June 30, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E719 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING THE LIFE OF RODNEY Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join INTRODUCING THE INVESTING IN ARDELL WELLS me in honoring the life of Rodney Ardell Wells. COMMONSENSE BALLISTIC MIS- His service and contributions to the nations SILES (ICBM) ACT OF 2021 HON. JIM COSTA and State of California will be missed. I join OF CALIFORNIA his family and friends in celebrating Rodney’s HON. JOHN GARAMENDI IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES life. OF CALIFORNIA Wednesday, June 30, 2021 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to f Wednesday, June 30, 2021 honor the life of Rodney Ardell Wells. Rodney Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, the In- passed away on December 8, 2020. Rodney REMEMBERING MARILYNN JANINE DENHOLM vesting in Commonsense Ballistic Missiles was a veteran of the United States Navy, a fa- (ICBM) Act of 2021 bill will pause the develop- ther, grandfather, friend, and a husband to his ment of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent best friend, Sherril. (GBSD) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile pro- Rodney was born on July 26, 1955 in To- HON. TIM RYAN gram, the planned replacement to the current peka, Kansas and was raised in Compton, OF OHIO California. As he got older, Rodney had the Minuteman III missile, and the associated urge to serve the United States Navy. From IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES W87–1 nuclear warhead. Additionally, it re- 1973 to 2003, Rodney served active duty for quires the service life of the currently deployed more than 20 of those years, at sea. Wednesday, June 30, 2021 Minuteman III missiles to be extended until After serving in the Navy 12 years as Com- 2040—something that is both technically fea- Mr. RYAN. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor mand Master Chief on the USS Shiloh, USS sible and more cost-efficient. Pearl Harbor, and Chief of the Boat on the the life of Marilynn Janine Denholm, originally The world is witnessing a new nuclear arms USS Pogy, Rodney attended college. He grad- of Niles, Ohio, who passed away on Thursday, race, and this one is extremely dangerous as uated with a degree in Mechanized Agriculture June 24 at the age of 71. tensions rise between the Great Powers. As and a B.S. in psychology from Reedley Col- She was born in 1950, the daughter of Fred the United States, Russia, and China rush to modernize their nuclear arsenals, the trip wire lege. and Mary (Colla) Guerra. Marilynn was mar- Rodney worked at the Veterans Affairs Cen- is growing more taut. Observation and com- ried to her husband Dave for nearly 45 years. tral California Health Care System in Fresno, munication satellites and systems are increas- California as a Boiler Plant Operator. Rodney She had 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and ex- ingly vulnerable to attacks. All three countries was liked by all of the people he had the tended family and friends with whom she cher- are fielding stealth and hypersonic nuclear de- pleasure of meeting. He was a leader, wise, ished spending time. livery systems designed to evade detection. and a caring individual who was ready to help. Marilynn grew up in Niles, Ohio, and grad- The risk of a false alarm or a political mis- Rodney continued his giving back to the com- uated from Niles McKinley High School in calculation has always haunted the nuclear munity through helping other veterans like 1968. She earned her BA in Elementary Edu- landscape and they do even more today. himself at the hospital, but as well as helped As long as nuclear weapons exist we must cation from Youngstown State University to grow food. have a safe, secure, and effective nuclear de- When he was not working at the hospital, (YSU) in 1972 where she was also a member terrent. The simultaneous modernization ef- Rodney would grow seasonal varieties of of the Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sorority. She forts across all three legs of the nuclear triad fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Rancho de Rod- earned her MA in Guidance and Counseling are an unnecessary and costly way to achieve ney founded in 2009, grew heirloom and cher- from YSU in 1978. Marilynn spent 13 years in our deterrent. The modernization includes the ry tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, carrots, education in Ohio and 30 years in education Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), thyme, sage, radishes, and more. In 2014 in Gaston County, NC. Mrs. Denholm loved the B–21 bomber, the Columbia-class sub- Rancho de Rodney was certified as organic by being a Guidance Counselor at Gardner Park marine, the Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) air- the