[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                PRESIDENT'S BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR DEFENSE

  (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express 
concern about the President's budget proposals for defense. For 
example, in the Clinton defense budget, spending is slightly increased. 
This gives a thinly veiled appearance of increased defense spending, 
but in reality our military readiness and force structure is gutted 
because the actual dollar outlays are substantially cut.
  This is not only unwise but is potentially dangerous. Although the 
cold war has been won, the world today is not less dangerous. From 
North Korea to Iraq to the Balkans there are threats to world security 
and our vital national interests. The future of reforms in Russia is 
uncertain, and a nationalistic relapse would threaten the security of 
an area which includes the second, third, and fourth largest nuclear 
powers in the world.
  In spite of the potential for the need of a strong and prepared 
military, this President responds by cutting the U.S. defense budget in 
order to increase domestic and social spending. Mr. Speaker, we must 
maintain an adequate military, and this budget does not accomplish 
this.

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