Patricia Schroeder: “Members of this body, my amendment is really quite simple. It is different from the one that was in the Record because I…”

“Members of this body, my amendment is really quite simple. It is different from the one that was in the Record because I just amended it to make it in line with the distinguished gentleman from Florida's amendment, the manager's amendment, that did cut the spending. So what my amendment does now is what it was supposed to do from the very beginning. We have changed the numbers to make sure it is right on point, and that is it lowers the amount of this bill to what was in the blue dog coalition budget. I am one of the people who voted for the coalition budget. I think newspaper editorials all over the country backed the coalition budget and said that this was a very fair number. What is this number? This number is more than the Defense Department and the President asked for and it is, obviously, less than what is in this bill. this number is what the administration requested plus 3 percent because we care very much and want to guarantee that the pay raise is included. I think everyone understands one of the most important things for any fighting force is morale, morale, morale, morale, and whatever happens we want to be absolutely assured that we do not end up with a shortfall for the pay raise.”