Chris Dodd: “I rise to comment briefly about Title II, the American Service Members Protection Act of H.R. 4775 in order to clarify…”

“I rise to comment briefly about Title II, the American Service Members Protection Act of H.R. 4775 in order to clarify the Senate's intent in insisting on the retention of Sec. 2015 of that Title which was added during Senate consideration of the supplemental. I read with interest the remarks of Chairman Henry Hyde during House consideration of the conference report on July 23. I am certainly not in any position to dispute his comments concerning the first 14 sections of Title II relating to the American Service Members Protection Act, ASPA, as I was not a party to those discussions. I leave it to the administration and to others involved in those discussions to make that judgment. I do, however, know something about the intent behind Sec. 2015 as I was the author of the amendment that was ultimately included in the Senate passed version of ASPA. A review of the Senate debate makes clear that I was offering the second degree amendment because of my concern with respect to the complexity of the House passed language which was offered as a first degree amendment by Senator Warner.”