Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations The Right To Appeal Act -- Continued

Floor Speech

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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I rise today to speak to the evolving situation in the Middle East. I have grave concerns, as do a majority of Americans, with the President's handling of the current situation in that region of the world. Under this President's watch, the world has become increasingly unsafe. Under this President's watch, despots have dug in, and the most horrific terrorist organization we have ever seen has risen to power and thrives.

This week the reality of this failure was brought to the forefront of the world's attention. The fall of Ramadi marks the capture of another major city. We lost more than 1,300 U.S. soldiers in Anbar Province. Thousands more were wounded. We fought across every foot of Al Anbar and now a handful of ISIS fighters have seized its Provincial capital. For those in Ramadi, this was not just a setback; this cost them everything. Hundreds have already been executed at the hands of ISIS. But the White House does not see it that way. The White House has tried to spin a different narrative, downplaying the significance of this defeat.

When this narrative is challenged, the White House doubles down. The White House Press Secretary said: ``Are we going to light our hair on fire every time that there is a setback in the campaign against ISIL?'' Such comments are dumbfounding and disturbing. The Obama administration is not only demonstrating a complete lack of situational awareness but a total disconnect with how this conflict is being viewed by the rest of the world.

In fact, this week, President Obama chose to lecture the graduating class of the Coast Guard Academy about climate change while Ramadi burned. To ISIS combatants in Syria and Iraq, the fall of Ramadi was a definitive victory. Even if it hands Ramadi back tomorrow, ISIS has shown it still has the capability to make major advances. To those living in Ramadi, ISIS has already won. Regardless of what happens next, for many of those people, their lives have been destroyed.

To potential recruits around the world, ISIS just won again, despite U.S. air strikes and 3,000 trainers for the Iraqi Army. However, according to Secretary of State John Kerry, the fall of Ramadi was only ISIS taking advantage of ``a target of opportunity.''

Does the Obama administration not understand how terrorist organizations operate? ISIS is not going to line up and go toe-to-toe with the United States. It is going to seek out targets of opportunity wherever it can and avoid conflict where it knows it will lose. That is how it operates. That is how it has been operating since the beginning of this conflict, all the way back to January of 2014, when President Obama referred to ISIS as the junior varsity of terrorist organizations.

Ramadi can be retaken. America can defeat ISIS. But we cannot beat ISIS with half measures while consistently underestimating its capabilities. This terrorist organization must be stomped out. It must be defeated.

In Syria, ISIS is now in control of Palmyra, an ancient site with irreplaceable monuments that may soon be destroyed. Called the ``Venice of the Sands,'' this may be yet another historical scar left by ISIS that will never heal.

President Obama often speaks of regional powers needing to step up and take the lead. Well, let's just be honest here for a moment. The United States has the most powerful military in the history of the world. If our President does not show a little leadership, no one else is going to step up and lead.

If we are not going to utilize our overwhelming technological superiority to fight this enemy, at the very least--at the very least--embedding spotters with Iraqi forces to make air strikes more effective, why would others want to contribute their far more limited resources? We need our President to show absolute conviction that defeating ISIS is his No. 1 priority, not trying to reach a mediocre compromise on an Iranian nuclear deal, not having Secretary Kerry fly to Sochi to shake hands with Putin while he still occupies the territory of other countries, and not having a summit at Camp David to lecture our allies on what America thinks is in their best interests.

There is a terror organization killing people, as we speak, in a country that we fought to liberate from a brutal dictator. We had won in Iraq. We had defeated this insurgency until it was determined, for political reasons, that we should pack up and go home. The President claims he does not want to get into another prolonged war.

Well, unfortunately, that is exactly what he is doing. There is no way to defeat ISIS with half measures. There is no way to negotiate with ISIS. Unless ISIS is defeated, it will grow and spread like a cancer. This President, throughout his administration, has shown himself to be crippled by indecision. Against ISIS, we need decisive action. We need it now.

HONORING AMERICAN FIGHTER ACES

Mr. President, I also want to speak today to recognize the tremendous and selfless service of America's veterans. This week Congress honored American Fighter Aces, the 1,447 military pilots who have earned the special distinction of destroying five or more hostile aircraft in air-to-air combat, by awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal.

Of these distinguished aviators, 10 hailed from South Dakota. While they are no longer with us today, their heroism and valor have not only built the foundation of the modern air superiority that our Armed Forces employ today but have shaped who we are as South Dakotans and Americans.

Becoming an ace was no easy feat. In World War I, the pioneers of dogfighting faced perilous situations in wood and canvas biplanes that had limited ranges and could barely top 100 miles an hour. Still, these innovators refined the still-adolescent technology of flight and forever changed the nature of modern war.

Decades later, American pilots proved invaluable in turning the tide of World War II. Fighters flew attack and bomber escort sorties over Europe and attack and fleet protection missions in the Pacific. Just 2 weeks ago, when America and the world celebrated the 70th anniversary of V-E Day, 56 World War II-era aircraft in various formations flew over the National World War II Memorial, the National Mall, and the U.S. Capitol in an impressive display of the air power that helped secure victory for the allies.

The aerial parade included an F6F Hellcat, which one of my heroes, my dad Harold, flew off the USS Intrepid in the Pacific theater.

While my dad was one aerial victory short of achieving ace, his squadron mate and fellow South Dakotan, the late CAPT Cecil Harris, racked up 24 victories.

Harris, a farm boy from Cresbard, SD, ended the war as the second-highest Navy ace. South Dakota also produced the second-highest ace in the Marine Corps during World War II, Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss. Foss earned the title of ``ace'' in just 1 week in 1942 on his way to a total of 26 air victories.

Foss's service and leadership continued after the war. He helped organize the South Dakota Air Guard unit. He was recalled to duty in the Korean war. He went on to serve two terms as South Dakota's Governor and even as the first commissioner of the American Football League.

Our airport in Sioux Falls, Foss's hometown, is home to the South Dakota Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing and is appropriately named Joe Foss Field.

South Dakota is also proud and grateful for the service of our other eight aces: Clarence Johnson, from Aberdeen, who was killed in action over Holland in 1944; Robert Graham from Beresford; Robert Buttke from Lemmon; LeRoy Grosshuesch from Menno; Leslie Clark, from Mitchell; Arthur Johnson, Jr., from New Effington; Gene Markham from Turton; and Robert ``Duke'' Hedman, from Webster, who achieved ace in a single day over Burma on Christmas Day in 1941.

When you come from rural America, it can be hard sometimes to see how one might fit into the larger scheme of global events, let alone the defining moments in our history. Yet when the world erupted in chaos over the Second World War, these were 10 South Dakotans in the thick of it. These are but 10 heroic examples of the dedicated selflessness South Dakotans have shown in conflicts past and present. South Dakotans have always punched above their weight when it comes to military service.

As the age of jets arrived and the capabilities of aerial firepower and defense systems have increased, the title of ``ace'' became even more elusive. Still, on Wednesday, we celebrated the 40 American aces from the Korean war, as well as two pilots and three weapons systems officers from the Vietnam war.

The maturation of our air combat capabilities, from the origins of aerial combat in biplanes to the sophisticated airframes and advanced weapons systems on which we rely today, rest heavily on the courage of American fighter aces. These aviators represent the best of our American Armed Forces and helped shape history with their courage.

As we reflect on the gallant service of America's fighter aces, may we also remember all those who answered the call to serve, all those who supported the effort on the homefront, and those to whom, I should say, we are forever indebted--those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

This Memorial Day, as a free and grateful nation, may we remember those who have fought and died for this country.

I yield the floor.

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