[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 168 (Thursday, December 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2641]
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. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Sunday, December 18, 2005

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, America's servicemen and servicewomen are 
the bravest, most valiant and skillful soldiers on earth and because of 
them, our military is the best in history. As the daughter and brother 
of war veterans, I am particularly supportive of our Nation's soldiers. 
The men and women serving America deserve the full support of our 
Nation. This is why it is particularly distasteful and dangerous when 
elected officials in Washington play politics with legislation that 
affects our troops serving right now in Iraq, Afghanistan and 
elsewhere.
  It is tremendously disappointing that the leadership from the other 
side of the aisle has decided to play politics with this bill. They 
have taken a straightforward bill to fund our military, knowing that it 
is destined to pass, and hung politically controversial and 
unacceptable legislation to it. They have given us a withering 
Christmas tree.
  This is politics at its distasteful worst, and it must be rejected. I 
am voting ``no'' on this bill because of the bad governance it 
represents and because of the bad policy attached at the last minute.
  Opening part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling 
creates environmental harm in pursuit of a band-aid for our Nation's 
energy problems. Instead of putting adequate resources into developing 
alternative energy sources, which could solve our long-term problems, 
some in the Congress and the administration find it easier to go 
rushing into a treasured wildlife sanctuary for a short-term stopgap.
  They were unable to get what they want through the normal legislative 
process. So, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle used a ploy--
they attached their legislation to a defense bill, literally in the 
middle of the night.
  As if that weren't bad enough, this bill has also been saddled with 
an irresponsible gift to drugmakers, shielding them from liability and 
giving victims only phantom protections. This is another proposal that 
did not go through the regular legislative process and could not have 
passed on its own merits.
  Added on to all of that is a one percent across the board cut that 
will affect homeland security, education and health care programs. It 
will even chop $4 billion from the defense budget that supports our 
troops. Again, this did not go through the regular process and could 
not have passed on its own merits.
  Though I cannot vote for this bill on principle, I am glad that it 
includes the restoration of $125 million for sick and injured 9/11 
responders. The money was taken back from the responders at the 
president's request in the Labor-HHS appropriations bill we passed 
recently. My colleagues in the New York delegation and I worked hard to 
ensure that the 9/11 heroes can keep the assistance many of them so 
desperately still need. We were informed shortly before Thanksgiving 
that the Speaker would find a way to salvage the funds, and I thank him 
for following through with this action.
  Despite the positive aspects of this bill, the other side of the 
aisle has attached--literally at the last minute--many unrelated items, 
which makes it impossible to support its passage. Such actions 
shouldn't be tolerated by this House. I wish to be associated with the 
comments of my friend and colleague, Mr. Obey, who has spoken strongly 
in opposition to the process under which this final bill was created.

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