[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 49 (Tuesday, April 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2378]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              NATIONAL DEFENSE AND STATE OF U.S. MILITARY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to talk about national defense 
and the state of our military. It is a very important subject that does 
not seem to have received adequate attention lately.
  In fact, the President this year devoted only one sentence in his 
entire State of the Union Address to the need to maintain a ready and 
modern force. Additionally, the President's 1999 budget proposes more 
than $100 billion in new domestic spending, but it fails to provide one 
dime in increased defense spending.
  The administration's budget request for defense in 1999, therefore, 
represents the 14th consecutive year of real decline in defense 
spending. I personally do not believe this is the right policy for our 
Nation, and I know from talking to citizens in eastern North Carolina 
that they do not think so either.
  My constituents, like so many people throughout America, realize that 
having a strong national defense has played a critical role in the 
history of our country and that now is no time to have a weakened 
military. Maintaining a ready and modern force is like insurance for 
our Nation. None of us would want to drive our cars without having car 
insurance in the event of an accident, but we seem to be denied that 
same protection to our national safety and freedom.
  There is clear evidence that we no longer have the military to fight 
in two regions at the same time. Considering the real likelihood of 
this situation, I think it is past time that we take a serious look at 
protection we are denying ourselves. Once diminished, our forces cannot 
rebuild quickly, and they are, unfortunately, already 32 percent 
smaller than they were just 10 years ago.
  We have such fine men and women in our military today, but they are 
constantly faced with budget cuts and shortages despite so many base 
closings. Our pilots are not receiving the flying time they need to be 
thoroughly prepared, and many are leaving the military at an alarming 
rate. All too often our troops do not have adequate equipment, and 
their morale is suffering.
  I, for one, find this situation unacceptable. So many of our fellow 
countrymen have fought and sacrificed and even died so that we may have 
the freedoms we enjoy today. Yet we are, in effect, taking their 
bravery and sacrifices for granted by failing to adequately protect the 
safety and freedom they fought for.
  The President has deployed over 25 times our forces during his tenure 
at a monetary cost that exceeds $13 billion, and yet he continues to 
cut their budget.
  The 1999 defense budget request, when measured in constant dollars, 
represents the smallest defense budget since the beginning of the 
Korean War in 1950. I hope that, as we proceed with this year's 
appropriation process, my colleagues in this Congress would join me in 
the fight to stop this reckless depletion of our military.
  In the name of freedom, let us once again provide our Armed Forces 
with the resources they need to fulfill their mission of protecting 
this Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, may God bless America.

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