[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[House]
[Pages 34003-34007]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1585, NATIONAL 
             DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008

  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up House Resolution 860 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 860

       Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be 
     in order to consider the conference report to accompany the 
     bill (H.R. 1585) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
     2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, 
     for military construction, and for defense activities of the 
     Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
     strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. All 
     points of order against the conference report and against its 
     consideration are waived.
       Sec. 2.  The House being in possession of the official 
     papers, the managers on the part of the House at the 
     conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on H.R. 
     3093 shall be, and they are hereby, discharged to the end 
     that H.R. 3093 and its accompanying papers, be, and they are 
     hereby, laid on the table.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. DeGette). The gentlewoman from Florida 
is recognized for 1 hour.
  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to my friend and colleague from Washington on 
the Rules Committee, Mr. Hastings. All time yielded during 
consideration of the rule is for debate only.


                             General Leave

  I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days 
within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous 
materials into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CASTOR. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, House Resolution 860 provides for consideration of the 
conference report to accompany H.R. 1585, the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, under the standard conference 
report rule.
  Madam Speaker, today the Congress will promote a stronger and safer 
America by approving the National Defense Authorization conference 
report and this rule. As a member of the House Armed Services 
Committee, which is chaired by the distinguished gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), I am pleased to report that the committee has 
worked in a bipartisan manner to ensure that our brave men and women in 
uniform have the tools they need to keep America safe and strong.
  Our military personnel and their families have sacrificed so much in 
past years and continue to do so. In recognition of their service, this 
Congress is proud to make important improvements in military pay and 
benefits. We have raised the pay of our brave men and women in uniform 
beyond the levels set originally by the President. And when our brave 
men and women in combat are injured in the line of duty, they deserve 
top quality medical care. The Walter Reed scandal drew back the curtain 
on some of the challenges that the military community faces when it 
comes to serving our brave men and women when they return from the 
battlefield. Unfortunately, the military health care system was not 
providing consistent, excellent care for our wounded soldiers. So, 
Madam Speaker, one of the highlights of this bill are our efforts to 
improve assistance to wounded warriors. These provisions have been 
worked on throughout the year in a bipartisan way to improve the health 
care for our wounded servicemembers because they deserve nothing but 
the best.
  We move beyond the ``support our troops'' rhetoric and enact 
substantive improvements that will restore confidence in the quality of 
care that our brave men and women in uniform deserve when they return 
from the battlefield. This includes assistance to

[[Page 34004]]

