[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11262]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



FLOYD D. SPENCE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001

  (Mr. SKELTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, each year, the legislative process 
consistently yields a particularly important authorization bill, and 
each and every year that authorization bill is signed into law by the 
President. I am speaking of the annual Defense authorization bill.
  A month ago on May 18, the Floyd D. Spence National Defense 
Authorization Act for fiscal year 2001, aptly named for our 
distinguished chairman in his last year at the helm of the committee, 
passed the House by a strong bipartisan margin of 353 to 63.
  The $310 billion that this bill would authorize in the coming fiscal 
year represents the blueprint for defense policy and spending 
priorities as it does every year. Not only does it set the troop 
strength levels and extend expiring authorities, it goes to the heart 
of what our troops need to do the job. This bill will directly improve 
their quality of life, their readiness to fight, and the pace of the 
modernization of their equipment.
  I am especially pleased that this bill contains several important new 
initiatives, including a comprehensive package of military health care 
reforms that would significantly improve access to quality health care 
for all military beneficiaries, particularly for over-65 military 
retirees.
  But, Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to note that progress on the Defense 
Authorization bill, after passage in the House, has come to a sudden 
standstill in the other body. As I look about the legislative 
landscape, I see no other issue that I believe should take precedence 
over the authorization of the funds that our troops need. I hope that 
this situation can be dealt with quickly, and that we can get about the 
business of going to conference on a Senate bill and a House bill in 
the very near future.
  The Congress needs this bill. The troops need this bill. The country 
needs this bill.

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