Randall Cunningham: “I would like to go through several different ways in which this administration is attempting to kill defense. First of…”

“I would like to go through several different ways in which this administration is attempting to kill defense. First of all, there was a $50 billion cut under the 102d Congress, and candidate Clinton said $60 billion would put us into bone marrow. Immediately in his budget he put $127 billion additional cuts in defense, which brought it to $177 billion. Why? Because then he could reduce the deficit. He could show the American people how he is reducing the deficit. But he is doing it on the backs of the men and women who serve this country. The military through 1994 is operating by the skin of its teeth. It has very little funding for training and operations, and with us still in Iraq and Bosnia and trying to get into Haiti, and even in Somalia, it affects us. It affects our readiness back here at home as well. The funding for all services through 1995 and out, 1994 is taken care of, but 1995 and out is dependent on closing the ordinary bases ordered under BRAC'93. But the administration is not funding BRAC'93, and there is no savings, so there is no funding of the military 1995 on out. What is happening in my own district, the commanding officer of NTC just took $30,000 out of training and operations to buy plywood to board up the buildings he is trying to close, but he cannot do it. That is affecting our readiness, Mr. Speaker. The President needs to fund BRAC'93.”