[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 35 (Friday, February 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E426-E427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS AND RESCISSIONS FOR THE 
               DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR FISCAL YEAR 1995

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                               speech of

                             HON. VIC FAZIO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 22, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 889) making 
     emergency supplemental appropriations and rescissions to 
     preserve and enhance the military readiness of the Department 
     of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1995, and 
     for other purposes.

  Mr. FAZIO. Mr. Chairman, I was disappointed that I could not support 
final passage of defense supplemental appropriations which I strongly 
believe is vital to our combat readiness. However, as presented to me 
yesterday, I was forced to choose between programs which I consider 
critical to long-term defense security as well as my district versus 
providing needed funding to pay for our foreign operations.
  I support replenishing the defense funds used in various peacekeeping 
and humanitarian operations so our force structure remains strong. That 
is not the problem with this bill. The problem is the way in which this 
legislation seeks to pay for this replenishment--by hamstringing 
efforts to ensure military security through promotion of a strong 
economic and industrial base.
  [[Page E427]] There are two ways in which our industrial base is 
jeopardized. The first is the attempt to gut a program designed to 
allow the private industry and the defense industry to work together on 
high-technology projects. Certain defense requirements in the future 
will depend on innovative approaches, and by allowing the commercial 
sector to create dual use technologies that serve both defense and 
private industry needs we create a stronger defense.
  The value of the Technology Reinvestment Program can be demonstrated 
by the joint venture ongoing at McClellan Air Force Base in my district 
with the U.S. auto industry to develop metal casting processes that 
will meet the Clean Air Act standards. Locally, the joint venture has 
the potential to create as many as 180 jobs over 5 years, most of which 
will be high-paying jobs for metallurgists, chemical engineers, 
industrial engineers, chemists, and foundry workers.
  Add to this the proposal in the bill to take away money needed for 
environmental cleanup activities at military installations. The cost to 
clean up McClellan Air Force Base, for example, could be as high as $10 
billion. The long-term military value of bases like McClellan is 
diminished if cleanup is not addressed. Even worse these costs could be 
passed along to local communities through the base closure process to 
avoid the liability. The lack of cleanup would prevent any reuse of the 
facility, and the combined economic impact of job loss and no defense 
conversion would devastate the local economy.
  These spending cuts are shortsighted. If we care about long-term 
defense readiness this is not the way to go. I consider both technology 
development and defense cleanup to be high priorities which we can not 
afford to sacrifice when other options exist.


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