[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 38 (Thursday, March 30, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E476-E477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE, THE GLOBAL WAR 
                ON TERROR, AND HURRICANE RECOVERY, 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. CAROLYN C. KILPATRICK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 16, 2006

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4939) making 
     emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes:
  Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I would like to use this 
opportunity to address this House to explain my vote on H.R. 4939, the 
Emergency War and Hurricane Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal 
Year 2006, which this chamber considered on March 16, 2006.
  Despite my misgivings for the direction of our Iraq policy, I do not 
believe our troops, who are fighting so bravely, should be penalized 
for the mistakes in judgment of our civilian military leadership in the 
White House and the Pentagon. I also believe we need to continue our 
obligation to the people and states who fell victim to Hurricane 
Katrina. For these reasons, I supported the passage of H.R. 4929, the 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006.
  The funds in this bill will enable our soldiers and marines on the 
ground to uparmor their vehicles. There should be more outrage from the 
American public that they were deployed without adequate equipment from 
the beginning. But they are there, and it is vital that they have the 
equipment necessary to protect themselves against attack. Moreover, 
more money is provided in this bill to help our troops detect and 
destroy improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
  Although I disagree with the administration's conduct of the war, I 
do believe the one way we can bring our troops home sooner is to 
provide Iraqi security forces with the training and equipment they need 
to provide for the common defense of their own country and take the 
fight to the insurgency. Ultimately, the fate of their country will 
rise and fall on the Iraqis' ability to provide for their own security.
  To further help our troops, the money in this bill will take care of 
the health care needs of their families and cover the projected 
shortfall in the defense health care account. It also honors the 
obligation Congress made last year to increase the military death 
gratuity to $100,000 from $12,000 and subsidized life insurance 
benefits that were increased to $400,000 for the families of fallen 
loved ones.
  The bill also helps needy families offset the high cost of heating 
fuel by providing an additional $750 million for the Low Income Home 
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Finally, the bill honors what I 
feel is our country's obligation to help the Gulf Coast region by 
appropriating $19.1 billion in disaster relief, community development 
and levee reconstruction monies.
  These programs deserve our support. We cannot turn our backs to 
protecting

[[Page E477]]

the safety and welfare of troops in harms way or ignore those who have 
gone homeless as a result of Hurricane Katrina. These people need our 
help and that is why I voted to support this emergency supplemental 
appropriations bill.

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