[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 19840-19850]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5631, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 2007

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1037, 
I call up the conference report to accompany the bill (H.R. 5631) 
making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1037, the 
conference report is considered read.
  (For conference report and statement, see proceedings of the House of 
September 25, 2006, at page 19272.)
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) each will control 30 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the conference report on H.R. 5631 
which makes appropriations for the Department of Defense for fiscal 
year 2007. The agreement provides $377.6 billion for the United States 
military. In addition, $70 billion is provided in the so-called bridge 
fund for the operations of the war against terror. Finally, $200 
million is included in emergency funding to help the Department of the 
Interior and the Forest Service combat wildfires.
  Mr. Speaker, this conference report also carries a continuing 
resolution which will fund other activities of the government through 
November 17. It is a totally clean CR, and it merely establishes the 
date.
  The House passed the defense bill on June 20 by a vote of 407-19. The 
other body completed its action on its version of the bill on September 
7. By September 21, only 2 weeks after the Senate approval, we resolved 
conference and present a good conference report.
  There was some difficulty about the total number, the top line, the 
302(b) allocation, and I want to compliment the chairman of the full 
committee, Chairman Lewis, for having stuck to his guns. We were able 
to get that top number up to the House number and this bill reflects 
very closely the bill as passed by the House.
  I will say that a statement has been prepared in writing of the 
highlights of this legislation. I would advise the Members that there 
were no new earmarks, no new Member projects added in conference, and 
that in the bridge fund there are no Member projects whatsoever. It is 
a good conference report. It was agreed to unanimously by the conferees 
of both parties in both the House and the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a good bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report on 
H.R. 5631, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for 
fiscal year 2007. This agreement provides $377.6 billion for the United 
States military. In addition, $70 billion is provided in the so-called 
``Bridge Fund''. Finally, $200 million is included in emergency funding 
to help the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service combat 
wildfires.
  This conference report also carries a continuing resolution, which 
will fund other activities of the government through November 17th.
  The House passed the Defense appropriations bill on June 20th by a 
vote of 407 to 19. However, the Senate did not complete action on its 
version until September 7th. We reached a conference agreement on 
Thursday, September 21st, only two weeks after final approval by the 
Senate, despite having to resolve some major funding differences.
  The centerpiece of this legislation is the funding for the Global War 
on Terror contained in title IX. This includes $17.1 billion to fully 
cover the fiscal year 2007 reset needs of the United States Army, and 
$5.8 billion to do the same for the Marine Corps.
  The reset funding in this conference agreement will enable deploying 
units to have all the equipment they require to face the enemy in Iraq 
and Afghanistan. In addition, returning units can be reset and trained 
in order to be at full readiness for any future deployment. We owe it 
to our troops to ensure they have all the equipment they need to 
perform their missions. This funding keeps that commitment.
  In addition, the conference agreement provides operating expenses for 
the services to conduct the Global War on Terror for the first half of 
fiscal year 2007. Finally, we provide funding for 10 additional C-17 
aircraft in the Bridge Fund, for a total of 22 in this conference 
report.
  Within the base bill, the conference agreement maintains the two 
littoral combat ships provided for the Navy in the House bill but 
eliminated by the Senate, as well one T-AKE ammunition ship. We have 
reluctantly agreed to the proposal of the Administration and the Senate 
to incrementally fund the two lead ships of the DDG-1000 destroyer 
series, formerly DD(X). However, we expect them to stay within the 
total funding envelop for both ships, which is currently projected at 
$6,582,200,000. In the future, I do not believe Congress should 
entertain any funding above this level.
  The conference agreement also includes $2.7 billion to fully fund the 
procurement of 20 F-22A fighter aircraft, and $687 million for advance 
procurement of 20 aircraft in fiscal year 2008.
  The Senate bill had eliminated procurement funding for the Joint 
Strike Fighter program. However, in the conference agreement we were 
able to restore full funding for 2 production aircraft and advance 
procurement for 12 additional aircraft in fiscal year 2008. Including 
research and development costs, the conference agreement contains $4.3 
billion for the Joint Strike Fighter program, making it the largest 
single program in the Department of Defense.
  We also responded to the emerging threat posed by North Korea and 
Iran by providing $9.4 billion for ballistic missile defense, an 
increase of $1.6 billion over fiscal year 2006. This includes funds to 
begin the establishment in Europe of a third ground-based interceptor 
site.

[[Page 19841]]

  Mr. Speaker, there are a number of other important programs addressed 
in this conference report. Let me just conclude by stating that this 
bill provides essential funding for the war fighter in Iraq, 
Afghanistan, and around the world as we wage the Global War on Terror. 
Every member of the conference committee signed the conference report. 
It deserves the strong support of the House. I urge its adoption.

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  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I hope as I see those pages fluttering over there it is not an 
indication that we are going to have a long debate. I hope for the 
record that we are not going to see that.
  We worked assiduously for 6 months to get this bill together. It is 
the tightest, toughest bill I have ever seen in the 25 years I have 
been on this committee. We sure don't want a lot of rhetoric to 
elucidate on what happened here. So I am prepared to yield back my 
time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have two requests for time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield such time as he might consume to the 
distinguished chairman of the full Appropriations Committee, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, at the admonition of my dear 
friend from Pennsylvania, I am simply rising to compliment these two 
gentleman for the fabulous work they have done and to make one single 
point: this is the first conference report of 11 that we should have. 
It is my intention before the year is over to complete all of those 
reports.
  But the point I really want to make and have the House understand, it 
is not the committee's intention to have an omnibus of any form. An 
omnibus only complicates the process, causes us to spend more money, 
not less, and undermines the very fine work that has been done by this 
committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the FY07 Department of Defense 
Appropriations conference report. This is the first of 11 individual 
conference reports I hope to bring to the House floor for consideration 
this year.
  The conference report funds the DoD at $377.6 billion plus a bridge 
fund of $70 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  In addition, the DoD conference report contains a clean continuing 
resolution that funds government operations at the lower rate of House-
passed, Senate-passed, or last year's funding level through November 
17th.
  The underlying bill in this conference report--the DoD Appropriations 
bill--is the most important of our annual appropriation bills for it 
funds our national security. I would like to praise Chairman Young and 
ranking member Murtha for their fine bipartisan work. Chairman Young 
has spoken to the specifics of the conference report so I will direct 
my attention to the need to complete our work this year.
  As the body knows, the Appropriations Committee has made tremendous 
strides over the last two years in reforming the process of adopting 
our annual spending bills.
  The Appropriations Committee has been strongly committed to bringing 
to this floor individual conference reports for each and every bill. We 
were successful in doing so last year and I hope to replicate that 
success again this year.
  Early in this process, I made it very clear to my leadership and to 
our members that the Appropriations Committee would not entertain the 
prospect of an omnibus spending bill. This Committee has done 
everything in its power to ensure that this does not happen.
  The Appropriations Committee passed each of the 11 spending bills 
through full committee by June 20th, and passed 10 of 11 bills off the 
House floor by June 30th. We remain ready to pass the final 
appropriations bill at a moment's notice.
  The Appropriations Committee made a commitment to move its spending 
bills individually--in ``regular order''--and within the framework of 
the Budget Resolution. We have done that. My colleagues, the 
Appropriations Committee has kept its word.
  Moving our spending bills individually is the only way for us to 
maintain fiscal discipline. If history is any guide, an omnibus 
spending bill would also become a vehicle for legislative mischief, a 
proverbial Christmas tree for unrelated legislative proposals by 
attaching the year's unfinished business onto must-pass legislation. 
The pursuit of an omnibus strategy is a budget-buster and an invitation 
to unrestrained spending.
  Chairman Cochran and I urge our colleagues to avoid this approach and 
move forward in passing individual conference reports.
  Together, we remain committed to completing our work at the earliest 
possible date.
  I urge the adoption of this conference report.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the vice 
chairman of the subcommittee.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, taking Mr. Murtha's admonition, I rise in strong support 
of the bill and especially draw attention to the need to get the money 
out the door through the bridge fund.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5631, making 
appropriations for the Department of Defense of FY '07.
  I commend the leadership of the Committee--Chairmen Lewis and Young, 
and Ranking Members Obey and Murtha--for their hard work in producing 
well-balanced bill that meets the needs of our warfighters today and 
lays the foundation for a strong national defense in the future.
  This conference agreement provides $447.6 billion, including $70 
billion in ``bridge funding'' to support our missions in Iraq, 
Afghanistan, and global war on terrorism.
  The total is about $4.1 billion less than the President's budget 
request, but it is over $19 billion more than last year's DoD 
appropriations act.
  Yet still, within this limited allocation, the conference report 
provides important resources for our warfighters:


                                aircraft

  F/A-22 Raptor--$2.7 billion to procure 20 F-22s next year, nearly 
double what was requested by the Administration.
  F-35 Lightening Joint Strike Fighter--almost $5 billion for 
development and procurement of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
  Hercules Cargo Planes--$787 million for nine Air Force C-130Js, and 
$243 million for Marine Corps KC-130Js.


                                 ships

  New Assault Ship--$2.6 billion for two of the Navy's next-generation 
surface combat ship, the DD(X).
  LHA Amphibious Assault Ship--$1.1 billion for the LHA Amphibious 
Assault Ship.
  Attack Submarine--$2.5 billion, equal to the administration's 
request, for procurement of the next Virginia-class new attack-
submarine.


