Haley Stevens: “I am pleased to present the Defense appropriations conference report for fiscal year 2007 with my colleague from Hawaii…”

“I am pleased to present the Defense appropriations conference report for fiscal year 2007 with my colleague from Hawaii, our cochairman, Senator Inouye. Two nights ago, in a strong measure of bipartisan support for our men and women in uniform, the House of Representatives passed this bill. There are only 4 days left in the fiscal year. The 2007 Defense appropriations conference report must be signed into law by the President before Saturday at midnight. Finishing debate on this bill tonight and passing it tomorrow morning will ensure that this bill will get to the President in time so there will be no lapse in money available to our men and women in uniform to conduct the ongoing activities throughout the world. This bill includes the continuing resolution for those appropriations bills which have not been completed. This continuing resolution, or CR, as we call it, was negotiated on a bicameral, bipartisan basis. It is what we call a clean CR. There is no other problem associated with this CR. It has been supported on both sides of the aisle, and we are grateful to the Members in both the House and the Senate for that approval. Our conference report represents a balanced approach to fulfilling the financial needs of the Department for fiscal year 2007. It provides $436.5 billion in new discretionary spending authority for the Department of Defense.”