their very supportive families, because supporting our troops does not 
simply mean that you salute and send them off to war and then ask them 
to serve and sacrifice for our great country, but supporting our troops 
means that we continue to support them when they return home.
  This bill improves the screening for traumatic brain injury and post-
traumatic stress disorder. I am very proud to recognize the efforts of 
my hometown VA Medical Center, the James A. Haley Medical Center, which 
is home to one of the four polytrauma centers in the country where we 
have so many dedicated doctors, nurses and psychologists and folks in 
physical therapy. They are so dedicated to these brave men and women 
that come home with the worst injuries. But we have got to do more. And 
that is contained in this bill.
  This bill also mandates that the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans 
Affairs establish a standard for rating servicemembers' disabilities 
that takes into consideration all of their medical conditions.
  An important part of improving the health care and mental health care 
for our wounded warriors is tackling the bureaucracy that has blocked 
their access to health care. So we require expedited action, provide 
medical advocates, improve support services for families, elevate the 
care for traumatic brain injuries and aid the polytrauma centers in VA 
hospitals across the country that are serving the most critically 
wounded troops.
  This bill also blocks an increase that was proposed by the White 
House to health insurance premiums for military families and troops 
under the TRICARE system. It is inexplicable how the White House could 
propose health insurance premium increases at a time when we are asking 
so much of our brave American men and women in uniform. So, proudly, 
the Congress, in a bipartisan way, blocks these health insurance 
premium increases.
  Madam Speaker, we know that because of the multiyear, sometimes 
seemingly unending war in Iraq, that the readiness, the military 
readiness of our country has suffered over the years. Well, this bill 
restores the readiness of our Armed Forces, including equipment repair, 
so that our soldiers go to battle with the most up-to-date equipment 
available. In terms of readiness, we have authorized moneys for a new 
Strategic Readiness Fund and to address equipment deficiencies. We have 
all heard stories of soldiers, especially the folks in our National 
Guard and Reserves, who are having problems with equipment shortages 
and even receiving the necessary training that they need before heading 
off to war. In some cases, the National Guard has been unable to help 
in the traditional disaster response roles in their local communities 
due to this problem. Well, this bill tackles that so we can improve the 
readiness of the National Guard and Reserves so they can do their jobs 
safely, efficiently and effectively.
  Madam Speaker, this bill also calls for greater accountability over 
the waste and fraud in Iraq that has been all too prevalent under this 
administration. This includes the troubles we have had with various 
contractors. As we see from the fallout of the Blackwater contracting 
debacles, there has been so much waste and fraud in contracting in Iraq 
and under this White House that we are not going to put up with it any 
longer. This bill substantially improves oversight of the multibillion-
dollar and sometimes sole-source contracts that have been approved 
during this war in Iraq.
  The Armed Services Committee, under Chairman Skelton's leadership, 
also requires additional accountability measures for Afghanistan, 
including a new Inspector General for Afghanistan reconstruction, as we 
cannot sanction the waste and fraud that has accompanied the 
administration's Iraq reconstruction.
  Madam Speaker, many believe that because of the White House's 
preoccupation in Iraq that that preoccupation has shortchanged the 
focus in Afghanistan where the Taliban allowed al Qaeda to flourish 
some years ago. And, after all, the ungoverned and dangerous tribal 
areas of Pakistan are just south of the Afghan border. Indeed, just 
yesterday, listening to the Defense Secretary and the Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Armed Services Committee, it became 
apparent that we are not able to do as much as we would like to do in 
Afghanistan because of the resources that have been overwhelmingly 
devoted to Iraq. Well, in this bill, we direct more attention to 
operations in Afghanistan in addition to an Inspector General that will 
oversee reconstruction efforts. This bill contains a long-term plan to 
improve stability in Afghanistan.
  Madam Speaker, many of the unsung heroes of our Armed Forces whose 
missions you never hear about are the brave men and women in America's 
special forces. I am very proud that the headquarters of Special 
Operations Command is located in my hometown of Tampa, Florida, at 
MacDill Air Force Base. This defense bill under Democratic leadership 
not only fully funds our special forces but goes beyond the Bush 
administration's budget request for these brave men and women, 
including a number of needs that were not proposed to be funded by the 
White House at all. Our commitment to special forces recognizes that we 
cannot rely overwhelmingly any longer on conventional forces in defense 
of our country. We have got to be smarter. We have got to be more 
strategic. And this bill authorizes the increases in special forces and 
also a new emphasis on more strategic action.
  Oftentimes, to win a struggle, it is more strategic and smarter not 
to go in with guns blazing but instead to work with folks on the ground 
to prevent any terrorist inclinations from ever developing. This bill 
does that. We will invest additional resources to improve education and 
analytical intelligence surveillance. We harness the science and 
technology innovation in this great country by investing in information 
technology and other technologies to make sure that our troops on the 
ground have the best technology available across the globe.
  Madam Speaker, this Defense authorization bill and this rule charts a 
new direction for true readiness, accountability and more strategic 
investments to protect our national security. It improves the health 
care needs for our wounded warriors and does a better job of helping 
our families work through the unending maze of benefits and paperwork 
that come from caring for an injured soldier.
  I urge full, bipartisan support.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor) for yielding me the customary 30 
minutes, and I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, this rule allows for the consideration of the 
conference report to accompany the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2008. This conference report is largely bipartisan, as 
it should be, and is an example of what Democrats and Republicans can 
accomplish when working together.
  This conference report contains important authorizations for 
increases in force protection and retains provisions of the overdue 
Wounded Warrior Assistance Act. By passing these provisions, we will 
help provide the tools needed to protect our men and women currently 
deployed in the global war on terror. We will be setting up the 
improvements needed to ensure excellence in our military and veterans 
care system.
  There are also provisions in this conference report that are 
important to those that I represent in central Washington.
  This conference report authorizes $29 million for the Yakima Training 
Center. This funding will be used to increase the size of the Army's 
training space, allow for urban operation training, and support the 
digital systems used by today's Stryker forces. This new range is 
expected to be completed in August of 2009 and will provide critical 
training for our active duty and Reserve Army soldiers.
  In addition, I am pleased that this conference report extends the 
operation of the Ombudsman for the Energy Employees Occupation Illness

[[Page 34005]]

