starttime 1242317860.02951
THE AMENDMENT IS NOT ADOPTED.
OBJECTION THE MOTION TO
RECONSIDER IS LAID UPON THE
TABLE.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO -- FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM MICHIGAN RISE?
MR. KILDEE: I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THAT THE CLERK BE
AUTHORIZED TO MAKE TECHNICAL
CORRECTIONS IN THE ENDORSEMENT
OF H.R. 2187, TO INCLUDE
CORRECTIONS IN SPELLING,
PUNCTUATION, SECTION NUMBERING,
AND CROSS-REFERENCING, AND
INSERTION OF APPROPRIATE
HEADINGS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO RISE?
MR. PERLMUTTER: MR. SPEAKER, BY
DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON
RULES I CALUP
434 AND ASK FOR ITS IMMEDIATE
CONSIDERATION. THE SPEAKER PRO TEORE: THE
CLERK WILL REPORT THE RESOLUTION.
THE CLERK: HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER
53, HOUSE RESOLUTION 434,
RESOLVED THAT UPON THE ADOPTION
OF THIS RESOLUTION IT SHALL BE
IN ORDER TO CONSIDER IN THE
HOUSE THE BILL H.R. 2346, MAKING
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR
THE FCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER
30, 2009, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
ALL POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST
CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL ARE
WAIVED EXCEPT THOSE ARISING
UNDER CLAUSE 9 OR 10 OF RULE 21.
THE AMENDMENT PRINTED IN THE
REPORTF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES ACCOMPANYING THIS RESOLUTION
SHALL BE CONSIDERED AS ADOPTED.
THE BILL AS AMENDED SHALL BE
CONSIDERED AS READ. ALL POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST
PROVISIONS IN THE BILL AS
AMENDED ARE WAIVED.
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION SHALL BE
CONSIDERED AS ORDERED ON THE
BILL AS AMENDED TO FINAL PASSAGE
WITHOUT INTERVENING MOTION
EXCEPT ONE, ONE HOUR OF DEBATE
EQUALLY DIVIDED AND CONTROLLED
BY THE CHAIR AND RANKING
MINORITY MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE
ON APPROPRIATIONS.
AND TWO, ONE MOTION TO RECOMMIT
WITH OR WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE HOUR.
MR. PERLMUTTER: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
FOR PURPOSES OF DEBATE ONLY, I
YIELD THE CUSTOMARY 30 MINUTES
TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA, MR. DREIER.
ALL TIME YIELDED IS FOR DEBATE
ONLY.
I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I
MAY CONSUME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I ALSO ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT ALL
MEMBERS MAY HAVE FIVE
LEGISLATIVE DAYS TO REVISE AND
EXTEND THEIR REMARKS ON HOUSE
RESOLUTION 434. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PERLMUTTER: MR. SPEAKER,
HOUSE RESOLUTION 434 PROVIDES
FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2346,
THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
ACT OF 200
NO MEMBER OF CONGRESS TAKES
TODAY'S VOTE LIGHTLY.
IN MY TWO TERMS IN CONGRESS, I
HAVE HAD MANY LATE NIGHTS
THINKING ABOUT OUR TROOPS WHO
PROTECT US ALL AROUNDHE GLOBE.
ONES WHO I HAVE MET, ONE FROM MY
DISTRICT, AND OTHERS THINKING
ABOUT HOW TO BRING THEM HOME
SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY.
TODAY WE VOTE TO FUND THEM AND
THEIR EFFORTS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
IT IS NOT A PERFECT BILL AND IT
IS NOT THE SILVER BULLET WHICH
WILL END THE WARS WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.
BUT IT IS A RESPONSIBLE PLAN TO
SUPPORT OUR SERVICE MEN AND
WOMEN AND ASSIST THEM AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE.
MR. SPEAKER, WE CANNOT FULLY
UNDERSTAND THE NEXT STEPS IN
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WITHOUT
LOOKING AT THE STEPS OUR NATION
HAS TAKEN TO GET HERE.
2001 FOLLOWING THE SEPTEMBER 11
ATTACKS, CONGRESS AUTHORIZED
PRESIDENT BUSH TO TAKE ACTION
AGAINST AFGHANISTAN FOR
HARBORING AND ENABLING AL QAEDA
TO ATTACK US.
WE WERE GREETED AS LIBERATORS
FOR THE MOST PART AND EVEN HAD
OSAMA BIN LADEN CORNERED IN THE
MOUNTAINS OF TORA BORA.
BUT IN 2002 AND 2003, PRESIDENT
BUSH AND OTHERS CHANGED THE
COUNTRY'S FOCUS FROM THE BIGGEST
THREAT TO AMERICAN SECURITY TO A
COUNTRY WHICH ACTUALLY POSED
LITTLE THREAT, THAT BEING IRAQ.
EVER SINCE THAT MENT, WE HAVE
BEEN PLAYING CATCH-UP IN BOTH
COUNTRIES TRYG TO DEFEAT
INSURGENCIES WHILE PROMOTING
DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT WHICH ARE PRECAREOUS
AT BEST.
EVEN EXPERTS CONCEDE ACHIEVING
THESE MISSIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY IS
DIFFICULT.
LAST NOVEMBER, PRESIDENT OBAMA
AND JOHN MCCAIN OUTLINED TWO
VERY DIFFERENT VISIONS OF OUR
FUTURE INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN.
IN IRAQ, PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PLAN
INVOLVED EXPEDITIOUSLY
TRANSITIONING AUTHORITY TO THE
IRAQI SECURITY FORCES, PROMOTE
BEING ECONIC DEVELOPMENT, AND
REMOVING COMBAT TROOPS WITHIN A
YEAR.
THIS VISION IS VERY CLOSE TO THE
PLAN I DESCRIBED TO MY VOTERS
WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO MY FIRST
TERM.
IN AFGHANISTAN, THE PLAN
INVOLVING BROADENING THE
INTERNATIONAL COALITION,
ERADICATING AL QAEDA AND THE
TALIBAN, POWERING WOMEN, AND
PROVIDING AN INCREASE IN TROOPS
IS WHAT IS PROVIDED FOR IN THIS
PARTICULAR BILL.
KNOWING FULL WELL PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC
GOALS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN,
MORE AMERICANS VOTED FOR
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE PLANS HE
OUTLINED THAN THEY DID FOR
SENATOR MCCAIN OR HIS PLANS.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FEW
MONTHS, PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS PUT
THE PIECES IN PLACE TO KEEP HIS
PROMISE, PUTTING A NATIONAL
SECURITY TEAM IN PLACE, A
BIPARTISAN TEAM AT THAT, OF
ROBERT GATES, JAMES JONES, AND
HILLARY RODAM CLINTON.
TODAY'S BILL IS A PLAN LAID OUT
BY THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
BIPARTISAN NATIONAL SECURITY
TEAM THAT FINALLY UNDERSTANDS
THAT VICTORY WILL NOT BE
ACHIEVED BY MILITARY MIGHT ALONE.
MANY ON THE HOUSE TODAY ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE HAVE STATED
THEIR OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL BEFORE THE NEW PRESIDENT WITH
HIS NEW IDEAS HAS EVEN HAD A
CHANCE TO IMPLEMENT HIS PLAN.
PRESIDENT OBAMA INHERITED AN
INTERNATIONAL MESS.
AMERICAN VOTERS CHOSE PRESIDENT
OBAMA AND HIS PLANS AND
TIME THAT CONGRESS GAVE OUR
TROOPS THE RESOURCES THEY NEED
TO COMPLETE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS.
IN MY OPINION, THERE ARE THREE
COMPONENTS TO THIS BILL.
FIRST, IN IRAQ WE PROVIDE
FUNDING FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS,
INCLUDING $4.8 BILLION FOR
LIGHTWEIGHT MINE RESISTANT
VEHICLES, M RAPS, AND $1.3
BILLION FOR I.E.D. THREAT MITIGATION.
THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES $1
BILLION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
IN IRAQ.
THESE ARE ESSENTIAL TO PRESIDENT
OBAMA IN ORDER TO MEET HIS
INTENDED DATE OF AUGUST 31,
2010, TO REMOVE ALL COMBAT
TROOPS FROM IRAQ.
IN AFGHANISTAN WE REQUIRE THE
PRESIDENT TO OBJECTIVELY REPORT
TO CONGRESS ON FIVE CRITICAL
AREAS IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN.
AMONG THESE ARE QUESTIONS OF
ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS,
INDEPENDENT SECURITY FORCES, AND
POLITICAL CONSENSUS.
WE ALSO PROVIDE $1 $52 BILLION
OF INTERNATIONAL AID DEVELOPMENT
IN THAT COUNTRY.
LASTLY THE BILL FOCUSES ON OUR
TROOPS AND DOMESTIC EMERGENCIES.
WE PROVIDE FUNDING FOR H1N1
FLUENZA, WE ALSO PROVIDE $470
MILLION TO ADDRESS MEXICAN
BORDER VIOLENCE AND DRUG CARTELS.
WE ALSO PROVIDE TO OUR TROOPS
STOP LOSS PAYMENTS IN
RECOGNITION OF THEIR ADDITIONAL
PARTICIPION IN THE WARS IN THE
MIDDLE EAST.
THESE TROOPS WHO SIGNED UP TO
SERVE AS PART AFTER BACKDOOR
DRAFT AND THIS BILL JUSTLY
REPAYS THEM.
MR. SPEAKER, TODAY WE WILL HAVE
AN EMOTIONAL DEBATE ABOUT HOW
OUR NATION MOVES FORWARD IN IRAQ
AND AFGHANISTAN.
THE WAY FORWARD IN IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN IS TO VOTE YES TODAY.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE YES
ON THE RULE AND THE
BILL AND I RESERVE THE BALANCE
OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE OF H TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. SPEAKER.
FIRST LET ME EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION TO MY VERY GOOD
FRIEND FROM GOLDEN, HARDWORKING AND THOUGHTFUL MEMBER OF THE
RULES COMMITTEE, FOR YIELDING ME
THE CUSTOMARY 30 MINUTES.
WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MAY CONSUME.
AND ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
REVISE AND EXTEND.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: OBJECTION.
MR. DREIER: I'M VERY PLEASED
THAT TODAY WE WILL BE
CONSIDERING LEGISLATION THAT
REPRESENTS A TRUE BIPARTISAN
EFFORT ON A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THE UNDERLYING BILL, AN
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING
BILL, FOR OUR TROOPS WAS LARGELY
DEVELOPED THROUGH BIPARTISAN
CONSENSUS.
WE AS REPUBLICANS ARE VERY HAPPY
TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA ON
THIS ISSUE.
THE PRESIDENT HAS REPEATEDLY
SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO WORK
WITH REPUBLICANS TO DEVELOP REAL
SOLUTIONS FOR THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE AS A COUNTRY.
SO FAR, UNFORTUNATELY, THE
DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP HAS DONE A
LESS THAN PERFECT JOB IN DEALING
WITH THE QUEST FOR
BIPARTISANSHIP, SHUTTING OUT
REPUBLICANS AND INJECTING A
GREATER AND GREATER AMOUNT OF
PARTISANSHIP INTO THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
BUT TODAY WE HAVE BEFORE US OUR
FIRST REAL OPPORTUNITY TO COME
TOGETHER AND WORK IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY.
THIS OCCASION IS ALL THE MORE
SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE ISSUE AT
HAND IS THE FUNDING OF OUR
TROOPS.
I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE ARE ABLE
TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE MEN AND
WOMEN WHO VOLUNTARILY,
VOLUNTARILY PUT THEIR LIVES ON
THE LINE FOR OUR COUNTRY, THAT
THE SUPPORT FOR THEM IN CONGRESS
IS UNIFIED AND UNEQUIVOCAL.
WE OWE A GREAT DEBT TO THEM AND
TO THEIR FAMILIES AND IT IS VERY
FITTING THAT WE SHOULD BE
JOING TOGETHER IN THIS SHOW OF
SUPPORT JU BEFORE MEMORIAL
DAY.
OUR TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN ARE
FACING RAPIDLY INCREASING
THREATS.
OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ ARE WORKING
TO FULLY TURN RESPONSIBILITY FOR
SECURITY OVER TO THE IRAQIS.
AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS ARE
DEPLOYED IN DANGEROUS PLACES AS
WE ALL KNOW, AROUND THE WORLD.
WE MUST ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE
THE RESOURCES, PROTECTION, AND
SUPPORT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR
JOBS EFFECTIVELY AND, AS MY
FRIEND FROM GOLDEN SAID IN HIS
STATEMENT, TO COME HOME SAFELY.
THE UNDERLYING
BILL WILL HELP TO ENSURE JUST
THAT.
BUT THIS IS NOT BY ANY MEANS,
MR. SPEAKER, A PERFECT BILL.
THERE'S SOME VERY IMPROVEMENTS
THAT I BELIEVE -- THERE'S SOME
KEY IMPROVEMENTS THAT I BELIEVE
NEED TO BE MADE.
