[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 155 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H10215-H10231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3289, EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
ACT FOR DEFENSE AND FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN,
2004
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 424,
I call up the conference report on 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.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 424, the
conference report is considered as having been read.
(For conference report and statement, see prior proceedings of the
House of today.)
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and
the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young).
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is the conference report on the supplemental to pay
for our military forces, equipment, their salaries, and their medical
care. A speaker who just left the well a few minutes ago said that
nobody knows where the money is going, and I want to tell my colleagues
that we do know where it is going. It is going to take me a little bit
more time than I had anticipated using, but let me tell my colleagues
this: $65 billion of this money goes to the American troops, the
American forces in Afghanistan and in Iraq. I will take the time to
provide details of that funding:
Military personnel expenses: $17,800,000; The operation and
maintenance for our services involved in Iraq and Afghanistan,
$39,231,000; for procurement for the Army, for missiles, and WTCV for
the Army, other procurement Army, aircraft procurement Army and Navy,
other procurement Navy, procurement for the Marine Corps, Air Force
procurement defense-wide $5,534,000. These pages that I will provide
for the record are full of details on spending in this bill. And for
someone to stand here and say no one knows where the money is going, is
just not accurate. I really do not mind the political comments that are
made here, but do not distort the facts.
We know where this money is going. Do we know where every penny is
going? No. And for some of the programs that my colleagues support, we
do not know where all that money is going, either. But we do the best
we can. We know this money is going for our troops. In fact, all of
this money is going for our troops.
Why did I say that? Because clearly $20 billion is for construction
and recovery in Afghanistan and Iraq. But our troops are there. And
this House overwhelmingly voted to send them there, and so did the
other body. And so they are there. And they are not coming home until
they have created a secure Afghanistan and a secure Iraq.
Now, another speaker said, it is not working. The heck it is not. You
talk to anybody who has gone from this Congress to Iraq and they will
tell you that it is working. Is it working overnight? No. Of course
not. It took 30 years for Saddam Hussein to destroy the lifestyle of
people in Iraq. And our President decided to fix that. He was tired of
Iraq threatening his neighbors. He was tired of Iraq supporting
terrorists. And we voted to support him. Our troops are going to come
home after we have been able to help the Iraqis create their own
government and create their own security forces, so that they can have
some quality of life in Iraq.
So this money is going for our troops, and $65 billion of it is going
directly to our troops.
There are other things in this bill. We had a good conference with
the Senate. It took us a couple of days after pre-working this
conference for a couple of weeks, and we have done some good things in
this bill.
Remember the outrage that we all expressed when we found out that
soldiers, wounded in battle, in a military hospital, were charged $8.10
a day for the food that they consumed while in the hospital? This bill
fixed that. We had fixed it temporarily in an appropriations bill. This
bill fixes it permanently. And it not only fixes it permanently, but it
makes it retroactive, so anybody who was billed for their food while
recovering from battle wounds will get their money back if they paid
those charges. This bill does that.
We provide additional benefits for our National Guardsmen and our
Reservists who are serving in our Nation's military in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Mr. Speaker, it has been said that there is no exit strategy, and
that there is no plan. The fact is, there is an exit strategy, and that
is to stabilize Iraq and Afghanistan so that our troops can exit and
exit safely, and so that the people of Iraq can have a quality of life.
They did not have a quality of life prior to the United States
liberating that nation from the tentacles of Saddam Hussein, who had
destroyed millions of his own people in one way or another, who had
gone to war with his neighbor in Iran, who has invaded Kuwait, and who
threatened Saudi Arabia. This was a bad guy.
I had the opportunity at the request of the Administration to attend
the donors conference in Madrid last week, and I listened to speakers
from many countries saying how bad Saddam Hussein was and how important
it was to liberate the people of Iraq. They did not give the United
States any credit for having made this happen, but at least they
acknowledged that it had to happen, and that the United States, led by
the President of the United States, George Bush, had the courage and
the gumption to do something about it. I think we will find in the long
range that this is going to be beneficial to the world. And this House
obviously believed that, because we voted overwhelmingly to send those
forces to Afghanistan and to Iraq.
Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of other things that I want to bring to
the discussion this evening; but at this point I am going to reserve
the balance of my time, and then we will have our exchanges and then
have a final vote here very shortly.
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Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), the ranking Democrat on the
Subcommittee on Defense.
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, the first trip I took to Kuwait, it was
right before the war started and the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Pelosi) had asked me to accompany her, because for her first foreign
trip she wanted to go, even though she was not for the war resolution,
she wanted to make sure that the troops understood she supported them
wholeheartedly. The next trip I went on was to Iraq, and I found a
number of shortages which a lot of people have talked about. But the
shortages were not because the Committee on Appropriations did not put
the money in; the shortages were because the bureaucrats back here
saved the money for some other purpose. They did not want to spend this
money. In the meantime, we had troops without inserts for their battle
gear, we had troops without jammers, we had Bradleys without tracks, a
lot of different problems. We called back from there, and we got the
Defense Department moving. And this supplemental has every one of the
shortages, the money for every one of the shortages in this bill.
I am pleased to say that we have the companies working 24 hours a day
to make sure that the troops have the type of equipment they need to
protect their lives. I am hopeful that the President shifts some of
these intelligence people, because what I have always learned is
intelligence is probably the most important element in fighting a war;
shifts the intelligence people from trying to find these weapons of
mass destruction to trying to protect our troops.
I get a lot of complaints from the Reserves. I hear all kinds of
optimistic talk about this war. But let me say this. The Iraqis
supposedly were for us when we went in. I see polls that say 60 percent
of the people are for what we are doing.
Well, when they fire our PGs into our troops and they take their legs
off; we went out to the hospital, a number of us have been out there,
the chairman has been out there, his wife has been out there over and
over again, and we see them with their legs blown off and their arms
blown off, and then they disappear after they have been firing these
weapons into the crowd, that means the Iraqis are not with us. I do not
care what the polls show; they are not with us. Now, they may be with
us in heart, but they are afraid to talk about it and when they are
afraid to talk about it, we have to win the hearts and minds of the
people. That is what this reconstruction money is all about.
We took care of the money for the troops, but if you do not get the
electricity back, if you do not get the water running right, if you do
not get the people who are unemployed; there is 60 percent
unemployment, I just got a briefing yesterday and they told me there is
still 60 percent unemployment. If we have 60 percent unemployment in
this country, we are not going to be able to solve the problem.
So we have to get the Iraqis back to work, and the reconstruction
money is as important as anything that we can do in order to help solve
this problem. I said when I came back, we have to get Iraqis out in the
field and we have to get the international community involved in this,
and we have to energize Iraq. If we do not do that, we are going to
lose this war.
I believe the key to winning this war is to win the hearts and minds
of the people, and we have to overcome the X factor of the enemy. If we
do not overcome the X factor of the enemy, we will lose this war. I
think it is on the edge now. I am not as optimistic as a lot of people
are. I know an awful lot of people who were optimistic initially are
much more realistic than they used to be. But I tell my colleagues one
thing, if we were to let this legislation not pass, we sure would not
win this war.
So I would urge the Members of this House to vote for this $65
billion for the troops and the $20 billion for the reconstruction
effort in order to get our troops back home as quickly as we can.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the very
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), the chairman of
our Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the
gentleman yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I must say, at the beginning of my remarks I want the
House to know that I deeply appreciate the comments of my colleague,
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), who is my partner on this
subcommittee; and I also want to say to the House that I am rising this
evening with no small amount of serious concern about the problems that
are facing my constituents in my own district where literally the whole
district is on fire. It is an incredible time.
But a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take perhaps the
largest delegation that has traveled to Iraq since we have been
involved there, a group of Members numbering some 17 of us, a fabulous
cross-section of the House: Democrats and Republicans, liberals,
conservatives, Members who had voted against the war, Members who
supported the war. But we saw many things in a relatively short trip,
but one thing was absolutely certain. We all became convinced that
Saddam Hussein absolutely is one of the most outrageous tyrants of
modern time, rivaling Hitler's Germany, certainly rivaling that which
the Russian leadership was all about.
While we were there, we visited circumstances that reflect the worst
of what this tyrant has done to his people, a people who have had no
opportunity for freedom in their lifetime, a people who have been
oppressed if they dared oppose him, and people who were killed in the
tens and tens of thousands. Visiting the killing fields was an amazing
experience where in one location, tens of thousands had been killed on
that spot, and similar locations across the country. This person did
not hesitate to wipe out huge portions of his own population, ranging
between 500,000 and maybe 1.5 million people.
In turn, that delegation was amazed to see what had been done to the
children of Iraq, suggesting that he was even willing to see that
children were fed formula that was mixed with sewage water, caring
nothing about the future of those children and those families.
So America is there to make a commitment to the future of these
people in hopes that they really will experience freedom.
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General Petraeus, who was one of the key commanders that we dealt
with, said that the money that was most important to his success was
that money that was going to reconstruction. That, the General told us,
the security of his troops was very much connected to the sense that
America was about creating new opportunities there and laying the
foundation for freedom. And, indeed, he felt it deeply, that was the
way to make sure that our people, our troops come home as soon as
possible.
Let me just make one more point. That is there is no doubt that if we
are successful in our efforts in Iraq, we are about to play a role in
creating a model in the Middle East that could change the future of
that entire region.
