[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         DOD AUTHORIZATION BILL

  (Mr. RYUN of Kansas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, the United States military has been 
stretched to the point of breaking. Congress has had to increase the 
President's defense budget by $50 billion over the last five years just 
to add to important unfunded requirements. While operational 
commitments around the world have increased by 300 percent since 1989, 
the Air Force and Army have been reduced by 45 percent, the Navy, 36 
percent, and the Marines, 12 percent. Mr. Speaker, these are 
frightening numbers.
  The conflict in Kosovo has revealed to the world the questionable 
readiness state of the United States military. Readiness of our 
military equipment goes beyond the state of hardware and encompasses 
the quality of life of our soldiers.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States military has been operationally 
deployed 30 times in the last 8 years. To retain our skilled military 
personnel, operation tempos must be reduced and readiness accounts must 
be increased.
  H.R. 1401, the Fiscal Year 2000 National Defense Authorization Act, 
adds much-needed funds to vital military readiness, personnel, 
procurement, construction and research accounts. I urge my colleagues 
to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1401.

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