UNFORTUNATELY THE RULE WE ARE
CONSIDERING TODAY PREVENTS ANY
AMENDMENTS FROM BEING CONSIDERED.
EVEN AMIDST THIS GREAT
BIPARTISAN EFFORT THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP HAS CHOSEN TO TARNISH
THE OUTCOME BY REFUSING TO ALLOW
A DEBATE O A NUMBER OF KEY
ISSUES.
ALLOWING AMENDMENTS TO BE
DEBATED AND CONSIDERED WOULD
ENABLE US TO TAKE THIS IMPORTANT
BILL AND MAKE IT EVEN MORE
EFFECTIVE.
ONE SUCH AMENDMENT WHICH MY
FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, MR.
ROGERS, THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CONNECTICUT, HAS OFFERED WOULD
HAVE REDIRECTED SOME FUNDING TO
VERY IMPORTANT BORDER SECURITY EFFORTS.
THIS IS A CRITICAL NATIONAL
SECURITY ISSUE.
VIOLENT DRUG WARS HAVE BEEN
ESCALATING AS WE ALL KNOW ON OUR
BORDER FOR MONTHS, AND WE NEED
TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE
HOMELAND SECURITY RESOURCES.
UNFORTUNATELY, MR. SPEAKER, THIS
RULE DOES NOT ALLOW US TO ENSURE
THE NEEDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO
DEAL WITH BORDER SECURITY.
ANOTHER KEY ISSUE THAT MUST BE
ADDRESSED AS WE ALL KNOW, BEEN
THE CENTER OF A GREAT DEAL OF
CONTROVERSY, AND THAT IS THE
QUESTION OF HOW THE
FACILITY AT GUANTANAMBAY WILL
BE SHUT DOWN.
THE PRESIDENT'S MADE IT CLEAR
THAT HE INTENDS TO CLOSE THIS
FACILITY, AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO MOVE
FORWARD ON THIS.
YET CONGRESS HAS BEEN PRESENTED
WITH NO CLEAR PLAN AS TO HOW THE
FACILITY WILL BE CLOSED, AND
MOST IMPORTANT, WHAT WILL BE
DONE WITH THE DETAINEES.
WILL THEY BE MOVED TO AMERICAN SOIL?
TRIED ANDAILED?
OR GOD FORBID RELEASED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES?
THE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES INCLUDE
CAN LIEGE SIKH MUHAMMAD, MASTER
MIND OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS.
HAMBALI, AL QAEDA'S OPERATION
CHIEF FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA WHO
PLANNED THE 2002 BALI BOMBINGS
THAT KILLED 200 PEOPLE.
AHMED GALANI, ONE OF THE
F.B.I.'S MOST WANTED TERRORISTS
WHO HELPED PLAN THE 1998
BOMBINGS OF OUR EMBASSIES AT DAR
ES SALAAM AND NAIROBI.
THESE ARE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES
AND WE HAVE RECEIVED NO PLAN FOR
WHERE THEY WILL BE MOVED IF THE
FACILITY IS SHUT DOWN.
.
WE'VE RECEIVED NO COMMITMENT AT
ALL FOR CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.
THIS BILL SHOULD REQUIRE
PLANNING AND CONSULTATION WITH
CONGRESS SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT
UNACCEPTABLE SECURITY LINGS WILL
NOT BE -- SECURITY RISKS WILL
NOT BE BORNE.
UNFORTUNATELTHE DEMOATIC
LEADERSHIP APPARENTLY FEELING
THE PRESSURE TO ADDRESS THIS
ISSUE WOULD LIKE TO SELF-EXECUTE
AN AMENDMENT IN THIS RULE TO THE
BILL THAT WILL PLACE
RESTRICTIONS ON THE PROCESS FOR
CLOSING THE DETENTION FACILITY
AT GUANTANAMO.
BUT THESE ARE TWO KEY PROBLEMS
-- THERE ARE TWO KEY PROBLEMS
WITH THEIR APPROACH HERE, MR.
SPEAKER.
FIRST, THE SUBSTANCE OF THEIR
AMENDMENT DOES NOT ADEQUATELY
ADDRESS THE RISKS THAT WE MUST GUARD AGAINST.
IT DOES NOT GUARANTETHAT
GOVERNORS AND STATE LEGISLATORS
WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY ON
WHETHER TERRORISTS CAN BE HOUSED
IN THE STATES.
UNDER THE DEMOCRATIC PLAN,
STATES CAN BE FORCED TO ALLOW
THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS
TERRORISTS TO BE HELD IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
SECOND, BY SELF-ECUTING THIS
FLAWED AND INADEQUATE AMENDMENT,
THEY ARE CIRCUMVENTING THE
DEBATE AND SCRUTINY THAT AN
ISSUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE DEMANDS.
THE ISSUE OF BRINGING COMMITTED
TERRORISTS ONTO AMERICAN SOIL.
NOT PEOPLE WHO PERPETRATED
CRIMES WHO ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS
BUT FOREIGN-BORN TERRORISTS ONTO
AMERICAN SOIL SHOULD NOT BE
DEALT WITH HAPHAZARDLY NOR
CLOAKED IN SECRECY.
IT MUST BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY
CAREFULLY, THOROUGHLY AND
OPENLY.
THIS RULE DENIES US THAT
OPPORTUNITY AND FAILS TO ENSURE
THE PROTECTION OF AMERICANS.
THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT
SHOULD BE DEALT WITH, MR.
SPEAKER.
THE LARGE INCREASE IN FOREIGN
ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
WHILE IMPORTANT TO LONG-TERM
EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE ROOTS OF
TERRORISM SHOULD NOT BE
CONSIDERED EMERGENCY FUNDING.
THIS FUNDING SHOULD BE INCLUDED
IN THE REGULAR BUDGET SUBJECT TO
REGULAR BUDGETARY
CONSIDERATIONS.
DESIGNATING THEM AS EMERGENCY
FUNDS JUST SKIRTS THE TOUGH
CHOICES THAT RESPONSIBLE
BUDGETING DEMANDS
ALL OF THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED, MR. SPEAKER, IN AN
OPEN DEBATE WITH AN AMENDMENT
PROCESS WHICH IS STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR
APPROPRIATIONS. AS I SAID IN THE RULES COMMITTEE
YESTERDAY, APPROPRIATIONS BILLS
ARE CONSIDERED PRIVILEGED
RESOLUTIONS THAT COME STRAIGHT
TO THE FLOOR.
WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO GO TO THE RULES COMMITTEE FOR THE
CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
BILLS.
IT'S DONE TRADITIONALLY TO
SIMPLY PROTECT THE BILL, THE
WORK PRODUCT OTHE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND
THEN ALLOW FOR AN OPEN AMENDMENT
PROCESS.
FIXING THESE PROBLEMS, MR.
SPEAKER, WOULD MAKE A GOOD AND
IMPORTANT BILL ALL THAT MUCH
MORE EFFECTIVE, MUCH MORE
EFFECTIVE.
IT WOULD ALLOW THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS FOR THIS BILL WHICH HAS
DEVELOPED IN SUCH A BIPARTISAN
WAY TO FINISH IN THE SAME
COOPERATIVE SPIRIT IN WHICH IT
BEGAN.
DURING MY TENURE AS CHAIRMAN OF
THE RULES COMMITTEE FOR EIGHT
YEARS, EVERY SINGLE WARTIME
SUPPLEMEAL WAS CONSIDERED
UNDER AN OPEN RULE.
NO EVEN ONE HAS BEEN OPENED OVER
THE LAST THREE YEARS SINCE THE
NEW DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY HAS BEEN
IN CHARGE.
IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT THE
DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP ONCE AGAIN
IS TRYING TO THWART THE BEST
EFFORTS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA AND
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS TO
WORK TOGETHER AND BUILD
CONSENSUS.
BUT DESPITE THEIR DISDAIN FOR
BIPARTISANSHIP AND OPEN DEBATE,
WE AS REPUBLICANS WILL JOIN WITH
THE PRESIDENT IN SUPPORT OF THIS
TROOP FUNDING BILL, AND WE
WELCOME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH HIM ON THIS ISSUE.
WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER ON
OTHER VERY PRESSING ISSUES THAT
WE WILL WANT TO ADDRESS
EFFECTIVELY AND RESPONSIBLY IN
THE FUTURE.
SO, MR. SPEAKER, I'M GOING TO
URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE NO ON
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION AND I'LL
BE EXPLAINING THROUGHOUT THIS
DEBATE TIME WHAT IT IS THAT WE
HOPE TO DO IF WE'RE ABLE TO
DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION AS
IT RELATES TO GUANTANAMO.
AND IF BY CHANCE WE ARE NOT
SUCCESSFUL ON DEFEATING THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION, I URGE MY
COLLEAGUES TO VOTE NO ON THE
UNDERLYING RULE SO WE CAN IN
FACT CONTINUE WITH THE SPIRIT OF
BIPARTISANSHIP TO MAKE THIS
IMPORTANT BILL EVEN BETTER.
AND WITH THAT I RESERVE THE
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA
RESERVES THE BALANCE OF HIS
TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF MY
FRIEND FROM CALIFORNIA.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND IN
A COUPLE MANNERS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE HOPE AND EXPECT
THIS WILL BE THE LAST
SUPPLEMENTAL THAT WE'LL HAVE TO
DO IN THIS FASHION SO THAT THESE
BUDGETS FOR OUR MILITARY,
WHETHER IT'S IN IRAQ OR
AFGHANISTAN OR ELSEWHERE AROUND
THE WORLD ARE TREATED WITHIN THE
WHOLE BUDGET.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS
ABOUT THAT, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A
SYSTEM THAT WE INTEND TO STOP.
THIS IS THE LAST ONE AS IT WAS
LAID OUT.
WE LEFT IT HALFWAY FINISHED LAST
YEAR.
SECOND, TO MY FRIEND FROM
CALIFORNIA, I WOULD SAY THAT IN
THE SPIRIT OF BIPARTISANSHIP,
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HAS
COME UP WITH A RULE CONCERNING
GUANTANAMO OR THE AMENDMENT
CONCERNING GUANTANAMO.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF MY CAUCUS
ARE GOING TO TAKE REAL ISSUE
WITH THAT AMENDMENT.
THEY THINK IT GOES TOO FAR IN
TERMS OF GIVING THE PRESIDENT
TIME FOR DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR
RELEASING OR TRANSFERRING THE
PRISONERS WHO ARE HELD AT
GUANTANAMO.
I KNOW MEMBERS ON YOUR SIDE OF
THE AISLE DON'T THINK IT GOES
FAR ENOUGH.
BIPARTISANSHIP THE CHAIRMAN'S
TRIED TO CRAFT THIS AMENDMENT.
LAST POINT IS WITH RESPECT TO
THE BORDER.
THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS APPROPRIATED IN THE
STIMULUS BILL FOR BORDER
PROTECTION AND BORDER
ENFORCEMENT AND THERE IS EVEN
MORE SO IN THIS PARTICULAR BILL.
SO THREE OF YOUR POINTS I'D LIKE
TO TAKE ISSUE WITH.
I DO APPRECIATE THE --
MR. DREIER: WILL THE GENTLEMAN
YIELD?
MR. PERLMUTTER: FOR ABOUT 15
SECONDS.
MR. DREIER: 15 SECONDS TO
RESPOND TO ALL THREE POINTS.
ON BORDER SECURITY IT CONTINUES
TO BE A HIGH PRIORITY AND THE
SITUATIONES THAT GOTTEN WORSE
SINCE WE PROVIDED THAT LEVEL OF
APPROPRIATIONS.
ON THE ISSUE OF GUANTANAMO, MR.
WOLF, A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE
HAS COME FORWARD WITH A VERY
THOUGHTFUL AMENDMENT.
WE ARE GOING TO SE TO MAKE
THAT IN ORDER IF WE'RE ABLE TO
DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION.
I KNOW THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
COMMITTEE SAID THEY SHOULD NOT
BE ABLE TO PREEMPT FEDERAL LAW.
WE KNOW IN MR. WOLF'S TESTIMONY
THAT THERE ARE STATES THAT HAVE
INDICATED AN INTEREST IN HAVING
AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE THESE
DETAINEES.
AND SO I'D -- I THANK MY
FOR YIELDING.
MR. PERLMUTTER: NOW I YIELD FOUR
MINUTES TO A MEMBER OF THEULES
COMMITTEE, MR. MCGOVERN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FOUR MINUTES.
MR. MCGOVERN: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN.
MR. SPEAKER, IN 2001 I VOTED IN
FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION TO
AUTHORIZE THE USE OF FORCE IN
AFGHANISTAN, TO HOLD TO ACCOUNT
AL QAEDA AND THE TALIBAN FOR
THEIR UNCONSCIONABLE AND UN
FAVORABLE ACTS AGAINST THE
UNITED STATES.
