[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 85 (Friday, June 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E876-E877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. STEPHEN F. LYNCH

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 13, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1960) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2014 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     such fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chair, this en bloc includes my amendment to address a 
critical aspect of oversight for U.S funds being spent in Afghanistan. 
It requires an assessment of the Afghan National Security Forces' 
(ANSF) capability to operate and manage the facilities currently being 
built for the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army.
  As we speak, the United States is undertaking a process whereby our 
servicemembers, as well as those of our allies, are redeploying. By the 
end of 2014, the Afghans will be fully responsible for their security. 
In the meantime, our efforts are now primarily focused on training the 
Afghans to take on their new role.
  However, we are not only providing training: we are also investing 
millions in constructing facilities to be used by the Afghan Army and 
Police forces. In order to ensure the best use of this funding, we need 
to make sure that the structures will be able to serve the Afghans long 
after we leave. Proper operations and maintenance is the key.
  Unfortunately, there is a serious deficit in this capability. In 
October 2012, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, 
or SIGAR, published an audit in which it noted a significant lack of 
trained personnel with the skills to operate and maintain ANSF critical 
facilities. They include vital systems such as water supply, waste 
water treatment and power generation.
  The amendment will require the Department of Defense to assess, and 
report on, Afghan capability to address these needs and what is being 
done to prepare them to be able to do so. It is the best way to ensure 
that our investment will result in a national security force that will 
be able to meet Afghanistan's future security needs.
  I would like to thank the Rules Committee for making this amendment 
in order and the Armed Services Committee for including it in this en 
bloc amendment.

[[Page E877]]



                          ____________________