[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 102 (Friday, July 11, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 8, 2003

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2658) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2004 and for other purposes:

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the 
very important FY04 Department of Defense appropriations bill. In my 
opinion, some of the most important provisions in this bill are the pay 
increases for our men and women in uniform. H.R. 2658 provides an 
average pay increase of 4.1 percent for military personnel in FY 2004 
and provides targeted pay hikes of up to 6.3 percent for a variety of 
other personnel.
  Another issue of great importance also included in this 
appropriations bill is funding for the BRAC process. From 1995 to 2000 
Congress intentionally refused to authorize another round of BRAC. Only 
in late 2001 did the Senate add the controversial provision to the FY02 
Defense Authorization Act, authorizing the fifth BRAC for 2005. The 
House-passed authorization bill did not include any such BRAC 
provision, but in December 2001, the House finally approved the 
Conference Report to the FY02 Defense Authorization bill with the 
Senate's BRAC provision included.
  The first significant steps in implementing the new 2005 base closure 
law were formally announced by Secretary Rumsfeld on November 15, 2002. 
These included development of a force structure plan, conducting a 
comprehensive inventory of military installations, and establishing 
criteria for selecting bases for closure or realignment. Secretary 
Rumsfeld further stated that he felt another round of base closures 
would be necessary in light of his efforts to undergo a military 
transformation to a quicker, sleeker fighting force.
  Although I have not found much common ground recently with the 
President and Secretary Rumsfeld, in this case I do. As such, I plan to 
vote against Mr. Hostettler's amendment to preclude the use of funds 
provided by this bill to proceed with the BRAC process. In addition, 
the veto threat issued by the President if this amendment passes should 
be heeded considering the importance of the funding for the DOD.
  With that said, I would like to take this opportunity to express my 
strong support for Cannon Air Force Base, located in my district. Not 
only do I strongly support Cannon remaining open through the 2005 round 
of closings, but I have every confidence that it will, in fact, remain 
open.
  Cannon Air Force Base and the men and women who serve there are an 
integral part of New Mexico, the Clovis community immediately 
surrounding it, and an integral component of our national defense. In 
addition, Cannon's pilots have an excellent training space, the Melrose 
Bombing Range, very close by. Cannon has no encroachment, and is 
surrounded by open space.
  In the past, I have worked very hard to ensure that Cannon's 
facilities are worthy of the high-caliber personnel who use them. I 
have worked with my colleagues in the New Mexico delegation to secure 
funding through the Military Construction Appropriations bill for 
several worthy projects at the base. I have every intention of 
continuing to work to secure funding for the facilities there that are 
currently substandard to further shield this important component of our 
national defense from being closed.
  Mr. Chairman, for the reasons I have outlined above, I will vote 
against Mr. Hostettler's amendment. I urge my colleagues to do the 
same. However, I do support passage of the underlying bill, as it 
provides important funding for our brave men and women in the Armed 
Forces.

                          ____________________