Conference Report on H.R. 2863, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006

CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2863, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (Extensions of Remarks - December 22, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2005

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, by including the legislative provision to drill and destroy the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in this defense appropriation conference report (H.R. 2863), the Republican majority has demonstrated their on-going abuse of power, their shameless collusion with the oil industry and a distasteful willingness to exploit the needs of U.S. troops at war in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to achieve their policy desires, regardless of the cost. This is a cynical strategy to pass a provision designed for the oil industry, a provision that has already been rejected by this House earlier this year. The fact that the Republican majority is using our brave men and women serving in the armed forces as political cover to ensure that the provision allowing for oil drilling in ANWR is passed by this House shows the majority's desperation, their deception and their willingness to undermine our democratic process.

The intended purpose of this bill is to provide the resource for the defense of our nation. It is to ensure the men and women serving in the armed forces have the training, the protective gear, the equipment and all of the necessary support to execute their missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Europe and here at home. The men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces comprise the greatest fighting force the world has ever known and they not only keep the citizens of the U.S. safe from a world filled with very real threats, they are serving the cause of peace and security around the world. I commend our troops and our military leadership for their service and sacrifice, as well as the dedication of their families.

Of the more than $450 billion appropriated in this bill, much of the defense related expenditures are necessary for national security. I strongly support the 3.1 percent pay raise for military personnel. The allocation of more than $7 billion for the ballistic-missile defense system continues to be a waste for tax dollars since the program has failed many of its critical tests and by all accounts is a boondoggle.

The language in the bill that bans torture by all U.S. personnel, including civilian defense and intelligence personnel, sets the appropriate standard by which the U.S. should conduct itself--even in a war against terrorism. Senator John McCain should be commended for his perseverance and determination not to yield to President Bush and Vice President Cheney's demands that torture be permitted under certain circumstances. Torture is an inhumane practice that is the antithesis of America's values and moral obligations as a defender of international human rights.

In addition to allowing drilling for oil in ANWR, this bill has a number of nondefense provisions that are objectionable. The across-the-board cut included in H.R. 2863 will total an additional $8 billion in cuts to services critical to our families. This will result in another $28 million cut to No Child Left Behind, bringing the total cut this year to $1 billion. This is in addition to the $40 billion this law has been under-funded by the Republicans since its passage.

Also included in this bill are funds to prepare for a possible Avian Flu pandemic. While I support providing funding for this work, the Republicans have included a provision providing unlimited liability protection to the pharmaceutical industry. Instead of having an honest debate about the needs of health care workers, public health systems and local governments in the case of a pandemic, Republicans have chosen only to worry about another of their strong allies--the drug companies.

H.R. 2863 also claims to provide new funding for Katrina relief which I support. However, this bill includes only $5 billion--not nearly enough to allow families to begin to rebuild their lives and their community. And it relies on a complicated scheme of possible revenues from drilling in ANWR and sales of spectrum to fund relief. In addition, Republicans used this opportunity to push through a divisive school voucher plan that was defeated by the Education and Workforce Committee. This plan will allow $645 million in taxpayer schools to go to private and religious schools that do not have to adhere to the accountability requirements of public schools.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support our troops. Overall, this bill however, is an example of the shameless and abusive tactics used over and over again by this Republican party to force their special interest agenda on the American people. It shows again that the Majority does not represent the values of American families, but rather values their corporate contributors. I urge my colleagues to reject this outrageous bill.

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