Victor Fazio: “when is a compromise not a compromise? Well, this conference report is a classic example of one. The language in this…”

“when is a compromise not a compromise? Well, this conference report is a classic example of one. The language in this report, negotiated behind closed doors, does not move an inch in the right direction toward what the Department of Defense's interests are, what is best for the American military forces, and what is best for the taxpayers' dollar. That is competition to determine the best place to overhaul and repair military workload. This conference report moves in the wrong direction. This so-called compromise language, written without the knowledge or input of several members of the authorizing committee itself, restricts competition. Instead of creating a level playing field, it tilts it even further in favor of public depots, which may not be as cost-effective as the private sector in all cases. But rather than let competition determine the winner, this report, I think, skews the outcome in favor of one type of competitor without concern for the impact on the taxpayer. If that is not enough, there is a new wrinkle in this report that ought to raise the eyebrows of some other Members. That is the restriction on supercomputer exports, which will have a chilling effect on our Nation's high-tech industry, threatening America's status as the world's leading exporter of technology. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this conference report because it is 'veto bait.' I emphasize that.…”