I WOULD DO IT AGAIN IF FACED
WITH THE SAME THING.
AFTER EIGHT YEARS THE POLICY IS
UNCLEAR.
IT HAS BEEN A VERY HARD DECISION
TO MAKE BECAUSE I APPRECIATE THE
GOOD WORK OF CHAIRMAN OBEY AND
MANY OF THE ITEMS IN THIS BILL.
BUT I CANNOT SUPRT THE
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
BILL.
I BELIEVE NOT JUST THE UNITED
STATES BUT THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY MADE A PROMISE TO THE
PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN, NOT TO
THE KARZAI GOVERNMENT, NOT TO
THE REGIONAL POWERS, BUT TO THE
PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN.
WE PROMISED THAT WE WOULD STAND
BY THEM AS THEY REBUILT THEIR
COUNTRY AFTER OUSTING AL QAEDA
AND THE TALIBAN GOVERNMENT THAT
PROVIDED THESE TERRORIST SAFE
HAVENS.
EVERYONE I KNOW, INCLUDING
PRESIDENT OBAMA, KEEPS TELLING
ME
IN AFGHANISTAN, ONLY A POLITICAL
SOLUTION AND I BELIEVE THIS TOO.
SO I AM VERY CONCERNED WHEN WE
PUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO
BUILDING UP THE U.S. PRESENCE IN
AFGHANISTAN WITHOUT A CLEAR
MISSION AND WITHOUT AN EXIT STRATEGY.
JUST AS I INSISTED THAT THE
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION PROVIDE
CONGRESS WITH CLEAR BENCHMARKS
AND AN EXIT STRATEGY FOR IRAQ,
THEN WE SHOULD DO THE SAME WITH
THIS ADMINISTRATION IN AFGHANISTAN.
I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR AN
IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF OUR
MILITARY FORCES FROM
AFGHANISTAN.
ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS A PLAN.
IF THERE IS NO MILITARY SOLUTION
FOR AFGHANISTAN THEN, PLEASE,
JUST TELL ME HOW WE WILL KNOW
WHEN OUR MILITARY CONTRIBUTION
TO THE POLITICAL SOLUTION HAS
CONCLUDED.
I APPRECIATE AND I SUPPORT THE
REQUIRED REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN THAT CHAIRMAN OY
HAS INCLUDED IN THIS
SUPPLEMENTAL.
BUT THESE REPORTS DON'T TELL US
ANYTHING ABOUT THE MISSION OF
OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN IN
AFGHANISTAN AND HOW WE WILL KN
WHEN IT'S TIME TO BRING THEM
HOME.
I HOPE AT THE VERY LEAST THAT AT
SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE WE
WILL HAVE A FULL AND THOROUGH
DEBATE ABOUT OUR STRATEGY IN
AFGHANISTAN.
SADLY, THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN
TODAY.
IN PREPARATION FOR THAT DEBATE,
I'VE INTRODUCED THIS MORNING A
BILL WITH 73 BIPARTISAN
CO-SPONSORS THAT REQUIRES THE
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO OUTLINE
FOR CONGRESS BY THE END OF THE
YEAR THE EXIT STRATEGY FOR OUR
MILITARY FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN.
MY BILL DOESN'T WITHDRAW OUR
FORCES IT DOESN'T SET A DEFINITE
TIMETABLE.
IT SIMPLY ASKS THE SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE TO OUTLINE WHAT OUR
STRATEGY IS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO MUCH TO
ASK THAT OVER THE NEXT SEVEN
MONTHS THAT OUR DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT TELL US WHAT IS OUR
PLAN FOR COMPLETING OUR MISSION
IN AFGHANISTAN.
MR. SPEAKER, WHEN I FIRST RAN
FOR CONGRESS I PROMISED MY
SEND PEOPLE INTO WAR WITHOUT A
CLEAR MISSION.
AND I'M STICKING TO THAT
PROMISE.
I AM SICK AND TIRED THAT WAR
HAVE NO END.
I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW
LONG WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXTEND
AND PAY FOR A MILITARY PRESENCE
IN AFGHANISTAN.
MR. SPEAKER, I SIMPLY WANT TO
KNOW WHAT IS THE EXIT STRATEGY
THAT BRINGS OUR SERVICE MEN AN WOMEN AT HOME.
UNTIL SOMEONE GIVES ME A
CREDIBLE ANSWER I WILL BE VOTING NO.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
MR. DREIER: MR. SPEAKER, AS I
YIELD, I WILL SAY TO MY FRIEND
FROM WORCESTER IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT HE REALIZES THAT
HE SHOULD BE VOTING NO ON THIS
PREVIOUS QUESTION SO WE CAN HAVE
THE KIND OF DEBATE TO WHICH HE
ASPIRES.
WITH THAT I YIELD THREE MINUTES
TO THE DISTINGUISHED RANKING
MEMBER OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, MR. LEWIS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS
RECOGNIZED.
MR. LEWIS: I FRANKLY HAD HOPED
THAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING THIS
BILL TO THE FLOOR TODAY, THE
SUPPLEMENTAL, FOLLOWING THE
TRADITIONAL PATTERN OF
APPROPRIATIONS PROCESSEES WITH
AN OPEN RULE SO THAT WE COULD
COME TOGETHER AND DISCUSS SOME
OF THESE VERY KEY ISSUES
TOGETHER IN A POSITIVE WAY.
AND AS THEHAIRMAN -- AS THE
RULES COMMITTEE MEMBER SAID MAKE
WHAT IS A VERY GOOD AND
BIPARTISAN EFFORT SIGNIFICANTLY
BETTER BY ADDRESSING A FEW KEY
ISSUES THAT INDEED ARE GREAT
CONCERN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
I'D SPECIFICALLY LIKE TO MENTION
THAT THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO
SUGGESTED THAT THIS IS THE LAST
SUPPLEMENTAL.
AND I'M SURE THAT YOU WATCHED
THE HOUSE FOR ALL THE YEARS
YOU'VE BEEN HERE, AND I KNOW
THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED
THAT THIS WILL BE THE LAST
SUPPLEMENTAL, BUT I WOULDN'T
SUGGEST THAT OTHERS WOULD
PERHAPS CONSIDER THAT TO BE A
BIT NAIVE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I WAS MOST
INTRIGUED BY ANOTHER DISCUSSION
I HAD WITH THE GENTLEMAN
YESTERDAY IN THE RULES COMMITTEE
WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
GUANTANAMO.
INDEED, GUANTANAMO IS AN ISSUE
THAT WILL BECOME A GREATER AND
EATER CONCERN TO THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC AS WE GO FORWARD FROM
HERE.
THE RULE DOES SELF-ENACT A
PROPOSAL BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
FULL COMMITTEE THAT ADDRESSES
GUANTANAMO.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT DOES NOT, HOWEVER, ADDRESS
IN ITS LANGUAGE FORM AND INDEED
AN OPEN RULE WOULD HAVE ALLOWED
US TO HAVE DISCUSSION OF THE
VERY THOUGHTFUL WORK DONE BY OUR
MEMBERS IN THE FULL COMMITTEE.
THOSE MEMBERS' PRODUCTS WERE
REJECTED ON A PARTISAN VOTE IN
THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS
UNFORTUNATELY AND WE SHOULD HAVE
A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THEM HERE ON
THE FLOOR.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A FEW
OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE
CHAIRMAN'S AMENDMENT THAT'S IN
THE RULE DOES NOT DO.
THE RULE -- THE RULE INCLUDES
LANGUAGE FROM MR. OBEY THAT
AMONG OTHER THINGS DOES NOT
REQUIRE THE ADMINISTRATION TO
CONDUCT A RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE
DANGERS OF RELEASING GUANTANAMO
DETAINEES INTO AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY
NOTIFICATION, INCLUDING THE
CONGRESS, GOVERNORS, STA
LEGISLATORS OR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
AS TO WHEN AND WHERE DETAINEES
WILL BE RELEASED OUTRIGHTED TO
THE GENERAL PUBLIC AFTER OCTOBER 1, 2009.
AND ON AND ON I COULD GO FROM
THERE.
I WAS VERY FASCINATED BY THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO'S
REACTION.
HE SAID, THAT'S WHAT OUR PRISON
SYSTEM IS ABOUT.
AFTER ALL, WE IN COLORADO HAVE
SOME SERIOUS PEOPLE IN PRISON.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE UNIBOMBER.
WELL, I WOULD SUGGEST TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO THOSE
CRIMINALS WHO ARE HOUSED IN
COLORADO AND OTHER STATES WHO
ARE DOMESTICS, WHO VIOLATED OUR
LAW IN ANOTHER WAY, THE
UNIBOMBER BEING A NUT CASE, FOR
EXAMPLE, DO NOT REFLECT THE
INTENSITY AND COMMITMENT OF AL
QAEDA-TRAINED TERRORIS WHO
ABSOLUTELY ARE DEDICATED THEIR
LIVES TO TRYING TO DESTROY OUR
WAY OF LIFE.
THOSE PEOPLE IN THE HUNDREDS
POTENTIALLY BEING RELEASED
WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION TO TH
AMERICAN PUBLIC AND GOVERNORS
AND LOCAL LEGISLATORS.
IT'S UNACCEPTABLE, UNACCEPTABLE
THAT WE FOLLOW THAT PATH.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT I AM GOING
TO NOT ONLY URGE A NO VOTE ON
THE P.Q., A NO VOTE ALSO ON THE
RULE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I'D HAVE TO
AGREE WITH MY FRIEND, MR. LEWIS FROM CALIFORNIA.
YOU'RE RIGHT.
THERE WILL BE OTHER
SUPPLEMENTALS.
THE PURPOSE IS THAT THESE
SUPPLEMENTALS ARE NOT GOING TO
BE A REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS
AS THEY HAVE BEEN AS IT APPLIES
TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
WITH RESPECT TO YOUR POINTS
ABOUT THE HOUSING OF THESE
PRISONERS, NOBODY WANTS THESE
PARTICULAR PRISONERS IN THEIR
STATE OR IN THEIR PRISON SYSTEM.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAVE
VERY UNSAVORY CHARACTERS FROM
TIME TO TIME IN VARIOUS PRISONS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
FORT LEAVENWORTH MAY BE ANOTHER
PLACE.
NO MONEY WITHIN THIS
APPROPRIATION WILL BE USED F
RELEASE OR TRANSFER.
AND SO THE AMENDMENT IS AN
ATTEMPT TO STRIKE A COMPROMISE
BETWEEN YOUR CONCERNS AND THE
CONCERNS OF OUR CAUCUS AND
THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE PROCESS
OF LEGISLATION IS ABOUT.
MR. DREIER: WILL THE GENTLEMAN
YIELD?
MR. PERLMUTTER: NO.
MR. DREIER: I'D BE HAPPY TO
YIELD 30 SECONDS FROM OUR TIME
-- THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO CONTROLS
THE TIME.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I WANT TO YIELD
TO MY FRIEND.
MS. HARMAN FROM CALIFORNIA FOR
TWO MINUTES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNI
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MS. HARMAN: I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FOR YIELDING AND TELL
HIM WE MISS HIM ON THE HOMELAND SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE.
MR. SPEAKER, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
THE HARDSHIP THAT PEOPLE FACE
AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE HEART
FELT QUESTIONS BEING RAISED
ABOUT THE COSTS AND POLICIES
BEING RAISED IN THIS BILL.
AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW, HOWEVER, I
BELIEVE THE BILL IS NEEDED AND
THE POLICIES IT FUNDS REFLECTS A
CHANGE IN DIRECTION FROM FAILED
BUSH ADMINISTRATION STRATEGIES
IN IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN
AND THE WEST BANK, ALL LOCATIONS
I HAVE VISITED ON SEVERAL TRIPS
THIS PAST YEAR.
.
WE ARE ENDING THE COMBAT MISSION
IN IRAQ.
A POLICY I STRONGLY SUPPORT.
WEER WE ARE RAISING A STRATEGY
FOR AFGHANISTAN WHICH MAKES
GOVERNANCE AND NOT MILITARY
FORCE THE TOP PRIORITY.
MISSN SUCCESS THERE WILL ONLY
COME FROM EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE
CORRUPTION AND HELP THE CENTRAL
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE
ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE AFGHAN
PEOPLE.
OTHERWISE THAT COUNTRY WILL
REVERT TO A FAILED STATE AND A
SAFE HAVEN FOR TERRORISTS INTENT
ON ATTACKING THE UNITED STATES
AND OUR ALLIES.
PAKISTAN IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS.
BECAUSE OF ITS HUGE POPULATION,
MILITARY LARGER THAN OURS, AND
ITS NUCLEAR ARSENAL.
THIS BILL FUNDS NONMILITARY AID
AND COUNTER INSURGENCY TRAINING
TO ENABLE PAKISTANI FORCES TO
DEFEAT THE GROWING TALIBAN
THREAT INSIDE THEIR BORDERS.
A PROMISING SECURITY PROM IN THE
WEST BANK IS ALSO SUPPORTED.
