[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 133 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H7802-H7812]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5010, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
ACT, 2003
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution
579, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 5010) making
appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2003, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 579, the
conference report is considered as having been read.
(For conference report and statement, see proceedings of the House of
October 9, 2002).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis)
and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) each will control 30
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
(Mr. LEWIS of California asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks, and include extraneous material.)
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, Members will be very pleased to
hear that I prepared a half-hour address regarding this measure, but I
gave those remarks this morning.
Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record a document relating to the 2002
and 2003 Defense appropriations.
[[Page H7803]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH10OC02.001
[[Page H7804]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH10OC02.002
[[Page H7805]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH10OC02.003
[[Page H7806]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH10OC02.004
[[Page H7807]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH10OC02.005
[[Page H7808]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH10OC02.006
[[Page H7809]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH10OC02.007
[[Page H7810]]
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1600
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, we have done the best that we can do with the amount of
money that was appropriated to us.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member rises in strong support for
the conference report on H.R. 5010, the Defense appropriations bill for
FY2003. This Member would like to offer particular thanks to the
Chairman of the Subcommittee on Department of Defense Appropriations,
the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), and the
Ranking Minority Member on the Subcommittee on Department of Defense
Appropriations, the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Murtha) for their work on this important bill.
Furthermore, this Member is very appreciative that the Committee has
approved the appropriations of $3.5 million for a bioprocessing
facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). These funds will
be used for the third phase of the project to establish and validate a
current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) processing facility with
the capability to make vaccines as therapeutic countermeasures against
biological warfare agents. Tow cGMP pilot plants, one dedicated to
yeast/bacterial culture and the other dedicated to mammalian cell
culture will be built within the new Chemical Engineering building on
the UNL campus. The funds will be used to build and equip the
laboratories.
This will be a commercial-grade facility, giving UNL the capability,
if requested by the Department of Defense (DoD), to make vaccines
against biological warfare agents and products that can be used as
therapeutic countermeasures to treat people who have been exposed to
biological agents. Currently, UNL is doing this on a smaller scale and,
therefore, is well suited to pursue this expansion. This new facility
certainly will enhance our nation's ability to respond to biological
warfare.
This Member sincerely thanks the Committee on Appropriations for
including $1.375 million in fiscal year 2003 for the Air National
Guard's Project ALERT. Currently, Project ALERT serves as an on-line
training tool developed and used by the Nebraska National Guard in
collaboration with the Department of Defense, the National Guard
Bureau, the University of Nebraska, and Nebraska Educational
Television. The $1.375 million appropriated in the conference report
will assist with the development of the new courses and the
modification of existing courses.
Indeed, the implications of Project ALERT extend nationwide and to
components of both the active and reserve military forces. Allowing
military forces to complete some training courses on their own time, as
Project ALERT does, provides an opportunity to cut on-site training
costs and time and to maximize exercise time. For the U.S. military to
meet the challenges it will face during the current war on terrorism
and throughout the 21st Century, it is crucial that Congress invest in
innovative and flexible training tools such as Project ALERT.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, this Member urges his colleagues to vote in
support of the conference report for H.R. 5010.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, earlier today the House voted to
authorize the President to unilaterally use force against Iraq. It's
appropriate that we immediately follow the Iraq debate with the largest
Department of Defense appropriations bill ever put before Congress. I
did not support the Iraq resolution and I do not support spending $1
billion per day on a variety of wasteful programs, many of which do not
improve the security of our nation.
The bill spends $355.1 billion; $35 billion more than the current
level. The conference report is $395 million more than what we passed
in the House in June. Unfortunately, $7.4 billion of this conference
report is for a misguided missile defense system, which will do nothing
to protect us against terrorists like Osama bin Laden. At this critical
time in our nation's struggle against terrorism, we must spend our
resources on America's immediate defense needs. Missile defense is not
among them.
In addition, this bill supports a controversial plan to lease as many
as 100 Boeing 767 aircraft for the Pentagon. Leasing, rather than
buying the aircraft will cost taxpayers more money in the long term.
There are some aspects of this bill that I find encouraging. The bill
provides no funds for the outmoded Crusader mobile howitzer, a weapons
system designed for a war from an age long past. Providing an
additional $368 million for work on a lighter and more flexible weapons
system is more appropriate.
The bottom line is that we are spending almost a billion dollars a
day on programs that do not do all they should to protect our country
from threats to its national security.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, for our nation to have a strong defense
capability, we need to make certain that critical manufacturing
capacity and skills are maintained. Some of the most vital are tool and
die, mold making and precision machining. They represent the first step
in manufacturing. These companies are family owned businesses located
in every state of the union. They are characterized by highly skilled
employees that provide the economic bedrock of our defense industrial
base.
