[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 146 (Friday, October 17, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE AND FOR THE 
              RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 16, 2003

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3289) making 
     emergency supplemental appropriations for defense and for the 
     reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes:

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of our troops and in 
support of the Obey Amendment to the Iraq Supplemental Bill. I urge my 
colleagues to allow a vote on this amendment.
  This Amendment is a better plan for the reconstruction of Iraq, a 
better plan for the safety of our troops, and a better plan for 
America.
  This Administration has already received $63 billion to help pay for 
this war and now they want an additional $87 billion, which could even 
be more in the future.
  We have a deficit that is rapidly rising in this nation, an 
unemployment rate that is nearly the greatest it has been in a decade, 
families struggling without healthcare and a president who has 
drastically cut education by $9.2 billion. The American people have to 
make a decision between losing their home and healthcare.
  We have an administration that went into Iraq without a plan. They 
asked the nation to trust them and now our troops are overseas dying 
every day. And at greater rates then when we were at war.
  Our soldiers are exhausted and we do not know when they will be 
coming home! From my district the 1st Battalion 185th Armored Regiment, 
California National Guard could be shipped to go to Iraq as early as 
November.
  One year ago when this nation was debating whether we should go to 
war, I questioned whether our troops had the equipment they needed to 
protect themselves. And I am still asking this question. We are losing 
American lives every single day.
  Our troops are tired. We need more manpower. This amendment increases 
the troops from 480,000 to 500,000. The safety of our soldiers must not 
be ignored!
  I keep thinking about a young man in my district that we recently 
lost. His name was Jorge Gonzales and I thought about his parents Mario 
and Rosa from Rialto. Regardless of the details of the reconstruction 
plan, we must make sure our soldiers have the equipment they need to 
survive and make it home safe.
  But I also cannot stress enough, that I support this amendment 
because it makes the administration accountable for the spending they 
are doing in Iraq. Under this amendment, the president must give a 
detailed report about how the funds in Iraq have already been spent and 
how they will be spent.
  We must know who and why the administration is granting contracts to. 
We must know why they have decided to ignore the competitive bidding 
process and award contracts secretly.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Obey Amendment, an amendment that 
creates accountability, protects our soldiers, and does not hurt the 
American economy or its people.

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