A KEY BUILDING BLOCK TO A VIABLE
AND INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN
STATE.
THE BILL MAKES EXPLICIT THAT NO
PALESTINIAN FUNDING WILL GO TO
HAMAS, WHICH CONTINUES TO REARM
AND THREATEN ISRAEL.
FOR THE FUTURE, AS HAS BEEN
DISCUSSED, FUNDING FOR OUR
TROOPS IN HARM'S WAY AND
MISSIONS LIKE THESE WILL BE ON BUDGET.
AND FULLY DEBATED THROUGH THE
REGULAR PROCESS IN CONGRESS.
THIS IS YET ANOTHER GOOD COURSE
CORRECTION BY THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION AND ONE I HAVE
LONG ADVOCATED.
THIS IS A SOUND BILL AND A SOUND RULE.
VOTE AYE ON BOTH.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK HER TIME
OF THE THE GENTLEMAN CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: AT THIS TIME I YIELD
TWO MINUTES TO THE DISTINGUISHED
RANKING MEMBER OF THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HOMELAND
SECURITY, THE AUTHOR OF THE VERY
IMPORTANT BORDER SECURITY
AMENDMENT TO WHICH I REFERRED
EARLIER, THE GENTLEMAN FROM
SUMMERSET, KENTUCKY, MR. ROGERS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM KENTUCKY IS RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MR. ROGERS: MR. SPEAKER, THE
BORDER WAR IF YOU WANT TO CALL
IT, THE WAR ON THE
MEXICO, NOW IS MORE THAN TRYIN
TO STOP ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM
COMING ACROSS.
IT'S TRYING TO PREVENT THE FLOOD
OF DRUGS COMING ACROSS.
MORE IMPORTANTLY TRYING TO
PREVENT THE SPILLOVER OF THE
VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE DRUG
CARTELS AND MEXICO COMPETING AND
FIGHTING FOR THE CONTROL OF THAT
TRADE INTO THE U.S. FROM
COMPILLING OVER -- SPILLING OVER
INTO THE U.S.
90% OF THE COCAINE COMING INTO
THIS COUNTRY COMES THROUGH
MEXICO, COMES ACROSS THAT
BORDER.
ANDO WONDER THE DRUG CARTELS
IN MEXICO ARE WARRING WITH EACH
OTHER AND THE GOVERNMENT IN
MEXICO TO CONTROL THAT TRADE, BECAE THERE'S BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVOLVED, OF COURSE.
BUT ALREADY THOSE DRUG CARTELS
HAVE INFILTRATED MOST OF THE
AMERICAN CITIES, MOST OF THE
LARGE CITIES IN THIS COUNTRY,
HAVE CELLS OR PIECES OF THAT
DRUG CARTEL ORGANIZATION NOW IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES.
YOU READ ABOUT KILLINGS AND
MURDERS AND HOSTAGE TAKING IN
PLACES LIKE BIRMINGHAM AND
ATLANTA AND CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
AND OF COURSE PHOENIX AND ALL OF
THE CITIES OF THE WEST.
THEY ARE HERE NOW.
THIS BILL DOESN'T CONTAIN ONE
PENNY FOR THE F.B.I., THE DRUG
ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, THE
ALCOHOL TOBACCO FIREARMS
ORGANIZATION, ALL OF THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT GROUPS IN THIS
COUNTRY ARE SHUT OUT IN THIS
BILL.
AND THIS RULE SEALS IT SO WE
CAN'T GET INTO IT.
AND WE ARE IGNORING WITH OUR
HEADS IN THE CANCUN SAND THE
CARTELS IN MEXICO THAT ARE
EATING AWAY IN THIS COUNTRY,
YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR CITIES AS
WELL AS OLD PEOPLE.
SO I URGE THAT WE DEFEAT THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION SO THAT WE CAN
BE ALLOWED TO BRING THESE
MATTERS TO THIS BILL.
AND THEN FAILING THAT, I WOULD
HOPE THAT WE WOULD DEFEAT THIS
RULE BECAUSE THERE'S NO POINT IN
SEALING US TO WHERE WE DON'T
HAVE A VOICE FOR THIS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT MATTER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED. THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I YIELD ONE MINUTE TO MY FRIEND,
MS. WATERS, FROM CALIFORNIA.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS
RE
MS. WATERS: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS.
I RISE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION.
THIS BILL SIMPLY CONTINUES AND
AMPLIFIES THE FAILED POLICIES
THAT HAVE CAUSED US TO BE CAUGHT
UP IN A CONTINUED OCCUPATION OF
IRAQ AND AN INCREASINGLY LARGE
PRESSENCE IN AFGHANISTAN.
INSTEAD OF PLAYING THE TALIBAN
SHELL GAME AND SO-CALLED CHASING
OSAMA BIN LADEN, WE SHOULD
DEVISE A SMART STRATEGY TO WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE
PEOPLE OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
THEY WILL HELP US TO LOCATE
OSAMA BIN LADEN.
AIR STRIKES THAT KILL INNOCENT
CIVILIANS WILL ONLY HARDEN THE
CIVILIANS AGAINST US.
THE TALIBAN ARE LEADING US INTO
PAKISTAN WHERE WE ARE ON THE
VERGE AFTER NEW FOOTPRINT AFTER
GIVING THE FORMER PRESIDENT
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WHILE HE WAS
PLAYING FTSE WITH THE TALIBAN
AND ALLOWING THEM TO CONTROL THE
BORDER BETWEEN AFGHANISTAN AND
PAKISTAN.
NOW PRESIDENT SADARI HAS BEEN
PROVEN TO BE WEAK AND EFFECTIVE
YET WE ARE REWARDING HIM WITH
MORE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS. THERE ARE TWO GOOD AMENDMENTS
THAT SHD HAVE BEEN MADE IN ORDER.
THE MCGOVERN AMENDMENT WHICH
WOULD REQUIRE A SIMPLE EXIT
STRATEGY.
AND THE TIERNEY AMENDMENT WHICH
WOULD HAVE PLACED CONDITIONS ON
ANY ADDITIONAL DOLLARS GIVEN TO
PAKISTAN.
WE SHOULD BE TAKING OVER THE
MADRASAHS, REBUILDG
INFRASTRUCTURE,
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION THAT IS
WILL SUPPORT LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
ER THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA. -- THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA.
THE CHAIR WILL REMIND ALL
PERSONS IN THE GALLERY THAT THEY
ARE HERE AS GUEST OF THE HOUSE
AND THAT ANY MANIFEST TATION OF
APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF
PROCEEDINGS OR OTHER AUDIBLE
CONVERSATION IS IN VIOLATION OF
THE RULES OF THE HOUSE.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: AT THIS TIME I'M
HAPPY TO YIELD ONE MINUTE TO THE
DISTINGUISHED REPUBLICAN LEADER,
OUR FRIEND FROM WESTCHESTER,
OHIO, MR. BOEHNER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
MINORITY LEADER IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. BOEHNER: MR. SPEAKER, MY
COLLEAGUES, I TOLD THE PRESIDENT
THAT WHEN HE DOES WHAT WE AGREE
WITH IN TERMS OF WHAT'S RIGHT
FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WE
WOULD BE THERE TO SUPPORT HIM.
THE PRESIDENT MADE VERY
RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS WITH
REGARD TO HIS MISSION IN IRAQ
AND A GRADUAL WITHDRAWAL OF OUR
TROOPS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT HIS DECISION
WITH REGARD TO HIS PLANS IN
AFGHANISTAN ARE SOUND.
IT'S CLEAR THAT THE PRESIDENT
LISTENED TO THE COMMANDERS ON
THE GROUND AND OUR DIPLOMATS AND
IS ENGAGED IN AN EFFORT TO WIN
OUR BATTLE AGAINST THE
TERRORISTS WHO THREATEN THE
UNITED STATES AND OUR CITIZENS.
ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT HE
ALSO MADE WAS A DECISION TO SEND
UP TO THE HOUSE A CLEAN BILL
ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR OUR
TROOPS.
AND I BELIEVE THIS BILL PROVIDES
THOSE RESOURCES.
JUST AS IMPORTANTLY DOES NOT
INCLUDE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD
HAMSTRING OUR COMMANDERS IN THE
FIELD.
REPUBLICANS SUPPORT THE
UNDERLYING BILL AND I THINK IT
DESERVES SUPPORT FROM MEMBERS ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
BUT LET'S BE VERY CLEAR, WE'LL
BE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY IN THE
WEEKS TO COME AND SOME MAY TRY
LOAD THIS BILL UP WITH
UNRELATED SPENDING OR LANGUAGE
THAT WOULD UNDERMINE OUR TROOPS.
THAT INCLUDES FONINGS MONEY FOR
THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND.
THAT SHOULD BE DEBATED ON ITS
OWN MERITS NOT AS PARTF A
TROOP FUNDING BILL FOR OUR MEN
AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN HARM'S WAY.
I'M ALSO PLEASED THAT THE $80
MILLION IN FUNDING TO TRANSFER
GUANTANAMO PRISONERS TO THE UNITED STATES WAS REMOVED FROM
THIS BILL.
IT DESERVED TO BE REMOVED.
AND I WILL ONCE AGAIN ASK A VERY
IMPORTANT QUESTION -- WHAT IS
THE ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN FOR
THOSE PRISONERS WHO ARE BEING
HELD AT OUR DETENTION FACILITY?
WILL RELEASE OR TRANSFER OF THEM
COME AND ALLOW THEM TO COME TO
AMERICAN SOIL?
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY COMMUNITY OR
NEIGHBORHOOD IN AMERICA THAT
WOULD WANT THEM.
THE LANGUAGE INSERTED BY
CHAIRMAN OBEY IN THIS BILL ON
THIS ISSUE I THINK IS
INADEQUATE.
IT WILL DO NOTHING MORE THAN TO
PROVIDE COVER PURE AND SIMPLE.
AND THE FACT IS THERE'S NOTHING
IN THIS LEGISLATION THAT WILL
KEEP THE QUANTITY QUANTITY
TERRORISTS OUT OF AMERICA.
NOTHING -- GUANTANAMO TERRORISTS
OUTS OF AMERICA.
NOTHING AND I THINK WE CAN AND SHOULD DO BETTER.
OUR SOLUTION IS TO KEEP THE
TERRORISTS OUTS OF AMERICA ACT.
OUR PLAN I THINK DOES WHAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE OVERWHELMINGLY
WANT.
IT ENSURES THAT THOSE TERRORISTS
ARE NOT TRANSFERRED OR RELEASED
INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE HAVE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST
THE RELEASE OF THOSE PRISONERS
IN OUR COUNTRY.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA, MR.
WOLF, OFFERED SIMILAR LANGUAGE
IN THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
WHERE IT WAS DEFEATED.
AND I BELIEVE THAT AS WE GET
INTO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION ON
THIS RULE, THAT WE SHOULD DEFEAT
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION AND ALLOW
THE GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA, MR.
WOLF, TO OFFER HIS LANGUAGE ON
THIS BILL.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO
VOTE NO ON THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION.
LET'S HAVE A FAIR AND OPEN
DEBATE ON THIS ISSUE.
AND ALLOW MEMBERS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW THE HOUSE
TO WORK ITS WILL.
BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THE
UNDERLYING BILL DOES IN FACT DESERVE OUR SUPPORT.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: THANK YOU.
MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD 90 SECONDS
TO MY FRIEND FROM NEVADA,
CONGRESSWOMAN BERKLEY. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN NEVADA IS RECOGNIZED
FOR 90 SECONDS.
MS. BERKLEY: I RISE TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF THIS RULE AND THE
UNDERLYING BILL BUT DEEPLY
CONCERNED WITH THE FUNDING TO
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND TO
REBUILD GAZA.
BY GIVING THIS MONEY I BELIEVE
WE ARE SENDING PRECISELY THE
WRONG MESSAGE.
THAT HAMAS CAN PARTNER WITH
IRAN, ATTACK ISRAEL WITH
IMPUNITY, AND REFUSE TO
RECOGNIZE ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO
EXIST ALL THE WHILE THE UNITED
STATES WILL PROVIDE AID NO
MATTER WHAT.
TALK ABOUT THE SOFT BIGOTRY OF
LOW EXPECTATIONS.
AT THE VERY LEAST WE SHOULD USE
OUR AID TO HELP MODIFIED THE
BEHAVIOR OF HAMAS BEFORE WE SEND
MORE MONEY TO THE GAZA, MORE
MONEY TO THE PALESTINIAN
AUTHORITY, ALL PALESTINIAN
FACTIONS SHOULD RECOGNIZE
ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST AS A
JEWISH STATE, RENOUNCE
TERRORISM, RESPECT PAST
DISAGREEMENT, AND RELEASE THE
YOUNG ISRAELI SOLDIER WHO WAS
KIDNAPPE BY HAMAS AND WHO HAS
BEEN HELD CAPTIVE FOR ALMOST
THREE YEARS.
