Norm Dicks

Mr. DICKS

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, this legislation tonight certainly is not perfect, but we have a very dire situation that faces the airlines. I happen to come from the State of Washington, which is a State that has already been affected with the Boeing Company announcing a layoff of 30,000 workers in our State. I believe this legislation will help stem that terrible loss and will keep people at work, both in the airlines and at Boeing. I am deeply disappointed, however, that the leadership chose not to put in place the unemployment compensation benefits that would help the unemployed workers at Boeing and help the unemployed workers at the airlines. It is my understanding that the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt) and the Speaker will have a colloquy in which they will state their intention to bring legislation up next week. My support for this legislation is contingent upon that happening. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to offer my support for this legislation because I believe it is necessary for the survival of the airline industry in our country at this time. Without the infusion of cash and loan guarantees that is contained in this bill, I believe we would run the real risk that this vital component of our transportation system-- so critical to our economy and our way of life--will cease to operate. We have already seen huge airline layoffs resulting from the disaster of September 11th, along with the resulting airport closures and sharp decline in air passenger traffic. And in the Puget Sound area of Washington State that I represent, we face the prospect of 20,000 to 30,000 layoffs at the Boeing Company in the year ahead, due to the industry decline that was certainly exacerbated by the terrorist attacks last week. This package we are considering today will help us avoid more bad news, Mr. Speaker, and deeper job cuts. However, my support of this bill is contingent on the premise that a comprehensive package of assistance for workers in the airline industry and at Boeing will become law in the next few weeks. This broad array of benefits, including income support, skills training, educational assistance and other re-employment help is absolutely necessary, and it recognizes the tangible impact on workers in the industry as a result of this terrible national tragedy. In fact, I would have preferred if we had included this worker assistance in the legislation we are considering today in the House of Representatives, because the workers deserve an immediate sign from the federal government that they will not be forgotten as we are responding to the financial crisis among the airline companies themselves. Already, I have begun working with the State of Washington and the U.S. Department of Labor to ensure that existing programs of income support and training are able to meet the sudden huge demand that may be placed upon them. It is important to marshal these resources to help get these workers through the tough economic times ahead. So I support the legislation to help the struggling airline industry in America at this critical time, Mr. Speaker. But I do so with the understanding and the hope that the workers who will be affected downstream by these same financial problems will know that help is on the way to them also.

Mr. DICKS

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I would just say to the gentleman from California and my good friend, the gentleman from Missouri, who have been two of the stalwarts in the House of Representatives for advocacy for the B-2, we still have work to do. I know that the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) had included some of the upgrades that are necessary to improve upon this capability. But to think about this one revolutionary fact, in Kosovo the B-2 carried 162,000 pounds bombs called JDAMs, near precision weapons, almost precision. And the interesting thing is, like 3 percent of the sorties, they took out 33 percent of the fixed targets. Now, we see even another revolution of being able to put eighty 500-pound JDAMs on these airplanes and they would be able to hit 80 separate fixed targets on one sortie, and two of them would be 160, obviously. The other thing that is interesting, just in the last few days there has been a successful test; and I know the gentleman from California is aware of this, of being able, from one of these airplanes, to hit a moving target. One of our greatest problems has been the inability to hit moving targets. This target was moving at 30 miles an hour, it was an F-16, and they used this weapon and they were able to hit the moving target. Now, this will be a major breakthrough as we pursue this. I just appreciate all the work of these two gentlemen. We have all worked together. The B-2 is certainly the premier conventional weapon in our arsenal today.

Mr. DICKS

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the committee, and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), the ranking member, for the fantastic job they did of protecting the prerogatives of this institution. I want to commend them also for the prompt response to this tragic event in our country's history. Our hearts do go out to the people of New York and the people at the Pentagon who have lost loved ones. This is truly the greatest tragedy in the history of the country. I rise today just to urge our colleagues, as we think about this problem and prepare for the future, to recognize that we are going to have to strengthen not only our intelligence capability, but our military capability as well. For a number of years, we have been underfunding the Defense Department in terms of procurement and new weapons systems. I mean it has been at a tragically low level. Somehow, if we want to retain our military capability, if we want to have the kind of national security that we need for the future, we are going to have to make significant investments beyond those that we are making here today. This will help in some respects, but there still is a lot more that needs to be done. Again, congratulations to everyone who worked on this. This is a good bill that deserves our support.

