Waiving Points of Order Against Conference Report on H.R. 5122, John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007
WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5122, JOHN WARNER NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007 -- (House of Representatives - September 29, 2006)
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Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I might consume.
(Ms. MATSUI asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, the rule before us makes in order a conference report for the fiscal year 2007 defense authorization bill. The underlying agreement has been a long time in the making, and I am happy to report that it is a clean agreement. I applaud the conferees for refraining from adding extraneous provisions. This bill is about our troops, and I appreciate the Members preserving that focus.
I am not unsympathetic to the desire of many Members in this Chamber to do more before we adjourn. As my colleagues and I have been urging all week, Congress should not leave town without allowing for floor debate on the American people's priorities. These include fully implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendations, allowing a clean vote to increase the minimum wage, and restoring the massive cuts in student financial aid passed by this Congress earlier this year. Despite being the waning hours of this Congress, there is still time to conduct the business of the American people. There is certainly time for debate and a vote on these other urgent priorities.
But to return to the rule we now debate, it allows for consideration of a bill of our national defense and it is a good agreement.
When H.R. 5122 was first considered by the House, I discussed that this bill serves two critical roles: first, as a planning blueprint in order to ensure that our military has the resources and tools to meet any threat from abroad; and, second, to provide for the men and women on the front line of our Nation's defense.
I am happy to report that the conferees kept both of these goals in mind in crafting this responsible agreement. It goes far in the support of the most professional and dedicated military in the world.
The agreement does not permit increases in the military's TRICARE prescription drug program, as the House version of this bill would have done. That is a very good thing. Our men and women in uniform should not pay more to access their benefits, particularly in a time of war.
Additionally, the agreement also maintains a critical role of our military chaplains and what they play in the spiritual lives and health of our troops. In a time of war, we cannot afford to change the rules in ways which may degrade readiness and unit cohesion.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that conferees preserve the wisdom in the underlying bill, which preserved the troop strength of our National Guard. The tragedy of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the annual wildfires in my home State of California and other parts of the West, as well as many members of the Guard called to duty in Iraq, demonstrate the numerous demands placed on the Guard and the important role they play.
For all that we ask of them, these individuals, be they members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Reserves, or National Guard, ask very little of us in return. What they ask is that we provide the equipment they need to get the job done, provide for them, provide for their family. And the agreement we have before us today would do that. I thank the conferees for their efforts to craft this compromise.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, the rule before us makes in order a balanced agreement on the fiscal year 2007 Defense authorization bill. I urge all Members to support its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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