WITHOUT THESE CONDITIONS, WE ARE
SIMPLY WRITING THE PALESTINIANS
ANOTHER BLANK CHECK TO CONTINUE
THEIR SELF-DESTRUCTIVE AND
VIOLENT BEHAVIOR.
WHILE I SUPPORT THE RULE AND THE
BILL, I HAVE SERIOUS
RESERVATIONS ABOUT FUNDING AND
URGE MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE NOT
CONTINUE THIS PATTERN OF
REWARDING UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR
IN THE FUTURE.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: MR. SPEAKER, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
AT THIS TIME I'M HAPPY TO YIELD
O MINUTES TO ANOTHER HARDWORKING MEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS WHO
HAD AN AMENDMENT DEALING WITH
GUANTANAMO BAY BUT UNFORTUNATELY
WITH THE STRUCTURE WE'VE GOT
WON'T BE MADE IN ORDER.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM KANSAS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM KANSAS IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MR. TIAHRT: I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA FOR
HIS LEADERSHIP. WE ARE APPROACHING NATIONAL
SECURITY ISSUES, CONGRESS HAS
ALWAYS ACTED IN A PRUDENT
BIPARTISAN MANNER TO PROCT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
LAST WEEK, HOWEVER N. A STRAIGHT
PARTY-LINE VOTE IN THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE,
DEMOCRATS REJECTED BOTH
REPUBLICAN ALTERNATIVES TO
PREVENT TERRORISTS HELD AT
GUANTANAMO BAY FROM GETTING A
PLANE RIDE TO THE UNITED STATES.
THEN YESTERDAY THE DEMOCRATS ON
THE RULES COMMITTEE REJECTED MY
AMENDMENT TO PROHIBIT TERRORIST
DETAINEES FROM BEING TRANSFERRED
OR RELEASED IN THE UNITED
STATES.
SPEAKER PELOSI AND HER
LEADERSHIP TEAM ARE REFUSING AN
UP OR DOWN VOTE.
DO WE ALLOW HARDENED TERRORISTS
TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE UNITED
STATES NOTHING THAT EVENTUALLY
SOME WILL BE RELEASED TO THE
STREETS OF AMERICA?
DEMOCRATS HAVE ITEAD OFFED A
FIG LEAF.
THEIR PROVISION SIMPLY DELAYS,
IT DOES NOT PREVENT, IT DELAYS
THE BOMB'S PLAN TO -- OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN TO RELEASE
TERRORISTS ON OUR STREETS.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY
AUTHORIZED THE RELEASE OF 30 DETAINEES.
THIS IS NOT CONJECTURE.
THIS IS NOT SPECULATION.
THIS IS HAPPENING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY MY COLLEAGUES
ARE SIMPLY DELAYING THE REAL PROBLEM.
75% OF THE POPULATION DOES NOT
WANT TERRORISTS RELEASED IN THE
UNITED STATES, AND 20% DON'T
EVEN REALIZE IT'S A POSSIBILITY.
CONGRESS SHOULD NOT ABDICATE ITS
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FOR
THE COMMON DEFENSE OF THIS NATION.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON
THIS ISSUE.
AMERICANS DESERVE AN UP OR DOWN
VOTE ON THE QUESTION, DO WE
WELCOME TERRORISTS ON THE
STREETS OF AMERICA OR NOT?
THIS RULE SIMPLY SWEEPS THE
QUESTION UNDER THE RUG HOPING
THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO
MENTIONEWE COULD SEND THEM TO
FORT LEAVENWORTH.
I HAVE BEEN THERE, I AM FROM
KANSAS, WE DO NOT WANT
TERRORISTS IN KANSAS AND I DON'T
WANT THEM ON ANY STREET IN
AMERICA.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S ONLY FAIR
WE REJECT THIS RULE.
GIVE US AN UP OR DOWN VOTE ON
WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT A PLANE
TICKET FOR TERRORISTS TO GET
FROM GUANTANAMO TO AMERICA.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY FRIENDS TO
VOTE NO ON THE PREVIOUS QUESTION
TO ALLOW MR. WOLF AN OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT HIS LANGUAGE AND VOTE
NO ON THE RULE SO WE CAN HAVE A
CHANCE FOR AN UP OR DOWN VOTE ON
WHETHER WE BRING TERRORISTS INTO
OUR NATION.
.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
>> MY FRIEND FROM KANSAS, I
KNOW, KNOWS FULL WITH WELL THAT
IT SAYS IN THE AMENDMENT, NONE
OF THE FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE IN
THIS OR ANY PRIOR ACT MAY BE
USED TO RELEASE AN INDIVIDUAL
WHO IS DETINED AS OF APRIL 30,
2009, AT THE NAVAL STATION I
GUANTANAMO BAY INTO THE
COULDN'T NINL UNITED STATES,
ALASKA, HAWAII OR THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA.
SO, THAT'S WHAT THE AMENDMENT
SAYS, THAT'SHAT IS PART OF
THIS BILL.
>> WILL THE GENTLEMAN YIELD?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM OHIO IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MR. KUCINICH: WE WENT TO WAR IN
IRAQ BASED ON A LIE.
WE WERE TOLD IN 2002 IRAQ HAD
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION
EVEN PURSUED TORTURE TO TRY TO
EXTRACT FALSE CONFESSIONS TO
TRY TO JUSTIFY THE WAR.
IT'S TIME TO TELL THE TRUE -- TRUTH.
THE TRUTH IS WE SHOULD NOT HAVE
PROSECUTED A WAR AGAINST THE
IRAQI PEOPLE.
THE TRUTH IS THE DEMOCRATIC
SENATE COULD HAVE STOPPED THE
IRAQ WAR IN 2002.
THE TRUTH IS WE DEMOCRATS WERE
GIVEN CONTROL OF CONGRESS IN
2006 TO END THE WAR.
THE TRUTH IS THIS BILL
CONTINUES A DISASTROUS WAR
WHICH HAS COST THE LIVES OF
THOUSANDS OF OUR SOLDIERS.
THE TRUTH IS THE OCCUPATION HAS
FUELED THE U.S. IS.
THE TRUTH IS THE IRAQI --
INSURGENCY.
THE TRUTH IS, IT WILL COST THE
IRAQI PEOPLE AND THE AMERICANS
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
DON'T TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
YOU'RE ENDING THE WAR BY
CONTINUING TO FUND THE WAR.
DON'T TELL THE AMERIC PEOPLE
THAT THE WAR WILL END WHEN
THEIR PLANS LEAVE 50,000 TROOPS
IN IRAQ.
DON'T TELL PEOPLE THAT THE WAY
OUT OF AFGHANISTAN IS TO
ESCALATE AND MORE
COUNTERINSURGENT -- INSURGENCY.
GET OUT OF IRAQ, GET OUT OF
AFGHANISTAN, COME HOME,
AMERICA, COME HOME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: I GUESS FOR A
DIFFERENT REASON, MY FRIEND
FROM OHIO IS GOING TO BE
JOINING US IN OPPOSITION TO
THIS RULE AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THAT.
WITH THAT --
>> WILL THE GENTLE
OF COURSE I'LL BE VOTING
AGAINST THIS RULE.
I WANT THIS WAR TO END.
MR. DREIER: I APPRECIATE THE
GENTLEMAN JOINING US FOR A
SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT REASON
REASON THAN OUR.
WE ALL WANT TO THIS WAR TO END
BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE SUCCESS.
WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO YIELD
TWO MINUTES TO MY FRIEND FROM
ILLINOIS, MRS. BIGGERT.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM ILLINOIS IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MR BIGGERT: I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FOR YIELDING.
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE IN STRONG
OPPOSITION TO THIS CLOSED RULE.
I OFFERED AN AMENDMENT YESTERDAY TO ADDRESS AN
INJUSTICE AGAINST THE MEMBERS
OF OUR ARMED SERVICES THAT WERE
SHUT OUT BY THIS CLOSED RULE.
BRIEFLY MY AMENDMENT WOULD HAVE
INCREASED THE ACROSS THE BOARD
MILITARY PERSONNEL PAY FOR
2009, FROM 3.9% TO 4.4%.
THIS PAY RAISE WOULD HAVE BN
EFFECTIVE RETROACTIVELY FROM
JANUARY 1, 2009.
ACCORDING TO ESTIMATES BY THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE,
THE PAY GAP BETWEEN MILITARY
PERSONNEL AND CIVILIANS IN
EXABBLE POSITIONS IS 3%.
PARTICULARLY DURING A
RECESSION, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE
THAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM RECEIVE LESS THAN THEIR
CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS.
YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST IN
AFGHANISTAN OVER THE WEEKEND
AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
AND WORK WITH A WONDERFUL,
COMMITTED PROFESSIONAL GROUP OF
MEN AND WOMEN IN THE MILITARY.
THEY'VE BEEN SERVING US TO KEEP
US SAFE AND TO ESTABLISH THE
STABILITY IN THE MIDEAST.
GIVEN THIS SHORTFALL IN PAY, I
THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO
PROVIDE FOR OUR TROOPS SOME
SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME IN THIS
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
BILL.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS RULE WOULD
NOT EVEN ALLOW AN UP OR DOWN
VOTE ON MY AMENDMENT.
MR. SPEAKER, I CANNOT SUPPORT
THIS CONTINUED ABUSE OF
PROCESS.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE
--
MR. DREIER: MR. SPEAKER, I'D
SIMPLY LIKE TO SAY THAT THE
GENTLEWOMAN HAS OFFERED AN
EXTRAORDINARILY THOUGHTFUL
AMENDMENT AMENDMENT WHICH
REAFFIRMS -- REAFFIRMS OUR
DEDICATION TO OUR MEN AND WOMEN
IN UNIFORM AND ESPECIALLY AS
MEMORIAL DAY APPROACHES, IT
SEEMS TO ME THAT WE SHOULD HAVE
AN OPEN AMENDMENT PROCESS THAT
WOULD ALLOW US TO FULLY DEBATE
THE BIGGERT AMENDMENT AND IT
SADDENS ME THAT THIS STRUCTURE
AROUND WHICH WE'RE CONSIDERING
THIS ISSUE IS SO RESTRICTED AND
I THANK MY FRIEND FOR YIELDING.
MRS. BIGGERT: I THANK YOU AND I
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HER TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: HOW MUCH TIME DOES EACH SIDE HAVE?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO HAS 13
1/2 MINUTES REMAINING AND THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA HAS
10/2 MINUTES REMAINING.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I'D LI TO
YIELD A MINUTE TO MS. WOOLSEY FROM CALIFORNIA.
THE SPEAKER
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MS. WOOLSEY: MR. SPEAKER, I
HAVE SO MANY CONCERNS ABOUT
THIS SUPPLEMENTAL I DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO START BUT I'M GOING TO
START AT ONE POINT AND THAT IS
THAT -- AND I BELIEVE MOST
IMPORTANT POINT IS THIS
SUPPLEMENTAL KEEPS US INVOLVED
IN IRAQ AND IT SETS UP AN UNENING OCCUPATION OF
AFGHANISTAN -- UNENDING OCCUPATION OF AFGHANISTAN.
THE COST OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL IS
JUST TOO GREAT WITHOUT A
DEFINED STATED MISSION, WITHOUT
REDEPLOYMENT PLANS.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR AN END
-- UNENDLESS MILITARY PRESENCE
IN -- ENDLESS MILITARY PRESENCE
IN AFGHANISTAN. THAT GOING TO FUEL
ANTI-AMERICANISM THROUGHOUT THE
REGION AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO
PROMOTE THE INSTABILITY.
SADLY, THE RULE DOES NOT
PROVIDE MEMBERS A CHANCE TO
REMEDY THIS SITUATION,
PROPOSALS PROVIDING
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
FOR MY COLLEAGUE, BARBARA LEE,
FROM JIM MCGOVERN, FROM JOHN
TIERNEY, HAVE ACTUALLY HAD A
CHANCE -- HADN'T HAD A CHANCE
FOR AN UP OR DOWN VOTE, COULD
HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE WHEN WE
VOTED ON THE FLOOR TODAY.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE A
MUCH BETTER -- DESERVE MUCH
BETTER THAN THIS.
I URGE MCOLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE
THIS FUNDING AND PROMOTE A
FOREIGN POLICY BASED ON SMART
SECURITY.
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, DEVELOPMENT AND DIPLOMACY.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: MR. SPEAKER, AT
THIS TIME I'M VERY HAPPY TO
YIELD TWO MINUTES TO A
HARDWORKING NEW MEMBER WITH A
VERY, VERY DISTINGUISHED CAREER
IN PUBLIC SERVICE, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM AURORA,
COLORADO, MR. COFFMAN.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADOS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MR. COFFMAN: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
AND THANK YOU TO THE GENTLEMAN
FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER, WHO HAS SAID AND I
AGREE WITH HIM THAT WE CAN MAKE
THIS BILL A BETTER BILL IF WE
OPEN UP TO THE AMENDMENT
PROCESS AND CERTAINLY AGREE
WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE
GREAT STATE OF COLORADO, MR.
