[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             1996 DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE REPORT

                                 ______


                          HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 1995

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the Defense appropriations 
conference report for fiscal year 1996. With the severe cuts the 
Republican majority is making in education, environmental protection, 
housing programs, and in other vital needs, increasing defense spending 
by nearly $7 billion dollars more than the Pentagon requested is not 
justified.
  The security of the United States cannot be provided for by simply 
increasing the number of planes, bombers, and submarines. Economic 
security, safety at work, and access to quality health care are real 
elements of national security. How can we say the United States is more 
secure with these appropriations, while Medicare is being cut; while 
funds are reduced for occupational safety for American workers; while 
educational programs are gutted?
  The conference report provides for more B-2 stealth bombers, B-2's 
that are not part of the Pentagon's request. That's $493 million for 
unnecessary planes while programs to assist senior citizens are 
slashed. The report continues in this vein, with funding for the 
Seawolf submarine, an increase in spending on Star Wars missile 
defense, and billions more for other weapons and programs.
  At the same time as funding spirals upward for uncalled for defense 
programs, the Republican majority is sacrificing funds for the United 
States share of U.N. peacekeeping operations and cutting United States 
assistance for the demilitarization of the former Soviet Union. The 
environment also takes a hit in this conference report. Programs to 
clean-up environmental contamination from past military activities and 
to improve current and future Defense Department environmental 
awareness also receive less funding. This is short-sighted and misses 
the aspects of security that comprise our quality of life, a quality 
that is linked to the environment in which we live.
  Mr. Speaker, the security of the United States is not served by this 
conference report. We need smart people not just smart bombs! 
Increasing spending on weapons and programs the Pentagon did not ask 
for does not provide security for workers, students, children, or 
senior citizens. I strongly urge a ``No'' vote on the Defense 
conference report.

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