Many of America's small businesses that offer this capability to our
defense infrastructure are closing their doors due to economic
difficulties caused by the current economic recession facing our
manufacturing industry. The National Tooling and Machining Association
has stated that over 400 companies have closed since January of this
year. We often find that prime contractors are subcontracting with
foreign firms rather than American businesses. If steps are not taken
now to assess and correct the situation, America may find itself
without these critical capabilities and skills. As was learned in the
West Coast dock work stoppage, some parts that are required by the U.S.
military were unavailable. This situation highlights an important
decision we must make. If we do not take steps immediately, our country
will lose the capability to produce the parts that are needed to
protect our country.
I appreciate the commitments I have received from the distinguished
chairman and ranking member to work with us to secure within 60 days
from the Department of Defense a report regarding what steps can be
taken to increase procurement, development of contracts, and
subcontracts, with these vital American small businesses.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule that will allow
for consideration of H.R. 5010, the defense appropriations bill for
fiscal year 2003. The tragic events of just over a year ago, have
thrust our Nation's military into the spotlight and called to duty the
brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. Once again, U.S. citizens
are rallying behind them in strong support of the harrowing mission
they have been called upon to do; and today the United States Congress
has a duty to pass this important legislation that will help provide
the necessary resources for these brave men and women to do their job.
This legislation first and foremost takes care of our most vital
asset in the military, our people. It provides every servicemember with
a 4.1 percent pay raise. The legislation gives our military personnel
the necessary resources to do their job. It fully funds budgeted
increases in steaming, flying, and training hours and resources needed
for increases for spare parts and real property maintenance. For the
soldiers and airmen in my district at Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force
Base, the ability to adequately care for their families and train for
the mission for which they are called are the two issues which are
second to none. I believe this legislation builds upon our work from
last year, continuing to reverse the decline of military readiness by
funding key operations, maintenance, and training accounts. This
financial support devoted to our national security is long in coming.
We must adequately provide the men and women from Fort Bragg and Pope
Air Force Base and all of our military personnel who are currently
prosecuting the war on terrorism adequate and necessary resources to do
their job.
I would like to specifically mention that this bill provides some
funding for some key capabilities for our U.S. Special Forces, many of
whom make their home in my district at Ft. Bragg, NC. While they,
alongside members from all our Armed Forces, serve in Afghanistan and
all over the world today, we show our support by providing the funding
necessary to effectively and safely do their job. The $355.1 billion we
are voting on today will help do that. It is targeted at two of the
most critical areas crucial to maintaining a quality of life and
readiness. Furthermore, this legislation funds important projects in
research and development, such as the optoelectronics program just
getting underway in my district at the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte.
Mr. Speaker, it is gross injustice and misfortune that it took the
tragedy in September to focus the public eye on the need for a more
robust defense budget; but I feel the legislation in front of us takes
that step, and the rule provides for its consideration. I urge Members
to vote strongly in favor of the rule and the final legislation.
Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this Conference
Report, which provides $355.1 billion in new discretionary spending
authority to the Department of Defense, a very necessary increase of
$37.5 billion over Fiscal Year 2002 spending levels. As our Nation
confronts the security challenges facing us, we must ensure that
adequate and secure funding is provided for our armed forces to
confront these challenges swiftly and effectively. I am pleased that
this legislation provides not only the material resources to continue
our vigilant efforts in the war on terrorism, but also provides the
necessary funding towards an improved quality of life for our men and
women in uniform.
[[Page H7811]]
Mr. Speaker, I do continue to have concerns about the implications of
passing this legislation ahead of other appropriations bills, and the
possibility that funding for other necessary appropriations bills may
be marginalized. At a time when our Nation's economy is weak and our
citizens have paid the price, Congress must refrain from politics in
the appropriations of the government's limited funds. I am pleased that
this Conference Report reflects that which our Nation's security
demands: a large increase in foreign intelligence spending, increased
funding for the strategic mobility or armed forces need to deploy
swiftly in forward engagements, and increased funding to confront the
threat of unconventional nuclear, biological, and chemical threats. I
believe this legislation provides the appropriate and responsible
increases in Department of Defense funding that will assist our armed
forces in confronting the unanticipated demands in the global fight
against terror.
