Porter Goss: “this is a very simple, very fair rule for the consideration of the conference report for H.R. 2126, the Department of…”

“this is a very simple, very fair rule for the consideration of the conference report for H.R. 2126, the Department of Defense appropriation bill. We provide for an hour of debate, and all points of order against the report are waived. It is that simple. As we rapidly approach the end of the 1995 fiscal year, and it becomes clear that we will not be able to have all 13 appropriations bills signed into law by October 1, I am pleased that we are making defense a priority. The Constitution explicitly requires Congress to provide for the national defense, and it is entirely appropriate that we are moving this bill today. Many people, myself included, feel that this administration has allowed our military readiness to decline at an alarming rate. I am concerned that scaling our Armed Forces back too far in the name of peace may actually invite new aggression. Certainly the Soviet threat is gone, but in the wake of its passing, we are left with multiple problems. Mr. Speaker, the lessons of history serve us well here--allowing our defensive capabilities to be reduced too much could easily be an invitation to aggression against American interests abroad, or even here at home.”