[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 168 (Thursday, December 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




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

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. EARL POMEROY

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Sunday, December 18, 2005

  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to say that although I will be 
voting for H.R. 2863, I would like to express my disappointment about 
several of the provisions in the Act. These extraneous provisions 
should not have been included in this important bill that is helping to 
fund and support our troops.
  First, I am concerned about the inclusion of aid for students 
displaced by Hurricane Katrina both procedurally and substantively. 
While I believe that schools serving displaced students must be 
reimbursed for educational expenses associated with these students as 
soon as possible, I am concerned that the system in this bill will 
create a continuing voucher system, which will not be in the best 
interest for teachers, students, or parents. I am not satisfied that 
this program will provide the best relief for students and it is my 
hope that the program will only be utilized in this emergency time and 
will sunset as provided next August.
  I am also concerned about the 1 percent across the board cut 
contained in the bill. This cut will reduce defense spending by $4 
billion. These cuts will affect funding of important homeland security 
programs, such as the Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement, education programs including No Child Left Behind, 
and FBI funding, including a reduction of new hires for the 
counterintelligence/counterterrorism department.
  I am disappointed in both of the above provisions, which I feel 
should have been considered separately. For this reason, I voted 
against the rule that allowed these provisions to be permitted for 
consideration in the Defense Appropriations bill.