[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H4297-H4298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     AS AMERICA'S DEFENSE FORCES DWINDLE, SECURITY THREATS INCREASE

  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, having attended, like many of my colleagues, 
several Memorial Day services over the recent recess, I continue to 
become more and more concerned by America's dwindling national defense. 
By failing to maintain a strong military force, we are in effect 
dishonoring those who have served and died for our freedom. Please 
allow me to highlight some recent events.
  Surprising the United States intelligence community, India conducted 
five underground nuclear weapons tests last month. Neighboring Pakistan 
has since conducted six nuclear weapons tests of its own. It has been 
reported that Iraq has enough deadly biological weapons to kill every 
human being on Earth. And despite administration claims that no nuclear 
missiles are aimed at American children, a CIA report released last 
month reveals that 13 of China's 18 long-range strategic missiles have 
nuclear warheads aimed at United States cities.

[[Page H4298]]

  Mr. Speaker, we do not live in a safe world. America faces new 
threats and dangers each and every day, and yet we continue to cut our 
defense budget.
  The President's request for the fiscal year 1999 defense budget 
represents the 14th consecutive year of real decline in defense 
spending. Our forces today are 32 percent smaller than they were just 
10 years ago. In 1992, we had 18 Army divisions; we now have 10. And 
that same year we had 24 fighter wings; we now have 13. We also had 546 
Navy ships in 1992; we now have 333.
  Our forces are dwindling and yet threats to our freedom are ever 
increasing. Quite frankly, we seem to be taking our freedom for 
granted. This is a foolish thing to do. Just ask any veteran or any 
American who has lost a loved one in service to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, in the name of all those who have fought and who have 
died for this country, we must continue to maintain a military 
readiness. We cannot throw away the security America has fought so hard 
for.
  Right now while nuclear missiles are aimed at United States cities, 
our troops do not even have the basic ammunition they need. The Army is 
$1.7 billion short of basic ammunition and the Marine Corps has a 
shortfall in ammunition of over $193 million. I want to repeat that, 
Mr. Speaker. The Army is $1.7 billion short of basic ammunition and the 
Marine Corps has a shortfall in ammunition of over $193 million.
  At the same time the President has cut defense nearly in half, he has 
deployed troops over 25 times during his tenure. Thirteen billion 
dollars-plus has been spent on these peacekeeping deployments, which 
have exhausted funds that would have otherwise been used to maintain 
our military readiness and have stretched our forces to the limit.
  These peacekeeping deployments have also kept our men and women in 
uniform away from their homes and families for lengthy periods of time 
and have thereby decreased their morale. We cannot continue to ask our 
military to do more with less. This is why I was especially 
disappointed this year, to see that the President requested more than 
$100 billion in new domestic spending but failed to propose one dime in 
increased defense spending.
  Mr. Speaker it is past time to once again provide our military with 
the resource its needs to do the very important tasks it faces of 
protecting America.
  I urge my colleagues to help preserve our freedom and security and to 
support our Armed Forces. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and may God bless 
America.

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