[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21666]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 URGING MEMBERS TO SUPPORT AMERICA'S MILITARY BY VOTING YES ON THE DOD 
                           AUTHORIZATION BILL

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, our military forces have been facing 13 
consecutive years of defense cuts. Now we are at a critical point where 
personnel and readiness levels are literally bleeding our defense 
capabilities dry. Retention and readiness are two critical issues 
facing our military forces today, and we must provide the necessary 
incentives for our troops to retain their skills to get the job done.
  Furthermore, Congress must support increased health benefits and pay 
increases for our Nation's military men and women. We must also fully 
fund their equipment modernization and training so our troops can 
maintain a peak level of performance.
  Before this Congress or this administration even so much as debates 
yet another deployment of our Armed Forces, we must without question 
provide the necessary funding for our brave men and women to perform 
the jobs we have asked them to do.
  Today this body has an important opportunity to address the critical 
issues of underfunded quality of life readiness and modernization 
requirements in our military. I urge my colleagues to tell the military 
men and women in their districts that they support them by voting yes 
on the DOD authorization bill today.

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