Pete Stark: “I rise today in vehement opposition to the $12.9 billion supplemental appropriations for the military attack on…”

“I rise today in vehement opposition to the $12.9 billion supplemental appropriations for the military attack on Yugoslavia as well as the $11.7 billion substitute amendment. Last week, I voted against the bill to authorize the current NATO mission. In fact, the bill failed when two hundred thirteen members of this body also opposed the measure. Why is the majority leadership today requesting $13 billion for a mission they opposed just a week ago. It appears that the majority can't spend enough on a war they refuse to authorize. The majority is playing partisan politics with Kosovar and U.S. lives. I will not support a funding request for a mission that has no clear parameters and is laden with pork-barrel defense spending. The Administration asked for $6 billion in the emergency supplemental, not the $12.9 billion to be voted on today. This piece of legislation appropriates funds for some projects that clearly are not urgent in nature. Instead of giving NATO a war to justify its purpose, we should be giving our elderly prescription drug benefits, our children better schools, and our workers a Social Security system they can count on when they retire. This bill will divert surplus funds attributable to Social Security in order to pay for military pay raises and retirement as well as military installations abroad that are completely unrelated to Operation Allied Force.”