Jackie Speier: “I thank the chair of the Appropriations Committee whom I deeply adore. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment…”

“I thank the chair of the Appropriations Committee whom I deeply adore. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment which highlights the Defense Department's abject failure to maintain its child development centers and its barracks and the need for a $15 billion investment. Our associates in the department and the generals all talk about how important it is to take care of the whole servicemember. I always say that when a servicemember serves, so does his or her family. Now, we know by their own admission that there are 135 childcare centers that are in either poor or failing condition, and we have more than 9,000 families with children on waiting lists in the military. But having all that knowledge, Mr. Speaker, you would think that they would elevate this issue. But only one childcare center has been considered in their budget request. There are 135 that are poor or failing, and they chose to only fund one. While the Army announced with great fanfare some time ago a $10 billion, 10-year project to replace substandard barracks, that would require $1 billion a year in which they would invest in barracks, but they have only committed and requested $262 million--they are clearly, not on track to complete this $10 billion project over 10 years. {time} 1915 I thank the Appropriations Committee for adding $300 million for barracks and child care centers over the Department's request, but this does not excuse the military from its responsible. Talk is cheap.…”