Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the Department of Defense authorization bill, H.R. 4301, now before the House of Representatives. As Members of a Congress, one of the most important aspects of our job is ensuring that this country has a strong defense. This bill accomplishes that goal. It is obvious that the world is changing very rapidly in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Our national defense requirements are changing as well. Since 1985, the Defense budget has been cut by 35 percent--with the loss of 650,000 uniformed personnel. The present 5-year plan already anticipates more cuts in the future. So as President Clinton stated in his State of the Union address, I strongly believe that 'we must not cut defense further.' Within the $262.7-billion authorization there are several issues that are of critical importance to this Nation, such as $3.6 billion for defense conversion, $606 million for new sealift ships, and a well deserved pay increase for our forces. Full funding for the next nuclear aircraft carrier, CVN-76, is another such program. Presently, CVN-76 is fully funded in H.R. 4301. As proven by the gulf war and as clearly enunciated in the Bottom-Up Review, aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of our Nation's response to such regional conflicts. Ultimately, aircraft carriers are the instrument called upon most frequently when aggression must be stopped.”