[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 118 (Monday, September 13, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H8127-H8128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H.R. 2561, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take 
from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 2561) making appropriations for 
the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2000, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree 
to the Senate amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the 
Senate.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.


                 Motion to Instruct Offered by Mr. Obey

  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to instruct conferees.
  The Clerk read as follows:
       Mr. Obey moves that the managers on the part of the House 
     at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses 
     on the bill, H.R. 2561, be instructed to insist on:
       Section 8113 of the House bill providing $50,000,000 to 
     enhance United States defense capabilities against domestic 
     terrorist attacks using weapons of mass destruction, and on 
     Section 8114 of the House bill providing $150,000,000 to 
     improve the protection of Department of Defense computer 
     systems from non-authorized access.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the gentleman from Wisconsin 
(Mr. Obey) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) each will be 
recognized for 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I did not expect to be here alone on this question 
today. I regret that because of the surprise nature of the 
consideration of these issues that the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Kaptur) was not able to be here to deal with the agriculture bill that 
was brought before us.
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano) had no notice either of the 
intention of the House to deal with the State, Justice, Commerce bill. 
The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) is in the same situation 
with respect to the Defense appropriations bill.
  Let me say that this motion to instruct is very simple. It asks the 
Congress to think about the kind of threats that we will face in the 
future, not the kind of threats that we have faced in the past. We must 
be mindful of the latter, but we must be even more alert to the former.
  It seems to me that we have to recognize the fact that one of the 
largest dangers to our security interests over coming years will be a 
threat that comes from potential terrorist attacks using chemical and 
biological and other different kinds of weapons that are traditionally 
thought of when one thinks of war.
  As we move more and more into an electronics age, as we are more and 
more both aided by and imprisoned by computers, we need to recognize 
the fact that there is a substantial security risk to this country on 
the part of persons who can weave their way into our own computers, not 
just at DOD but other agencies across Government.
  So this motion simply asks that the higher amounts that are within 
scope in the conference on these items be approved so that we do 
whatever it is possible to do to the maximum given the nature of the 
bills before us to enhance our security against terrorist attacks and 
to enhance our ability to defend against computer hackers.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) 
that he is never here on the floor alone when he and I have an 
opportunity to work on behalf of the American public together.
  In the meantime, the motion of the gentleman is a good one. It is not 
controversial. We are pleased to accept it on our sides.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to instruct

[[Page H8128]]

offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).
  The motion was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the Chair appoints the 
following conferees: Messrs. Lewis of California, Young of Florida, 
Skeen, Hobson, Bonilla, Nethercutt, Istook, Cunningham, Dickey, 
Frelinghuysen, Murtha, Dicks, Sabo, Dixon, Visclosky, Moran of 
Virginia, and Mr. Obey.
  There was no objection.

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