Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Yes.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I am very empathetic to the gentleman's concern as expressed here. We have discussed it on many occasions between the two of us. The fact is that currently the DOD is spending some $200 million a year in this arena. There is $204 million already in the bill. It seems senseless to me to say withdraw $5 million from other accounts and pass it here. It seems to me that this is unnecessary; and because of that, I would oppose the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. LEWIS of California. If the gentlewoman will yield, I will be very happy to work with the gentlewoman. I appreciate her withdrawing her amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I might consume for purposes of having a colloquy with the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson). Mr. Chairman, as chairman of the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, I have the privilege of working closely with the Department of Defense. I see in here firsthand the skill, commitment, and bravery of our men and women serving in Iraq and elsewhere in the world. We all know of the enormous contributions of our allies as well. And I must say the contribution of the United Kingdom is hard to overstate, but we have had great assistance from other allies, for example, Italy has 2,800 personnel working in Iraq and has donated some $210 million to the process that is here. We have had help from countries like Portugal, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, and Kuwait. So across the board, I must say that we have been helped greatly by allies who were willing to step up and pay a piece of the price of this very important venture. I particularly wanted to mention the role played by our friends, the Japanese. For over the years, the Japanese have been very hesitant in the military front since World War II. But in this circumstance, they have really been a great ally. There are presently 1,000 Japanese troops known as the Self-Defense Forces, including some 600 ground troops in Iraq today. They have consistently indicated a willingness to support us in our effort there. I cannot compliment them enough.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I am very empathetic to the Member's expression of concern in this arena. There is report language in the bill that says the following that I would bring to his attention: ``The Defense Science Board and the General Accounting Office both express concerns with the efficiency of the Department of Defense plan for remediation of UXO, unexploded ordnance. Therefore, in the fiscal year 2005 DOD appropriations report, we have requested a comprehensive plan and cost estimates from the department on all identified sites by April 1, 2005.'' We are attempting, Mr. Chairman, to deal with this problem by dealing with the Department. We recognize that they are not as efficient as we might like.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Vermont and the gentleman from Connecticut have both been very active in the fight for a cure and treatment of Gulf War Illness for many years, and the committee will work with both of them to increase funding for research in this area.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is my privilege today to present to the House the appropriations for National Defense for Fiscal Year 2005. This bill includes a total amount for the Defense Department of $416.1 billion. Within that dollar amount, which is an enormous amount, there also is included approximately $25 billion that is a part of a bridge fund amendment providing funds for operations in Iraq. This recognizes that the Congress may be in recess for an extended period of time, perhaps even adjourn for the year for a period of time, before we have another supplemental coming forward. That additional funding is to make certain that we do not have any of the funds that are very important in terms of meeting our world challenges today run short or run dry. Indeed, this bill is a package that is designed to meet the country's need in this ever-shrinking and ever-complex world. It is a very, very important bill, that first and foremost is designed to support our troops wherever they may be deployed around the world. Most significantly, in doing that, we are providing the funding that is necessary to carry forward the current effort in Iraq and around Afghanistan as well. I would like to outline just briefly what the bill does. It supports those operations in Iraq, as I have suggested; but it also supports our troops by making certain that funding is there for their housing, for their training needs, their clothing needs, et cetera. But above and beyond that, it provides for full funding for the 3.5 percent pay increase that is a part of the President's budget. The bill further increases additional funding for readiness for our troops, providing for the training as well as the equipment of their efforts worldwide. The bill provides a very significant level of funding for our intelligence efforts, including an increase beyond the President's original budget. Further than that, within the supplemental package that is here, there is a very significant addition to our Intelligence funding. The bill provides for funding for a number of very important assets across the board, including funding for the Virginia-class submarine, for example, funding for the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-22 fighter, et cetera. This bill also includes language that is designed to improve or increase the reporting requirements that we provide for the Department of Defense and the various branches to make sure that the Congress is getting the kind of oversight that allows us all the assurance we need that the funding that has been appropriated by the Congress is being spent along those guidelines that the Congress has extended. At this point, Mr. Chairman, I would like to provide for the Record a summary of the funding provided in this bill. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH22JN04.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH22JN04.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH22JN04.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH22JN04.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH22JN04.005 Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I cannot tell my colleague how much I appreciate his remarks and his great support throughout the development of this bill. And to say the least, to suggest that he is a partner in this subcommittee's work would be understating it, for he not only has been chairman of this subcommittee but as full committee chairman, he has been absolutely fantastic. I would further say the same about my colleague the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha). This partnership has produced very positive results over the years and, indeed, it has been my great privilege and honor to work with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha). Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to my colleague from California (Mr. Cunningham), who would probably like to do the same.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill H.R. 4613, and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield further, I do very much appreciate the opportunity to discuss these matters with my colleague, sometimes privately, sometimes publicly.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, it has come to my attention that the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee was unable to include '05 funding for a system of recreational trails surrounding Diamond Valley Lake, as authorized in PL 106-500. There are many constituents in my District who are counting on being able to enjoy these trails with their families and friends as a significant new recreational facility in one of California's fastest- growing communities. I would like to ask my friend, the distinguished Chairman of the Interior subcommittee, if he would consider giving this project additional consideration during the conference on this fiscal 2005 legislation, particularly if the Senate is able to include this matter in its bill? On behalf of the hard-working people of Riverside County, California, I thank the gentlemen for his consideration.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, from the days I knew Ronald Reagan as Governor, and he was a key leader who sponsored early development of child care in our State, recognizing the importance of quality daycare in terms of the future of America's children, the environmental governor who saved Lake Tahoe, to the days that I had a chance to watch him rebuild America's strength by building our defense, he always was straightforward, candid with the American people. And not so long ago he was heard to say: ``In closing let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.'' God bless you, Ronald Reagan. To Nancy and their family, all of us share with you our prayers for our great President, Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she may consume to my dear friend, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, before I proceed any further, pursuant to the order of the House of today and as the designee of the majority leader, I request an additional hour of debate on the resolution.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker), a member of the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations.