[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[House]
[Page 34000]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 DOD AUTHORIZATION CONFERENCE REPORT AND ITS SUPPORT OF OUR WARFIGHTERS

  (Mr. WALZ of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, today the House will consider 
one of the most important pieces of legislation that we have worked on 
this year: the Defense authorization conference report. It includes 
provisions to restore our Nation's military readiness as well as 
protecting our troops.
  This critical bill restores our military readiness by authorizing $1 
billion for the Strategic Readiness Fund that will require an in-depth 
status of our forces, especially our National Guard, and requires a 
plan to reconstitute that force.
  This legislation offers assistance to our most precious and important 
resource: our warriors and their families who sacrifice so much. It 
provides a 3.5 percent pay increase for servicemembers and prohibits 
increased health care fees while improving the health care system. The 
bill addresses the growing needs of our troops that require care in 
traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, other mental 
health conditions, tuition assistance programs, and also authorizes a 
unique program that was started in my State of Minnesota called Beyond 
the Yellow Ribbon to reintegrate our forces back to civilian life.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud that this Congress will pass legislation 
this week to provide our troops with the resources and health care 
benefits they deserve and protect our Nation's readiness.

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