Jasper Packard: “I firmly support H.R. 1664, The Emergency Defense Supplemental Appropriations Bill for FY 1999. Mr. Chairman, our armed…”

“I firmly support H.R. 1664, The Emergency Defense Supplemental Appropriations Bill for FY 1999. Mr. Chairman, our armed forces are stretched farther around the world today than at any time in our history. Deployments in both the Middle East and the Balkans have revealed a true national defense emergency. Our armed forces are suffering from dangerously low personnel, equipment and munitions. Our military is under considerable strain and the measures being taken to continue operations cause me great concern. We are converting portions of our critical nuclear arsenal for conventional warheads to address severe cruise missile shortages. We are pulling aircraft carriers out of the Pacific to patrol the Mediterranean, despite potentially dangerous tensions with China and North Korea. We are transferring aircraft and support crews from missions over Iraq to fly sorties over Yugoslavia. Finally, the President has called up 30,000 reservists and enacted orders that prohibit many members of the Air Force from leaving the service until the Kosovo air war is over. Mr. Chairman, the shell game our military commanders are being forced to play must be stopped. We cannot continue to put our service men and women in harm's way without the support necessary to complete the resources without delay. To do anything less is both irresponsible and morally wrong. I firmly oppose this Administration's policy in the Balkans.”