[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 86 (Monday, June 17, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E889]
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. BILL POSEY

                               of florida

                    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. POSEY. Mr. Chair, I'm pleased to rise today in support of my 
bipartisan bill, the Deployed Troops Support Act, which has been 
accepted as an Amendment to H.R. 1960, the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014.
  I would like to thank House Armed Services Committee Chairman McKeon 
and Ranking Member Smith for their support in helping this important 
Amendment to move forward. I would also like to thank the cosponsors of 
H.R. 1756, the Deployed Troops Support Act for their support: Frederica 
Wilson of Florida, Dennis Ross of Florida, Louis Gohmert of Texas, 
William Enyart of Illinois, Christopher Gibson of New York, Kerry 
Bentivolio of Mississippi, Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, Larry Bucshon of Indiana, and Derek Kilmer of Washington.
  Mr. Chairman, when our soldiers are deployed to defend our Nation, 
many patriotic Americans show their support for our brave men and women 
in uniform by putting together care packages. This Amendment simply 
allows the Department of Defense to transport, on a space available 
basis, goods supplied by nonprofit organizations to members of the 
Armed Services who are deployed overseas.
  This Amendment gives veterans' nonprofits and other private 
charitable organizations that support our troops the same consideration 
that organizations are already given for transporting humanitarian 
goods to foreign nationals overseas. In this Amendment, we extend the 
same courtesy for our own troops that we have granted to foreigners 
under the ``Denton Program'' since 1985.
  We also ensure that the Secretary has the authority to determine that 
there is a legitimate need for the goods being shipped, that supplies 
are suitable for distribution, and that adequate arrangements have been 
made for distribution.
  This legislative idea was brought to my attention by veterans in my 
congressional district, specifically AVET Project in Brevard County. I 
especially commend Garren and Kim Cone and the members of AVET for 
their service to our Nation and their support for our soldiers. Again, 
thanks to everyone involved for helping to advance this common sense 
Amendment.

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