[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 72 (Friday, May 18, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E867-E868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 17, 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. RAHALL. Mr. Chair, today, I voted in favor of Representatives 
Barbara Lee's and Barney Frank's Amendment that would limit Defense 
spending in the coming fiscal year to the amount authorized in the 
Budget Control Act of 2011.
  I am opposed to House Republican efforts to rewrite last summer's 
budget agreement, unfairly shifting the burden for deficit reduction

[[Page E868]]

to domestic programs while threatening yet another calamitous downgrade 
in the our Nation's credit rating.
  A balanced approach is essential to achieving deficit reduction. I 
remain optimistic that the Congress can find savings in both domestic 
and defense programs. Certainly, I will continue fighting to ensure 
that cuts are not imposed that would harm our active-duty troops, 
military retirees, and veterans who have already sacrificed so much for 
our Nation.

                          ____________________