Norm Dicks

Mr. DICKS

Mr. DICKS. I have followed this issue closely ever since the gulf war, and I feel that the gentleman has made a very compelling case. I think we should add this money, and the offset is acceptable. So I urge a ``yes'' vote on the Kucinich amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. I would just point out that the committee has added $125 million this year and $454 million over the last several years, going back to when Mr. Murtha and I were chairmen. So we completely concur that this is an important issue. The gentlelady has made a very compelling case. I rise in support. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DICKS. The Army's environmental research program develops technologies that support the long-term sustainment of Army training and testing activities by improving the Army's ability to comply with the requirements of Federal, State, and local environmental and health laws and reducing the cost of this compliance. The program develops technologies to decontaminate or neutralize Army unique hazardous and toxic waste at sites containing waste ammunition, explosives, heavy metals, propellants, chemical munitions, and other organic contaminants. This research concentrates on technology to avoid the potential for future hazardous waste problems by reducing hazardous waste generation through process modification and control, materials recycling, and substitution. This program also supports military readiness by developing technologies to predict and mitigate range and maneuver constraints associated with current and emerging weapon systems, doctrine, and regulations. This program supports both DOD and environmental stewardship and military requirements. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to reject the gentleman's amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. It's a much different type of airplane.

Mr. DICKS. I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DICKS. HIV poses a threat to military personnel in terms of readiness and force protection, and may affect the stability and security of many nation states. American troops deployed to areas of the world such as sub-Saharan Africa and Asia face an increased risk of exposure to the HIV virus. Targeted research into prevention of infection, treatment, and cures is needed to reduce this threat to U.S. military personnel, protect U.S. military readiness, and decrease treatment costs for the Department of Defense health infrastructure. The bill provides a total of $24 million above the request, including $8 million in the defense health program and $16 million in Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army, related to HIV/AIDS research. This funding will enhance efforts to prevent new HIV infections in the military, develop better tests and treatment options for military personnel and health care beneficiaries, and provide for a comprehensive program of research and development on preventive HIV vaccines. I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DICKS. Many environmental laws, regulations, and policies impose restrictions on Navy vessels, aircraft, and facilities that would impede Navy operations if not met. The Navy must be able to conduct its national security mission in compliance with applicable environmental requirements in the U.S. and abroad without compromising performance, safety, or health, while simultaneously minimizing the cost of compliance. This program develops and evaluates processes, hardware, systems, and operational procedures which allow the Navy to operate in U.S., foreign, and international waters, air, space, and land areas while complying with environmental laws, regulations, Executive orders, policies, and international agreements. Projects funded in this program support Navy compliance with the Clean Water Act, the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and numerous others. I come from an area where the Navy operates very effectively in the State of Washington, and these kinds of onboard waste disposal are absolutely critical; because when you serve on a nuclear submarine, you are out there for many, many days, and you have got to have things onboard ship as well to deal with these kinds of problems. So I think this is in the best interests of the Navy, and I urge a ``no'' on the gentleman's amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DICKS. NATO funding in this bill should not be curtailed because the U.S. and the NATO nations are one another's closest partners, and the NATO alliance has been a vital and successful part of U.S. foreign policy dating back to its formation in 1949. While the alliance must evolve in light of changing world events, there is no other practical option to structure U.S. strategic and security cooperation with our European allies. For all NATO nations, the alliance allows for security capabilities and a structure to control operations that the allies on their own could not afford to maintain. Active participation in NATO also allows the U.S. to pursue defenses against emerging threats, such as implementation of improved missile defense capabilities. To maintain its commitment to NATO, the U.S. must continue to contribute funding to NATO programs. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. It's not a fighter; it's a bomber.

Mr. DICKS. I rise in very strong opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DICKS. First of all, I have to again correct the record here that the President of the United States, OMB and Defense Department requested $197 million. Our committee held hearings with the Air Force and found, from a lot of dialogue with the three companies that are competing, that we might be able to accelerate this bomber replacement program if we could get an additional $100 million. So the President requested $197 million, and we added $100 million to that because we see that this program is vitally important. Now, I led the fight many years ago in the House on the B-2 bomber, and my colleagues got very tired of listening to me on this. But we started with that program at 125 bombers, and we wound up with only 20. So we need another stealth bomber, which can reach around the world as we have seen the B-2 do just recently. This is a very high priority of the Air Force. I mean, next to tankers, the replacement of the bomber and along with the Joint Strike Fighter, are going to be the top priorities for the Air Force. So this would be a catastrophic blow to terminate this program. And though I have the greatest respect for the gentleman from Vermont, I would say that I would stay with the committee, which unanimously supported this program, has always supported modernization of our strategic bombers and our strategic modernization of our submarines, which are two of the major issues that our committee is dealing with. So, again, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DICKS. NATO funding in this bill should not be curtailed because the United States and the NATO nations are one another's closest partners, and the NATO alliance has been a vital and successful part of U.S. foreign policy dating back to the formation in 1949 during the Truman administration. While the alliance must evolve in light of changing world events, there is no other practical option to structure U.S. strategic and security cooperation with our European allies. For all NATO nations, the alliance allows for security capabilities and a structure to control operations that the allies on their own could not afford or maintain. Active participation in NATO also allows the U.S. to pursue defenses against emerging threats such as implementation of improved missile defense capabilities. To maintain its commitment to NATO, the United States must continue its contribution to all aspects of the NATO program, including research and development activities. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DICKS. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. I am so thrilled that the gentleman from Florida has an amendment that I can support. I join with you, and I urge everyone to support the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DICKS. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. The gentleman explained to me that the $10 million would not be part of the government program, that this would give people with traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, an option to go to the private sector?

Mr. DICKS. What about TRICARE, which is a private company?

Mr. DICKS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. DICKS. Will the gentleman yield?