PERLMUTTER, WHO SAYS THIS IS
NOT A PERFECT BILL.
ONE PROVISION OF THIS BILL
GIVES U.S. AXE TAXPAYER DOLLARS
TO THE -- TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO
THE GAZA STRIP IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THE FIGHTING BETWEEN ISRL
AND HAMAS FOR RECONSTRUCTION
AID.
AND IT DOES THIS BY GIVING $119
MILLION TO THE UNITED NATIONS.
IN 2004 PETER HANSON, THEN
COMMISSIONER GENERAL OF THE
UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS
AGENCY, REMARKED THAT I AM SURE
THAT THERE ARE HAMAS MEMBERS ON
OUR PAYROLL AND I DON'T SEE
THAT AS A CRIME.
HAMAS AS A POLITICAL
ORGANIZATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT
EVERY MEMBER IS A MILITANT AND
WE DO NOT DO POLITICAL VETTING
AND EXCLUDE PEOPLE FROM ONE
PERSUASION AS AGAINST ANOTHER.
UNQUOTE.
HAMAS IS A U.S.-DESIGNATED
FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
THE UNITED NATIONS MIGHT NOT
CONSIDER HAVING HAMAS MEMBERS
ON THEIR PAYROLL A PROBLEM BUT
IT CERTAINLY IS A PROBLEM FOR
THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL.
THE SUPPLEMENTAL BEFORE US
PROVIDES UP TO $119 MILLION FOR
UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS
AGENCY TO SPEND IN
HAMAS-CONTROLLED GAZA.
WHICH MEANS THAT HAMAS MEMBERS
ON THE U.N. PAYROLL WILL
EFFECTIVELY BE ON THE U.S.
PAYROLL.
I INTEND TO VOTE AGAINST THIS
RULE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT ALLOW
THE CHANCE TO AMEND THIS
PROVISION.
I FILED AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD
HAVE INSTEAD PROVIDED $119
MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
TO GO TO USAID.
THE RULE BEFORE US WOULD BAR
THIS AMENDMENT FROM BEING
OFFERED.
I APPRECIATE THE ATTEMPT AT
ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT PLACED ON
THE U.N. IN THIS SUPPLEMENTAL,
BUT IT'S SIMPLY TOO LI
LATE.
I WROTE TO SECRETARY CLINTON --
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MR. DREIER: I YIELD THE
GENTLEMAN AN ADDITIONAL 30
SECONDS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR AN
ADDITIONAL 30 SECONDS.
MR. COFFMAN: I WROTE SECRETARY
CLINTON IN MARCH NOTING THERE'S
NO WAY TO SPEND MONEY IN GAZA
WITHOUT BENEFITING HAMAS.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUT OF THIS
SEVERAL WAYS TO SPEND MONEY
THAT MIGHT INAPPROPRIATELY
BENEFIT HAMAS, WE ARE CHOOSING
ONE OF THE WORST.
MR. SPEAKER, I WOULD URGE A NO
VOTE ON THE PREVIOUS QUESTION,
A NO VOTE ON THE RULE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
TO MY FRIEND FROM COLORADO,
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE, I
WOULD JUST SAY ON PAGE 55 OF
THE BILL THERE IS A PROVISION
THAT SAYS NO FUNDING, NO
ASSISTANCE IS TO BE PROVIDED TO
OR THROUGH ANY INDIVIDUAL OR
PRIVATE OR GOVERNMENT ENTITY
THAT ADVOCATES, PLANS, SPONSORS
OREN GAUGES IN ANY TERRORIST
ACTIVITY.
WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO YIELD ONE
MINUTE TO MY FRIEND FROM
CALIFORNIA, MS. LEE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MS. LEE: THANK YOU.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR
YIELDING.
ALSO LET ME THANK CHAIRMAN OBEY
AND MURTHA FOR THEIR HARD WORK
ON THIS BILL AND FOR INCLUDING
PROVISIONS PROHIBITING THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF PERMANENT
BASES IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
I OPPOSE THE 2001 RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THE E OF FORCE
BECAUSE IT GAVE PRESIDENT BUSH
AND ANY FUTURE PRESIDENT AN
OPEN-ENDED BLANK CHECK TO WAGE
R ANYWHERE ON THE GLOBE
STARTING IN AFGHANISTAN.
NEARLY EIGHT YEARS LATER I
CONTINUE TO OPPOSE THE
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS FOR THE WARS IN
AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ BECAUSE IT
CONTINUES US DOWN THE WRONG
PATH AND CAN LEAD TO WAR
WITHOUT END.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WILL
CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IF WE DON'T
REPEEL THAT 2001 AUTHORIZATION.
I OPPOSE THI $94 BILLION
SUPPLEMENTAL BECAUSE IT FAVORS
MILITARY ACTIVITIES OVER
DIPLOMATIC, DEVELOPMENT AND
RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS BY A
RATIO OF NINE TO ONE.
AFGHANISTAN WILL NOT BE
STABILIZED THROUGH MILITARY ACTION AS NOTED BY THE
CARNEIGIE ENDOWMENT, THE
PRESENCE OF FOREIGN TROOPS IS
THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT
DRIVING THE RESURGENCE OF THE
TALIBAN.
THIS WAS COUNTER TO OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE AN EXIT
PLAN FOR AFGHANISTAN.
IT DOES NOT FULLY FUND THE
REDEPLOYMENT OF TROOPS OUT OF
AFGHANISTAN.
IT DOESOT --
MR. PERLMUTTER: I YIELD MY
FRIEND ANOTHER 30 SECONDS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. LEE: REE THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YIELDING.
THIS DOES NOT -- PLEA LEE --
MS. LEE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS DOES NOT HAVE A STRONG,
NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION EFFORT
IN PAKISTAN.
THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
BILL DOES NOT REFLECT A NEW
DIRECTION.
THEREFORE I CANNOT SUPPORT IT.
LET ME JUST MENTION THAT OUR
FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE,
CONGRESSMAN PETE STARK, IS
UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAFOR
THIS IMPORTANT DEBATE SO I WISH
TO CONCLUDE BY READING ONE
SENTENCE FROM HIS STATEMENT.
HE SAID, PRESIDENT OBAMA IS
MOVING AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY
IN A BETTER DIRECTION AND HE
HAS SHOWN SUPERIOR JUDGMENT TO
PRESIDENT BUSH ON WHEN WE
SHOULD SEND OUR TROOPS IN
HARM'S WAY.
HOWEVER, I CANNOT SUPPORT ANY
MORE FUNDING FOR THESE WARS.
THANK YOU, I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORA.
MR. DREIER: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR. SPEAKER.
MAY I INQUIRE OF THE CHAIR HOW
MUCH TIME IS REMAINING ON EACH
SIDE?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA HAS
EIGHT MINUTES REMAINING AND THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO HAS 10
3/4 MINUTES REMAINING.
CRIRE
MR. DREIER: MAY I INQUIRE OF MY
COLLEAGUE HOW MANY SPEAKERS HE
HAS REMAINING ON HIS SIDE OF
THE AISLE?
MR. PERLMUTTER: AT LEAST THREE.
MR. DREIER: I ASK MY FRIEND TO PROCEED AND I WOULD RESERVE THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA
RESERVES.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: MR. SPEAKER,
I'D LIKE TO YIELD ONE MINUTE TO
MY FRIEND, MR. PERRIEL
VIRGINIA.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONMINUTE.
MR. PERRIELLO: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY AS SOMEONE WHO WAS
VERY CRITICAL FROM THE
BEGINNING OF THE IRAQ WAR, BUT
NONETHELESS AM SUPPORTIVE OF
THE SUPPLEMENTAL BEFORE US.
I BELI
PROMISING MOMENT, A PROMISING
MOMENT IN TERMS OF THE TRENDS
IN IRAQ AND A PROMISING MOMENT
IN TERMS OF HAVING A LEADER IN
THE WHITE HOUSE WHO UNDERSTANDS AFGHANISTAN RIGHT.
HAVING BEEN ON THE GROUND THERE
IN PREVIOUS YEARS, I CAN ASSURE
YOU THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE NOT
BEING ASKED BEFORE ARE BEING
ASKED NOW.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY
STRUGGLE THERE.
BUT I SAY TO MY MORE
PROGRESSIVE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
VERY CRITICAL OF THIS THAT WE
SHOULD GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE
CREDIT.
THE ERA OF ARBITRARY PO
THE BUSH DOCTRINE ENDED WITH
THE 2006 ELECTION.
A NEW PERIOD OF SMART POWER,
LED WITH GENERAL PETRAEUS AND
SECRETARY GATES, HAS MOVED US
IN A DIRECTION OF REAL NATIONAL SECURITY, NOT HOLLYWOOD
SECURITY.
AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MOVE
AND THE A MOVE THAT CONTINUES
TODAY.
THAT CHANGE WAS ONLY SOLIDIFIED
BY THE 2008 ELECTION.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEADLY
SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING NATIONAL
SECURITY RIGHT AND IN IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN, WHO UNDERSTAND THE
MILITARY'S JOB IS TO BACK UP A
POLITICAL SOLUTION AND ARE
LOOKING FOR THAT, WHO
UNDERSTAND THAT WITH HE -- WE
CANNOT SOLVE THE SITUATION IN
AFGHANISTAN WITHOUT DEALING
WITH CORRUPTION INTERNALLY.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I YIELD HIM AN
ADDITIONAL 30 SECONDS.
MR. PERRIELLO: WE WILL NOT END
CORRUPTION IN PAKISTAN EXTERNAL
AND WE HAVE A WERE THE
PRESIDENT WHO'S NEGOTIATING
FROM A POSITION OF SENGTH AND
NOT WEAKNES
I RISE TODAY WITH GRAVE
SERIOUSNESS ABOUT THE
SUPPLEMENTAL BEFORE US BUT A
TRACK WITH THIS NEW NATIONAL
SECURITY STRATEGY.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE RIGHT
THING TO DO TO SUPPORT IT AND I
YIELD MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
DOES THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA CONTINUE TO RESERVE?
MR. DREIER: IF I MAY, MR. SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I'D LIKE NOW TO
YIELD A MINUTE TMY FRIEND
FROM MARYLAND, MS. EDWARDS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM MARYLAND IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MS. EDWARDS: I RISE TODAY IN
OPPOSITION TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
I'M UNDECIDED ON THE RULE.
I RETURNED FROM AFGHANISTAN
JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AND I
COULD SEE FIRSTHAND THE PASSION
AND COMMITMENT OF OUR SERVICE
MEN AND WOMEN, OUR DIPLOMATS
AND OTHER CIVILIANS.
BUT I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT
THIS DEBATE THAT WE'RE HAVING
HERE TODAY IS NOT ABOUT THEM,
THE ABOUT THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO PROCEED.
I SAW THE COMMITMENT AND
COURAGE OF AFGHAN WOMEN TO
BUILD A FUTURE FOR THEIR
COUNTRY BUT THIS BILL WILL NOT
GET US THERE.
LET ME QUOTE, GIVEN ITS
TERRAIN, POVERTY, NEIGHBORHOOD
AND TRAGIC HISTORY, AFGHANISTAN
IN MANY WAYS POSES AN EVEN MORE
COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT LONG-TERM CHALLENGE THAN IRAQ.
ONE THAT DESPITE A LARGE
INTERNATIONAL EFFORT WILL
REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT U.S.
MILITARY AND ECONOMIC
COMMITMENT FOR SOME TIME, END QUOTE.
THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF
SECRETARY ROBERT GATES AND NOT
MY OWN.
AND YET HERE WE ARE TODAY
PREPARED TO COMMIT OUR SERVICE
MEN AND WOMEN TO A WAR WITHOUT
END, PLACING THEM IN HARM'S WAY
WITHOUT A PLAN FOR BEING THERE
AND A STRATEGY FOR LEAVING AFGHANISTAN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT TO
GIVE OUR PRESIDENT AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK OUT A MESS
THAT HE INHERITED BUT DID NOT
CREATE.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS CONGRESS AND THIS PRESIDENT HAVE TO BE
HONEST WITH THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, THAT THIS IS NOT --
WILL THE GENTLEMAN YIELD?
MR. PERLMUTTER: I YIELD ANOTHER
30 SECONDS.
MS. EDWARDS: WE HAVE TO BE
HONEST WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
THAT THIS IS NOT AN IN-OUT
MILITARY OPERATION.
IT REQUIRES A LONG-TERM,
SUSTAINED COMMITMENT TO TURN
90% ILLITERACY TO LITERACY,
GROW FOOD PRODUCTS INSTEAD OF
PRODUCING HEROIN AND OPIUM,
BUILD A CIVIL SOCIETY AND RULE
OF LAW.
