Political Quotes

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I appreciate her steadfast leadership on behalf of our Nation's servicemen and -women. Mr. Speaker, we are in the process of a long-needed rebuilding of our Nation's military, and this funding bill will ensure the rebuilding process continues. I have spoken on this floor many times about the readiness crisis facing our military. We are finally getting our planes back in the air and troops who are fully prepared to deploy. This readiness crisis hurts our overall national security. But, Mr. Speaker, it also puts our servicemen and -women at great risk. Last year, we lost four times as many servicemembers in training accidents as we lost in combat. We owe it to these men and women to do everything in our power to avoid more of these accidents. That duty requires consistent and robust funding for all aspects of our defense. I am pleased to say that this funding bill builds on the progress made over the last 2 years, and I am proud to support the Defense Appropriations bill and this rule. This bill sets aside $674.6 billion for the Department of Defense, which is consistent with the National Defense Authorization Act that passed out of this body earlier this year. Importantly, the bill will help us recruit and retain the greatest fighting force on the face of the Earth. That includes full funding for a 2.6 percent pay raise for the military and an increase in overall end strength.…”