress and back home for his 
relentless focus on the concerns and priorities of the people of the 
Fifth District. Long before the issue of opioid abuse dominated 
national headlines, Hal played an instrumental role in highlighting and 
preventing the scourge of drug abuse that has impacted many in Eastern 
Kentucky.
  He has helped bring jobs and hope to the people of Southeastern 
Kentucky, thanks to projects like PRIDE, which promotes environmental 
responsibility, Operation UNITE, which helps fight substance abuse, and 
the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation, which 
encourages economic development and growth.
  Through the years, Hal spearheaded numerous educational initiatives 
for all ages: Forward in the Fifth, Rogers Scholars, Rogers Explorers, 
and the Rogers Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, just to name a 
few.
  Hal helped launched TOUR Southern and Eastern Kentucky in order to 
boost tourism in the region and the Center for Rural Development as a 
way to help transform the area's economy. He has helped secure millions 
for the Kentucky National Guard, in which he proudly served, and the 
U.S. Forest Service for marijuana eradication efforts, and he recently 
spearheaded the Shaping Our Appalachian Region, or SOAR, initiative as 
a way to unite Kentucky's Appalachian counties around a common vision 
for attracting jobs and economic development to the region. He has also 
supported the Appalachian Regional Commission, pushed back against the 
Obama administration's War on Coal, and has earned a reputation as a 
tireless advocate for a strong national defense. I am proud to have 
worked closely with Hal on these and many other projects on behalf of 
the Bluegrass State.
  His constituents can also be proud of the work that he has done for 
his Nation in his role as Appropriations chair. Under his leadership, 
the Appropriations Committee responsibly refocused efforts on regular 
order, reviewing and approving all--I repeat all--12 annual government 
spending bills through the committee during his tenure. As chairman, 
Hal has made oversight of Federal spending a top priority, and his 
Appropriations Committee has held more than 600 hearings to ensure that 
Federal tax dollars were being spent properly. Under his leadership, 
the Appropriations Committee has gotten results, such as reducing 
wasteful spending by $126 billion in total annual spending cuts since 
fiscal year 2010.
  Hal is only the third Kentuckian to chair the House Appropriations 
Committee. The last was Congressman William Natcher, who held that 
position until 1994. He is, of course, the only Republican chairman 
from the Commonwealth. I know that becoming Appropriations Committee 
chairman was a great achievement for Hal and something he worked hard 
to earn.
  Just on a personal note, I would like to add that Hal Rogers is a 
great friend of mine. Elaine and I have always enjoyed spending time 
with him and his wife Cynthia. As the senior Republican in Kentucky 
politics, he has been a leader in getting things done for the benefit 
of the people of his district and of the Commonwealth for nearly four 
decades.
  You can see his impact in many places. One can drive across the Hal 
Rogers Parkway in Southeastern Kentucky or visit one of the many 
institutions in service to Kentuckians. Hal is literally beloved in 
Southeastern Kentucky where he regularly wins reelection, as I 
indicated earlier, with an overwhelming majority of the votes.
  Hal loves the people he serves. He is one of them. He is proud to 
champion their causes here in the Nation's Capital.

[[Page 15522]]

  I thank Chairman Rogers for his steady hand at the helm of the House 
Appropriations Committee for the last 6 years and for all he has done 
for Kentucky. Both Kentucky and the Nation are thankful for his 
service. As he turns his considerable energies to other important roles 
in Congress, I wish him the very best and look forward to partnering 
with him many more times in the future on behalf of the Commonwealth we 
both love.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, will my friend yield for a brief comment?
  Mr. McCONNELL. Yes.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am going to give a speech here in a minute 
regarding Senator Mikulski. But the reason I mention that is I want the 
record to reflect that Chairman Rogers has been so nice to me whenever 
we have gone to public events and events dealing with the work of the 
Hill. He has been always a gentleman--I mean first class.
  In meetings with just Democrats, I have heard Senator Mikulski talk 
about her great relationship with this good man, so it has been 
pleasant for me to listen to the description of the relationship of the 
Republican leader and the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I 
just wanted to take a minute and let everyone know that I have also 
been honored by his presence wherever it has been.

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