                            Missile Defense

  The conference report provides $9.4 billion for missile defense 
programs--$110 million more than the President's budget request, and 
almost $1.6 billion (20%) more than current funding. We also provide 
for the initial deployment of a national missile defense system based 
in Alaska and California.


                                  FCS

  Future Combat System--Appropriates $3 billion for the Future Combat 
System, the Army's most high profile weapons modernization program. 
However, this figure is $320 million less than requested.


                            Force Protection

  The bill provides funds for increased protection for U.S. troops in 
Iraq, including $725 billion for personnel protective gear, such as 
body armor; $5.6 billion for more up-armored Humvees, other tactical 
wheeled-vehicles and other equipment expended in Iraq and Afghanistan; 
and $1.5 billion to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs).


                                 Bridge

  While these are the highlights of this important conference report, I 
would like to focus on the ``Bridge Fund.'' The conference 
recommendation includes $70 billion in emergency funding for military 
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.


                                  ied

  My colleagues, the standoff-weapon of choice for the insurgents in 
Iraq and Afghanistan is the IED--the roadside bomb, the suicide bomb, 
and recently in Afghanistan, the ``bike'' bomb.
  Our enemy is aggressive, creative, and dangerous and this bridge fund 
contains $1.9 billion for the Joint IED Defeat Organization of the 
Department of Defense in order to stay one step ahead in protecting our 
warfighters.


                                  CERP

  The Commander's Emergency Response Program (CERP) is provided $500 
million to help combatant commanders secure the peace by addressing 
emergency civilian needs in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  Another $3.2 billion is provided to train and equip Iraqi and Afghan 
security forces--a vital mission that will allow American forces to 
hand over security responsibilities as soon as possible.


                        Reset--Army and Marines

  Mr. Speaker, all of the resources in the ``bridge fund'' are 
important. But I would like to highlight the $5.8 billion to ``reset'' 
the Marines and the $17.1 billion provided to reset the Army. This 
funding is needed to fully equip deploying forces and to provide new 
and refurbished equipment for returning units.
  Of the funds provided for the Army, $2.94 billion is for the Army 
Guard and Reserve, including $500 million to continue the effort 
initiated last year to outfit the Army National Guard with the 
equipment it needs for homeland defense and disaster response.

[[Page 19849]]

  Mr. Speaker, the battle we wage in Iraq and Afghanistan is a tough 
battle. We're proud of the job of the Army and the Marines who are 
carrying the fight. But our forces are tearing up equipment at an 
alarming rate and without this re-set funding, we run the risk of 
witnessing the return of a ``hollow Army'' that cannot serve our 
national interests.


                              Warfighters

  Mr. Speaker, the very foundation of our national security is not 
weapons systems or vehicles or munitions. No, our primary asset in the 
global war against terrorism is our warfighter--the brave young men and 
women of our armed forces who are protecting our homeland every day.
  This conference report supports an active-duty force of 482-thousand 
Army soldiers, 340-thousand Navy personnel, 334-thousand Air Force 
pilots and airmen and 175-thousand Marines.
  I am pleased this bill provides for another pay hike (2.2%) for our 
warfighters.