Compensation Program Act. The Ombudsman's office plays an important 
role in assisting workers at Hanford and other sites seeking illness 
compensation that they are due. I might add, Madam Speaker, this issue 
goes way back to the Second World War when we were involved, obviously, 
in atomic power. Hanford, which is in my district and a county adjacent 
to my district, played an important part of that and those workers that 
worked at those sites in many cases gave the ultimate sacrifice as our 
men and women overseas did, but in a kind of different setting. This 
compensation program, I think, is very important for those that worked 
at the Hanford site and other sites during the Second World War.
  Madam Speaker, again, I would like to stress that this conference 
report was achieved in a bipartisan manner, and I hope to see more 
bipartisan conference reports brought to the floor as Congress wraps up 
its business in this first session of the 110th Congress.
  As the first session of the 110th Congress comes to a close, I am 
disappointed that Democrat leaders are still intent on micromanaging 
the war on terror by blocking the funding requested for all our troops 
on the battlefield. At a time when both Democrats and Republicans are 
seeing recent progress in the war on terror, this approach, frankly, 
Madam Speaker, strikes me as unnecessary, divisive and dangerous.
  If a supplemental spending bill is not signed into law soon, some 
Army civilian employees may get layoff notices before the Christmas 
holidays, and if this funding continues to be delayed, Department of 
Defense officials have reported that it could affect as many as 200,000 
civilian employees and contractors.
  Madam Speaker, I am also concerned that Democrat leaders continue to 
use delaying tactics to block a vote on a final bipartisan bill to fund 
veterans services.

                              {time}  1045

  This inaction is causing our veterans to lose critical funding each 
and every day. As I have done in the past, Madam Speaker, I will later 
be asking my colleagues to defeat the previous question in order to 
appoint conferees and quickly approve a veterans funding conference 
report that, again, has strong bipartisan support and which is long 
overdue.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve my time.
  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to 
the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee, the 
gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Skelton, and congratulate him on his 
outstanding leadership in shepherding this bipartisan bill through the 
Congress.
  Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to 
me.
  Of course, I rise in support of the rule for this conference report, 
the National Defense Authorization Act. I will speak more at length on 
this issue later today after we have the privilege of passing the rule 
on this floor. But, I must say, Madam Speaker, that in my years of 
being here in the Congress, this is the most comprehensive, well 
thought-out and studied authorization bill that we have had. It's 
excellent for the troops, it's excellent for the families, and their 
health care. It makes great strides in the area of readiness.
  I just feel like bragging on all the members of the House Armed 
Services Committee on both sides of the aisle. Of course, it couldn't 
be done without the crackerjack staff that we have, and we are just 
absolutely blessed with the dedicated staff that we have, Erin Conaton, 
who's the staff director. We owe all of the members of the staff our 
great appreciation.
  This has been months of hard work. We have a proud tradition in the 
Armed Services Committee as being bipartisan. It helps with the 
problems of readiness, including equipment, training and people. It 
gives an across-the-board 3.5 percent pay raise, protects them from 
escalating fees for health care. It includes over 100 measures, large 
and small, for quality of life. We combined the best elements of the 
Wounded Warrior Act that was passed here in the House by 426-0, as well 
as a companion bill that passed the Senate.
  We have many parts of this bill that are new, which will help us in 
the area of national security all the more. I will, at length, discuss 
