[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 71 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001

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                               speech of

                            HON. TIM ROEMER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 7, 2000

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4576) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2001, and for other purposes.

  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Defense 
Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2001. This legislation has placed 
great emphasis on expanding quality of life initiatives, addressing 
readiness shortfalls, and enhancing modernization programs. I am 
particularly supportive of the procurement budget in this legislation 
for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) or Hummer.
  The Congress and especially the Appropriations Committee have 
strongly supported sustained Hummer production. The hard-working people 
of Indiana's Third Congressional district have responded by providing a 
vehicle that has met, and in many cases, exceeded the needs of our 
brave troops in the field. The Hummer's superior quality allowed three 
U.S. Army soldiers to walk away unharmed from their vehicle after it 
drove over and exploded an antitank mine in Bosnia.
  Moreover, both the Army and the Marine Corps have identified the 
Hummer among their unfunded modernization priorities. This defense 
appropriations bill meets those priorities by increasing the budget by 
$40 million, thereby allowing the Army and the Marines to buy 3,400 
Hummers to replace their aging fleet and provide technology insertion. 
This will go a long way toward protecting our brave men and women in 
uniform deployed in Kosovo and Bosnia.
  I am enthused by the growing capabilities of the Hummer. Earlier this 
year, I visited the Hummer plant and saw a prototype of the commercial 
``Hummer 11'' which is being developed by a joint effort between AM 
General and General Motors. The Hummer's expansion into the commercial 
marketplace will result in the sharing of leading technologies for 
commercial and military vehicles while maintaining a highly skilled 
technological workforce in Indiana who I am very proud to represent.
  Mr. Chairman, I wish to express my gratitude to the members of the 
Appropriations Committee who have reported a defense appropriations 
bill that will ensure continued Hummer production. I urge my colleagues 
to support this legislation.

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