[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 87 (Monday, July 6, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7363-S7364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               STROM THURMOND DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

   Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to commend the Chairman and 
Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for their fine 
work on the Strom Thurmond Defense Authorization Bill which passed the 
Senate by a vote of 88-4 on June 25th of this year. The nearly 
unanimous support by this body for this $270 billion authorization bill 
is a real tribute to their diligence and foresight.
  This bill will deservedly bear the name of my good friend Chairman 
Thurmond in recognition of his life-long commitment to the defense of 
this nation. Some may think that the Chairman s devotion to national 
defense began with his assignment to the Armed Services Committee some 
forty years ago, but they would be mistaken. In fact, Senator Thurmond 
joined the Army reserves in 1924. Shortly after the United States 
declared war against Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany in 1941, at the 
age of 39, Senator Thurmond resigned his judgeship and joined the Army. 
As a member of the elite 82nd Airborne Unit, he worked behind enemy 
lines in advance of the D-Day invasion force which landed 54 years ago 
this month. He won a Legion of Merit and rose to the rank of Major 
General in the Army Reserve. So Senator Thurmond has not only played a 
major role in developing national defense policy, but he has literally 
stood at the vanguard in the defense of this nation.
  The bill bears the imprint of his strong commitment to the national 
defense. In addition to procuring world-class weapons systems and 
preserving troop readiness, the bill includes a 3.6% pay increase for 
our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. The men and women who serve 
on the front lines deserve that increase for their determination and 
commitment in defending this nation.
  For the retirees who served in the Armed Forces for most of their 
lives, this bill includes three health care demonstration projects. The 
goal is to provide the best possible health care to the protectors of 
this nation by eliminating the weaknesses of the present system.
  The bill provides $2.7 billion for the second New Attack Submarine 
which will be built by Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding. 
These two shipyards, the finest in the nation, will continue to build 
the world s most capable submarines.
  I am concerned, however, by reports that the Navy's strength may drop 
below 300 ships and the attack submarine force below 50 submarines. 
Recent events in the Persian Gulf and on the Indian subcontinent should 
serve as reminders that we face an uncertain future. We must not allow 
ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security that would have 
us cut the number of submarines to less than half of Cold War levels. 
After all, a couple of submarines can cut off the world's supply of oil 
from the Persian Gulf. We have worked too hard during two world wars 
and the Cold War to let our guard down now, and I believe we must 
remain vigilant.
  The Senate Armed Services Committee deserves praise for adding eight 
UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters to the President's request for a total of 
34 Blackhawk-type helicopters. Four of these versatile aircraft will be 
delivered to the Navy, twelve will be delivered to the Army, and 
eighteen will go to the National Guard. Most of the Blackhawks will 
replace Vietnam-era Huey helicopters that cannot meet everyday 
commitments. I hope that we will see a larger request from the 
President next year in recognition of the needs of all three services.
  Finally, this bill fully funds other vitally important defense 
programs, including the Comanche helicopter, the C-17 cargo aircraft, 
the F-22 fighter and the JSTARS aircraft. These systems will be 
elements in this nation's

[[Page S7364]]

arsenal for decades to come. The Committee's careful consideration of 
these programs led them to decisions that I whole-heartedly support.
  As a whole, the bill is good for this nation's defense and it is 
vitally important in the less-predictable world of today. I am proud to 
stand with my colleagues on the Committee and the vast majority of the 
Senate in supporting this bill.

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