CCOF. He participated in farmers’ markets launched cruise missile, the sea launched nu- at Fresno Kaiser, True Value Hardware in Elementary where she was able to help thou- sands of children. clear cruise missile, and new nuclear war- Oakhurst and the Peddler’s Corner in heads. The costs are extraordinary: a 2017 Coarsegold. Marilynn was an active member of the ZTA Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report es- As time went on, Rodney changed focus. Alumni group and recently received her 50- timated that the 30-year cost of nuclear weap- They were growing food not to sell, but for do- year alumni pin. She also volunteered with the ons spending would be $1.2 trillion ($1.7 tril- nation. A disabled veteran owned business, Blumenthal Performing Arts for 20 years. Rodney and his wife Sherril moved towards a lion adjusted for inflation). As the Government non-profit status. Their love for their commu- Survivors include her husband, David; chil- Accountability Office recently noted, the cur- nity and those in need were evident. They dren Kristine (Seth Thompson) of Phoenix, rent plan to modernize every part of the arse- nal at the same time is a recipe for schedule were known to help St. Benedict Catholic AZ; David (Nichole) of Merritt Island, FL; and delays and cost overruns. Worker on distributing their fresh produce to Victoria of Madrid, Spain; grandchildren David, families and individuals. Rodney was also in- The ICBM leg of the Triad deserves special Hannah, William and Henry Denholm, and attention. The total price tag to procure the volved with African American Farmers of Cali- Nora Thompson; and brother Fred (Gretchen) fornia headquartered in Fresno. Before his GBSD is projected to be at least $95 billion, Guerra of Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Her parents passing, Rodney spent his last Saturday with and $264 billion when accounting for total life- his fellow veterans at the African American Fred and Mary Guerra preceded her in death. cycle costs. A GBSD pause will help defray Farmers of California demonstration site work- I am honored to have called Marilynn my short-term costs for the Air Force and will also ing on the vegetables he grew for the Catholic Godmother. She was an incredible woman defer a long-term expenditure. Additionally, the W87–1, the warhead that is being designed Worker. that dedicated her life to helping others, and I for the GBSD, will cost at least $12 billion to Rodney was a proud descendent of mem- was lucky enough to have personally known bers of the Civil War’s U.S. Colored Troops build—and is not part of the estimated GBSD how truly kind her spirit was. Throughout her and the Cherokee Freedom. He was a friend procurement cost of $95 billion. To build new to many in his life and evolved his passion to life as an educator, she touched countless warhead cores for the W87–1, the National giving back to others with his wife by his side. lives of the children that she taught. My con- Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) is expanding He is survived by his wife, Sherril, sister dolences go out to her family and friends. She plutonium pit production, which will cost at Deborah, daughter Charletha Harris, grand- will be dearly missed. least another $9 billion through the late 2020s children and greatgranddaughter. according to the Congressional Budget Office. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:27 Jul 01, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A30JN8.001 E30JNPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with REMARKS E720 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 30, 2021 We do not need a new ICBM to provide a Transferring back to the Air Force all unobli- crats. This history is integral to the discussion robust deterrence. The existing MMIII can gated funds for the GBSD program, and trans- we’re having today, as the men who fought to serve until 2040 with one more life extension, ferring unobligated funds for the W87–1 war- perpetuate slavery, impose racist policies, and which is technically feasible. Lieutenant Gen- head modification program from the National oppress newly freed Black Americans were all eral Richard M. Clark, then-Air Force Deputy Nuclear Security Administration to the Treas- Democrats. Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nu- ury. Now, the Democrats of today don’t want you clear Integration, noted in testimony before the I shall end this with a personal memory of to know that. Committee on Armed Services of the House of a visit to a United Kingdom submarine that They’ve worked hard to hide their history Representatives that we have ‘‘one more op- was about to deploy with 16 ICBM’s and mul- and supplant the accurate story of their party portunity’’ to conduct life extension on the Min- tiple nuclear bombs.