[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 85 (Friday, June 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E879-E880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. DENNIS A. ROSS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 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. ROSS. Mr. Chair, I rise today to thank Chairman McKeon and 
Ranking Member Smith for their hard work on this important legislation, 
and to speak in support of my amendment to the National Defense 
Authorization Act.
  My amendment is very simple and straightforward--it would prohibit 
the Department of Defense from using taxpayer funds to provide 
additional or upgraded recreational facilities for detainees at U.S. 
Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
  I cannot help but remember that the federal government wasted 
$750,000 last year to build a recreational soccer field in Guantanamo 
Bay for detainees. I thought it was a ridiculous idea then, and I think 
it is a ridiculous idea now.
  At a time when we have an out-of-control backlog of Veterans claims 
pending a decision--taxpayer funding was wasted building a soccer field 
for terrorists?
  At a time when the President's Administration is proposing to 
drastically raise TRICARE fees on service members and their families--
$750,000 were spent to improve the recreational facilities for 
terrorist detainees?
  At a time when we can't give seniors a fair cost-of-living increase 
in benefits?
  Or at a time when families across the country are making tough 
cutbacks in their own budgets, we're building soccer fields in Cuba?
  Guantanamo Bay is a detention facility for terrorists captured on the 
battlefield or apprehended actively planning to do harm to Americans.
  As such, Guantanamo Bay should not be a place of comfort; rather, it 
should house the world's most dangerous terrorists in a humane way, 
providing only the bare essentials.
  Our Founding Fathers made it clear that the federal government has no 
higher duty than to ``provide for the common defense.''
  Rather than balancing the budget on the backs of our military, 
Department of Defense employees, seniors, and families, Congress should 
prevent wasteful projects like this--period.
  Once again, I want to thank the Chair and Ranking Member for their 
work on this legislation, and encourage my colleagues to join me in 
passing this fiscally responsible amendment to ensure taxpayer's funds 
are not used to construct or upgrade recreational facilities for 
terrorist detainees.

[[Page E880]]



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