Washington, D.C. - Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this conference report – and the breathtaking abuse of power it represents.
The purpose of a Defense Appropriations bill is to fund the fighting forces of the United States and to provide our troops with the support and equipment they need. At no time is that obligation more solemn than when our soldiers are at risk in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
That is why it is so inexcusable for this congressional leadership to put our troops in jeopardy by playing politics with this bill.
Republicans and Democrats should unite behind a clean, bipartisan conference report that supports our soldiers and provides for a robust national defense. Instead, this legislation arrives on the floor packed with highly divisive, completely extraneous, last-minute giveaways to special interests – giveaways the Republican leadership knows perfectly well could never survive the scrutiny of the ordinary legislative process.
In that regard, I am particularly appalled by the inclusion of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) drilling in this legislation. And I am not alone: five high profile military officials – including Retired General Anthony Zinni – recently implored Congress not to politicize military spending by embroiling it in the ANWR debate. Senator McCain called the ANWR insertion “disgraceful” and “disgusting.”
Mr. Speaker, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a spectacular arctic ecosystem, sustaining wildlife so diverse it is sometimes called the American Serengeti. Along with a sizable majority of Americans, I continue to believe we should not despoil this national treasure for what amounts to six months worth of gasoline ten years from now. Instead, we should move expeditiously to diversify the nation’s fuel mix away from our reliance on foreign oil and embrace the renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies of the 21st century.
I agree with General Zinni and Senator McCain: it is the height of irresponsibility to be playing games with needed defense funds when our men and women in uniform are in harm’s way – and I am hopeful the Senate will reject inclusion of this extremely controversial and unrelated environmental provision in this military spending bill.
Moreover, I strongly object to the eleventh-hour special interest liability protections added to this legislation. Once again, this kind of provision is not germane to the defense appropriations process. Furthermore, I am concerned it fails to provide adequate compensation to legitimately injured patients.
Finally, the Defense Appropriations bill is no place to be making spending decisions that have nothing to do with defense. Yet this bill contains a 1% across-the-board spending cut affecting almost every appropriations bill we have passed this year.
Mr. Speaker, earlier today I voted in favor of the Defense Authorization bill to provide the ongoing authority for ensuring our national defense. I am particularly pleased that the conferees on that bill saw fit to include Senator McCain’s language on the humane treatment of prisoners held in American custody.
But on this vote I will not reward the abuse of power that is dragging down this bill. Shame on this House for playing politics with our troops during wartime. I urge my colleagues to vote no so we can return quickly with a defense bill worthy of our military’s service and sacrifice.