There is absolutely no question that this success could take us down
a pathway that could lead to a new kind of peaceful opportunity, a new
roadway in the entire region. I truly believe that we have a chance at
this moment to make a difference about the entire future of the Middle
East. And it is a Democrat and Republican effort. The gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) has been fundamental in helping me be
successful in the military side of this, but both of us recognize just
how important the reconstruction effort is as well.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished minority leader.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Obey), the distinguished ranking member on the Committee on
Appropriations, for yielding and for his leadership. I appreciate the
Obey alternative that was not able to be offered but that he put forth.
And I will speak to that in just a moment.
I rise in opposition to the supplemental. And, in doing so, I want to
acknowledge the extraordinary commitment of our distinguished chairman
to
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our troops. For him it is a family matter. His wife has been, as all
have said over and over, an angel to the young men and women that have
come back from combat and are at the Bethesda Naval Medical Center and
the Walter Reed Hospital. And all of us who have visited them salute
their courage, their patriotism, the sacrifice they are willing to make
for our country. I had the privilege of doing that on a number of
occasions with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), as well as
visiting the troops in Kuwait.
Mr. Speaker, it is not a question as to whether we support the
troops. Of, course, we all do. So I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your
extraordinary commitment there, and, as well, the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey.) In fact, in the Obey substitute there was $4.6
billion more for the troops. Unfortunately, the rules prevented us from
taking up the alternative simply because it was paid for. Funny rules,
but there they are.
I commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) for working with
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), where we finally were
able to get some of the equipment that the troops need to protect
themselves as they fight this fight in Iraq. They are precious to us.
Again, we salute them. But we cannot send them into battle unless they
are adequately equipped.
May I offer my condolences and sympathy to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lewis) for the losses in his district and that of many
in our great State of California. I salute the firefighters who also
are taking risks for us in our Golden State. Because, quite frankly,
one of my dismays with the administration on their proposals are that
with the $63 billion that we gave them last spring and the summer with
a practically unanimous vote, it was not even an issue, of course, the
money would be sent. When the President asked for the $87 billion, we
later learned that the troops still did not have the kevlar lining in
their vests, in their flak jackets, at least 44,000 of them did not.
They still did not have jammers to prevent the improvised explosive
devices from taking their lives. They still did not have the tracks for
the Bradleys. They still did not have the spare parts for nearly half
of their equipment.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) visited there, raised a
ruckus, but still they did not have it in the $63 billion package in
the summer; they still do not have it, this the $87 billion request
from the President. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Murtha) for his extraordinary leadership on behalf of the troops. We
salute them here on this floor; he works for them every day. And
without his raising the ruckus, they still would not have it in this
bill, but he and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) made that
possible. And we are all in their debt, all of us who care about the
troops. And I know that that includes every single person here.
As respectful as I am of our distinguished chairman, I beg to differ
on the exit strategy. What he stated is something that we all share: A
goal that we will successfully accomplish our mission in restoring
stability to Iraq. We all agree that that must be done. That is a goal.
It is an exit strategy. The administration did not have one, nor did
they have a plan. That is a very sad thing. They did not have a plan
for postwar Iraq.
Whatever one's view was going into the war, that is history. That was
then. Now, we know we have to accomplish the mission, we have to
support our troops, and we have to have them come home safely and
hopefully soon.
General Zinni's words just resonate with me. They challenge the
conscience of our country. General Zinni, retired Marine Corps General
Anthony Zinni said, and I quote, ``America's men and women in uniform
should never be put on the battlefield without a strategic plan not
only for the fighting, our generals will take care of that, but for the
aftermath and winning that war. Where are we, the American people, if
we accept this level of sacrifice without that level of planning?''
So not only does the administration not have an exit strategy, they
do not have a plan. The level of sacrifice has not been met with the
level of planning. Because President Bush lacked an adequate plan for
postwar Iraq, American soldiers are taking virtually all of the risks
and American taxpayers are paying virtually all of the bills.
As I said, Democrats offered an alternative that would have spent an
additional $4.6 billion to protect U.S. forces and converted half of
the reconstruction loans to loans through the World Bank, thereby
costing U.S. taxpayers less, avoiding an increase in the deficit, and
encouraging greater international participation. Unfortunately, House
Republicans prevented a vote on that proposal. And last week 84
Republicans joined Democrats in favoring loans showing that this is not
a partisan issue.
Threats of a Presidential veto if the loans were included in the
final bill ignore, really, bipartisan majorities in both Houses of
Congress and the opinion of most Americans.
Last night the conferees turned a deaf ear to the American people and
the will of both Houses by stripping the loan provision from the
conference report. And so tonight we are being asked to vote on a
conference report that hands the President another blank check for
postwar Iraq.
This conference report reflects no change in the administration's
failing postwar Iraq policy. The $63 billion for Iraq approved last
spring has not been adequately accounted for. We do not have any
accountability for the policy and, yet, here we are poised to approve
$87 billion for more.
I certainly agree with what has been said on both sides of the aisle;
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) said it most recently when
he talked about the need for the reconstruction, and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lewis) referenced it too. Certainly, we know that
reconstruction funds are necessary in Iraq. We know that that is
important to the safety and the security of our troops. And I think we
are blessed in this body to have the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe)
and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Lowey) as the Chair and ranking
member of the Committee on Appropriations subcommittee that will deal
with that. They are internationalists, they understand the importance
of that. But I do not think we should have a gold-plated, no-bid-
contract kind of a way to approach these.
And that was the beauty of the proposal of the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey). It gave them $7 billion to use immediately, which
was what the World Bank said their absorptive capacity was now, and
sends the rest of the money on to the World Bank to be capitalized 4 to
1, $28 billion for this important reconstruction.
The gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) referenced General
Petraeus. Anyone who has visited the theater knows what a hero he is,
101st Airborne, great, great, great troops that we are very proud of.
General Petraeus pointed out an incident where the U.S. engineers
called for $15 million to turn a cement factory into a state-of-the-art
cement factory. Our troops working with the Iraqis, this is one of
General Petraeus's projects, our troops working with the Iraqis got it
up and running not for $15 million, but for $80,000. For $80,000.
So that is why when we are not having loans but we are having grants,
and our grandchildren and children have to pay for all of this without
any thought of getting any reduction of our deficit from the gushing
oil fields of Iraq, should they ever gush forth, it just does not seem
right.
Mr. Speaker, what is really sad about all of this in terms of the
cost, when the administration came to the Congress and to the Committee
on Appropriations, Secretary Wolfowitz said we are dealing with a
country that can really finance its own reconstruction and relatively
soon. He said that shortly after we went into full combat with Iraq.
Mr. Wolfowitz said we are dealing with a country that can really
finance its own reconstruction and relatively soon. He miscalculated
the cost, that is for sure. Ignoring the advice of our own State
Department, indeed the Bush administration's own State Department about
what to expect in postwar Iraq, and that is a matter of record, it has
been published in the assessment that was made after the war, Center
for Army's Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, we know that we
did not really even supply our troops with the intelligence, the
actionable intelligence they needed to protect themselves and to
accomplish the mission.
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So we miscalculated the cost, we misunderstood the risks, we do not
have the intelligence. And the administration, again, ignored its own
report from the State Department about what some of the challenges
would be.
Miscalculation, misrepresentation of the cost, misunderstanding of
the challenge. Where is the accountability? We need to get that
intelligence for our troops just as surely we need to get the kevlar
lining for their flak jackets. They are not going to be protected,
unless we have the intelligence that is needed to protect them.
So that is why when this blank check of $87 billion comes to the
floor, it begs some questions about what we really are doing for our
troops. Our intentions are all very, very positive. We know that. But
the military is telling us they do not have the intelligence to protect
the troops. The military is telling us that.
The State Department told the administration what to expect and that
was ignored.
So in any event, I think I have made my point about I think there was
a better way. Let us do this right. We know this is not the last
request we are going to receive. The administration told us the day the
President made the request for $87 billion. They called my chief of
staff and said it is going to cost $50 to $75 billion more. So this is
just an installment, an installment that is going to be paid for by our
grandchildren. I think there is a better way to do it. I am sorry we do
not have that opportunity tonight. And that is why I will be voting
against the supplemental.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the chairman of our
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related
Programs of the Committee on Appropriations.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by commending the work of our
chairman and ranking member and all the other subcommittee chairmen
that worked so hard to bring this bill together. I think it has been
truly a work that has brought about an outstanding piece of
legislation.
I am going to describe some of the elements of the legislation in
just its bare outline, so people do know what is actually in this bill.
The amount as we have already heard is the total amount of the
appropriation bill, $87\1/2\ billion. The foreign operations chapter is
$21.21 billion, which is just a bit less than the President had
requested.
Let me begin, Mr. Speaker, by saying that I strongly support the
objectives President Bush and our leadership seek to achieve with this
supplemental request for Iraq and Afghanistan. The supplemental bill
supports our men and women in uniform, and it provides the
reconstruction resources to stabilize and improve conditions in those
countries.
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These resources are essential to achieving victory and to enabling
our troops to come home. Let me cover a few of those highlights.
First, there is $18.6 billion for the Iraq relief and reconstruction
account. That is $1.7 billion below the request, but $200 million more
than the Senate-passed bill. It includes $3.24 billion for security and
law enforcement, $1.32 billion for justice and civil society, $5.5
billion for the electric sector, almost $1.9 billion for the oil
infrastructure, $4.3 billion for water resources and sanitation, and
$793 million for health care, among many of the other things that are
included in there.
