Rodney Frelinghuysen: “The Joint IED Defeat fund recognizes the fact that we're still a nation at war. The young men and women who come back…”

“The Joint IED Defeat fund recognizes the fact that we're still a nation at war. The young men and women who come back from war--and God forbid, some come back having paid the ultimate sacrifice, but many come back with unbelievable wounds, double amputees, loss of different limbs. This joint IED task force has done a lot to minimize that possibility. The committee did recognize, and as the gentlewoman mentions, we did reduce spending in this fund by $70 million. But we're a nation at war. They still have a critical mission. It's important that the work that they continue to do to defeat sometimes the simplest IEDs and sometimes the most complex IEDs continue. It's an investment that we need to make to make sure that, as we finish our job in Afghanistan, that we do our level best to protect our troops, those that are volunteering there, and to bring them back home in one piece. So we oppose the gentlewoman's amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier). The amendment was rejected. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.…”