[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 72 (Friday, May 18, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4310) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2013, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4310, the 
National Defense Authorization, NDAA Act. Our country has always spent 
too much taxpayer money on an outdated, ineffective military apparatus; 
this year's reauthorization is no different. The pattern of lopsided 
investment causes us to sacrifice critically needed investments in job 
growth, health care, education, and economic recovery. Simply put, our 
level of defense spending does not reflect my values or those of the 
majority of Americans. Therefore, I will once again vote against the 
NDAA.
  Defense already comprises almost 60 percent of the federal 
government's discretionary spending. Our nation dedicates entirely too 
much of its capital to military efforts at great monetary and human 
costs. We have spent trillions of dollars on wars in Afghanistan and 
Iraq and lost thousands of lives. The American people have had enough. 
Almost 70 percent of Americans want a complete and early withdrawal of 
troops from Afghanistan, according to a recent Rasmussen survey.
  What's more, two-thirds of Republicans and nine out of ten Democrats 
support making immediate and drastic cuts to defense spending, 
according to a recent survey by the nonprofit groups, Center for Public 
Integrity, the Program for Public Consultation, and the Stimson Center. 
The average suggested defense cut by those polled came to more than $80 
billion. That amount is almost twice what is due to be cut from defense 
in the sequester, the bipartisan deal reached at the end of last year 
to reduce our deficit.
  Rather than listen to the American people, House Republicans have 
chosen to do the opposite--further increasing defense spending in this 
legislation. They've added an additional $8 billion above the budget 
limits that were approved earlier this Congress as part of the Budget 
Control Act. This is why I joined with Representative Barbara Lee (D 
CA) to offer an amendment to cut that $8 billion from the defense 
authorization. Doing so would simply ensure that defense spending falls 
in line with the limits set by Republicans in their own Budget Control 
Act. Unfortunately, the amendment was not approved.
  The bottom line is that it's beyond time for us to cut defense 
spending, withdraw our troops, and redirect our focus to the troubles 
we're facing here at home. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting 
against this bill.

                          ____________________