The point is that I think these, Mr. Speaker, are the right types of
investments. They comprehensively support both the Iraqi people and the
physical infrastructure to modernize that country and put it on the
path to economic development, security, and stability. These funds are
essential investments in the welfare of our troops.
The conference agreement does not provide funds for trash trucks, for
$50,000-per-bed prisons, or for ZIP code systems and what we regard as
other low projects. The House took the lead on these issues, and we
were pleased to see the Senate's support for this approach. On the
other hand, we have added funding for a few programs where we saw gaps
in the strategy. For example, there is $100 million included for the
development of an Iraqi constitution, building democratic institutions
and to prepare for holding free and open elections. It is important to
note that this conference agreement also makes a number of management
improvements, including the submission of financial plans projecting
project by project details on this Iraq reconstruction account.
The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished
minority leader, talked about where is the plan. We have a plan and we
specifically require a spending plan to be submitted by the
administrator and OMB so that we have an opportunity to see that and
have that updated every 3 months.
The conferees agreed with the House position to create a new
appropriation account entitled ``Operating Expenses of the Coalition
Provisional Authority'' rather than leave this activity buried within
the Army's $24 billion operation maintenance appropriations account.
The CPA will have an operating budget of some $983 million, and we have
agreed with the Senate to provide an Inspector General for this
organization.
Further, we have included language requiring the Office of Management
and Budget to transmit to Congress real financial budget and personnel
data on the CPA.
I am pleased we were able to work out an agreement on competition and
contracting. The agreement strongly supports full and open competition.
We require Ambassador Bremer and the head of any Federal agency
providing contracting service for Iraq reconstruction to jointly
certify to Congress if other than full and open competition is being
pursued.
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is not about Iraq alone. The conference
agreement does provide almost $1.2 billion for our reconstruction
efforts in Afghanistan, and that is $350 million above the President's
request.
The agreement provides an additional $287 million to support the
training, equipping, and operations of the new Afghan Army. Also
included is $60 million to improve economic opportunity and the
standard of living of women in Afghanistan. These resources support
technical and vocational education and will fight against abuse of
women. They support education for young women who have been denied all
of these decades the opportunity to even learn to read.
The conference report includes $181 million to repair and reconstruct
roads in Afghanistan and to provide that nation with transportation
infrastructure linking its cities as well as its rural areas.
Mr. Speaker, I have sought to briefly provide a few of the highlights
of this conference agreement. Any conference means compromise, and
there are clearly issues which we would have wanted to come out
differently; but on the whole, this conference agreement resembles
closely the bill that was overwhelmingly supported here in the House a
couple of weeks ago. Let me say that this bill supports our President,
our men and women in uniform, and our Nation. This agreement is about
American foreign policy objectives, and it is about our leadership in
the world.
This conference agreement is about completing the job, not just
destroying the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein, but also building a
stable Iraq at peace with its neighbors in the Middle East. This
conference is about remembering that much needs to be done to build a
new Afghanistan, one secure and free from the Taliban.
This conference agreement is about continuing the war on terrorism
and not giving in to the vicious and cowardly attacks against not only
our Armed Forces but against the Iraqi, the Afghan and, yes, the
American people. This conference agreement is about maintaining our
national security. It is a good conference agreement. I urge its
adoption.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, how much time remains on both sides?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). The gentleman from Wisconsin
(Mr. Obey) has 23 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Young) has 13\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey),
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the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export
Financing, and Related Programs.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, in the last few days we have witnessed
another tragic string of attacks in Iraq. Our troops, our allies, and
our mission are under constant fire. I feel very strongly that we must
pass this package to protect our troops and to provide the funds to
stabilize Iraq. For me that is the most efficient way to bring our
troops home as soon as possible and bring some normalcy to that region.
There were problems with the initial $87 billion request, and I do
believe that the House with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and
the ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), in the
lead modified it appropriately. The prudent cuts made in the House
survived conference which is good, and important additions were made.
Our continued efforts in Afghanistan, formerly the headquarters of al
Qaeda, have received the funding needed to make sure that the gains we
have made do not slip away. We cannot allow that country to again be a
haven to groups that would attack us. We did not forget the victims of
the Taliban regime either; $60 million were included for women's
empowerment and participation programs. If anyone doubts the importance
of women in the development of stable and prosperous states, let them
read the remarkable ``Arab Human Developments Reports.'' Written by
Arab scholars, the reports name three causes for the underdevelopment
in some Arab nations: lack of freedom, lack of knowledge, and lack of
women's empowerment. As its 2002 report says, ``Society as a whole
suffers when half of its productive potential is stifled.''
The women of this House and Senate know that and are determined that
the United States will aggressively and directly provide for
opportunities for the women of Afghanistan and Iraq and to help their
countries grow strong; and so $10 million was similarly set aside for
women's programs in Iraq.
We also directed $90 million in Iraq for education, an essential
building block of a free society, and an area for which insufficient
funds had been originally requested by the administration. The
explanation for me seemed to be that education was a ``soft area,''
soft meaning secondary, I believe popular with international donors.
Let us leave it to them to fund education.
I vigorously disagree with this reasoning, and I am very glad that
our chairman, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), worked with me to
get these dollars in this bill.
One need only consider the effect that this soft area has in places
like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan where children are sent to madrassas and
are taught intolerance and hate and breed the terrorists. Education is
not a secondary matter. It is a direct security interest to the United
States, and, again, I want to thank the conferees for endorsing this
priority.
Concerns about competitive contracting and obtaining timely and
accurate reports from the administration on Iraq were addressed,
unfortunately, in my judgment, with broad waivers that weaken them
substantially. An Inspector General was created for the CPA, but the
other body insisted on the waiver which gives the President the ability
to withhold any information in the name of national security. A similar
waiver applies to the disclosure of noncompetitive contracting. And I
do fear that these waivers will leads to more sole-source contracts
awarded behind closed doors. The House must monitor this very closely.
Finally, there was the question of loans versus grants. A constituent
asked a very simple question: Why can we not lend money to Iraq? Iraq
has such a wealth of oil.
It is a reasonable question; and in my judgment, we should have given
them a reasonable and prudent compromise. It is unfortunate that this
was not accomplished in conference.
I truly believe that failure in Iraq would create a dangerous vacuum
in the heart of the Middle East. It would be a place where hatred of
the United States and violence against us would thrive, but the gravity
of the situation should not lower our standards for planning and
execution; it should raise them. There are lives on the line in Iraq
and Afghanistan, and our actions will impact the future of all
Americans, especially our children and our grandchildren. We owe them
caution, honesty, and realism as we face these next stages in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
I strongly support the supplemental. I believe the appropriations for
our troops and for reconstruction are equally important and essential
to our mission.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Skelton).
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it is the constitutional job of the
Congress of the United States to maintain and support the armed
services of our country. I stand here in support of this resolution
tonight because of that constitutional duty. And I know there have been
many bits of discussion about the pros and cons of the line items in
this bill. And I know that there are clouds that hang over the question
of intelligence as to our initial decision going into Iraq. And I know
there are clouds that hang over the decision-making process as to our
going in.
But the American troops are there. It is our duty to support them so
that they may be victorious in this very arduous and difficult, unique
and never-seen-before challenge that Americans in uniform have had.
I had the opportunity about a month ago to visit with young folks in
uniform, actually of all services, in and around Iraq, to look at their
faces and know that each one of them whether they came from small towns
or inner cities or some from suburbs of America, that they knew their
duty, that they were good soldiers, that they wore the American uniform
proudly, and that they had a mission to accomplish.
For us tonight, we have a mission to accomplish and that mission is
to support this resolution. We have no other choice.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, the entire Persian Gulf War 12 years ago cost the United
States less than $8 billion. The total cost of the war was over $60
billion, but because allies were participating our share was only 12
percent of the cost. Now we have already spent $79 billion on the
present war in Iraq. We are asked to spend $87 billion more for a total
of $166 billion so far.
{time} 2315
To put the $166 billion in perspective, Mr. Speaker, the total
appropriation for this fiscal year for the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security and the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S.
Department of Education and Department of Labor and Department of State
was less than $166 billion. On a per capita basis, $166 billion is more
for each person in Iraq than the total annual government spending in
the United States for each of our American citizens for everything
other than Social Security and defense.
Although this is a huge expenditure, the administration does not even
give lip service to explain how the bill will be paid, no outline of
spending cuts or increased taxes. The administration says we cannot
lend the money to Iraq because they are too far in debt, and yet the
national debt in Iraq is approximately $4,000 a person. The national
debt of the United States, $20,000 per person.
A vote on this bill represents the only opportunity Congress has to
consider the President's policies in Iraq since October of last year,
and the President's decision to invade unilaterally without allies has
meant that we are paying 100 percent of the costs of the war in cash
and in casualties, and a yes vote on this bill will mean that no
significant attempt will be made to get international participation.
Mr. Speaker, we have had widespread reports of contracting fraud, and
a vote on this bill means that we will get more of the same.