                                Summary

  This House should be proud of this legislation. It provides our 
fighting men and women with the resources they need to be: more 
deployable; more agile; more flexible; more interoperable; and more 
lethal in the execution of their missions.
  It provides for: better training; better equipment; better weapons; 
and better paychecks for the troops and support for their families at 
home.
  I am pleased to support this legislation and the warfighters who 
proudly wear our Nation's uniform.
  Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time. I want to say thank you very much to the members on both sides of 
the aisle of the subcommittee. They worked diligently in a lengthy 
series of hearings, oversight hearings, justification hearings. I would 
like to compliment the staff who have worked many, many long, hard 
hours in resolving the differences between the House version of this 
bill and the Senate version of the bill. It is a great honor to work 
with all of these members, men and women.
  I would say that this, as has been suggested, is a good bill. I urge 
its passage.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this year's Defense Appropriations 
Conference Report is a step up from previous defense spending bills. It 
contains funding for some very inventive programs and industries 
located in my district and throughout Oregon that will prove vital to 
strengthening our national security and military preparedness.
  This conference report also provides funding to the Department of 
Defense to begin researching and expanding its unexploded ordnance 
cleanup capabilities. Recently a pilot program has been implemented for 
the first wide area assessment which has already yielded valuable 
information for improving our ordnance removal methods. It is my hope 
that this is only the beginning of what will hopefully become a 
comprehensive approach to cleaning up unexploded bombs here at home as 
well as abroad.
  Another important program that will receive funding from this bill is 
the Northwest Manufacturing Initiative, which gives small businesses 
from my area involved with defense and military applications the 
ability to contract on a level playing field with the rest of the 
defense industry. Through this program, a coordinated effort between 
state, local, and the private industry, the Pacific Northwest is able 
to make its contributions to our Nation's security. From this we can 
ensure that the inventive and cost-effective solutions generated 
locally are implemented into our national defense strategy.
  Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my support for the 
fiscal year 2007 Defense Appropriations bill.
  Today we reaffirm our support and appreciation for the members of the 
armed services. We have fully funded an across-the-board pay raise of 
2.2 percent and increased military housing allowances. $2 billion in 
funding will go to countering one of the gravest threats our soldiers 
face in combat, the use of IEDs. An additional $3 billion will go to 
outfitting our service members and their combat vehicles with stronger 
armor. These are undoubtedly important priorities, and I support the 
funding levels in the conference report.
  I am pleased with the commitment we have shown to both the Navy and 
to our Nation's shipbuilding industrial base. By funding five new ships 
this fiscal year, as well as continuing to adequately fund ships 
currently under construction like the LPD-17 and the LHA Replacement, 
we are ensuring the Navy will maintain its prominence on the world 
stage.
  As our Nation is currently involved in a long-term war on multiple 
fronts, the importance of this defense funding cannot be understated. I 
am in favor of the conference report and I thank the Defense 
appropriations subcommittee for its hard work.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the conference report for 
the Fiscal Year 2007 Defense Appropriations Act.
  Among other things, this bill contains $50 billion for the war in 
Iraq, pushing the total amount U.S. taxpayers have paid for the Iraq 
war and the war in Afghanistan to more than $500 billion. The vast 
majority of these costs are for the Iraq war.
  This conference report throws billions of dollars into the sands of 
Iraq, while at the same time this Administration and the Republican 
Congress call for drastic cuts to dozens of vital domestic programs.
  This is immoral and wrong. We should be investing in schools and 
health care for all Americans. Certainly, we should fully fund the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, which the Republican-controlled 
Congress has under-funded by $9 billion over the past 6 years.
  In 2002, in the lead-up to the war, the Administration assured the 
Congress and the American people that this war would be affordable.
  How wrong they were! Not only is the Iraq war devastating the lives 
of thousands of U.S. service members and Iraqis, it is devastating our 
Nation's finances. The Administration must develop a plan to not only 
pay for this misguided endeavor but also to bring our troops home.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this 
legislation.
  The Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007 funds our 
military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, among many other things. 
It is very similar to the Defense Authorization bill that I supported 
in the Armed Services Committee and on the House floor.
  The bill provides $447.6 billion in funding, including $70 billion in 
emergency funds to support military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
This grand total represents about 55 percent of the entire Federal 
discretionary budget. Overall defense spending has risen 40 percent 
since September 11th and is more than currently being spent by the rest 
of the world combined.
  Appropriating $70 billion for the so-called bridge fund is realistic 
and necessary, because we must support our men and women in uniform, 
but I also believe the Administration must begin to take responsibility 
for the full cost of the war in Iraq and consider these costs through 
the regular appropriations process. There is no ``emergency'' here--we 
know that since this bridge fund would take us only halfway through 
fiscal year 2007, we should be expecting another request before the 
year is over. With total costs for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan 
crossing the half trillion dollar point after passage of this bill, the 
American people deserve greater candor from the Administration about 
both the predictable costs as well as the anticipated benefits of our 
undertakings in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  Although I don't agree with the ``emergency'' designation, I'm 
pleased that the conferees saw fit to increase the bridge fund levels 
to include $17.1 billion to replace and refurbish Army equipment. This 
is the amount General Schoomaker testified that the Army needed in 
fiscal year 2007 to fully fund its reset program. It's true that even 
with this funding, the Army will still need tens of billions of dollars 
over the coming years for equipment rehabilitation and 
recapitalization--but this is an important start. The bridge fund also 
includes funding for Marine Corps equipment and body armor as well as 
$549 million to cover costs of the enhanced insurance and death 
gratuity benefits.
  I am pleased that the conference report fully funds military pay, 
benefits, and the pay raise of 2.2 percent for the base force. It also 
includes language that I advocated for prohibiting funding for 
permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.
  I remain concerned about rising costs of weapons systems that have 
yet to be fully funded, such as the Future Combat Systems and missile 
defense program, among others. A recent report from the Department of 
Defense identified 36 major weapons systems as having significant cost 
overruns. And yet Congressional Budget Office projections are that 
we'll need to increase defense budgets by 17 percent per year simply to 
sustain the current force structure and weapons programs. And this is 
happening at the same time that operations and maintenance and 
personnel costs--as well as training and recruiting costs--are rising.
  So Mr. Speaker, this conference report is not perfect. It does not 
solve or attempt to solve some of these looming budget problems. But 
overall, it deserves to pass and I urge its approval.

[[Page 19850]]


  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the conference report.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the conference report.
  Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question 
will be postponed.

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