[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 383 Introduced in House (IH)]

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108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 383

 Expressing the sense of Congress concerning the well-being of members 
of the Armed Forces and calling on the Department of Defense to do its 
  utmost to see that deployed military personnel have the best force 
   protection equipment the Nation can make available, and for other 
                               purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2004

  Mr. Meehan submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress concerning the well-being of members 
of the Armed Forces and calling on the Department of Defense to do its 
  utmost to see that deployed military personnel have the best force 
   protection equipment the Nation can make available, and for other 
                               purposes.

Whereas United States military forces continue to be deployed in hazardous 
        operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world;
Whereas the members of the Armed Forces continue to distinguish themselves by 
        their bravery, dedication, and record of achievements;
Whereas many United States military personnel have been killed or wounded in 
        Iraq as the result of enemy action using improvised explosive devices 
        directed against vehicles;
Whereas such attacks continue on a daily basis;
Whereas it is critical that United States forces be able to continue to move 
        around Iraq by vehicle in order both to bring security to Iraq and to 
        help facilitate the reconstruction of Iraq;
Whereas technology exists that can minimize the effects of improvised explosive 
        devices directed against vehicles;
Whereas the requirement of the United States Central Command for increased armor 
        protection for vehicles includes 4,398 Up-Armored Humvee vehicles by the 
        end of 2004, of which less than half have been produced as of early 
        March 2004;
Whereas the requirement of the United States Central Command for add-on armor 
        kits is 8,400 by the end of 2004, of which only about 1,800 have been 
        produced, and less than a quarter have been installed, as of early March 
        2004;
Whereas current production plans are not likely to meet those requirements 
        before the end of 2004;
Whereas delay in meeting those requirements will continue to place members of 
        the Armed Forces at an elevated risk of death or injury;
Whereas the Congress, recognizing the urgency of the requirements for increasing 
        the armor protection of forward-deployed vehicles, has repeatedly 
        increased the funding appropriated for that purpose;
Whereas the production of Up-Armored Humvee vehicles is limited by industrial 
        capacity that is currently insufficient to meet the stated requirements; 
        and
Whereas although the United States continues to develop and deploy systems to 
        defeat improvised explosive devices, significant risk remains: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the well-being of the members of the Armed Forces 
        deployed in defense of the Nation is of paramount importance;
            (2) the Department of Defense should do its utmost to see 
        that deployed military personnel have the best force protection 
        equipment the Nation can make available;
            (3) the Department of Defense and the military departments 
        should, using all means at their disposal, increase the ability 
        of currently unarmored vehicles that are deployed forward for 
        operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring 
        Freedom to resist improvised explosive devices, such means to 
        include nontraditional production sources and technologies, 
        field-installable kits, and reprogramming of funds; and
            (4) the Department of Defense should immediately release to 
        the military departments all funds that have been authorized 
        and appropriated for the purposes of defeating improvised 
        explosive devices and mitigating their effect on vehicles and 
        that have not previously been released.
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