During the campaign, the President frequently insisted that no troops
would ever be deployed without an exit strategy, and not only do we not
have an exit strategy, we do not even have a good entry strategy. The
President has acknowledged that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. No
weapons of mass destruction have been found. Iraq was never an imminent
threat to the
[[Page H10224]]
United States, and so we cannot get an exit strategy, if we cannot
explain why we are there in the first place. A yes vote on the bill
forfeits any congressional opportunity to require a meaningful exit
strategy.
Now whatever, there are a lot of reasons to vote no, but if this
passage of the bill would make us safer, we might want to vote yes.
Unfortunately, even before the war, the CIA concluded that Iraq posed
very little threat to the United States at that time, but would pose a
threat if we attacked them. This policy, which includes the expenditure
of $166 billion and the loss of many courageous lives, has failed to
make us safer.
Mr. Speaker, because this bill represents such a huge expenditure and
validates failed policies, I would ask that we defeat the legislation.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the very
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham) who as a Naval
fighter pilot became the first Ace in the war in Vietnam.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, the young lady from San Francisco said
that she is not going to vote for this bill. That did not surprise me a
bit. When a person has a 35 percent defense rating, the highest ever in
a career, it does not surprise me that this young lady would vote
against this bill. The troops know, they know each and every one of us
and what we do. I became a Republican, I was a Democrat, because of the
folks in this body that turned their backs on us, many of us in
Vietnam, some of those Republicans, too.
To say, well, I am not going to vote for a bill that gives me the
tools to do my job and survive, all these kids want to do is to be able
to complete their mission, do their job and get home safely, and to
deny them these funds that will do that, they know, and they know what
their mission is every single day.
Mr. Speaker, I think to deny the many, many positive things that are
going on, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) took a whole group,
as he said, Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals and others,
to Iraq and you know what, even those that were opposed to Iraq when
they got there and saw what was going on there, the positive things,
the men and the women that were walking down the streets free. Now,
there are some bad areas, Tikrit and Baghdad, but if my colleagues go
to the south and go to the north, we have got young girls going to
school now. They could not do that before.
That is the plan, and these kids that are over there know that. They
know it every single day. To deny that is a slap in the face to them,
and all they want to do is do their job, and that is why it is
important that those people that say, well, we should not be there, we
are going to deny this money to these kids, that is wrong, because part
of the mission is to build up Iraq so that we only ask one thing of
them, that is, to give us a free and stable democracy, not ours, not
Britain's, but their own. And you know what, the folks in Israel
appreciate that.
I flew in Israel and I know a stable Iraq, a stable Afghanistan, a
stable Saudi Arabia. Do my colleagues know that Saudi Arabia since May,
when the al Qaeda bombed them, they found over 20 tons of explosives
from Saddam Hussein to al Qaeda? Saudi Arabia's arrested them. They
would have not done that before. My colleagues want to know what our
plan is? They found SA-7 stingers that were coming to the United
States. My colleagues know what our plan is? I would rather fight them
there than here and give our kids the tools.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).
Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, once again, we failed to provide for our
veterans. If today is like many other days since Operation Iraqi
Freedom began, wounded troops will continue to arrive at Walter Reed
Army Hospital or other military treatment facilities. About 10 each day
have continued to arrive.
The military lists thousands. In fact, a couple of weeks ago it is
over 1,500 that have been wounded in action or disabled, nonbattle
injuries since the conflict in Iraq began. Thousands more may have come
to our veterans hospitals in search of the medical care for conditions
that may become evident the days and months after their military
service has ended.
This summer, this House broke that promise with our veterans. Our
budget resolution promised to add $1.8 billion for veterans. Yet the
appropriations we approved for the VA added nothing. I had an
opportunity and I went before the Committee on Rules and you had an
opportunity to correct that, and at the same time I mentioned to you
that you have provided $2 million for health care for Iraqis but you
could not allow the opportunity for us to provide that $1.8 billion as
an opportunity for our own veterans as they come back.
We have had another chance to add these funds, and we have continued
to fail. This supplemental rightly addresses the needs of our troops,
but it also allows the military to provide better equipment and
supplies, but we have to continue to remember that we also have an
obligation to those veterans after they come back and as we just this
week on Tuesday, we had a chance to visit Walter Reed, and we saw those
veterans, where they have lost some of their limbs.
So I ask and appeal to my colleagues that right now, just to be able
to complete and continue to provide the services that we provide now,
we need $1.8 billion for our veterans health care to be able to do
that, not to mention the fact that we need additional resources.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), who actually flew extremely important
missions over Iraq as part of Northern Watch.
Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, let me read a quote. ``Americans are losing
the victory. The troops returning home are worried. `We've lost the
peace,' men tell you. Before the landings, liberation meant to be freed
of tyranny. Now it stands in the minds of civilians for one thing,
looting. Never has American prestige been lower. `Have you no statesmen
in America?' they ask.''
This sounds like a report from Iraq. It is not. These words were
written 57 years ago about the American occupation of Germany.
Appearing in the January 7, 1946, edition of Life magazine, John Dos
Passos wrote, ``We have swept away Hitlerism but Europeans now feel
that the cure has been worse than the disease.''
Under subtitles like ``U.S. administration a poor third'' and ``the
skeptical French press,'' Life magazine warned that the U.S. occupation
in Europe had failed.
Luckily, President Truman did not listen. He knew the failed peace
after World War I doomed a second generation of Americans to fight in
Europe's killing fields. Truman did not do popular things. He ordered
the U.S. Army to remain in Europe, and despite George Washington's
advice against alliances, he signed our first military alliance with
NATO. He also launched the most expensive foreign aid program in our
history, $105 billion for the Marshall Plan. He did this to avoid
sending a third generation of Americans to fight in Europe, and he
succeeded.
We now have fought two wars in Iraq. How many more should we fight?
The failed peace of Desert Storm guaranteed a second Iraqi war. We have
already now sent two generations of Americans to Iraq. I think we
should make sure that we do not send a third. We need to finish this
job so that young Americans a decade from now do not have to refight
this war.
Despite the current media reports that sound just like the 1946 Life
magazine report, we need to follow the example of Harry Truman. We need
to do this job right so that our sons and daughters are not condemned
to a third Persian Gulf War.
How much would my colleagues pay to avoid a third war in Iraq?
Avoiding such a war is worth our effort tonight as we pass this bill to
finish the job.
Let me say one note of personal privilege. No one knows more about
the defense and foreign policy of our country than the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs.
Lowey) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), and I really want
to highlight their leadership and personally thank them for following
the maxim, ``partisanship should end at the water's edge.''
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), a member of the
committee.
[[Page H10225]]
(Mr. WAMP asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, we are at the end of a 6-week process, and I
am proud of the work that the House has accomplished. We cannot afford
to fail in Iraq.
The best and brightest in this House have scrubbed the proposal sent
from the White House. We have done our best work, and now it is time to
vote. Those who say this is a blank check from the White House are just
not telling it like it is. This is a world changing paradigm shift on
the other side of the world.
I think back to the bipartisan retreat early this year. I was there.
Thomas Friedman came from the New York Times, spoke to a large group
and said, maybe we are not going about this right, but we need to do
this. He really said this needs to happen, an experiment in the 22 Arab
countries to promote democracy and make this investment.
We were all hit with sticker shock. Eighty-seven billion dollars is a
huge number. It shocked me but we now realize how important it is. It
is going to be incalculable the benefits of this investment.
The big debate came down to loans versus grants. When I looked the
President eye to eye, he said we believe we are going to get U.N.
support. We did, unanimous, for a U.S.-led peacekeeping force in Iraq.
We are making progress. Frankly, I was disappointed with Madrid. I say
to the White House tonight, prove us wrong on the loans; work until we
get more global support. I believe we need to.
The bottom line is this is an unprecedented situation in the history
of the world, and we have got to step up. It is easy to demagogue an
$87 billion request. It is easy to critique it, but tonight we have got
to vote. I think it is difficult, difficult to vote no. If my
colleagues have to hold their nose and vote yes tonight, do it. I am
going to grit my teeth and vote yes tonight and say that we cannot
afford to fail in Iraq.
{time} 2330
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the Chair how
much time I have remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). The gentleman from Florida
(Mr. Young) has 5\1/2\ minutes remaining, and the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) has 11\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman needs it, I will be happy to
yield him 1\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. YOUNG OF Florida. That would be very appreciated.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I neglected earlier to express
my deep appreciation to the conferees for their responding to the
challenge in our district that involved some $500 million that is now
going to go through the process here to FEMA to help those people who
are presently out of their homes, people who suddenly have no place to
live and the like.
And, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding me
this time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lofgren).
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to note that many in the
California delegation are distressed that the much-needed $500 million
for relief for the fire funding is tied up with the $87 billion for
Iraq that many of us oppose. Tonight we have introduced a stand-alone
bill to provide the same $500 million in relief for California, and we
would urge that that be used as a vehicle instead of this supplemental.
We think it is a problem to have the two mixed. It lends a political
component to this that should never be present when we are dealing with
victims of an awful tragedy such as this. So I wanted the whole House
to know of the feeling of the 33 Democratic members of the California
delegation that we ought to have a separate fire relief measure for
California.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to read the following words from a very
distinguished American statesman written 5 years ago: ``Trying to
eliminate Saddam would have incurred incalculable human and political
costs. We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule
Iraq. There was no viable exit strategy we could see, violating another
of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to
set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going
in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations
mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response
to aggression that we had hoped to achieve. Had we gone the invasion
route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power
in a bitterly hostile land.''
