[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 75 (Friday, May 27, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 24, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1540) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2012 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes:

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1540, the 
National Defense Authorization Act.
  It does not make sense to waste billions of tax dollars on an already 
bloated defense department, particularly in our current economic state. 
This bill is loaded with unnecessary and redundant funding. For 
example, it calls for the reckless continuation of the V-22 Osprey 
program, which has killed over 30 Americans in training alone, and 
whose termination could save us $10-12 billion over the next 10 years.
  Defense spending currently constitutes almost 60 percent of our 
discretionary spending. As we are forced to consider cutting important 
programs that working families depend on, we cannot continue to spend 
money we do not have--especially on an overly saturated Department of 
Defense. Americans have voiced their priorities: They want jobs, 
affordable health care and better education. This Congress must listen.
  I have not voted in support of a defense authorization bill 
throughout my tenure in Congress and I do not intend to start now.

                          ____________________