[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 168 (Thursday, December 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2863, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Sunday, December 18, 2005

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, the legislative process has clearly 
broken down and this conference report reflects that sad state of 
affairs. Included in this bill are a number of critical issues that 
have nothing to do with defense and deserve separate votes. Instead, 
because they cannot or do not want to legislate, the Republican 
leadership has decided to play politics with our troops and use this 
bill as a vehicle to force through harmful provisions.
  It is shameful that this conference report contains, for the first 
time, authority for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife 
Refuge. Not only is this bad policy, but it has nothing to do with our 
Nation's national defense. If Republicans were truly serious about 
reducing our dependence on foreign oil for security reasons, this bill 
would contain an increase in fuel efficiency standards for automobiles 
or a renewable portfolio standard. Instead, it contains an ideological 
victory for the anti-environmental leadership of this Congress that 
would only provide enough oil to meet our country's needs for 6 months 
to a year.
  This bill also contains a significant across the board budget cut, 
which is an unfortunate and easy way out of making smart spending 
choices. These cuts will have a harmful impact on everything from 
transportation to economic development to health care. In addition, the 
bill contains a damaging provision to provide immunity to drug and 
vaccine manufacturers.
  I am disappointed that the conferees were unwilling to include 
fundamental provisions such as $50 million in funding for the African 
Union Mission in Sudan. Without these funds, there will be no U.S. 
support for Darfur peacekeepers beginning in 2006. The African Union is 
the only security force in Darfur that has been able to provide a 
modicum of security. Yet without this funding it will not be able to 
continue its current level of around 6,000 peacekeepers for an area the 
size of Texas, let alone expand its operations to protect more 
civilians and aid workers. To allow Congress to adjourn without 
addressing this issue makes Republican leadership and the White House 
complicit in this ongoing genocide.
  We face significant security and military challenges from the war in 
Iraq to the threat of terrorism and nuclear proliferation. 
Unfortunately, the spending choices in this bill do not reflect these 
threats and challenges. The billions we waste on outdated programs like 
missile defense come at the expense of the less-flashy tools we need to 
wage counterinsurgency warfare in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, 
such as armored vehicles and language training for soldiers. The 
security of the American people and the safety of our men and women in 
uniform demand better than this conference report.

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