Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my colleague's amendment. As my colleague pointed out, we can't afford it. The gentlewoman just said that all the money that we are sending over there is for training and equipment. That is not true.

``60 Minutes'' just discovered the U.S. is financing more than weapons in Ukraine. The government is buying seeds and fertilizer for farmers, paying the salaries of 57,000 first responders, and subsidizing small business.

Again, like my colleague said, we are $33 trillion in debt. It is no wonder we are $33 trillion in debt. This is getting out of hand, and we need to stop it.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment to the Department of Defense appropriations bill, which would prohibit American troops from being sent to fight on the ground in Ukraine.

The United States ought to be encouraging peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, not giving into calls for deadly escalation that could turn nuclear.

It is well past time for the United States to disentangle itself from this misguided war effort and start promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

To date, we have shipped more than 100 billion American tax dollars to Ukraine, a country not known for its strict commitment to anticorruption measures.

Sending money is bad enough. Our men and women being sent to die over this conflict is unthinkable.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this amendment to prevent American lives from being sacrificed.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CRANE. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source