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


        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014

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                               speech of

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    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. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment 
(#63), to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would require 
the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to provide free Internet 
access for servicemembers serving in a combat zone.
  This amendment comes as a response to several servicemembers from our 
district who, while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, found the 
distribution and pricing of recreational Internet usage for 
servicemembers to be unequal and exorbitant.
  For the vast majority of our nation's servicemembers serving 
overseas, the Internet has become the best means to communicate with 
spouses, children, parents, and other loved ones. It is the key link to 
staying connected with home and provides a much needed boost in morale 
for our nation's warriors who have had to endure multiple tours of duty 
in some of the most difficult terrain in the world.
  It is imperative that as the people's elected representatives, we 
make sure that this important service is provided to those who have 
answered the call of duty and are putting their lives in harm's way at 
the lowest cost for our servicemembers.
  For situations in which the local security environment does not allow 
for recreational Internet usage, this amendment provides for a 
temporary waiver.
  I ask for my colleagues to stand with our servicemembers and their 
families and vote in support of my amendment.

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