them when we take the bill up at a later moment today.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule on the conference report 
for H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 
2008. I will speak at more length about this bill later today.
  This legislation represents the outcome of months of hard work by the 
House Armed Services Committee and our colleagues in the other body. It 
is a good bill and it is a bipartisan bill in the proud tradition of 
the Armed Services Committee. It is good for our troops and their 
families. It will help improve the readiness of our Armed Forces, who 
face dire problems with all elements of readiness including equipment, 
training, and people. And it will bring significant new oversight to 
the Department of Defense in areas where oversight is sorely needed.
  Let me just mention a few high points.
  H.R. 1585 includes a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for the 
troops, protects them from escalating fees for health care, and 
includes well over 100 other measures, both large and small, to improve 
their quality of life. Just as important, it upholds the debt of honor 
the nation owes to its injured and fallen veterans, by combining the 
best elements of the Wounded Warrior Act which passed the House 426-0, 
and a companion bill which passed the Senate.
  To address the readiness crisis, it establishes a new, high level 
board of military officers, the Defense Materiel Readiness Board, to 
grapple with the growing, dramatic shortfalls confronting the Armed 
Forces. The committee also made a special effort to authorize the most 
money possible for readiness accounts.
  Critically, this bill will bring much needed oversight to the wars in 
Iraq and Afghanistan. It follows up on the bipartisan investigation of 
Iraqi Security Forces by the committee's reinstated Oversight & 
Investigations Subcommittee by increasing reporting relating to Iraqi 
Security Forces and requiring real accountability for weapons 
transferred to that nation. And it institutes, for the first time, 
regular progress reports to Congress on the war in Afghanistan, where 
our critical national interests remain deeply challenged by those who 
attacked us on September 11. The bill also creates a new Special 
Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
  Finally, this bill takes significant strides to ensure that the 
Department of Defense is able to posture itself to address new threats. 
The bill includes $17.6 billion for mine resistant ambush protected 
(MRAP) vehicles to protect our troops in Iraq and in future conflicts. 
It increases funding for shipbuilding by almost a billion dollars. The 
bill also adds 8 C-17s to help meet the demands for global power 
projection in today's world.
  In closing, I ask my colleagues to support this rule and to support 
the conference report when we consider it later today.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 7 
minutes to the gentleman from Georgia, Dr. Gingrey, who's a member of 
the Armed Services Committee and former member of the Rules Committee.
  Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and 
the conference report for Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense 
Authorization Act, and I would certainly like to commend Chairman 
Skelton, Ranking Member Hunter for standing strong throughout 
conference negotiations and representing us so well during these 
proceedings.
  Madam Speaker, I think it proves, as my colleague from Washington 
just stated, Mr. Hastings, that we can, when we put our heads together 
and have that cooperative spirit, we can do things in a bipartisan 
manner, and I commend Chairman Skelton and his excellent staff for 
making that happen. Certainly, I want to thank Subcommittee Chairman 
Neil Abercrombie, as well as Ranking Member Jim Saxton, as well as all 
the conferees for the hard work in getting this legislation before the 
floor. The staff of the Armed Services Committee, as I say, deserves 
our thanks for their tireless efforts in support of our soldiers, 
sailors, airmen and marines who are bravely defending us both at home 
and abroad.
  Madam Speaker, as we move toward adjournment, it's essential that we 
pass this legislation, which covers an extensive range of issues that 
are so vitally important to our Armed Services.

