[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2015

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2014

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, to keep the government open, the House 
is considering a continuing resolution (H.J. Res. 124) that permits 
government agencies to continue spending at the 2014 level through 
December 11, 2014. As a result, it allows a rate of overseas 
contingency operations spending at the Department of Defense, 
Department of State, and other agencies that if sustained over the 
entire fiscal year would total $92 billion. This sum exceeds what the 
Administration requested for overseas contingency operations for 2015 
by $26 billion. Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and I agree that 
this bill should not be interpreted as endorsing the expansion of 
overseas contingency operations spending above what our military 
commanders say is needed to support our troops engaged in war 
operations. Congress will revisit the full-year funding needs for 
overseas contingency operations at a future date, including whatever 
resources may be necessary to counter emerging threats, including those 
ISIL poses. Over the course of the CR period, the Administration should 
spend OCO funding at a rate that will still allow for full-year funding 
at no higher than the level military commanders say is needed for 2015.
  The OCO budget has been misused to get around discretionary funding 
caps over the years. Billions of dollars of non-war related activities 
have been funded in the OCO budget. For 2014, Congress shifted $9 
billion of non-war activities into the OCO budget so it could free up 
funds within the budget caps. Over 2001 through 2014, Pentagon OCO cost 
reports indicate that $71 billion of non-war funding was provided 
through war appropriations.
  This is a problem that both Chairman Ryan and I have been looking at 
in the Budget Committee. We both agree that the OCO budget should only 
be used to fund those requirements that are related to the transitory, 
non-recurring costs of war activities. In fact, the Budget Committee 
adopted report language as part of the budget resolution affirming that 
goal. It says, ``Abuse of the OCO/GWOT cap adjustment is a backdoor 
loophole that undermines the integrity of the budget process. The 
Budget Committee will exercise its oversight responsibilities with 
respect to the use of the OCO/GWOT designation in the FY 2015 budget 
process, and it will oppose increases above the levels the 
Administration and our military commanders say are needed to carry out 
operations unless it can be clearly demonstrated that such amounts are 
war-related.''
  We should provide our military and diplomatic corps all the resources 
they need to carry out the important missions the country gives them. 
However, we should not use the OCO budget as a back-door mechanism to 
get around discretionary funding caps. The continuing resolution gives 
the Administration the spending authority needed to keep the government 
open and to give the necessary resources to support those engaged in 
operations overseas. It does not give the Administration a blank check 
to finance non-war activities.
  In the coming months when the House considers the final full-year 
appropriation for overseas contingency operations, I am committed to 
working with Chairman Ryan to ensure that funds appropriated in the OCO 
budget will only be used for war-related costs.

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