[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 168 (Thursday, December 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2638]
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

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                               speech of

                       HON. CAROLYN C. KILPATRICK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Sunday, December 18, 2005

  Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, reluctantly, I rise in 
opposition to the bill making appropriations for the Department of 
Defense for fiscal year 2006. Had this bill been limited to providing 
funding for our Nation's defense and our men and women serving our 
country, this bill would have my wholehearted support. But there are 
major sections in this bill that have nothing to do with our Nation's 
defense. They found their way into this bill because it is ``must 
have'' legislation. I refuse to play the game of legislative blackmail. 
These provisions ought to be stripped from this bill. The majority 
leadership profanes the military by adding these extraneous provisions. 
For these reasons, I must vote against this defense-funding bill.
  One of the major problems with this bill is that it will make an $8 
billion across the board cut in all 2006 discretionary spending, 
excluding veterans. I strongly support our veterans but the $8 billion 
in cuts include special education, ``No Child Left Behind,'' homeland 
security, defense spending, low-income heating assistance, job and 
employment assistance, the Women, Infant, and Children Program, WIC, 
and many other programs.
  The sections authorizing oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife 
Refuge, ANWR, should not be in this defense-spending bill. H.R. 2863 
also exempts drug companies from liability. Drug company language does 
not belong in this bill. Drug companies should be liable when their 
products cause physical harm or death to consumers. I am also opposed 
to this bill because I do not think that the Republican leadership 
should use our troops to accomplish political goals that are unpopular 
with Americans. For these reasons I must vote against this defense 
bill.

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