[[Page 34006]]

From a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise to an additional $17.6 
billion for MRAP vehicles, mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, 
this legislation addresses the most pressing needs of our troops during 
a most trying time for America. I am further pleased that the bill 
provides for an increase of 13,000 Army and 9,000 Marine personnel, 
active duty personnel, and at a time when our Guard and Reserve forces 
have been so heavily utilized, it appropriately includes Guard 
empowerment provisions.
  Madam Speaker, although I do remain concerned about the overall 
underfunding of missile defense and the lack of full funding for our 
European missile defense site, I am thankful that the conferees 
significantly restored funds for certain critical missile defense 
programs. I am also proud, as my colleague from Washington State made 
note, that the Wounded Warrior legislation is included in this 
conference report, which will help our injured heroes as they face 
challenges encountered on their long road to recovery.
  Additionally, the legislation authorizes $189.4 billion in 
supplemental funding to support current operations in the global war on 
terror, and it fittingly recognizes the dangers posed by a precipitous 
withdrawal from Iraq. By providing increased funding for force 
protection and for the repair and replacement of battle-worn equipment, 
this legislation authorizes the necessary supplemental funding to give 
our deployed soldiers the resources they need to continue taking the 
fight to the terrorists.
  I am further very pleased with the work the committee has done this 
year to authorize funding of 20 F-22 Raptors, in line with the current 
multiyear contract. The F-22, Madam Speaker, is the world's most 
capable fighter, and these funds will go a long way towards providing 
stability for our forces and ensuring that America does maintain air 
dominance for the foreseeable future.
  Madam Speaker, section 1257 of the conference report affirms the 
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, acronym WHINSEC, 
as an invaluable education and training facility which the Department 
of Defense should continue to utilize in order to promote security 
cooperation with Latin American countries. I proudly serve, along with 
my colleague on the House Armed Services Committee, Ms. Sanchez from 
California, we serve on the Board of Visitors for WHINSEC, and have for 
a number of years, Madam Speaker, and know how important that is, 
important for my colleagues to remember that WHINSEC may be the only 
medium we have to engage future military and political leaders of these 
Latin American countries. If we were not to engage with these nations 
in this way, the void created would be filled by countries with 
different values than our own regarding democracy and, yes, human 
rights, countries such as Venezuela and China, whose influence in the 
region is growing. Therefore, I am so proud that Congress stands behind 
WHINSEC.
  Finally, Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
again recognize our fallen soldiers. A brave young man from my district 
who heroically gave his life for our country, Sergeant Paul Saylor from 
Bremen, Georgia, his remains were not able to be viewed for a final 
time upon being returned to his family 2 years ago.
  Last year's authorization bill, H.R. 5122, included a provision which 
requires that all medical personnel be trained in remains preservation 
to ensure that these fallen heroes get the dignity and respect they 
deserve. This is the least that we can do for the families as they are 
grieving so much. I would like to thank my colleagues for following up 
on this measure by honoring my request for a report on this program in 
this year's bill, and I want to certainly take an opportunity to thank 
Paul's parents, Jamie and Patti Saylor, for their help in this regard.
  Madam Speaker, there is much to be proud of in this bill. I again 
commend Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member Hunter for their efforts to 
keep this bill focused on the needs of the warfighter. In this spirit, 
I urge all my colleagues in these days ahead, let's abandon any 
defeatist rhetoric and any partisan bickering which only serves to 
demoralize our troops and, yes, to embolden the enemy. We must stand 
united in providing our troops every needed resource and send a strong 
message to these terrorists and our allies that the resolve of our 
great Nation is stronger than it has ever been.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to vote in favor of the rule and 
the conference report.
  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to an outspoken advocate 
for our brave men and women in uniform, Mr. Altmire from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, and 
I thank the chairman for his leadership, as well as Ranking Member 
Hunter.
  I wanted to talk specifically for a couple of minutes about two 
provisions that this bill includes that I introduced. One of them 
involves a bill, H.R. 1944, dealing with traumatic brain injury, which 
is the signature injury of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  What this legislation that we are voting on today says is that the 
Department of Veterans Affairs will treat traumatic brain injury and do 
screenings and treatments in a way that is much more put together than 
has been done in the past. It is going to create a national registry, 
it is going to create a long-term system for traumatic brain injury 
screening and treatment, and it is going to create a coordinated 
network throughout the Nation that is going to help our brave men and 
women that are affected by TBI.
  Secondly, I also introduced an amendment during consideration of this 
bill dealing with family and medical leave. What this legislation does 
is allow family members of our brave men and women serving in the Guard 
and Reserve to use Family and Medical Leave Act time to see off, to see 
the deployment, or to see the members return when they come back, and 
to use that, importantly, to deal with economic issues and get the 
household economics in order.
  This bill is going to dramatically impact people's lives, and I am 
proud to have played a very small part in it. But I do want to thank 
the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership.
  Madam Speaker, I also thank the gentlewoman from Florida for allowing 
me the time to speak today.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, understanding that the 
gentlewoman is prepared to close, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Madam Speaker, I must ask once again my colleagues to vote ``no'' on 
the previous question so that I can amend the rule to allow the House 
to immediately act to go to conference with the Senate on H.R. 2642, 
the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill, and to 
appoint conferees.
  Madam Speaker, I am disappointed that a final veterans funding bill 
is sitting waiting to be acted on and that the Democrat leaders have 
bent over backwards to prevent this Congress in this session from 
passing the final bill. Democrat leaders in the House have refused to 
name conferees, and instead have chosen to put partisanship and 
politics ahead of ensuring our veterans' needs are met. They have been 
stalling since September and have ignored the fact that the new 
spending bill began October 1 of this year, nearly over 2 months ago.
  Since the beginning of the new spending year, our Nation's 8 million 
veterans have been waiting for their $37 billion in promised veterans 
benefits. Sadly, each day Democrat leaders choose not to act and move 
final funding forward, our Nation's veterans lose $18.5 million. Since 
the fiscal year began 73 days ago, our Nation's veterans are out $1.35 
billion.
  What is even more disappointing is that this bill has almost 
unanimous support, unanimous support, from Republicans and Democrats; 
yet we are not being allowed to pass it into law, and we are getting to 
the waning days of this session. Meanwhile, our Nation's veterans, who 
have sacrificed so much on behalf of our country, are left paying the 
price.

