[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 7, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1075-S1076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRESSMAN FLOYD SPENCE NAMED THE RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF THE 
                UNITED STATES 1996 MINUTEMAN OF THE YEAR

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, on January 24, 1996, my able colleague 
from South Carolina, Floyd Spence, the chairman of the House National 
Security Committee, received the 1996 Minuteman of the Year Award from 
the Reserve Officers Association of the United States. He is most 
deserving of this high honor. Throughout the 25 years that Floyd Spence 
has served in the House of Representatives, he has been a strong 
advocate for ensuring that our Nation's defense capabilities are second 
to none, and he has demonstrated great leadership ability as 

[[Page S1076]]
the chairman of the House National Security Committee in the 104th 
Congress. Floyd Spence is a man of character and integrity, and it is a 
privilege to work with him. He is truly dedicated to the freedoms that 
we as Americans hold so dear.
  Mr. President, I was so impressed with the remarks that Chairman 
Spence made when he received the 1996 Minuteman of the Year Award, that 
I would like to share them with my colleagues. Mr. President, I ask 
unanimous consent that the address made by Floyd Spence to the Reserve 
Officers Association of the United States on January 24, 1996, be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the address was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

 Address by Congressman Floyd D. Spence to the Mid-Winter Banquet and 
Military Ball of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States 
                            January 24, 1996

