Joe Cunningham: “this authorization conference report was supported by 48 to 3, 48 to 3. To be fair, it probably would have been 48 to 4…”

“this authorization conference report was supported by 48 to 3, 48 to 3. To be fair, it probably would have been 48 to 4, but the gentlewoman from Colorado did not think enough to show up to vote, and she calls this bill pathetic. Maybe if it was that pathetic she would show up and vote in the report. The President, in his 1993 budget, cut military COLA's. In a bipartisan way, this committee restored COLA equity for our military. And guess what, Mr. Speaker? In the President's last budget, he cuts COLA equities once again, and this is the last chance to protect those in this particular bill. Let us talk about HIV. I had two people in my squadron who had HIV. They could not deploy, I could not use them, they had to be tied to the hospital. I could only tell my executive officer and the flight surgeon, which meant a risk for other people in that unit. With the limited and cut-back funds, we need full up-rounds in our units. This also doubled the deployment time on shore duty of our military at a time when they are supposed to be spending it with their families.”