Tina Smith: “As the Senator leaves this institution later this year to pursue other interests, I want to take this opportunity, while…”

“As the Senator leaves this institution later this year to pursue other interests, I want to take this opportunity, while I have it, while he is here, to thank him for his service to our Nation and certainly for his kind attention to me as both a majority and a minority member. Madam President, the bill before us provides a much needed increase of about $11 billion to the President's original budget request. I want to emphasize that this is still well below this year's funding level when adjusted for inflation. Since 1985, national defense funding has declined by 41 percent in real terms. Let me say that again, particularly for those who complain we are spending too much. Since 1985, the defense spending has fallen 41 percent. That is 11 straight years of decline, real decline. There are a variety of very important initiatives contained in this bill that I want to briefly highlight. They include, first and foremost, the 3-percent pay raise and a 4-percent increase in the basic allowance for quarters to our military men and women. We forget that every day, 24 hours a day, our Armed Forces are out there protecting us, serving our country. We found out this week how important that is and what sacrifice that calls for. If one were to look at the pay scale of those young men and women who were involved in that incident in Saudi Arabia, it is not a lot of money to risk their lives for. But they did not do it for money, and we all know that.”