The man who said that was George Herbert Walker Bush 5 years ago.
Now, his advice was not taken, and we now are facing the question of
what to do next.
Frankly, how we voted on going to war in the first place is, in my
view, in considering this legislation, irrelevant. The question, to me,
is not whether we are going to vote for or against this package
tonight. I think in many ways how we cast our individual votes on this
package is secondary.
The issue is whether the policy which is now being followed in the
war's aftermath is the right policy, whether it is wired together well
enough in the details in order to achieve the success that every single
Member of this body wants to see the President achieve. After all, he
is our President, regardless of party. And after all, these are our
sons and daughters and brothers and sisters and cousins and uncles and
aunts wearing our uniform and representing our country in that very
difficult circumstance tonight.
But the policy is the issue. If the policy is the right policy, then
it probably will not matter whether we appropriate $20 billion more or
less than we are appropriating tonight. We will have a good chance of
succeeding. And if the policy is not wired together right, then all the
money that we can provide will not produce a happy ending.
I want to explain why under these circumstances I will be voting
``no'' tonight. As the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) said
earlier, we have previously appropriated well over $60 billion, and we
provided maximum flexibility to the Defense Department in spending that
money. Yet with that flexibility we saw the shortages of inserts in the
Kevlar vests, we saw the shortage of jammers, we saw the shortage of
adequate protection for the unarmored Humvees, all of which have put
our troops at risk. We have seen inadequate supplies of drinking water
for our troops. And the very general in charge of the operation has
told us in our hearings that he still does not know how it happened.
And now we are being asked to provide $87 billion more.
The question is not whether the administration will get this money.
They will get this money, and they will get a whole lot more because
this is just the downpayment. The question is whether or not in the
providing of this money we will use our leverage and use our power of
the purse to force the agencies and the administration to think through
more clearly how it is that they are going to accomplish the goals
which they have stated. That, to me, is the detailed question.
Now, we do not have any idea, and the administration has given us no
idea, of what their range of expectation is in terms of cost over the
next 5 years. We should have some idea so that we can prepare our own
constituents to support this over the long haul. We do not have that
information. But we do know, at least I am convinced of the unpleasant
truth, and I very much agree with Senator McCain on this, I am
convinced that if we are to accomplish this job, we do not have enough
troops on the ground in Iraq right now. We either need more troops from
our allies, or we need more help from the Iraqi remnants that can be
reasonably relied upon; or we are going to need more U.S. troops, or
our troops will unnecessarily suffer higher casualties than they would
otherwise suffer.
Now, it is not pleasant to tell the American people that we may need
more troops rather than less before this is over; but talking to the
experts whom I trust, that is what I believe.
We also do know that the agencies involved in running this policy so
far have managed to find the single most
[[Page H10226]]
expensive way to deliver this aid, because they are following a high-
tech strategy that involves deep involvement by these huge
multinational corporations, like Bechtel and Halliburton and a dozen
others, instead of relying on a more indigenous low-tech approach that
can put more Iraqis to work so they have something more productive to
do than shoot Americans.
I also think that we do know that at this point the administration
has given us not a clue about how or how soon they expect to repair the
Army. We have equipment from over five divisions that at this point
needs reconstitution; it needs refurbishing. We have been told by the
Army that that alone is going to cost above $17 billion, and the
administration has asked for less than $2 billion.
The American public needs to know the facts, and they need to know
the costs; and they do not need to have it revealed to them on the
installment plan. It should be provided up front so that we can take
the case to our public.
We also have the other problem, that this package does not pay for
itself. We borrow it all. And so that means that just the interest
payments alone will amount to about $4 billion more than we would be
paying if we paid for this cash on the barrel head. And that is $4
billion on interest payments that will shove out money that would
otherwise be available for education, for health care, and for other
needed domestic efforts, including infrastructure.
I will be offering a motion to recommit. It will not allow us,
because of the restraint of the rules, to get at the basic problems in
the policy; but it will allow us to at least try to improve it around
the edges. First, we will try to restore the funding for veterans
health care that was taken out of the bill. Because while we have been
told that that will be taken care of in the VA HUD bill, we have been
given no idea of how. So that has yet to become a reality.
Second, the recommittal motion would ask that we accept the Senate
provision which would convert $10 billion of this reconstruction
program to loans, with the proviso that if our allies in fact forgive
prior loans to Iraq, then we will forgive this loan as well.
Now, there are those who say Iraq cannot afford that. Let me point
out Iraq is a country of 23 million people. They are getting $20
billion in reconstruction. That is $872 per capita, 10 times as much as
the annual per capita aid under the Marshall Plan to all of Europe.
Mr. Speaker, let me simply ask for an ``aye'' vote on the recommittal
motion.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, it has been said that this bill is a blank check. I wish
to provide for the Record at this point a table that shows that it is
not a blank check, and that it is very specific in the money that it
appropriates.
Highlights of the War Supplemental Conference Report
President's Request: $87 billion.
Conference report: $87.5 billion.
Iraq Relief and Reconstruction
President's Request: $20.3 billion.
Conference report: $18.6 billion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplemental Conference
Category and Description Request Agreement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Security and law enforcement:
Police training and technical assistance 950 950
Traffic police.......................... 50 -
Border Enforcement...................... 150 150
Facilities Protection Services.......... 67 67
---------------------------
Subtotal, Law enforcement....... 1,217 1,167
Establishment of the New Iraqi Army 2,000 2,000
(NIA)..................................
(NIA Facilities).................... (745) (745)
(NIA Equipment)..................... (879) (879)
(NIA Operations and Training)....... (375) (375)
Iraq Civil Defense Corps................ 76 76
(Operations and Personnel).......... (58.4) (58.4)
(Equipment)......................... (17.2) (17.2)
---------------------------
Subtotal, National Security..... 2,076 2,076
---------------------------
Total, Security and Law 3,293 3,293
Enforcement....................
Justice, Public Safety Infrastructure and
Civil Society:
Witness Protection Program.............. 100 75
Other technical investigative methods... 10 10
Penal facilities........................ 400 100
Reconstruction and modernization of 109 109
detention facilities...................
Facilities protection, mine removal, 500 400
fire service, and public safety
facility and equipment repairs.........
(Demining).............................. (61) (61)
Public safety training and facilities... 274 199
National Security Communications Network 150 100
Investigations of crimes against 100 75
humanity...............................
Judicial security and facilities........ 200 150
Democracy building activities........... - 100
---------------------------
Total, Justice, Public Safety 1,843 1,318
Infrastructure and Civil
Society........................
Electric Sector:
Generation.............................. 2,900 2,810
Transmission............................ 1,550 1,550
Network infrastructure.................. 1,000 1,000
Automated monitoring and control system. 150 150
Institutional strengthening............. 25 -
Security................................ 50 50
---------------------------
Total, Electric Sector........ 5,675 5,560
Oil Infrastructure:
Infrastructure.......................... 1,200 1,200
Emergency supplies of refined petroleum 900 690
products...............................
---------------------------
Total, Oil Infrastructure..... 2,100 1,890
Water Resources and Sanitation:
Potable water........................... 2,830 2,830
Water conservation...................... 30 30
Sewerage................................ 697 675
Solid waste management/trash trucks..... 153 -
Other solid waste management............ - 22
---------------------------
Subtotal, Public Works Projects. 3,710 3,557
Pumping stations and generators......... 150 150
Irrigation and drainage systems......... 130 130
Major irrigation projects............... 130 130
Dam repair, rehab, and new construction. 125 125
Umm Qasr to Basra water pipeline and 200 200
treatment plant........................
Marsh projects.......................... 100 -
Basra Channel Flushing.................. 40 40
---------------------------
Subtotal, Water Resources 875 775
projects.......................
---------------------------
Total, Water Resources and 4,585 4,332
Sanitation.....................
Transportation and Telecommunications
Projects:
Airports................................ 165 165
Umm Qasr Port rehab..................... 45 45
Railroad rehab and restoration.......... 303 300
Iraqi Telecom and Postal Corporation.... 124 100
(Postal IT / ZIP Codes)............. (9) (-)
Iraqi Communications systems............ 109 95
(Business practices for Iraqi TV and (10) (-)
radio).............................
(Numbering scheme/911 initiative)... (4) (-)
Iraqi Communications operations......... 89 75
Undistributed reduction, transportation - -280
and telecommunications.................
---------------------------
Total, Transportation and 835 500
Telecommunications Projects....
Roads, Bridges, and Construction:
Housing construction.................... 100 -
Public buildings construction and repair 130 130
Roads and bridges....................... 240 240
---------------------------
Total, Roads, Bridges, and 470 370
Construction...................
Heath care:
Nationwide hospital and clinic 393 493
improvements \1\.......................
Equipment procurement and modernization. 300 399
Initiate 700m Basrah hospital project... 150 -
Health care partnerships................ 7 -
---------------------------
Total, Health Care............ 850 793
Private Sector Development:
American-Iraqi Enterprise Fund.......... 200 -
Expanded network of Employment Centers.. 8 8
Training................................ 145 100
Micro-Small-Medium Enterprises.......... - 45
---------------------------
Total, Private Sector 353 153
Development....................