I am pleased that this conference report includes funding for three
initiatives which I have long supported to protect the lives of the
people of this Nation. Of particular interest is the funding of $11
million for the Texas Training and Technology for Trauma and Terrorism
(T5) program at the University of Texas Health Science Center at
Houston (UTHSC). The T5 program is a continuation of the successful
Disaster Relief and Emergency Medical Services (DREAMS) program at
UTHSC. The goal of the T5 project is to identify the best ways of
protecting Houston, or any other city, from the morbidity, mortality
and cost of terrorism and other disasters. The project will consist of
several components including creating digital emergency medical
services to patients who are linked by mobile wireless video,
establishing a Center for Disaster Preparedness at the University of
Texas School of Public Health, developing hand-held software called
Responder to enable first responders to have at their fingertips
critical information including the local fire department, State, local,
and Federal authorities, and establishing a high-security building at
the University of Texas Research Park for isolation, decontamination,
and triage center for public health and bioterrorism threats.
The second project will provide $9 million for the Biology,
Education, Screening, Chemoprevention and Treatment (BESCT) lung cancer
research program at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. This is the fourth
installment in my five-year effort to expand medical research on lung
cancer. Lung cancer claims the lives of more than 160,000 each year and
is devastating to the families who are affected by this disease. For
many lung cancer patients, there are not adequate treatments to cure
the disease. The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is less than
15 percent. This $9 million in research will build upon the $15 million
that Congress has already provided to the UT M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center will have the funds necessary to help save lies and reduce
health care costs.
The third project will provide $750,000 for a joint chiropractic
health initiative between the 147th Fighter Squadron at Ellington Field
and Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas. This funding will
allow Moody Clinic at Texas Chiropractic College to provide the men and
women of the 147th Fighter Squadron with new diagnostic imaging assets
and other tools that will enhance the chiropractic, pain management,
and related health services available to them. This funding will be
matched by private sector donations and will help active duty personnel
to obtain chiropractic care in accordance with current law. Many active
duty personnel will for the first time have access to chiropractic
services which have been shown to be cost effective and helpful to
improve productivity of personnel.
I urge my colleagues to support this conference report to ensure that
we provide adequate Federal funding to defend our Nation and to ensure
that our Nation's armed forces received the necessary benefits which
they deserve.
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Thornberry). Without objection, the
previous question is ordered on the conference report.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the conference report.
Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 409,
nays 14, not voting 8, as follows:
[Roll No. 457]
YEAS--409
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Allen
Andrews
Armey
Baca
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldwin
Ballenger
Barcia
Barr
Barrett
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Becerra
Bentsen
Bereuter
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop
Blagojevich
Blunt
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bono
Boozman
Borski
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Bryant
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Carson (IN)
Carson (OK)
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Clay
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coble
Collins
Combest
Condit
Conyers
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crane
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Culberson
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis, Jo Ann
Davis, Tom
Deal
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
DeMint
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Dooley
Doolittle
Doyle
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Edwards
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Emerson
Engel
English
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Flake
Fletcher
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fossella
Frelinghuysen
Frost
Gallegly
Ganske
Gekas
Gephardt
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Goss
Graham
Granger
Graves
Green (TX)
Green (WI)
Greenwood
Grucci
Gutierrez
Gutknecht
Hall (TX)
Hansen
Harman
Hart
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Herger
Hill
Hilleary
Hilliard
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoeffel
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Horn
Hostettler
Houghton
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inslee
Isakson
Israel
Issa
Istook
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
John
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kerns
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind (WI)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kleczka
Knollenberg
Kolbe
LaFalce
LaHood
Lampson
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren
Lowey
Lucas (KY)
Lucas (OK)
Luther
Lynch
Maloney (CT)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Markey
Mascara
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McCrery
McGovern
McHugh
McInnis
McIntyre
McKeon
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Mica
Millender-McDonald
Miller, Dan
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Miller, Jeff
Mollohan
Moore
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Morella
Murtha
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nethercutt
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nussle
Obey
Olver
Osborne
Ose
Otter
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Pelosi
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Phelps
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Pombo
Pomeroy
Portman
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Quinn
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reyes
Reynolds
Riley
Rivers
Rodriguez
Roemer
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Rush
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Sanchez
Sanders
Sandlin
Sawyer
Saxton
Schaffer
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schrock
Scott
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shows
Shuster
Simmons
Simpson
Skeen
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Stenholm
Strickland
Stupak
Sullivan
Sununu
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Thune
Thurman
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Toomey
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Velazquez
Visclosky
Vitter
Walden
Walsh
Wamp
Watkins (OK)
Watson (CA)
Watts (OK)
Waxman
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NAYS--14
Blumenauer
Filner
Frank
Jackson (IL)
Kucinich
Lee
Lewis (GA)
McDermott
Oberstar
Paul
Payne
Waters
Watt (NC)
Woolsey
NOT VOTING--8
Baldacci
Bonior
Cooksey
Coyne
McKinney
Ortiz
Roukema
Stump
{time} 1625
Mr. KUCINICH changed his vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
[[Page H7812]]
So the conference report was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to recommit was laid on the table.
____________________