[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 147 (Monday, October 20, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2093]
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

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                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN P. MURTHA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 17, 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. MURTHA. Mr. Chairman, I want to respond to the concerns shared by 
the gentle lady from Michigan, Ms. Kilpatrick, and assure her that we 
do share her concerns. We agree that the AAFES and the other exchanges 
should be reimbursed for extraordinary costs serving in forward 
deployed areas. As the gentlelady knows, the Exchange Service is a 
nonappropriated fund activity. But there have been times when Congress 
has had to appropriate funds to help the exchange services with 
extraordinary costs for supporting our troops in immediate combat 
areas. This is one of those times. We agree that we need to do more to 
help the Exchange Services so our troops can have access to items we 
consider basic necessities here at home. We think we can take a look at 
this issue when we begin serious negotiations on an Onmibus 
Appropriations bill.

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