Mr. DICKS

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on Roll Call number 338. I would have voted ``yes'' on this resolution condemning the terrorist attacks earlier this week.

Mr. DICKS

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, as we pass this Resolution in Congress today condemning the terrorist incidents that took place in New York City and in Washington yesterday, we are also committing ourselves to supporting the increased resources that will be necessary to respond to this newly enhanced threat. All of our lives have been changed as a result of the events of September 11th, and as we reflect upon the loss of life and the human impacts of this tragedy, let us also resolve to take the appropriate actions to assure that we are better able to protect the lives of American citizens in a world that has become a more dangerous place. In this regard, I believe there is consensus at this time among Members of Congress to support the increased level of spending for defense and national security in the next fiscal year. But I am concerned, Mr. Speaker, about the real defense requirements that each of the military services has submitted to Congress, in response to a request from Congressman Ike Skelton earlier this year. These ``unfunded requirements'' of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and the Air Force represented the actual requests that were NOT included in the budget for Fiscal Year 2002, submitted by President Bush in June. The total amount of that listing of unfunded requirements submitted to Congress was $32.4 billion, and when the President's budget was submitted to Congress in June, it accounted for NONE of these urgent requests from the services. Therefore, as we debate the defense authorization and defense appropriations bills in the aftermath of yesterday's tragedies, I believe it would be helpful for the Members of the House to review a summary of the list of unfunded requirements. I believe this listing details the kind of expenditures that we have postponed for too long. At this time, I believe the real national security need is closer to the actual requests that were made by the Joint Chiefs, and I my colleagues to support a more responsible level of defense spending for the next fiscal year. Following are some of the highlights of the listing of Unfunded Defense Requirements for the next fiscal year. army Equipment Recapitalization: The Army needs $421 million to recapitalize its Apache and Chinook Helicopters and its Abrams tanks and Multiple Launch Rocket systems. Comanche: The Army needs $52.3 million to support its Comanche program at the minimum sustainable level. The Army has identified Comanche as its first Transformational program. Army Data Distribution System (ADDS): The Army needs $124.5 million to upgrade and maintain its data distribution and communications networks in support of more rapid deployments and operations. SINCGARS: The Army needs $17.6 million just to buy the required numbers of the baseline SINCGARS radio. Information Systems Security: The Army needs $48.6 million to upgrade and ensure the security of its information systems. HMMWVs: The Army needs $264 million to purchase 4000 HMMWVs to cover unit shortages. Heaters: The Army needs $22 million to replace unsafe heaters used in field encampments by deployed troops. navy and marine corps Defense Message System (DMS) Transition: The navy has a shortfall of $15 million because the new Defense Message System (DMS) cannot support the Navy's special handling and Emergency Action Messages. The Navy has to maintain two messaging networks to handle its highest priority communications as a result, and this requirement is unfunded. Close-In-Weapons-System (CIWS): The Navy needs $85 million to fully fund upgrades to the Close-In-Weapons-System on Navy ships. This system defends against small fast moving boats and both slow and high speed missiles and aircraft. Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM): The Navy needs $121 million to fully fund the RAM missile which protects Navy ships from Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles. F-A 18 E/F: The Navy needs an additional $390 million to buy 7 more F/A 18s than currently planned. The average age of Navy planes is now on course to exceed the average age of its ships, an astonishing and troubling problem. The Navy must recapitalize its air fleet. EA-6B Jammers: The Navy needs $15 million to replace 57 jammer pods that are obsolete. These aircraft protect attack aircraft from Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) Spares: The Navy needs $294 million to fund Spare Parts Training: The Navy needs $30 million to fund 2 additional trainer aircraft for training Navy pilots and $123 million for live and inert training ordnance Integrated Defense Electronic Counter Measures (IDECM): The Navy needs $45 million to equip this year's F/A 18 E&F fighters with the IDECM system which protect these aircraft from Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) Air Force Wartime Reserve Munitions Replenishment: The Air Force needs $362 million to replenish its stocks of ammunitions, bombs, warheads, missiles, and guidance kits of all of its armaments. Readiness Spares: The Air Force needs $46.5 million to fully equip its readiness spares kits Link 16: The Air Force needs $232.8 million to procure and install the Link-16 network capability on its Command and Control Aircraft (the AWACS and JSTARS) and 10% of its strike force to ensure that these aircraft can be updated with the latest information on threats and targets while in the air. Global Air Traffic Management (GATM): The Air Force needs $50.9 million to equip its C-130, KC-10, and C-12 airlift fleet with the Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) which is required for safe flight in commercial airspace. Time Critical Targeting: The Air Force needs $291 million for network and planning tools and communications upgrades to allow planning of air campaigns capable of attacking time critical targets as they are identified. Bomber Upgrades: The Air Force needs $730.7 million to fund upgrades to its workhorse bomber fleet that delivers a majority of all bombs and missiles. These aircraft are projected to have service lives of up to 80 years, and this funding is needed to keep them operating and as capable as possible. Fighter Upgrades: The Air Force needs $640.9 million to fund upgrades to the A-10, F-15, and F-16 fighters to upgrade avionics, increase reliability and mission capable rates, and enhance survivability Stored Munitions: The Air Force needs $127 million to replace obsolete munitions that are prepositioned overseas with modern precision guided munitions. Fighter Self Protection: The Air Force needs $45 million for electronic self protection measures on the A-10 & F-16, and accelerate development of a towed decoy for the F-15.

