[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 168 (Thursday, December 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2647]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               H.R. 2863

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DAVID WU

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 22, 2005

  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, now that the most egregious provision has been 
stripped out the Defense Appropriations bill, I rise to offer my 
support for this important legislation.
  When the House first voted on this measure early Monday morning on 
December 19, I opposed this bill because, among other reasons, it 
included a provision to permit oil and gas drilling in ANWR. The Arctic 
Refuge is one of the last, wild, untouched places left in the United 
States--with an abundance and variety of wildlife. Not only was I 
concerned about the environmental impact of opening up ANWR to drilling 
and exploration, but I was also opposed to the inclusion of this 
unrelated provision in a defense bill. I am glad that the ANWR 
provision has been stripped from this bill.
  The remaining bill will do a great deal to support our troops. It 
appropriates a total of $453.5 billion for defense programs, including 
$50 billion in emergency spending for military operations in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. I am pleased that it contains language, authored by 
Senator John McCain that bars any U.S. personnel, including civilians, 
from engaging in ``cruel, inhumane, or degrading'' treatment of 
detainees. I am particularly pleased it includes funds for an average 
3.1 percent pay increase for the men and women in our armed forces. 
H.R. 2863 also includes funding for certain special pay and bonuses for 
reserve personnel.
  With that said, and while I now support this bill in its final form, 
I am concerned about a number of remaining provisions in the bill. 
Among other things, H.R. 2863 includes a provision to provide virtually 
unlimited liability protection to the drug industry, while providing 
illusory and unfunded compensation to any potential victims. We must be 
prepared in case of a flu pandemic, including ensuring our first 
responders are ready. Yet, the Republican bill uses the threat of a flu 
pandemic as an excuse to push the Administration's agenda of giving 
unwarranted and broad liability protection to the drug industry for a 
broad array of products.
  I am also concerned about the bill's inclusion of funding for the 
national missile defense (NMD) system. The bill before us includes $7.8 
billion for this system. While we should always stand alert with a 
strong national defense, the NMD system is scientifically unproven, 
fiscally irresponsible, and grossly inaccurate. There are better ways 
to improve our defense.
  Last, I share many of my colleagues concerns over this bill's 
provision to cut all non-emergency discretionary spending, except for 
VA programs, by 1 percent. As a result, K-12 education will see a cut 
of $1 billion this year; LIHEAP, which helps many people heat their 
homes, will be cut by $21 million; and Local Law Enforcement Block 
grants, which goes to help our first responders, will be cut by $315 
million. While I agree that we must be fiscally responsible, we cannot 
do so at the expense of vital social and federal programs that assist 
our communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I support our troops, and I believe in a robust defense. 
But we cannot use this legislation to hold our troops politically 
hostage to unwise policies. I am pleased that ANWR has been stripped 
out of this bill, and I strongly support its passage now that it has 
been removed.

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