Rep. Cole Speaks on House Floor in Support of Defense Authorization Bill

Rep. Cole Speaks on House Floor in Support of Defense Authorization Bill

Congressman Cole gave the following statement on the U.S. House floor today in support of the rule for the Defense Authorization Bill. A rule, which sets the terms of debate on the floor, must be passed before the actual piece of legislation is debatable.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to support the rule for H.R. 5122 and the underlying legislation. This important legislation takes a number of dramatic steps to better the lives of our servicemen and women, increase our defense capabilities and more aggressively conduct operations in the generational Global War on Terror that is now underway. It is a bill that fundamentally addresses many of the transformative challenges for the future and provides many of the interim steps to meet those challenges.

As a member of the Rules Committee, I firmly believe that this legislation takes the appropriate and necessary steps to better secure America's security and more successfully prosecute the war which we were drawn into on September 11, 2001.

To fully appreciate the significance of H.R. 5122, one must understand the four long-term challenges that we face in the 21st century's security environment. Briefly, put these challenges are: 1) responding to the dramatic procurement holiday we took in the 1990's, 2.) responding to the operational demands for the transformation of our forces, 3.) responding to the operational and strategic demands for increased endstrength, and 4.) shaping our military for this generational war, the Global War on Terror.

Mr. Speaker, these challenges are not options, but requirements, that the Armed Services Committee must address on a continual basis. I am happy to report that there is a bipartisan agreement and the Committee has done precisely in H.R. 5122.

First, the Gentleman from California, Chairman Hunter, and the Gentleman from Missouri, Ranking Member Skelton have worked in a good bipartisan way to bring forward a legislative package that we may all be proud of. Now it's important that we, collectively as the House, support our deployed servicemen and women by supporting the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe that this legislation responds in a dramatic way to all of the long-term challenges that we face. Being specific, the underlying legislation increases the procurement accounts by approximately $9 billion over Fiscal Year 2006. And effectively replenishes several historically underfunded accounts. Mr. Speaker, this legislation also takes dramatic steps forward in transforming the nature and structure of our operational forces by funding the Brigade Combat Team conversions for the Army, addressing the needs of Navy's future shipbuilding program, and increasing endstrength of the Army by 30,000 soldiers and 5000 Marines to better support the War on Terror.

Moreover, Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation takes dramatic steps to better ensure our long-term success in the Global War on Terror. Specifically, this legislation includes a $50 billion allocation of supplemental funding to support ongoing war-related costs and procurement of replacement equipment. It significantly increases personnel protection efforts with respect to Improvised Explosive Devices and authorizes support for shipyards to maintain the long-term operational success and stability of the shipping industry, critical to all of our services.

Also, the underlying legislation supports troop morale and welfare by ensuring a 2.7 percent pay raise and blocks the Department of Defense's proposed TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard fee increases and zeroes out co-pays for generic and formulary mail order prescriptions for military beneficiaries.

Mr. Speaker, over the next two days, we will hear arguments in favor of specific amendments that do not relate to our four long-term challenges, nor do they address the subject matter of the underlying legislation in any real way. We will also hear arguments attacking the executive and our progress in the War on Terror. Those discussions are appropriate, but they do not really relate to the purpose of this legislation.

I would caution those who would like to politicize the Defense Authorization bill, that this legislation is absolutely essential to our servicemen and women deployed overseas in a war-time deployment. The operational situation will not change through continuing attacks on the choices we, collectively as the House, have made in the past. Our focus should be to advance our nation's and our servicemen and women's interests by providing them the tools they require to be successful. The underlying legislation does just that.

Mr. Speaker, additionally, some members may want to engage in debate that is essentially tangential to the issue at hand. What we must remember is that this bill is a finely crafted piece of legislation that attempts to bridge the policy and political divide to do what is best for our servicemen and women. Fundamentally, this legislation moves us in the proper direction. No bill is perfect, however, this bill is a very good piece of legislation that increases our security, assists in prosecuting our Global War on Terror, protects our troops, and enhances the lives of our servicemen and women.

Mr. Speaker, to that end, I urge support for the rule and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/ok04_cole/morenews/fy07dodauthorization.html