Mr. DICKS

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment, and I move to strike the requisite number of words. (Mr. DICKS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman is an experienced legislator here. Obviously, if he is going to change the law, he has to change the substantive law here. This is an appropriations bill, where we are trying to provide money to run the agency. What the gentleman needs to do is amend the legislation.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that the gentleman has accomplished his mission here. He has gotten them, the Ex-Im Bank, to take seriously his point of view here on this particular matter. It seems to me that to punish the Ex-Im Bank, this is what the gentleman would be doing, and they would be punishing the exporters of this country, many of which are small businesses who are struggling to stay in business, and take $3 million of their funds, which are for salaries.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I told the gentleman I would be glad to help in that effort. But the point here today is this is a meat-axe approach. Coming in here and cutting $18 million out of Export-Import Bank does not make any sense. The new administration says they are going to take the gentleman's position into account. I would urge the gentleman to withdraw his amendment, he has made his point, and not hurt another sector of the economy.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I always think my colleagues have good judgment. Announcement by the Chairman

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I wanted to point out that on December 15, 2000 the board of directors of Ex-Im approved a guarantee for an $18 million credit to support export sales from General Electric in Salem, Virginia; Carlen Controls in Roanoke, Virginia; and CIC Company in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania for software control systems and main drive power supplies and it does go for this project. These are U.S. companies that got the loan guarantees.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, the gentleman makes a mistake if he does not consider trying to change the law so the Export- Import Bank has to take into account the impact on the domestic economy of these exporters.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman yielding. Mr. Chairman, the only thing I would say to the gentleman, over the last few years the Export-Import Bank has created $60 billion of exports from the United States. That means that those were jobs created.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, the point I would like to make is what they are doing here today with this amendment is punishing the export segment of the economy that creates thousands of jobs. In the State of Washington, the Boeing Company is the Nation's largest exporter. We are in a life and death struggle with Airbus. Airbus is subsidized by foreign governments. They have all kinds of loan programs to sell their exports all over the world. What we are trying to ask for here is a level playing field. Let our American exporters compete. I want to protect the steel workers, but not at the expense of the machinists in the State of Washington. That is what we are talking about here. Let us protect them both. Let us protect the steel workers and the machinists.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from West Virginia has talked about all the steel companies that are gone. McDonnell Douglas used to build commercial airplanes; they are gone. Lockheed used to build commercial airplanes; they are gone. We have suffered in this area. We have one commercial airplane producer left in America: the Boeing Company. And they are in a life and death struggle against four governments that underwrite Airbus. I wish my friend from Vermont were as passionate in supporting the American companies trying to export as we are trying to protect the steel companies. I want to protect them as well.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I just want to answer the gentleman's question. Twenty-five hundred small businesses last year got Ex-Im Bank loans, totaling about $2.3 billion. Yes, the Boeing Company is a major user of this thing, and we finance sales that could not be financed any other way and the money is paid back. So what is wrong with that? I want to support the gentleman. I hope some day the American steel industry can export as well, and then the gentleman will be with me in supporting the Export-Import Bank.

Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?