[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 166 (Wednesday, December 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2147-E2148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FULL-YEAR CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 8, 2010

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3082, Making 
Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011 and the Food 
Safety Enhancement Act of 2010. I support the underlying purpose of 
this bill: to keep the government running through September 30, 2011 
and I support a number of provisions in it.
  H.R. 3082 contains the Food Safety Enhancement Act, a bill that would 
greatly

[[Page E2148]]

strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ability to demand 
recalls of tainted foods, increase inspections on domestic food 
facilities, and secure accountability from food companies. It also 
allows the FDA to create new regulations governing the sanitary 
transportation of food. I applaud the inclusion of a program to develop 
a nationwide food emergency response laboratory network to better 
monitor dangers to our Nation's food supply. While I regret that this 
bill has been weakened relative to the version that passed the House 
earlier this year, I welcome the overall improvements to the FDA's 
authority to protect public health.
  I strongly support the funding included for the National Space and 
Aeronautics Administration (NASA). I am concerned, however, about the 
possible neglect of NASA's research centers, such as the NASA Glenn 
Research Center (NASA Glenn) located in my congressional district, as a 
result of the distribution of funds under this bill. The allocation of 
funding reflects the significant changes made to NASA's programs as 
requested by the President. The language in this bill makes vulnerable 
funds for in-house research and development (R&D) programs such as the 
Life Science, Human Research and Exploration Technology Development 
under the Technology Demonstration and Space Technology Missions. 
Ensuring NASA Glenn's health is vital to the workers at NASA I 
represent, as well as to the economic health of the State of Ohio. 
Adequate support of the agency's research centers is key to protecting 
NASA's legacy as the premier aeronautics R&D agency in the world.
  However, I cannot support the $159 billion contained in this 
legislation to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have heard 
about fake negotiations between the Karzai government that we prop up 
and a fake Taliban leader; this, while we conduct a record number of 
airstrikes to wipe out Taliban leadership. We know that millions of 
dollars--some believed to be U.S. taxpayer money--have gone and are 
going unaccounted for as Karzai and his cronies purchase villas in 
Dubai. We also know that our night raids and airstrikes only foment 
hatred toward the U.S. and our presence in the country, further 
endangering our troops and allies. And yet as reasons to get out of 
Afghanistan continue to mount, so do the calls for a prolonged presence 
in the country beyond the initial proposed 2011 withdrawal date. The 
war in Afghanistan, like the war in Iraq, is taking place in a world 
where facts and common sense seem to have no place.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

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