Education, Refugees, Human Rights,
Democracy, and Governance:
Migration and Refugee Assistance........ 105 105
Local Information Centers............... 90 -
Property Claims Tribunal................ 30 30
Banking system modernizations........... 30 30
Business training courses............... 20 -
Human rights............................ 15 15
Education............................... - 90
Civic programs.......................... 10 10
---------------------------
Total, Education, Refugees, 300 280
Human Rights, and Governance...
Transfer/financing.......................... - 210
---------------------------
Total, Iraq Relief and 20,304 18,649
Reconstruction Fund............
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes $35 million for pediatric facility in Basra.
Operating Expenses of the Coalition Provisional Authority
(CPA)--The mark provides a direct appropriation of $983
million to the Coalition Provisional Authority for their
operating expenses instead of providing these funds in the
U.S. Army, Operation and Maintenance accounts as requested.
Foreign Debt--The bill includes a prohibition on the use of
any funds in this act to be used to pay Iraq's foreign debts.
Inspector General--The bill provides for the establishment
of an Inspector General for the CPA.
afghanistan relief and reconstruction
President's Request: $800 million.
Conference report: $1.2 billion.
These funds are provided generally for infrastructure
improvements, in support of women's programs, security
assistance and economic development. The additional funds are
intended to show tangible improvement in the security and
quality of life of most Afghans by the summer of 2004.
national defense
President's Request: $65.1 billion.
Conference report: $64.7 billion.
SUMMARY TABLE
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request House Senate Conference
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military Personnel:
Military Personnel, Army................................ 12,858,870 12,188,870 12,858,870 12,858,870
[[Page H10227]]
Military Personnel, Navy................................ 816,100 816,100 816,100 816,100
Military Personnel, Marine Corps........................ 753,190 753,190 753,190 753,190
Military Personnel, Air Force........................... 3,384,700 3,384,700 3,384,700 3,384,700
---------------------------------------------------
Total Military Personnel............................ 17,812,860 17,142,860 17,812,860 17,812,860
Operation and Maintenance:
O&M, Army............................................... 24,190,464 24,257,664 24,946,464 23,997,064
O&M, Navy............................................... 2,106,258 1,934,058 1,976,258 1,956,258
O&M, Marine Corps....................................... 1,198,981 1,198,981 1,198,981 1,198,981
O&M, Air Force.......................................... 5,948,368 5,598,368 5,516,368 5,416,368
O&M, Defense-Wide....................................... 4,618,452 4,485,452 4,218,452 4,355,452
O&M, Marine Corps Reserve............................... 16,000 16,000 16,000 16,000
O&M, Air Force Reserve.................................. 53,000 53,000 53,000 53,000
O&M, Air National Guard................................. 214,000 214,000 214,000 214,000
Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid........... 35,000 35,000 35,000 35,000
Iraq Freedom Fund....................................... 1,988,600 2,086,000 1,988,600 1,988,600
---------------------------------------------------
Total Operation and Maintenance..................... 40,369,623 39,879,623 40,163,623 39,231,223
Procurement:
Missile Procurement, Army............................... 6,200 ........... 6,200 ...........
Procurement of WTCV, Army............................... 46,000 101,600 104,000 101,600
Other Procurement, Army................................. 930,687 1,250,287 1,078,687 1,143,687
Aircraft Procurement, Navy.............................. 128,600 158,600 128,600 158,600
Other Procurement, Navy................................. 76,357 76,357 76,357 76,357
Procurement, Marine Corps............................... 123,397 123,397 123,397 123,397
Aircraft Procurement, Air Force......................... 40,972 53,972 40,972 53,972
Missile Procurement, Air Force.......................... 20,450 20,450 20,450 20,450
Other Procurement, Air Force............................ 3,441,006 3,418,006 3,441,006 3,438,006
Procurement, Defense-Wide............................... 435,635 418,635 435,635 418,635
---------------------------------------------------
Total Procurement................................... 5,249,304 5,621,304 5,455,304 5,534,704
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation:
RDT&E, Navy............................................. 34,000 34,000 34,000 34,000
RDT&E, Air Force........................................ 39,070 39,070 39,070 39,070
RDT&E, Defense-Wide..................................... 265,817 195,817 265,817 260,817
---------------------------------------------------
Total RDT&E......................................... 338,887 268,887 338,887 333,887
Revolving and Management Funds:
Defense Working Capital Funds........................... 600,000 600,000 600,000 600,000
National Defense Sealift Fund........................... 24,000 24,000 24,000 24,000
---------------------------------------------------
Total Revolving & Management Funds.................. 624,000 624,000 624,000 624,000
Other Department of Defense Programs:
Defense Health Program.................................. 658,380 658,380 658,380 658,380
Drug Interdiction & Counter-Drug Activities, Defense.... 73,000 73,000 73,000 73,000
---------------------------------------------------
Total Other......................................... 731,380 731,380 731,380 731,380
Related Agencies:
Intelligence Community Management Account............... 21,500 21,500 21,500 21,500
General Provisions:
Storm Damage (Sec. 1109)................................ ........... 413,300 ........... 313,000
Munitions Security and Destruction (Sec. 1121).......... ........... ........... ........... 100,000
---------------------------------------------------
Grand Total Chapter 1............................... 65,147,554 64,702,854 65,147,554 64,702,554
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
highlights of the defense portion of conference report
Force Protection --The conference report increases funds to
purchase body armor Special Armor Plate Insert, to clear
unexploded ordnance and to increase production of other force
protection measures such as armored HMMVV's and electronic
jammers.
Tricare and Reservist Health Care Benefits--The conference
report allows inactive reservist and their family members to
become eligible for TRICARE health care coverage if they are
receiving unemployment compensation or not eligible for any
other health coverage. It also includes provisions that
expands eligibility time periods for reservists and provides
Medical and Dental Screening and Care coverage where
appropriate.
Meal Allowances--Prohibits service members injured in
combat or training from being billed for meals during their
hospitalization. Makes this benefit retroactive to 9/11/2001
and provides reimbursement for those who have already paid
meal charges.
Hazard Pay and Family Support--The mark includes a proposed
provision which authorizes continued payment of per diem for
travel of family members of military personnel who are ill or
injured as result of active duty service and includes a
provision to continue the increased monthly rate of Imminent
Danger Pay and Family Separation Allowances through September
30, 2004.
Recovery of Natural Disasters--The conference report
includes $313 million, not requested by the Administration,
for recovery and repairs to damage to military facilities
caused by Hurricane Isabel. $525 million is provided for
military construction activities related to the war on
terrorism and to make repairs to facilities damaged by recent
natural disasters.
commerce justice state programs
President's Request: $187 million.
Conference Report: $580 million.
The following is a selected lists of items funded under the
Commerce-Justice-State title of the bill: $245 million for
peacekeeping activities in Liberia; $44 million for a secure
embassy facility in Kabul, Afghanistan; $40 million for an
Arabic broadcasting services to Iraq trough the Broadcasting
Board of Governors; $50 million to provide rewards to
individuals for information leading to the capture of Saddam
Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.
other items
FEMA Disaster Assistance--the Bill provides $500 million
for FEMA disaster assistance to be available for recently
declared disasters.
Mr. Speaker, it has been said there is no plan. I disagree. There was
a plan. The plan is in operation. The first part of the plan was to
eliminate Saddam Hussein and his tyrannical regime. That has happened.
To defeat Saddam's armies and his military. That has happened. Now, the
second part of the plan is to stabilize Iraq so that the people of Iraq
can create their own government, and can create their own
infrastructure and give people a quality of life. Where we are at risk
today is from terrorists. Terrorism is raising its ugly head in Iraq.
Our soldiers have been attacked; the United Nations headquarters has
been attacked and the International Red Cross has been attacked.
Now, we did not start this war on terrorism. I think we ought to just
for a minute review this. On February 26, 1993, the World Trade Center
was bombed in New York. Six lives were lost. On June 25, 1996, Khobar
Towers in Saudi Arabia was bombed. Nineteen Americans living there were
killed. On August 7, 1998, American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
were bombed. There were 259 lives lost. On October 12, 2000, the USS
Cole off the coast of Yemen was bombed and 17 sailors were killed, with
many others injured.
These were acts of terrorism. Our response was rather tepid, and the
terrorists became bolder and became more aggressive.
And on September 11 of 2001, a hijacked airplane crashed into the
World Trade Center, tower number one. The second airplane hijacked
crashed into the second tower of the World Trade Center, with nearly
3,000 lives lost or unaccounted for. On September 11, 2001, a hijacked
plane crashed into the Pentagon, right across the river, with 189 lives
lost. On September 11, 2001, a hijacked plane crashed in rural
Pennsylvania, with 44 lives lost.
[[Page H10228]]
{time} 2345
Mr. Speaker, we did not start this war on terrorism. These are
examples of how terrorists started the war on terrorism, and thank God
we finally responded because if we did not respond, the terrorists
would become more bold and more aggressive and more of a threat. So
what we are doing in Iraq, in Afghanistan, what we are doing with this
appropriations bill tonight, we are investing in a future where our
children and grandchildren and great grandchildren can live free from
the fear of terrorists, free from the fear of airplanes flying into our
buildings, free from the threat of losing lives and using loved ones to
terrorists. It is important that we support the President of the United
States as he leads this fight against international terrorism wherever
it might be, and this bill is part of that effort, and I ask for a yes
vote on this bill.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am here tonight to say that I
cannot believe that this supplemental bill is handing over billions and
billions of dollars in reconstruction funding to Iraq through direct
grants . . . let me repeat that--Direct Grants! And where do these
direct grants come from? Directly from America taxpayers' pockets.
