William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry: “Mr. Chairman, this is a good bill. It enhances the security of the United States in ways that are going to get very…”

“Mr. Chairman, this is a good bill. It enhances the security of the United States in ways that are going to get very little notice today. One of those ways is in people issues. The bill has a pay raise for our troops and it increases their housing allowance substantially. It also fills a $500 million shortfall in the administration's request for health care. Although more work is needed here so that we provide the health care we promise to those who serve and those who had served, there is a lot to be proud of. Another key issue in this bill is the safety and effectiveness of our nuclear weapons. Making sure that our nuclear arsenal is safe and reliable and effective is as important now as it has ever been. We received testimony that at least $4 billion a year is required to ensure that our nuclear arsenal works without nuclear testing. Yet here again the administration request was severely short. Mr. Chairman, we should not forget some basic facts. First, our nuclear weapons were designed to last about 20 years. We are about at the end of that design life. Someday soon we are going to have to build weapons again, to modernize and replace those that are getting out of date.”