[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROTECTING VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ACT OF 2014

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                               speech of

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 4, 2014

  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, today I am voting against the National 
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2015. Although this 
bill contains a few positive measures and provisions that I support it 
unfortunately creates a two year blank check for the U.S. to wage a war 
against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in both Syria and 
Iraq.
   I am vehemently opposed to this two year authorization to train and 
equip as yet unknown forces in both Syria and Iraq to combat ISIL. 
Tragically, Congress has once again abdicated its constitutional 
responsibilities under War Powers. Instead of voting on a vague 
authorization today, we should wait and pass judgment on a more 
detailed assessment on this operation and vote on a specific 
authorization for use of military force (AUMF). In addition to the $5 
billion already authorized to continue the fight against ISIL, this 
bill mistakenly allows for the reprogramming of funds as the President 
sees fit from the $63.7 billion overseas contingency operations 
account, which has turned into a slush fund to fight unauthorized wars.
   If you turned to any of my colleagues today and asked the basic 
question who are the 5,000 fighters that the U.S. will train and equip 
in Syria, they could not give you an answer. Not even our intelligence 
agencies know who we can trust. Before granting authorization, Congress 
should at least know who it is we are giving U.S. weapons to and what 
their ideology and political goals are. This is a complex mess of 
various actors, many of whom cannot be considered trustworthy allies. 
The Syrian opposition is made up of hundreds of thousands of fighters 
from various factions that are also fighting amongst each other.
   In Iraq, the U.S. is looking to form an alliance with a new 
government whose current Prime Minister has yet to prove he will bring 
Sunnis back into an inclusive society and government. At the moment the 
Iraqi army barely exists on paper. The main Iraqi force currently 
fighting ISIL, Asaib Ahl al-haq, is incredibly hostile to the U.S. and 
was attacking our troops up to the last day of the U.S. occupation of 
Iraq. The enemy of our enemy is not always an ally.
   That is why it is so critical that Congress be presented with a 
detailed plan of this ``train and equip'' operation including who it is 
that we are arming before we vote and this authorization fails to do 
that.
   Most importantly what we are voting on today is a small part of 
President Obama's larger strategy to go to war with ISIL. No President 
can declare war without Congressional authorization. If the U.S. is 
going to war with ISIL as it appears that we are, then my colleagues 
need to vote on an AUMF. The American people did not elect us to punt 
the responsibility for matters of war and peace to the President. The 
purpose of an AUMF is to lay out in detail the scope, plan, purpose, 
and duration of a military operation and to provide both classified and 
non-classified briefings to Congress and allow them to debate and 
express their opinions on the merits of this. Absent an AUMF from 
Congress, we are committing ourselves to an open ended war, declared by 
the President about which we have little to no details.
   Despite my disagreements with the President on defense policy, 
members of our armed forces must be adequately funded and get the 
services they deserve. The bill includes increased funding for the 
National Guard, a 1% pay raise for our troops, and additional funding 
for mental health screenings and psychological services for those who 
have served and suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. 
Additionally, this bill prevents the retirement of the A-10 Warthog, a 
more cost effective close air-support weapons system than the F-35 
Joint Striker, contains funding for nuclear non-proliferation 
activities, and acquisition reform measures that take a small step in 
reining in the bloated Pentagon budget. I strongly support these 
provisions of the NDAA.
   Lastly, there was a public lands package attached to this bill that 
include provisions that are critical to the West Coast and Oregon. The 
REFI Act will save West Coast fishermen millions of dollars by 
refinancing expensive, unfair high-interest federal loans. The 
expansion of the Oregon Caves National Monument will boost the local 
economy and create needed jobs in southern Oregon, protect the unique 
cave system for hiking and other recreational opportunities, and it 
designates the River Styx--the underground stream running through 
Oregon Caves--as the first subterranean Wild and Scenic River in the 
nation. The package wasn't perfect, but it was the result of a multi-
year negotiation to clear the backlog of mostly non-controversial, 
locally supported lands bills that have languished in this 
dysfunctional Congress. I didn't pick the vehicle to move these bills, 
and unfortunately it was attached to the NDAA.
   Again, I will ultimately vote no on this legislation because it 
contains a two-year blank check to fight an unauthorized war in Iraq 
and Syria. Congress shouldn't duck its responsibility to thoroughly 
debate and discuss the authorization of use of force.

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