[[Page 34007]]



                              {time}  1100

  It is time, Madam Speaker, like in the underlying bill that this rule 
makes in order, to put partisanship and politics aside and work 
together to do what is in the best interest of our Nation's veterans. I 
see no better time than right now. By defeating the previous question, 
the House will send a strong message to our veterans that they have our 
commitment to provide them with the funding increase they need, 
deserve, and were promised.
  Once Democrat leaders appoint conferees, the House can move forward 
and pass a stand-alone veterans funding bill, and it will pass with 
strong bipartisan support.
  I ask unanimous consent to have the text of the amendment and 
extraneous material inserted into the Record prior to the vote on the 
previous question.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. With that, Madam Speaker, I urge my 
colleagues to oppose the previous question, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I urge approval of the National Defense 
Authorization Act, H.R. 1585, and this rule. This bipartisan bill 
improves military readiness and demonstrates our commitment to our 
brave men and women in uniform, including a 3.5 percent pay raise for 
these brave folks, a commitment to the National Guard and our Reserves, 
and an expansion and great improvement in the health care provided to 
wounded warriors who return from the battlefield. The bill also 
increases oversight and restores accountability over the waste and 
fraud that has occurred in the war in Iraq.
  Madam Speaker, this bill will make America safer and stronger. I urge 
a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.
  The material previously referred to by Mr. Hastings of Washington is 
as follows:

     Amendment to H. Res. 860 Offered by Mr. Hastings of Washington

       At the end of the resolution, add the following:
       Sec. 3. The House disagrees to the Senate amendment to the 
     bill. H.R. 2642, making appropriations for military 
     construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and 
     for other purposes, and agrees to the conference requested by 
     the Senate thereon. The Speaker shall appoint conferees 
     immediately, but may declare a recess under clause 12(a) of 
     rule I for the purpose of consulting the Minority Leader 
     prior to such appointment. The motion to instruct conferees 
     otherwise in order pending the appointment of conferees 
     instead shall be in order only at a time designated by the 
     Speaker in the legislative schedule within two additional 
     legislative days after adoption of this resolution.
                                  ____

       (The information contained herein was provided by 
     Democratic Minority on multiple occasions throughout the 109h 
     Congress.)

        The Vote on the Previous Question: What It Really Means

       This vote, the vote on whether to order the previous 
     question on a special rule, is not merely a procedural vote. 
     A vote against ordering the previous question is a vote 
     against the Democratic majority agenda and a vote to allow 
     the opposition, at least for the moment, to offer an 
     alternative plan. It is a vote about what the House should be 
     debating.
       Mr. Clarence Cannon's Precedents of the House of 
     Representatives, (VI, 308-311) describes the vote on the 
     previous question on the rule as ``a motion to direct or 
     control the consideration of the subject before the House 
     being made by the Member in charge.'' To defeat the previous 
     question is to give the opposition a chance to decide the 
     subject before the House. Cannon cites the Speaker's ruling 
     of January 13, 1920, to the effect that ``the refusal of the 
     House to sustain the demand for the previous question passes 
     the control of the resolution to the opposition'' in order to 
     offer an amendment. On March 15, 1909, a member of the 
     majority party offered a rule resolution. The House defeated 
     the previous question and a member of the opposition rose to 
     a parliamentary inquiry, asking who was entitled to 
     recognition. Speaker Joseph G. Cannon (R-Illinois) said: 
     ``The previous question having been refused, the gentleman 
     from New York, Mr. Fitzgerald, who had asked the gentleman to 
     yield to him for an amendment, is entitled to the first 
     recognition.''
       Because the vote today may look bad for the Democratic 
     majority they will say ``the vote on the previous question is 
     simply a vote on whether to proceed to an immediate vote on 
     adopting the resolution . . . [and] has no substantive 
     legislative or policy implications whatsoever.'' But that is 
     not what they have always said. Listen to the definition of 
     the previous question used in the Floor Procedures Manual 
     published by the Rules Committee in the 109th Congress, (page 
     56). Here's how the Rules Committee described the rule using 
     information from Congressional Quarterly's ``American 
     Congressional Dictionary'': ``If the previous question is 
     defeated, control of debate shifts to the leading opposition 
     member (usually the minority Floor Manager) who then manages 
     an hour of debate and may offer a germane amendment to the 
     pending business.''
       Deschler's Procedure in the U.S. House of Representatives, 
     the subchapter titled ``Amending Special Rules'' states: ``a 
     refusal to order the previous question on such a rule [a 
     special rule reported from the Committee on Rules] opens the 
     resolution to amendment and further debate.'' (Chapter 21, 
     section 21.2) Section 21.3 continues: Upon rejection of the 
     motion for the previous question on a resolution reported 
     from the Committee on Rules, control shifts to the Member 
     leading the opposition to the previous question, who may 
     offer a proper amendment or motion and who controls the time 
     for debate thereon.''
       Clearly, the vote on the previous question on a rule does 
     have substantive policy implications. It is one of the only 
     available tools for those who oppose the Democratic 
     majority's agenda and allows those with alternative views the 
     opportunity to offer an alternative plan.

  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous 
question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

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