WE NEED A PLAN WHILE WE'RE
THERE AND A STRATEGY FOR
LEAVING AND WE DON'T HAVE IT
AND I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS
SUPPLEMENTAL.
THANK YOU AND I YIELD.
.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
SPEAKERS REMAINING.
AND THEN --
MR. PERLMUTTER: THREE SPEAKERS.
MR. DREIER: SHOULD WE CONTINUE
TO RESERVE?
MAYBE WE'LL RESERVE FOR --
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: BOTH SIDES HAVE EIGHT MINUTES
REMAINING.
MR. PERLMUTTER: HOW MUCH TIME?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: BOTH
SIDES HAVE EIGHT MINUTES REMAINING.
MR. PERLMUTTER: WITH THAT I
YIELD
FROM OHIO, CONGRESSWOMAN SUTTON.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM OHIO IS RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MS. SUTTON: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR
YIELDING ME THE TIME AND FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP.
TODAY WE CONSIDER THE LAST WAR
SUPPLEMENTAL PROVIDING FUNDING
FOR OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ AND
AFGHISTAN.
HOWEVER I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED
THIS BILL DOES NOT HAVE AN EXIT
STRATEGY FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS
IN AFGHANISTAN.
OUT OF FAIRNESS TO OUR BRAVE
SOLDIERS, WE CANNOT HAVE AN
OPEN-ENDED STRATEGY.
I SUPPORT THE BILL INTRODUCED BY
REPRESENTATIVE JIM MCGOVERN, TO
REQUIRE ONE.
BUT THIS BILL DOES HAVE SOME
PROVISIONS IN IT THAT I SUPPORT.
SINCE OCTOBER OF 2001,
APPROXIMATELY 160,000 SOLDIERS
HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO STOP LOSS
ORDERS.
SERVING ON INVOLUNTARY EXTENDED
TOURS OF DUTY.
LAST JUNE I INTRODUCED THE STOP
LOSS COMPENSATION ACT TO ENSURE
ALL OUR SOLDIERS AFFECTED BY THE
POLICY WOULD BE PROPERLY
COMPENSATED.
AND LAST FALL WE TOOK THE FIRST
STEP FORWARD FULFILLING OUR DUTY
TO THESE BRAVE SOLDIERS BY
INCLUDING STOP LOSS COMPENSATION
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009 IN THE
CONTINUING RESOLUTION.
BUT TODAY I AM PROUD THAT WE
WILL EXTEND THE $500 A MONTH
PAYMENTS TO ALL 160,000 SOLDIERS
THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY STOP
LOSS SINCE 2001.
MR. SPEAKER, ON THE HOME FRONT,
OUR FIREFIGHTERS WHO ANSWER THE
CALL OF DUTY IN COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY OFTEN
THE FIRST ON THE SCENE AND THE
LAST TO LEAVE, BECAUSE OF THE
CURRENT RECESSION, A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THE
COMMUNITY ONE IN MY DISTRICT,
ARE BEING FORCED TO LAY OFF
FIREFIGHTERS, RESULTING IN
STAFFING LEVELTHAT ARE TOO LOW.
I'M PROUD TO SAY WE HAVE WORKED
ON LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE IN THIS
BILL THAT WILL ALLOW SAFER
GRANTS TO BE USED TO REHIRE AND
RETAIN MUCH NEEDED FIREFIGHTERS.
THE O'LEARY FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS
ALREADY INFORMED ME WITH WITH
THIS CHANGE THEY PLAN TO APPLY
FOR A SAFER GRANT TO REINSTATE
THE 10 FIREFIGHTERS WHO WERE
LAID OFF LAST MONTH.
THIS BILL WILL HELP US ENSURE
THAT STOP LOSS PAYMENTS FOR
THOSE WHO PROTECT US OVERSEAS
WILL BE PROPERLY GIVEN AND TO
ENSURE THE ADEQUATE STAFFING FOR
TH THANK YOU.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HER TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: MR. SPEAKER, I GUESS
I'LL INQUIRE AGAIN OF MY FRIEND.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I WOULD SGEST
TO MY FRIEND THAT WOLF.
MR. DREIER: YOU ARE INCLUDED
AMON THE TWO?
MR. PERLMUTTER: TWO ONE-MINUTE SPEAKERS.
MR. DREIER: I RESERVE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I YIELD ONE
MINUTE TO MY FRIEND
CALIFORNIA, MS. WATSON.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MS. WATSON:
MR. SPEAKER, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
IF THIS WERE SO THEN CONTINUOUS
FUNDING FOR COMBAT IS NOT NEEDED.
HOWEVER RESOURCES FOR OUR
MILITARY WITHDRAWAL IS.
THE SUPPLEMENT AS A MEANS OF
FINANCIAL SPORT FOR CONTINUING
CONFLICT IS A VERY DECEPTIVE TECHNIQUE.
FUNDING SHOULD BE IN THE BUDGET
SINCE IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS
NO END TO THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ.
COMBINING FOOD ASSISTANCE, AID,
FARM LOAN PROGRAMS, REFUGEE
ASSISTANCE IN THIS BILL WILL
GIVE THE BILL THE VOTES NEEDED
FOR PASSAGE, BUT HUMAN TEAR --
HUMAN TARRY ISSUES SHOULD BE IN
SEPARATE LEGISLATION.
THEY ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO BE
DUMB NPPED THIS BILL.
TO MAKE MY POINT I WILL NOT VOTE
FOR ANY WAR FUNDING THAT
DEPRIVES MY CONSTITUENTS OF THE
DOMESTIC FUNDING NEEDED TO
IMPROVE THEIR LIVES.
THE RULE IS THE PASSAGEWAY FOR
THIS INJUSTICE.
THANK YOU. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HER TIME.
MR. DREIER: MR. SPEAKER, LET ME
AT THIS TIME YIELD FOUR MINUTES
TO THE EXTRAORDINARILY PATIENT
AUTHOR OF THE AMENDMENT OF WHICH
WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING DEALING
WITH THE ISSUE OF GUANTANAMO, MY
GOOD FRIEND AND CLASSMATE FRO
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR FOUR MINUTES.
MR. WOLF: I WANT TO THANK MR.
DREIER F THE TIME.
I RISE IN OPPOSITION TO THE RULE.
I HAD AN AMENDMENT WHICH DEALT
WITH THE GUANTANAMO BAY ISSUE.
LET ME SORT OF LAY IT OUT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES REALLY INVOLVED.
ONE, THERE ARE DETAINEES AT
GUANTANAMO BAY THAT ERIC HOLDER
WAS PREPARED TO RELEASE INTO THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS NOT A KHALID SIKH
MUHAMMAD THAT WE ARE TRANSFERRING.
TO RELEASE INTO THE
NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHO ARE THE DETAINEES?
THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
CALLED THE EASTERN TURNING STAND
ISLAMIC MOVEMENT.
MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN TRAINED
IN AL QAEDA TRAINING CAMPS IN TORA BORA.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW.
ALSO THEIR LEADER IS A MAN NAMED ABDUL HAWK.
HAWK IS ON THE TERRORIST LIST OF
THE U.N..
HE'S ALSO ON THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION --
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PUT HIM ON
THEIR TERRORIST LIST LAST MONTH,
ERIC HOLDER IS SAYING, SOME
PEOPLE BELIEVE HE WAS READY TO
DO IT TWO WEEKS AGORIDAY, TO
RELEASE THEM, TO RELEASE THEM
WITH FEDERAL PAY, IF YOU WILL,
SO THEY COULD LIVE ON THE
ENVIRONMENT, GO TO THE SHOPPING
MALLS, DO WHATEVER.
RELEASE THEM IN THE UNITED STATES.
WITHOUT EVEN TELLING THE
CONGRESS ANYTHING.
NOW, CONGRESS CANNOT BE LIKE
PONTIAS PILATE AND WASH THEIR
HANDS AND SAY WE DON'T WANT TO
BE INVOLVED IN THIS.
WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW IF
SOMETHING HAPPENS, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THE CONGRESS, THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WANT US TO BE INVOLVED.
THAT'S WHY THEY SENT US HERE.
SO THAT'S THE UEGHERS.
TERRORISTS, TORA BORA, ABDUL
HAWK.
THE OTHER ONE IS THEY WANT TO
MOVE SOME OF THESE TERRORISTS
LIKE KHALID MUHAMMAD THAT MR.
DREIER MENTIONED TO THE UNITED
STATES.
HE'S THE ONE, HE'S THE ONE WHO
BEHEADED, BEHEADED DANIEL PEARL.
HE'S THE MASTER MIND OF THE 9/11
WHICH KILLED 30 PEOPLE FROM MY
DISTRICT.
NOW, IS IT OK FOR ERIC HOLDER TO
SAY, WELL, WE ARE NOT GOING TO
GIVE AWE REPORT AND IT JUST SO
HAPPENS THAT NO MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, ERIC HOLDER HAS
REFUSED TO ALLOW THE F.B.I.
CAREER PEOPLE TO COME UP AND
BRIEF THE CONGRESS.
NOW, IF ATTORNEY GENERAL
ASHCROFT HAD PROHIBITED THE
F.B.I. FROM COMING UP TO BRIEF
SENATOREAHY, THIS PLACE WOULD
BE UP IN ARMS.
BUT HOLD'S PROHIBITINGHE
F.B.I. UP -- HOLDER'S
PROHIBITING THE F.B.I. UP UNTIL
MAYBE NEXT WEEK TO COME AND
BRIEF ON THIS ISS
EVERYONE SAID WE CAN HOLD HIM
WITH THAT.
DON'T FORGET OFFICER PEPPI WAS
STABBED IN THE EYE BY ONE OF
THESE GUYS AT THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER IN THE EYE.
AND DON'T ALSO FORGET THE SIKH,
THE BLD SIKH RAHMAN WAS
PROCEEDING AND THE INFORMATION
OUT WITH REGARD TO HIS LAWYER.
LASTLY MANY PEOPLE WOULD FORGET
BUT THE TERRORISTS WHO WERE IN
AMERICAN PRISONS WERE IN
COMMUNICATION TO THE MADRID
BOMBERS WITH THE MADRID BOMBING.
ERIC HOLDER SAID WE ARE NOT
GOING TO GIVE YOU A REPORT.
THE CONGRESS SAYS, WE DON'T WANT A REPORT.
WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE
INVOLVED.
WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW.
SO YOU GO AHEAD AND DO WHATEVER
YOU WANT TO DO.
AND LASTLY THIS.
EVERYONE AT GUANTANAMO IS MEDIUM
TO HIGH SECURITY.
THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
OF THE OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN
RELEASED, 61 HAVE COME BACK ON
THE TERRORIST FIELD, TERRORIST
ATTACKS AGAINST US AND AGAINST
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
THAT'S THE LOW LEVEL GUYS.
THESE ARE MEDIUM AND HIGH.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS SAY THE
CONGRESS OUGHT TO BE INVOLVED.
WE DIDN'T GET INTO WHETHER OR
NOT YOU CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY OR NOT.
WE WERE NOT STOPPING IT.
WE WERE JUST SAYING LET'S GIVE
US A REPORT, LET'S LET THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW.
LET'S LET -- IF THE CONGRESS
DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW, LET THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW WHOEVER MAY
BE RELEASED IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'LL AT LEAST
KNOW.
LASTLY THE GOVERNORS AND THE
STATE LEGISLATORS OUGHT TO
PARTICIPATE.
FOR THAT REASON THIS AMENDMENT
SHLD HAVE BEEN MADE IN ORDER
WHEREBY WE COULD HAVE DEBATED TO
SAY DO YOU WANT THESE PEOPLE TO
RELEASE OR DO YOU WANT THEM TO
BE TRANSFERRED AND SHOULD THE
CONGRESS BE INVOLVED?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I YIELD ONE MINUTE TO MY FRIEND
FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE, MS. SHEA-PORTER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MS. SHEA-PORTER: THANK YOU.
I ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE EFFORTS
IN AFGHANISTAN, BUT LAST WEEKEND
I WENT TO AFGHANISTAN.
AND AS MUCH AS I WANT TO SUPPORT
SUPPORT THIS BILL, I CANNOT.
THE PROBLEMS THERE ARE OVERWHELMING.
90% OF THE WOMEN ARE ILLITERATE
AND A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE MEN.
25% OF THE CHILDREN DIE BEFORE
AGE 5.
30 YEARS OF WAR HAS DEVASTATED
ANY POSSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP IN
THAT COUNTRY.
WOMEN ARE ABUSED AND BEATEN.
DRUG ADDICTION IS RAMPANT.
THERE'S CORRUPTION IN THE
GOVERNMENT, CORRUPTION IN THE MILITARY.
IN AFGHANISTAN, WE WERE TOLD IT
WOULD TAKE 10 TO 15 YEARS TO
TURN THIS COUNTRY AROUND.
10 TO 15 YEARS.
SO WE EITHER GO FULL THROTTLE OR
WE JUST SAY OK.
BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST STRING IT
ALONG LIKE WE DID IN VIETNAM.