That's where. Instead of following the Senate bill and giving Iraq
loans to rebuild, we are flat out throwing money at them with no
oversight. While here at home the Republican leadership continues with
their only legislative agenda item: Tax cuts for their country club
friends, and pushing our Treasury further into debt, our citizens are
being forced to pay for building a country that was unnecessarily
destroyed in the first place, because it has never been proven that
there is a link between Iraq and September 11.
And while Congress hands over blank checks to this Administration,
the media has given them a free ride. While the Republican-controlled
Congress continues to send billions of dollars overseas without
accountability, the media continues to cover up the facts. All the
while the President continues to lie to the American public about the
very reason our troops are over there. Mr. Speaker, our troops are
doing their job, it is the Members of this body that are not doing
theirs.
The Republicans keep telling us this bill is all about the soldiers,
and everyone in this Congress supports our soldiers. But how can a bill
for our soldiers not include money for basic protections like body
armor, boots, camouflage, rucksacks, armored vehicles, tank tracks,
Humvee tires, signal jammers, and chemical suits. We can't even provide
these brave men and women with simple necessities like drinking water,
showers, tennis shoes, and even toothpaste.
I am still working for accountability from the other side of the
aisle. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support our troops, and I am
still trying to figure out why, after Congress appropriated $79 billion
for Iraq just 6 months ago, we are going to vote on yet another $87
billion appropriation today. Whatever happened to the first $79
billion? The American public deserves more from their elected
representatives, and they deserve some accountability for this funding.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, since the President first proposed his $87
billion supplemental appropriations package last month, I have worried
that the President's plan for bringing stability to Iraq lacks fiscal
accountability and a clear plan for bringing our troops home, and has
relied on U.S. troops taking almost all the risks, and American
taxpayers paying virtually all the bills.
I have been angered by the repeated stories of our troops in Iraq not
being outfitted with state-of-the-art Kevler bulletproof vests and
armored HMMVVs.
Equally troubling is the lack of parity for important funding at
home. This bill sends direct aid to Iraq for infrastructure
improvements that dwarf investments in our own country. The bill spends
nearly twice as much per capita for border protection and public safety
services in Iraq as we spend at home, and 10 times more per capita in
Iraq for new hospital facilities than we spend in the United States. In
addition, this bill spends 11 times more per capita for sewer and water
services than we invest in our own cities, and 350 times more per
capita on rehabilitating Iraq's electric power infrastructure than we
are spending on fixing similar problems here at home.
During the House's debate on this bill 2 weeks ago, I offered an
amendment to add emergency funding for eliminating the ``disabled
veterans tax,'' toppling an unfair law that prevents service disabled
veterans from receiving their full military retired pay and VA
disability compensation. This amendment, ruled out of order by the
Republican majority, drew attention to just one of the many
infrastructure and social service spending shortfalls at home that are
ignored in this emergency appropriations bill.
Two weeks ago, I voted ``no'' to giving the President a blank check
for Iraq while falling behind in investing in our infrastructure and
social service needs at home. Today, I will vote ``yes'' because of the
terrible suffering and devastation endured by the citizens of San Diego
County as a result of the firestorm still raging today; $500 million
has been added for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster
assistance in California. Earlier this week, I contacted FEMA Director
Michael Brown and President Bush, urging them to make a FEMA center
operational immediately in San Diego, to help my constituents in
processing the necessary paperwork to begin the process of rebuilding
their lives. This important funding will allow FEMA to open one-stop
clearinghouses for information and assistance in expediting the huge
volume of disaster claims that will result from this tragedy.
In addition, this bill increases funds to purchase body armor Special
Armor Plate Inserts, and to increase production of armored HMMVVs,
which will give our soldiers the protections they should have had all
along. I have joined a number of my colleagues in calling for a full
congressional hearing to investigate the many reports of American men
and women fighting in Iraq without adequate lifesaving body armor--an
indication that our preparation for this war was inadequate.
Today, I vote ``yes'' because our soldiers serving in harm's way
deserve the best protection and resources our Nation can provide. And
because I know, in a very personal way, the suffering of San Diegans in
the current firestorm and because I want to say ``thank you'' to the
thousands of professional firefighters who exhibited so much bravery
and courage in recent days.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my support for a provision
included in this legislation that was offered by myself, Congresswoman
Biggert, Congressman Hyde, and Congressman Lantos, which devotes
$60,000,000 to programs that will help Afghan women and girls, and
$5,000,000 to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission.
This funding will go a long way toward making the lives of Afghan
women better by providing critical services and by ensuring that they
are not relegated to second-class status.
I would like to thank my colleagues Congressman Young, Congressman
Kolbe, Congresswoman Biggert, Congressman Hyde, and Congressman Lantos
for their help in securing this funding as well as our counterparts in
the other body who care so deeply about this issue.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
legislation and urge its prompt adoption this evening.
I want to commend the chairman of the committee and the chairmen of
the Defense and Foreign Operations Subcommittees for their expeditious
and effective handling of this emergency supplemental for Iraq and
Afghanistan.
To our young soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan: Help is on the way.
Difficulties remain, especially in the ``Sunni triangle.'' It continues
to be a dangerous place. But we're there to finish the job--terrorists,
Saddam loyalists, and common criminals must be pursued and brought to
justice.
This bill is more than just dollars and cents--this is direct support
for the safety and security of our young troops standing in harm's way
and for the reconstruction of Iraq. It's the resources our troops need:
Better weapons, reliable intelligence, more ammunition, body armor,
vehicles, better pay, and additional equipment to get the job done.
For example, the conference report increases funds to purchase body
armor Special Armor Plate Insert, to clear unexploded ordnance and to
increase production of other force protection measures such as armored
HMMVV's and electronic jammers.
Quality of life for our troops and their families is also important.
The conference report includes a provision which authorizes continued
payment of per diem for travel of family members of military personnel
who are ill or injured as a result of active duty service and includes
a provision to continue the increased monthly rate of Imminent Danger
Pay and Family Separation Allowances through September 30, 2004.
In addition, the Conference report requires DOD to notify reservists
in writing of their expected mobilization and deployment period--to
help reduce the uncertainty many reservists have faced regarding call-
up times, departure dates, and overseas deployment periods.
The conference report also provides $32 million for the Family
Advocacy program, and $10 million for the National Guard Family
Readiness Program--programs which provide support services to military
families, especially those who have faced losses, or who have a family
member deployed.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, the report prohibits service members injured in
combat or training from being billed for meals during their
hospitalization. Make this benefit retroactive to 9/11/2001 and
provides reimbursement for those who have already paid meal charges.
[[Page H10229]]
Of course, we mourn the loss of any American soldier and pray for the
early recovery of our wounded. We are forever in their debt and reject
the mindless notion that their sacrifice is in vain.
Mr. Speaker, the Coalition Provincial Authority, working with our
military and civilian officials of 131 nations, especially the United
States Agency for International Development has been working hard to
improve the quality of life and deliver needed assistance.
This Supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan will go toward creating
conditions on the ground in Iraq that will enable our troops to succeed
in their mission--by providing the basic services and humanitarian
relief that will make a big difference in stabilizing the country.
Mr. Speaker, the reconstruction package is critical to the military
mission. I urge its adoption.
Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I am greatly disappointed that conferees have
disregarded the House-approved motion to instruct and eliminated the
provision to add $1.3 billion to veteran's health care. While I
understand the need for additional funding may be addressed in VA-HUD
appropriations, I am concerned that if we add funds to that bill
contingent upon the President's designating them emergency spending the
effort will be in vain. The Administration has already told Mr. Young
and Mr. Obey it does not support additional funds for veterans' health
care. Let's not break yet another commitment to our veterans by giving
them this empty promise in exchange for funding that would have been
real.
The cost of not adding significant funds for veterans' health care
will be great. VA has been making progress with waiting times, but it
is likely to regress under the administration-proposed budget. The
Secretary is likely to propose more copayments for our veterans; more
overblown ``management efficiencies''; more service restrictions; and,
even more groups of veterans it will refuse to enroll. If we want to
deal with these consequences, continue to support the President's
budget as requested. If we don't, we'll add some real appropriated
dollars for veterans' health care.
Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3289, the
Iraq War Supplemental. In my opinion, this massive $87 billion spending
bill is flawed and should be sent back to the White House to be
redrafted.
There are three areas that if properly addressed would have made this
a bill that would have served the interests of the American people, as
well as the people of Iraq.
First, this appropriation is 100 percent financed by deficit
spending. The Bush administration has handed out trillions of dollars
in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and created record setting
deficits for middle-class Americans and their children to pay off. In
fiscal year 2004 alone, it is projected that almost $600 billion in
deficit spending will occur in 2004 alone. This unprecedented extreme
of fiscal irresponsibility must be stopped.
The ``emergency'' spending bill for Iraq should not be paid for by
the next generation of Americans, but paid for today by rolling back
the tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans making over $350,000 per year.
Shared sacrifice does not mean that only our troops, their families,
and the next generation of tax payers should shoulder the burden of the
President's Iraq policy.