       It is a privilege for me to be in the presence of so many 
     great Americans this evening, and to join the list of famous 
     people who have received the Minuteman of the Year award from 
     the Reserve Officers Association of the United States. I 
     never thought that I would be honored in this way. I would 
     like to thank you. I also would like to thank God, for it is 
     through him that I received a double-lung transplant in 1988, 
     that has extended my life and allowed me to continue my work 
     in the Congress.
       It is indeed an honor to be selected as the 1996 Minuteman 
     of the Year. I joined the Navy when I was 17 years old, and 
     after graduating from college, I was commissioned as an 
     ensign in the Naval Reserve. As a retired Captain in the Navy 
     and a member of the Reserve Officers Association, not a day 
     goes by that I do not think about my time in the Naval 
     Reserve and relate it to my work as Chairman of the House 
     National Security Committee. I use those experiences in 
     looking for ways to do what is best for our men and women in 
     uniform and for our National Security. To be recognized as I 
     mark my first anniversary as Chairman, this award really 
     means a lot to me.
       A Chairman of a Committee, in either the House or the 
     Senate, is only as good as the people that he serves with. 
     Over my 25 years in the House, I have had the privilege of 
     serving with some of the finest Members that the United 
     States Congress has seen. And, although my dear friend and 
     colleague from Mississippi could not be here tonight, due to 
     back surgery, I would like to take a moment to recognize 
     Sonny Montgomery for his infinite support for our veterans, 
     and our Reserve and National Guard programs.
       Sonny will be retiring at the end of this term after 30 
     years in the House. But, we, his family of veterans, 
     Reservists and members of the National Guard, can all take 
     comfort in knowing that the Congress is a better place due to 
     his service. I do not need to say any more. I am certain that 
     because of Sonny Montgomery, either you or someone that you 
     know was able to go to college through the Montgomery GI 
     Bill. I will be sure to pass along your warm greeting to 
     Sonny.
       I am sometimes accused of being too supportive of the 
     military. To my accusers, I say that it is impossible to be 
     too supportive of the military that helped this country to 
     gain and keep its freedom. When I was appointed Chairman, 
     last year, my first proposal was to change the Department of 
     Defense's name to the Department of Offense. When people 
     quote scripture to me, it is often from Isaiah and references 
     the beating of swords into plowshares. My immediate response 
     is to quote Joel 3:9--``wake up mighty men and beat 
     plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears.''
       Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution gives the 
     Congress the responsibility of providing for the defense of 
     our Nation. We have conducted a survey of the status of our 
     defense, which concludes that defense spending has been cut 
     too deeply and that the President's defense plan underfunds 
     the Bottom-Up Review force structure and the overall National 
     Military Strategy for two major regional contingencies.
       In my 25 years on the Hill, I have seen leaders come and 
     go; budget fights won and lost; and changes in threat, 
     weapons systems and strategies, and even a ``hollow'' 
     military. I have seen hot wars, cold wars, contingency, 
     peacekeeping and even peace enforcement operations; yet, I 
     have never been more concerned about the state of our 
     National Security than I am now.
       Unlike during the Cold War, when the consensus on the 
     threat generally dictated our national strategy, forces, 
     budgets and weapon systems decisions, there is no consensus 
     on the threat to our national interest in the post-Cold War 
     world, as we cannot see the threat. As the former Director of 
     the CIA testified several years ago, in the post-Cold War 
     world it is as if a mighty dragon had been slayed and the 
     result is a jungle full of deadly snakes.
       In this new environment, we still face weapons of mass 
     destruction, low technology and inexpensive delivery systems. 
     We still face a growing range of nationalist, ethnic and 
     religious conflicts that transcend traditional borders. The 
     only people who have seen the end of war are the dead 
     themselves. Whether or not this country will next go to war 
     is not a question of ``if'' but a question of ``when.''
       Yet, we have cut back too severely over the last decade. 
     For example, over the last decade of declining defense 
     budgets, we have cut back dramatically on modernization 
     spending--procurement spending by 70 percent and research and 
     development spending by 20 percent. As a consequence, there 
     will be a dramatic modernization shortfall beginning early in 
     the next century.
       As for force structure, just since the end of Desert Storm, 
     we have cut back: active duty force structure by almost 30 
     percent, Army divisions by 30 percent, combat ships by 32 
     percent, and warplanes by 36 percent. Currently, many experts 
     doubt that we could conduct another campaign like we did in 
     the Persian Gulf in 1991.
       One year ago, in an effort to begin revitalizing our 
     National Security, the Chairman of the National Security 
     Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, Bill Young, and 
     I worked with the Republican Leadership to stop the 
     ``hemorrhaging,'' to freeze defense spending and to end the 
     decline. We managed to reach an agreement to add 
     approximately $30 billion to defense over the next 7 years.
       The defense authorization Conference Report, that the House 
     adopted earlier today, reflects this additional funding, as 
     well as our focus on four basic priorities: improving 
     military quality of life, sustaining core readiness, 
     reinvigorating lagging modernization programs, and beginning 
     long overdue reform of The Pentagon. As this group knows, our 
     Reserves will be critical to this revitalized United States 
     National Security posture.
       I am sure that you are aware that Congressman Greg Laughlin 
     is working to ensure that the Reserves are an integral part 
     of that National Security posture. As sponsor of the 
     ``Reserve Forces Revitalization Act of 1995,'' Greg has 
     introduced legislation that, if passed in its present form, 
     will result in many substantive changes in the way that the 
     Reserve components are organized and administered.
       As a retired Naval Reservist, I am acutely aware of the 
     challenges and sacrifices that you face. The ``Reserve Forces 
     Revitalization Act of 1995'' is intended to address many of 
     the administrative and organizational inefficiencies that 
     have developed in Reserve programs, and it is designed to 
     reinforce the ``Total Force Concept.'' As the demands on our 
     active forces are spread thinner than ever across the world, 
     our Committee and The Pentagon are continually looking for 
     ways to increase reliance on the Reserve components of all of 
     the branches of the Armed Services.
       During the Fiscal Year 1997 authorization cycle, the 
     National Security Committee's Personnel Subcommittee, which 
     is chaired by Congressman Bob Dornan, will conduct hearings 
     on the aspects that fall under the Committee's jurisdiction. 
     But, you do not need to wait until next year. The Fiscal Year 
     1996 Defense Authorization bill, which was passed by the 
     House today by a 287 to 129 vote, has already accomplished a 
     few of the Revitalization Act's objectives. As soon as the 
     President signs the bill, the following programs will become 
     active:
       Mobilization Income Insurance Program for Ready Reserve 
     members. This new insurance plan is voluntary and will be 
     financed by premiums paid by the participants.
       Medical and Dental Care for Members of the Selected Reserve 
     for early deploying Army Reserve and National Guard units. 
     The Conference Report also establishes a shared-cost dental 
     insurance program for all members of the Selected Reserve, 
     which will be fully implemented in Fiscal Year 1997.
       Military Technician Full-Time Support Program. The 
     Committee felt that the Military Technician Full-Time Support 
     Program is essential to Reserve component readiness, and to 
     the Reserve components' ability to relieve active duty units 
     suffering under the duress of consistently high operating 
     tempos. Therefore, the conferees agreed to increase military 
     technician endstrength by 1,400 over the Administration's 
     request and to prohibit reductions below established 
     endstrengths, except for those occurring as a result of force 
     structure changes.
       Increase in the Number of Members in the Grades of O-4, O-
     5, and O-6 Authorized to Serve on Active Duty in Support of 
     the Reserves. and
       Continued Support for the Off-Site Agreement for the Army 
     Reserve and the National Guard.
       As always, the National Security Committee is fully 
     supportive and will remain fully committed to each of the 
     Reserve components and the National Guard.
       In closing, I want to thank the members of the Reserve 
     Officers Association for their leadership in Reserve affairs. 
     As Chairman, I look to the ROA for your insight and 
     perspective on all matters relating to the Reserve forces. 
     Thank you for bestowing the honor of being Minuteman of the 
     Year for 1996 upon me. I look forward to working with you as 
     we begin to address the authorization process for the next 
     fiscal year. Thank you. God bless you and our great Country.

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