[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4059, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 1999

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                               speech of

                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 1998

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member rises to express his support 
for the conference report on H.R. 4059, the Military Construction 
Appropriations Act for 1999. This Member would like to again express a 
very special and sincere thanks to the Chairman of the Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Military Construction, the distinguished gentleman from 
California [Mr. Packard], and also express appreciation to the ranking 
Democrat of the Subcommittee, the distinguished gentleman from North 
Carolina [Mr. Hefner], the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, 
the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], and the 
Ranking Democrat of the Appropriations Committee, the distinguished 
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], along with the other Members of 
the Military Construction Subcommittee, and the full Committee for 
their efforts in approving the Nebraska National Guard Joint Army-Air 
Medical Training Facility located in Nebraska's 1st Congressional 
District, which this Member represents.
  This new facility will be a unique cost saving military construction 
project as both Nebraska's Army and Air National Guard Units will 
provide resources jointly to fund the construction project. While this 
joint funding construction arrangement is unusual, and was initially 
bureaucratically challenged, it is the reasonable way to go, for a 
jointly used facility is by far the most cost-effective and economical 
use of taxpayer resources. Isn't it ironic that taking the most cost-
effective approach in spending the taxpayers' money is not always the 
easiest bureaucratic course? This project will go a long way toward 
improving the quality of training that Army and Air National Guard 
health professionals will receive, and will also improve the quality of 
health care provided to Nebraska National Guard personnel. In 
conclusion, I again want to express my thanks to the National Guard 
Bureau, and the Subcommittee for assisting this Member in his effort to 
make this a joint, cost-effective project.
  Mr. Speaker, this conference report appears to be carefully and 
necessarily frugally drafted to contain worthy military construction 
projects. Therefore, this Member also asks his colleagues to vote for 
the conference report on H.R. 4059.

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