Second, the Pentagon's practice of sole-source contracting in Iraq
worth billions of dollars for Halliburton and Bechtel with no
accountability to Congress or the American people cannot be allowed to
continue. I find this noncompetitive contracting to be absolutely
unacceptable. Given Vice President Cheney's on-going financial
relationship with Halliburton, this situation is all the more
troublesome. The emergency supplemental only perpetuates Halliburton's
outrageous war pprofiteering at taxpayer expense.
Finally, as U.S. troops attempt to rebuild Iraq they are targets of
constant guerrilla attacks--now averaging more than 30 attacks a day,
euphemistically called ``events'' by the Pentagon. With $63 billion
appropriated only last April to the Pentagon, our service men and women
still have not been provided with adequate necessities to keep
themselves safe. Reports indicate our troops are short more than 44,000
Kevlar vests, they lack the jamming technology that prevents remote
radio detonated bombings and they do not have adequate access to
purified water or sufficient food rations.
As tax dollars are appropriated for our military in Iraq, the needs
of our troops must come first, not the neo-conservative political
agenda of Secretary Rumsfeld or Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. The
Pentagon was provided more than $490,000 for each of the 130,000
soldiers in Iraq since April. Yet, today, U.S. troops are still without
enough Kevlar vests or clean water--this is outrageous and more money
is not the solution. Before billions more are simply handed over to
bureaucrats in the Pentagon, Congress needs to ensure the needs of our
troops on the frontlines are met and the Pentagon is held accountable.
Over the course of the past 18 months, the Bush administration's
policy toward Iraq has been aggressive, obsessive and pre-emptive. The
distortions, manipulations, and politicization of national security
intelligence related to Iraq allowed this White House to sell the
American people a war in which an imminent threat did not exist, but
was apparently manufactured. Now our troops are risking their lives in
a guerilla war and occupation with no end in sight, while America's
most pressing priorities at home are being neglected.
Last year, I opposed the congressional resolution that gave President
Bush a blank check to use our military and I have been very critical of
the administration's policy actions since then. Nonetheless, as reality
presents itself today, all of us--our troops, the American people, the
Iraqi people and the international community--have a major stake in a
stable, secure, and successful transition of control for United States
occupation, to the international community and eventually complete
Iraqi sovereignty.
We cannot withdraw our troops and walk away from Iraq, but we must
demand a better performance than the failure of this White House to
appropriately plan for the reality of the situation in Iraq or in its
dealings with the international community. President Bush must do a
better job.
This week, I will be traveling in the Middle East and inside Iraq. I
hope to see the reality of the situation--the successes and the
problems--faced by United States troops, civilians and the people of
Iraq. But even before going to Iraq, I know it is time for this
administration to tone down its harsh, unproductive rhetoric, work in a
bipartisan fashion with Congress and work more positively with the
international community for an accountable and sustainable plan for
Iraq. Finally, even though the time has long past, it is never too late
for President Bush to be honest with the American people about the
extended commitment and sacrifice, both militarily and financial, all
Americans will have to make to be successful in Iraq. This is an
enormous challenge and the credibility and prestige of the United
States is at stake.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). All time has expired.
Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the conference
report.
There was no objection.
Motion to Recommit Offered by Mr. Obey
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the conference
report?
Mr. OBEY. Yes, I am, in its present form.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:
Mr. Obey moves to recommit the conference report on the
bill H.R. 3289 to the committee of conference with
instructions to the managers on the part of the House to--
(1) accept section 2319 of the Senate amendment (making
$10,000,000,000 of the amounts provided under the subheading
``IRAQ RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION FUND'' available to be used
as loans), and
(2) accept Title IV of the Senate amendment (providing
$1,300,000,000 for veterans medical care).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The motion is not debatable.
Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to
recommit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair will reduce to 5 minutes
the minimum time for the electronic vote on the question of adoption of
the conference report.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 198,
nays 221, not voting 15, as follows:
[Roll No. 600]
YEAS--198
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Alexander
Allen
Andrews
Baca
Baird
Baldwin
Becerra
Bell
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
[[Page H10230]]
Brady (PA)
Brown (OH)
Brown, Corrine
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carson (IN)
Carson (OK)
Chabot
Clay
Clyburn
Conyers
Cooper
Costello
Cramer
Crowley
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (TN)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Deutsch
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Edwards
Emanuel
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Ford
Frank (MA)
Frost
Gonzalez
Goode
Gordon
Green (TX)
Grijalva
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hoeffel
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley (OR)
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
John
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
Kleczka
Lampson
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Lofgren
Lowey
Lucas (KY)
Lynch
Majette
Maloney
Markey
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Michaud
Millender-McDonald
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore
Moran (VA)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Payne
Pelosi
Peterson (MN)
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Reyes
Rodriguez
Rohrabacher
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sabo
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Sandlin
Schakowsky
Schiff
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sherman
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Solis
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Stenholm
Strickland
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (MS)
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Turner (TX)
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Wexler
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
NAYS--221
Aderholt
Bachus
Baker
Ballenger
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Beauprez
Bereuter
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Brady (TX)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burns
Burr
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Castle
Chocola
Coble
Cole
Collins
Cox
Crane
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Cunningham
Davis, Jo Ann
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeLay
DeMint
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dooley (CA)
Doolittle
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Ehlers
Emerson
English
Everett
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Fossella
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gingrey
Goodlatte
Goss
Granger
Graves
Green (WI)
Greenwood
Gutknecht
Hall
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hostettler
Houghton
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Isakson
Issa
Istook
Janklow
Jenkins
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
LaHood
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas (OK)
Manzullo
Marshall
McCrery
McHugh
McInnis
McKeon
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Murphy
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Nethercutt
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Osborne
Ose
Otter
Oxley
Pence
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Pombo
Porter
Portman
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Quinn
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Ros-Lehtinen
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Saxton
Schrock
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simmons
Simpson
Skelton
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Snyder
Souder
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tauzin
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Toomey
Turner (OH)
Upton
Vitter
Walden (OR)
Walsh
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--15
Akin
Ballance
Blumenauer
Boehlert
Bradley (NH)
Case
Fletcher
Gephardt
Gutierrez
McCotter
Miller (NC)
Pearce
Sanchez, Linda T.
Stupak
Young (AK)
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte) (during the vote). Members
are advised that there are 2 minutes remaining in this vote.
{time} 0006
Messrs. KUCINICH, NUSSLE, and BURTON of Indiana changed their vote
from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Mr. DAVIS of Florida changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the conference report.
Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 298,
nays 121, not voting 15, as follows:
[Roll No. 601]
YEAS--298
Aderholt
Alexander
Allen
Andrews
Baca
Bachus
Baker
Ballenger
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Beauprez
Bereuter
Berkley
Berman
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Boyd
Brady (TX)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burns
Burr
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Cardin
Cardoza
Carson (IN)
Carson (OK)
Carter
Castle
Chabot
Chocola
Coble
Cole
Collins
Cooper
Cox
Cramer
Crane
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Cunningham
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeLay
DeMint
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dooley (CA)
Doolittle
Dreier
Dunn
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English
Etheridge
Everett
Feeney
Ferguson
Filner
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fossella
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Frost
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gingrey
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Goss
Granger
Graves
Green (TX)
Green (WI)
Greenwood
Gutknecht
Hall
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Hill
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Hooley (OR)
Hostettler
Houghton
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Isakson
Israel
Issa
Istook
Janklow
Jenkins
John
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
LaHood
Lampson
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Latham
Leach
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lowey
Lucas (KY)
Lucas (OK)
Lynch
Maloney
Manzullo
Marshall
Matheson
McCarthy (NY)
McCrery
McHugh
McInnis
McIntyre
McKeon
McNulty
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Mollohan
Moore
Moran (KS)
Murphy
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Neal (MA)
Nethercutt
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Ortiz
Osborne
Ose
Oxley
Pascrell
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Portman
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Quinn
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Rodriguez
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Royce
Ruppersberger
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Sanchez, Loretta
Sandlin
Saxton
Schrock
Scott (GA)
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simmons
Simpson
Skelton
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Snyder
Souder
Spratt
Stearns
Stenholm
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Toomey
Turner (OH)
Turner (TX)
Upton
Visclosky
Vitter
Walden (OR)
Walsh
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (FL)
NAYS--121
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Baird
Baldwin
Becerra
Bell
Berry
Boswell
Boucher
Brady (PA)
Brown (OH)
Brown, Corrine
Capps
Capuano
Clay
Clyburn
Conyers
Costello
Crowley
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (IL)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Deutsch
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Duncan
Eshoo
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Frank (MA)
Grijalva
Harman
Hastings (FL)
[[Page H10231]]
Hinchey
Hoeffel
Holt
Honda
Inslee
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kleczka
Kucinich
Larson (CT)
LaTourette
Lee
Lewis (GA)
Lofgren
Majette
Markey
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Michaud
Millender-McDonald
Miller, George
Moran (VA)
Nadler
Napolitano
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Otter
Owens
Pallone
Pastor
Paul
Payne
Pelosi
Petri
Rahall
Rangel
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanders
Schakowsky
Schiff
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sherman
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Solis
Stark
Strickland
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Wexler
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
NOT VOTING--15
Akin
Ballance
Blumenauer
Boehlert
Bradley (NH)
Case
Fletcher
Gephardt
Gutierrez
McCotter
Miller (NC)
Pearce
Sanchez, Linda T.
Stupak
Young (AK)
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). Members are advised that
they have 2 minutes remaining to vote.
{time} 0012
So the conference report was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________