[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1440-E1441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2015

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                               speech of

                             HON. PAUL RYAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2014

  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, this continuing resolution (H.J. 
Res. 124) ensures that there will be no government shutdown and that 
the men and women of America's armed forces and diplomatic service will 
have the resources they need in Afghanistan and beyond to protect the 
nation from the dangers of terrorism. This resolution continues funding 
on a temporary basis at fiscal year 2014 levels, but it does not 
provide the final, full-year spending levels for the government. For 
war-related spending, the resolution provides for an interim rate of 
spending that is over $26 billion more than the President's June 26, 
2014 amended request for these purposes for fiscal year 2015. At this 
stage, there is a great deal of uncertainty about the precise needs for 
these activities.
  The Budget Committee has jurisdiction over the use of the statutory 
authority that permits for spending in excess of the discretionary caps 
for funding designated for Overseas

[[Page E1441]]

Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism. On a bipartisan basis, 
the Budget Committee has expressed concern that the OCO/GWOT budget has 
been misused by both this Administration and the previous 
Administration. In addition, Congress has generally gone along with 
using these funds for purposes outside of OCO/GWOT requirements. The 
Committee highlighted this concern in the report accompanying the FY 
2015 budget resolution.
  While I support this interim funding measure and want to ensure our 
armed forces have the resources they need for these purposes, together 
with the Committee's ranking Democratic member Mr. Van Hollen, I will 
work to ensure that the final full-year appropriation for these 
purposes funds only those requirements that are closely related to the 
incremental, non-enduring costs of our overseas engagement in 
Afghanistan and the broader Middle East.

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