[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 146 (Friday, October 17, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H9620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 BUREAUCRATIC INCOMPETENCE, INDIFFERENCE AND INTRANSIGENCE AT PENTAGON

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, today the House will vote to borrow $87 
billion to continue the conflict in Iraq and build and revitalize the 
Iraqi economy. They say it is necessary to support the troops. It is 
not for dearth of funds that our troops lack ceramic body armor or 
armored Humvees and other essentials. There are ample, unspent funds, 
billions from the $79 billion we borrowed for this war last April, but 
it is bureaucratic incompetence, indifference and intransigence at the 
Pentagon. Secretary Rumsfeld and his advisors did not order armor 
because they did not think that we would need it, and they could never 
admit they were wrong. It did not fit their scenario.
  They say it is necessary for the security of the American people that 
we are going to borrow $20 billion in the name of working Americans to 
invest and stimulate the Iraqi economy, to build their infrastructure, 
roads, bridges, highways, state of the art telecommunications, sewer 
and electric.
  Well, it is not going to boost our economy here at home, and that is 
the security that my constituents and most Members' constituents are 
worried about. If we invest in the economy as the Democrats have 
advised, it would provide 1 million jobs for Americans.

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