National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2004

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I rise today to say a few words regarding the Defense Authorization Act.
On Saturday of last week, May 17, people all across our Nation commemorated Armed Forces Day. As President Eisenhower wrote in 1953: "It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this Nation and the peace of the free world."

I agree with that sentiment but I would also say that it is fitting and proper to pay tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of our brave men and women in the Armed Forces on each and every day.

We must always remember that our own freedom was not won without cost, but bought and paid for by the sacrifices of generations that have gone before. We must take every opportunity to honor these heroes for their courage and their commitment to the dream that is freedom.

I know I speak for the people of my State of Texas, and for all Americans, when I give thanks that the operation in Iraq has recently reached such a swift conclusion, with so few coalition lives lost.

One in 10 active-duty military personnel call Texas their home, and as a member of the Armed Services Committee, I am dedicated to looking after their interests and the interests of all of our military personnel. We must ensure that the United States military has the training, the equipment, and the facilities they require to remain the greatest fighting force the world has ever known, in times of war and peace.

I support this legislation because it is focused on that goal. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank the distinguished Senators from Virginia and Michigan for their hard work and leadership as chairman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee.

As members of the committee, we have recommended a $17.9 billion increase above the amount appropriated by the Congress last year. This funding will enhance the ability of the Department of Defense to fulfill its homeland defense responsibilities, and sustain the ability of our Armed Forces to conduct military operations with the fewest lives lost.

We also addressed a number of other defense priorities in this bill, including a 3.7 percent across-the-board pay raise for all uniformed service personnel, an increase in the family separation allowance from $100 per month to $250 per month, and an increase in the special pay rate for duty in imminent danger from $150 per month to $225 per month.

The only area where I do want to draw some distinctions between my own position and the position of this bill concerns the F/A-22 aircraft. The committee's decision to decrease funding for the F/A-22 Raptor by $217 million, representing two fighters, simply does not make sense to me.

The F/A-22 is our next generation fighter aircraft, and it will serve to replace the aging fighters currently in our inventory. President Bush requested funding for 22 Raptors, and I believe we should fulfill that request. Reducing our funding in response to the President's budget request will only raise questions about our commitment to this program, unsettle the confidence of the subcontractors and suppliers, and ultimately make the entire program more expensive.

Overall, the committee has produced a good bill. These pay raises are needed and deserved. The funding provides for much-needed support for our military infrastructure and equipment. And I am proud to support these measures.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Chairman WARNER for including language in the legislation which directs the Department of Defense to determine if any additional measures can be taken to assist the naturalization of qualified service members and their families.

This language is consistent with the Military Citizenship Act, a bill that I recently introduced, that will expedite the naturalization process for the nearly 37,000 men and women serving in our Armed Forces who are not U.S. citizens. I believe there is no better way to honor the heroism and sacrifice of those who serve than to offer them the American citizenship they deserve.

As we labor on this bill, we should take care to remember the sacrifices—not just the sacrifices of the brave men and women who fight on the battlefield, but also the sacrifices of the families they leave behind.

I remember watching as the deployment was occurring from Camp Lejeune, where a young mother with her child was saying goodbye to her husband. I will never forget her words. She said: "I used to think that if he loved us, he would never leave us. But now I know that he is leaving us because he loves us."

We as a grateful Nation thank the brave men and women who serve in uniform for the cause of freedom. We wish them all godspeed, and we hope and pray for their swift return to the loving arms of their families.