THEIR NEEDS ARE FAR MORE THAN
ONE COUNTRY CAN GIVE.
IF OTHER NATIONS WOULD STAND UP
AND DO WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND
GIVE THE SAME COMMITMENT OF THE
PEOPLE, THE TALENT AFGHANISTAN
COULD TURN THIS AROUND.
AND WE COULD HELP THEM.
BUT THE WORLD WON'T APT
AFGHANISTAN AND WE CANNOT BE A
SINGLE PARENT THERE.
OUR FOCUS NOW HAS TO BE
PAKISTAN.
THE GREATER RISK.
AND SO I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT THIS BILL.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER:
HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER, MR. KIND,
FROM WISCONSIN, FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MR. KIND: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I THANK MY FRIEND FOR YIELDING
ME THIS TIME.
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE IN STRONG
SUPPT OF THE RULE AND
SUPPLEMENTAL.
IN WISCONSIN WE HAVE HAD THE
LARGEST CALL-UP, LARGEST
REDEPLOYMENT OF OUR GUARD UNITS
SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
MANY OF OUR COMPANIES IN WESTERN
WISCONSIN HAVE HAD DELOIMED CEREMONIES.
TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE OUR TROOPS
ARE MAKING AS WELL AS THEIR
FAMILIES TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
THIS SUPPLEMENTAL ENSURES THAT
THEY GOT THE TOOLS AND
AND EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED TO
DO THEIR JOB AS SAFELY AND
EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO GIVEN
WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR US.
I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND MY -- THE
DEAN OF THE WISCONSIN
DELEGATION, THE CHAIR OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, MR.
OBEY, BECAUSE HE RECOGNIZED THE
HUGE SHORTFALL WHEN IT CAME TO
FARM SERVI ADMINISTRATION
LOANS FOR OUR FAMILY FARMERS.
THE DEMAND WAS OUTCREEDING THE
-- OUTCREDING THE AUTHORITY WE
GAVE THEM TO GIVE OUT THESE
LOANS WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR
THEM TO HAVE ACCESS SO THEY CAN
GET THE SEED, PLANT IT IN THE
GROUND, AND STAY IN BUSINESS.
47 OF THE 50 STATES WERE
REACHING SHORTFALLS IN THIS
MANNER.
IT WAS BROUGHT TO MR. OBEY'S AND
OTHERS ATTENTION AND THEY TOOK
IMMEDIATE ACTION TO RECTIFY IT
OR WE COULD HAVE HAD A WHOLESALE
REDUCTION IN FAMILY FARMING
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
I COMMEND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, URGE
MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT SLELL.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MR. DREIER: THE GENTLEMAN WILL
BE CLOSING FOR HIS SIDE.
MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD MY
SOUTHWEST BALANCE OF THE TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR FOUR MINUTES.
MR. DREIER: MR. SPEAKER, I KNOW
THAT I SPE
COLLEAGUES WHEN I SAY THAT WHEN
PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID THAT HE
WANTED TO WORK IN A BIPARTISAN
WAY, WE WOULD AGREE WHEN IT WAS
THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO WORK
WITH HIM IN A BIPARTISAN WAY.
CLEARLY SUPPORTING OUR MEN AND
WOMEN WHO ARE DAILY STEPPING
FORWARD AND VOLUNTEERING TO HELP
US IN THE EFFORT TO PRRKT THIS
-- PRRKT -- PRKT -- PROSECUTE
THIS ONGOING STRUGGLE DESERVES
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
WE ARE PLEASED THAT PRESIDENT
OBAMA HAS MADE THIS REQUEST.
WE ALL HOPE AS MEMORIAL DAY
APPROACHES A WEEK FROM MONDAY,
WE ALL HOPE VERY MUCH THAT WE
ARE ABLE TO SEE THIS WAR COME TO
AN END AND WE ALL WANT TO SEE
OUR MEN AND WOMEN COME HOME JUST
AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WHILE
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS AGREED TO
WORK WITH REPUBLICANS IN OUR
QUEST TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE
ADEQUATE FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR
OUR TROOPS, THAT THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP HAS CHOSEN TO USE A
PROCEDURE THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY
ONE THAT WE NEVER ONCE USED WHEN
WE WERE IN THE MAJORITY IN
DEALING WITH A WARTIME
SUPPLEMENTAL.
THIS IS A CLOSED RULE THAT
DENIES US A CHANCE TO OFFER THE
VERY, VERY THOUGHTFUL AMENDMENT
THAT MR. WOLF HAS COME FORWARD
WITH.
.
IT'S CLEAR FOR THOSE WHO HEARD
OUR COLLEAGUE FROM VIENNA SPEAK
FROM THIS WELL ABOUT THE
DELIBERATION THAT HE TOOK IN
CRAFTING THIS AMENDMENT, THAT
IT'S ONE THAT SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED BY THIS FULL HOUSE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE RULE THAT
IS BEFORE US DENIES THAT.
OUR COLLEAGUE FROM HINSDALE,
ILLINOIS, MRS. BIGGERT, HAD A
VERY, VERY NEEDED AMENDMENT
THAT WOULD INCREASE THE
COMPENSATION LEVEL FOR OUR MEN
AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS RULE DENIES
A CHANCE FOR THAT TO BE
CONSIDERED.
THE DISTINGUISHED RANKING
MEMBER, THE GENTLEMAN FROM
SUMMERSET, KENTUCKY, MR.
ROGERS, HAD HIS AMENDMENT THAT
WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR A
TRANSFER TO DEAL WITH THE
PRESSING NEED THAT EXISTS ON
OUR SOUTHERN BORDER, TO SECURE
IT SO TH
THAT ARE MOVING THROUGHOUT
MEXICO KILLING LITERALLY
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THAT.
WE'RE NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO
DEBATE THAT AMENDMENT THAT MR.
ROGERS, A HARDWORKING MEMBER OF
THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE,
BROUGHT FORWARD.
AND SO, MR. SPEAKER, I BELIEVE
THAT WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS
DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION
AND IF MEMBERS WHO WERE
COMMITTED TO ALLOWING FOR
CONGRESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT TO
DEAL WITH THIS DIFFICULT ISSUE
OF GUANTANAMO, IF THEY SHARE
THAT CONCERN, DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS, WE SHOULD JOIN TO
DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION.
IF I'M SUCCESSFUL IN MY QUEST
TO DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION, I WILL OFFER AN
AMENDMENT TO THE RULE TO
SUBSTITUTE MR. OBEY'S
INADEQUATE LANGUAGE ON THE
GUANTANAMO DETAINEES WITH MR.
WOLF'S FAR MORE ROBUST SOLUTION
TO THE DETAINEE PROBLEM.
AND, AGAIN, TO BE VERY
SPECIFIC, MR. SPEAKER, THE WOLF
AMENDMENT WOULD REQUIRE REAL
RISK ASSESSMENTS ON THE DANGERS
OF RELEASING GUANTANAMO
DETAINEES INTO OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.
IT WILL REQUIRE THE CONSENT OF
GOVERNORS AND STATE LEGISLATURES BEFORE THE
GUANTANAMO DETAINEES ARE SENT
HERE AND IT WOULD REQUIRE A
CERTIFICATION THAT BRINGING
DETAINEES ON U.S. SOIL WON'T
CREATE LEGAL REPERCUSSIONS THAT
COULD RESULT IN TERRORISTS
ROAMING FREELY ON OUR STREETS.
NOW, MR. SPEAKER, MOST
IMPORTANT
THE WOLF AMENDMENT HAS THE
EFFECT OF EXTENDING BEYOND THE
END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR BY
REQUIRING A DETAILED REPORT IN
ADVANCE OF ANY RELEASES OR
TRANSFERS WHILE MR. OBEY'S
LANGUAGE WOULD ALLOW TERRORISTS
TO BE RELEASED INTO THE WILD OF
OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITHOUT A
SECOND THOUGHT ANY TIME AFTER
OCTOBER 1.
MR. SPEAKER, I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO INCLUDE THE FULL
LANGUAGE OF THE AMENDMENT IN
THE RECORD AT THIS TIME AND I'M
GOING TO URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
VOTE NO ON THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION.
IF THEY'RE COMMITTED TO DEALING
RESPONSIBLY WITH THE GUANTANAMO
ISSUE AND IF WE'RE NOT
SUCCESSFUL ON THAT, TO VOTE NO
ON THE RULE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. PERLMUTTER: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I THINK I'LL BEGIN WHERE MY
FRIEND FROM CALIFORNIA JUST
LEFT OFF AND THAT'S WITH THE
GUANTANAMO ISSUE, WHICH I THINK
IS -- HAS BEEN BLOWN WAY OUT OF
PROPORTION BECAUSE THE
AMENDMENT THAT IS PROPOSED AS
PART OF THIS RULE, NONE OF THE
FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE IN THIS OR
ANY PRIOR ACT MAY BE USED TO
RELEASE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS
DETAINED AS OF APRIL 30, 2009,
AT THE NAVAL STATION,
GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, INTO THE
CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES,
ALASKA, HAWAII OR THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA.
IT GOES ON TO SAY THE PRESIDENT
SHALL SUBMIT TO THE CONGRESS IN
WRITING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
REGARDING THE PROPOSED
WHO IS DETAINED AS OF APRIL 30,
2009, AT GUANTANAMO BAY.
SO, THIS AMENDMENT PROVIDES
PRECISELY WHAT THEY'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT.
SO THEIR COMPLAINT IS ONE THAT
COMPLETELY BAFFLES ME AND ALL
THE RHETORIC AND THE
HISTRIONICS ATTACHED TO IT, THE
POTENTIAL OF TERRORISTS RUNNING
AMOK IN THE STREETS, SIMPLY
ISN'T ACCURATE UNDER THIS
AMENDMENT OR THIS SUPPLEMENT.
BUT THE REAL PURPOSE OF THE
DEALS WITH SEVERAL OTHER
THINGS.
LET'S BEGIN WITH WILDFIRE
SUPPRESSION, MAKING SURE THAT
FIREFIGHTERS CAN RECEIVE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF GRANTS FOR
REHIRING AND PERSONNEL
PURPOSES, BORDER ENFORCEMENT,
THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING SO
THE BORDER ENFORCEMENT ALONG
THE MEXICAN BORDER IS BEEFED UP
AS IT WAS WITHIN THE STIMULUS
BILL.
THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR
NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING.
WE DEAL WITH THE INFLUENZA AS
PART OF THIS SUPPLEMENTAL.
FARMING.
BUT THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT AND
THE REAL KEY TO THIS
SUPPLEMENTAL DEALS WITH OUR
TROOPS.
AND IT BEGINS WITH ALLOWING
ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR STOP-LOSS
SO T
STAY IN THE MILITARY BEYOND
THEIR ORIGINAL TOURS OF DUTY
GET ADDITIONAL $500 A MONTH.
THERE'S A POTENTIAL PAY
INCREASE AND THERE IS A FUNDING
FOR WARRIORS IN TRANSITION.
WE HAD THE TERRIBLE INCIDENT A
FEW DAYS AGO OF ONE OF OUR
TROOPS KILLING A NUMBER OF
OTHE BECAUSE OF THE STRESS
THAT COMES FROM THESE WAR
ZONES.
SO THERE'S DITIONAL FUNDING
FOR THAT.
THEN, OF COURSE, THE FULL
FUNDING OR THE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FOR OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
WE REQUIRE REPORTS AS TO HOW
THINGS ARE PROCEEDING TOWARDS
THE PRESIDENT'S WITHDRAWAL DATE
OF AUGUST 31, 2010.
FROM IRAQ.
AS WELL AS REQUIRING REPORTS AS
TO RECONCILIATION AND POLITICAL
CONSENSUS IN AFGHANISTAN.
I URGE THAT MY FRIENDS AND MY
COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE CONGRESS
VOTE YES ON THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION, VOTE YES ON THE RULE.
I WOULD AT THIS TIME, MR.
SPEAKER, YIELD BACK THE BALANCE
OF MY TIME SEEKING YES VOTES ON
BOTH OF THOSE MEASURES.
AND I MOVE THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION ON THE RESOLUTION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
QUESTION IS ON ORDERING THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF NION OF THE CHAIR,
THE AYES HAVE IT.
MR. DREIER: ON THAT I ASK FOR
THE YEAS AND NAYS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
YEAS AND NAYS ARE REQUESTED.
THOSE FAVORING A VOTE BY THE
YEAS AND NAYS WILL A SUFFICIENT NUMBER HAVING
ARISEN THE YEAS AND NAYS ARE
ORDERED.
MEMBERS WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES
BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 8 AND CLAUSE
9 OF RULE 20, THIS 15-MINUTE
VOTE ON ORDERING THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
FIVE-MINUTE VOTES ON ADOPTING
THE RESOLUTION, IF ORDERED, AND
SUSP
ADOPTING HOUSE RESOLUTION