[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           DOD APPROPRIATION

  (Mr. GINGREY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
2863, the Department of Defense authorization bill.
  As we continue assessing our national defense strategy to guard our 
Nation from threats at home and abroad, we must provide the necessary 
funding for our military needs to keep us safe.
  We in Congress often praise our service men and women for the fine 
job they do, but lipservice is not enough. We must back up our words 
with action.
  The 2006 defense appropriation bill does just that. Mr. Speaker, $366 
billion for our military will go to procure vital weapons systems, to 
further research, to develop new technologies, and to fund military 
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also includes a 3.1-
percent pay raise for soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines.
  Mr. Speaker, we have the most dominant military in the history of the 
world, and this bill will keep it that way. With this funding, we are 
giving our defenders the tools they need to keep us safe.

                          ____________________