On the recordDecember 22, 2010
It is the bill-- slightly reduced to eliminate some of the controversial provisions, which would have prevented us from getting to this point, but this is the Defense authorization bill, and 90 to 95 percent of the bill is the bill we worked so hard on in committee on a bipartisan basis. I am very certain that our men and women in uniform, as this Christmas season comes upon us, will be very grateful indeed that we did this in the 49th year--and if the House will move swiftly today and pass this bill, as we have done in the previous 48 years--passed an authorization bill--which is so essential to their success. I assure my colleagues that the controversial aspects of this legislation have been removed, and only the essential parts remain. I hope we will move forward and get this done today so that we can again provide our men and women who are serving with the best capability to defend this Nation.
