Sue Myrick: “Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Committee on Rules met and granted a structured rule for H.R. 4546, the National Defense…”

“Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Committee on Rules met and granted a structured rule for H.R. 4546, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services. Mr. Speaker, this is a fair rule. It is a traditional structured rule for defense authorization and it provides for debate on a number of pertinent issues, including nuclear policy, missile defense, quality-of-life issues for our servicemen and women, and a number of noncontroversial concerns. H.R. 4546 is a good bill. This legislation firmly shows our commitment to restoring the strength of our Nation's military. This is the fifth straight year of real increases to defense spending after 13 consecutive years of real cuts to defense budgets, and the largest increase in military manpower since 1986. With U.S. personnel risking their lives on the front lines of the war on terrorism, H.R. 4546 is more than just a signal to our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that this is a Nation that recognizes their sacrifices.”