[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

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                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 25, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1815) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2006, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my opposition to Mr. 
Hunter's Manager Amendment to H.R. 1815, the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006.
  Like so many of my colleagues, I was concerned about the original 
language in H.R. 1815, language that would have excluded women from 
20,000 positions in which they have already served to great acclaim.
  However, while the Manager's Amendment is an improvement upon the 
original language, it is still flawed.
  First of all, the Hunter Amendment extends the notification period 
for changes to women's assignments from thirty to sixty legislative 
days, a period that could last as long as 4 to 5 months.
  Mr. Chairman, I know how long debates on this floor can last, and I 
guarantee you, an Iraqi insurgent is not going to hold his fire until 
we have reached agreement on which positions women can fill.
  In addition, the Hunter Amendment requires Army commanders to send 
more detailed reports to Congress about the kinds of enlisted jobs, or 
Military Occupational Specialties, they would like to open to women. 
Unfortunately, this will also have the effect, intended or not, of 
limiting women's roles in the military. Our generals are swimming in 
paperwork as it is. By burdening them with even more paperwork, the new 
provisions in the Hunter Amendment create an unnecessary and dangerous 
delay.
  Now is the time to be praising women for their contributions to the 
war effort, not curtailing their roles. Army spokesperson Elizabeth 
Robbins recently declared, ``Women soldiers are performing 
magnificently in all formations in which they are permitted to serve.''
  Mr. Chairman, this is high praise! Why are we trying to fix a problem 
that does not exist?
  Today, women comprise a quarter of our available soldiers. As General 
Claudia Kennedy, the highest ranking woman ever to serve in the Army 
said to me, ``Numbers matter! Why should we prohibit our brave soldiers 
from doing their jobs when the Army is having trouble recruiting?''
  We should devote our time to enhancing soldiers' protections, not 
restricting women's roles.
  Several months ago we learned that soldiers were digging up rusted 
scrap metal to protect unarmored vehicles. This is a problem worth 
fixing! The best way to protect our women and men in uniform is to 
guarantee them the armor, supplies and resources they need.
  In April 2003, a soldier named Jessica Lynch captured our hearts. She 
also taught us an important lesson. Jessica Lynch was a member of the 
507th Maintenance Company. Her convoy, a supply unit, was not supposed 
to be in the line of fire. But, Mr. Chairman, as Jessica Lynch's 
terrifying ordeal taught us, everywhere in Iraq is a potential combat 
zone, and every soldier is serving on the front lines.
  I would like to thank Representatives Skelton and Wilson for their 
hard work on this issue and for their advocacy for women's rights in 
the military.
  I stand here in support of the military. My husband, brother and 
father all served with honor on our country's behalf. I am grateful for 
the sacrifice of each of our service men and women. But I did not come 
to Congress to restrict the roles of women anywhere.




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