Paul Coverdell: “I rise today to apprise my colleagues of a terrible mistake made by the President and the administration in its issuing…”

“I rise today to apprise my colleagues of a terrible mistake made by the President and the administration in its issuing a veto on the $6.8 million HH-60 Operations Pararescue Unit project at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, GA. I am aware of the interest of my colleague, Senator Cleland, in this matter, and I understand that he has joined me in questioning the rationale behind the abuse of power by the President. In looking at this project at Moody, it is important to understand, first, that this pararescue unit is critical to our combat search and rescue training operations which allow this group to function in a proper capacity. The administration claimed that the Moody project was not needed for several reasons--such as budget requests, quality of life, and construction capability. We now know that these assertions are not accurate. The Air Force has distinct plans to fund the Moody project which was included in the Air Force's 1999 budget request. Officials at Moody inform me that they could have, indeed, begun construction on the project this year.”