[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 85 (Thursday, May 22, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H4823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2215
 THE DUNCAN HUNTER NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 
                                  2009

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss my 
vote on H.R. 5658, the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2009.
  I applaud Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member Hunter for the work 
they have done. In fact, I quote Samuel Adams, who said, ``All might be 
free if they valued freedom and defended it as they should.''
  We applaud the young men of the United States military, and I believe 
this bill that has $2 billion toward unfunded readiness initiatives is 
a good bill. I believe the $800 million for National Guard and Reserve 
equipment makes it a good bill, $650 million to keep defense facilities 
in good working order makes it a good bill, the 3.9 percent increase in 
raise for all servicemembers, the health provisions. The bill 
establishes a career intermission pilot program to allow a 
servicemember to be released from active duty for a maximum of 3 years 
to focus on personal or professional goals outside the military. I 
believe it is important to note that there are new procedures for 
interrogation in the field.
  And yet I did offer an amendment that would have helped us end the 
war in Iraq by recounting the fact that all the tasks for ending the 
war have been accomplished by the military. That amendment was not 
accepted. And as well, I offered an amendment that would have 
celebrated all of our troops from Afghanistan and Iraq when they come 
home.
  The fact that this bill provides $70 billion for the Iraq War, Mr. 
Speaker, I could not vote for the bill. I voted ``no.'' I explain this 
so that all might know there are good provisions in this bill, but I 
cannot support the war ever again. I voted ``no'' on this bill.

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