Buck McKeon

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend and colleague, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Rigell).

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo).

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Indiana, a member of the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Young.

Mr. McKEON. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I do not believe that the President has provided adequate justification for our military operations in Libya nor why continued intervention in a humanitarian stalemate is in our national interest. More than 2 weeks ago, I sent a letter to the President outlining my concerns regarding our strategy, our role within NATO operations, and the escalating costs of these operations at a time when the administration is asking the Department of Defense to make an additional $400 billion in cuts. To date, I have not received a reply. Yet I believe that forcing the hasty withdrawal of U.S. forces from NATO operations in Libya would embolden Qadhafi and gravely damage our credibility with our allies. Consequently, such a move could have dramatic, negative, second-order effects on operations that are critical to our national security, such as operations in Afghanistan. I believe Speaker Boehner's resolution addresses much of the frustration shared by Members of this body. The resolution reinforces provisions in the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting the escalation of U.S. participation without express authorization from Congress. This resolution requires the President to clearly outline the strategic interests that justify intervention in Libya, to explain how the operational means being employed will secure them. It requires a prompt and transparent accounting of costs as well as information regarding the capacity and intentions of the rebel forces. This information is essential to allow Congress to execute its constitutionally mandated oversight role of military operations. Again, I fully agree that the administration has been disturbingly dismissive of Congress's role in the authorization of military force. But I also feel that passing this resolution is the most effective way of holding the President accountable without sacrificing other vital national interests that would be damaged by a precipitous withdrawal from NATO operations. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend and colleague, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes).

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend and colleague, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Tactical Error and Land Forces, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett).

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to House Concurrent Resolution 51, although I share my colleagues' concerns regarding our operations in Libya. In fact, I sent a letter to the President 2 weeks ago, to which I have not received a reply, making it clear that I would have serious reservations regarding a request for authorization of military force in Libya. Moreover, I support House Resolution 292, which we have also debated here today. I do not believe the President has adequately sought congressional authorization, nor has he provided sufficient information for Congress to perform its constitutional oversight. Nevertheless, I cannot support the resolution before us. This resolution would require the President to remove all U.S. forces within 15 days. Such a short lead time offers our allies no time to prepare for the withdrawal of U.S. forces, and, make no mistake, the hasty withdrawal of U.S. forces would cripple allied operations and embolden Qadhafi. The United States provides adequate capabilities that our NATO allies and other partners cannot provide, either in kind or at all levels required. We provide over 75 percent of all aerial refueling; 70 percent of all intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; nearly a quarter of all the aircraft, including fighter aircraft, for suppression of enemy air defenses; armed Predators, providing aerial surveillance and strike capability, including low-level targeted strikes in urban centers where Qadhafi's forces have entrenched themselves; and electronic warfare aircraft for jamming and support in targeting. Reasonable people can disagree about the extent to which involvement in Libya was in our national strategic interest, but having committed our forces, a precipitous withdrawal would certainly have implications for U.S. national security and our strategic interests around the world. We should make certain allied efforts are not undermined at the last minute. As chairman of the Armed Services Committee, I will continue to ensure that the committee conducts robust oversight of ongoing military operations, and I will continue to press the President for answers, but this resolution is not the appropriate means to bring about an end to the stalemate in Libya. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposition.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chair, I would like to submit the following exchange of letters: House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC, May 4, 2011. Hon. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McKeon: I write to you regarding H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. I am aware that there are certain provisions in the legislation which fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security. In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously with consideration of this important legislation, I am waiving the Committee on Homeland Security's jurisdiction pertaining to a sequential referral. However, I do so with the understanding that the committee's jurisdictional claims over subject matters contained in this and similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of this committee to any conference committee which is named to consider such provisions. Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 1540 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Sincerely, Peter T. King, Chairman.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill, H.R. 1540, the Clerk be authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, cross-references, and the table of contents, and to make such other technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the actions of the House in amending the bill.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the debate for consideration of amendment No. 55 be expanded by 10 minutes, and that such time shall be equally divided and controlled by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) and myself.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentlelady for doing this. I think she is exactly right on. I think everything that we can do to honor these warriors who are out there fighting for our freedoms and freedoms of those around the world we should do. I thank you for this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition to the amendment, although I don't oppose the amendment.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit on H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. The authorizing language we have before us is a result of extensive bipartisan collaboration and unprecedented transparency, and to offer this motion at this time and on this very important bill is poor form and smacks of pure politics. It pains me that after such an effort on our part to work across the aisle, the Democrats have offered this motion. I fail to see where there's not been ample time and opportunity for input, discussion, debate, and resolution prior to this moment. I am dismayed that they would deem it necessary and prudent to play politics with this very important bill. I need not remind all here that we're a Nation at war with troops in harm's way in combat every day fighting for our security and the future of our Nation. During full committee markup, a total of 281 amendments were filed with 224 adopted. This compares to 172 filed and 137 adopted the year before. This process, throughout, has been historically collaborative and resulted in the legislation being passed overwhelmingly 60-1 out of committee. We had all kinds of time to bring an amendment that would be helpful like this, then they bring this one. There's no offset. This would just put us again above the allocation from the chairman. This is really more Democrat increasing spending. I oppose this motion and ask my colleagues to stand with me.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to H. Res. 276, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that amendment No. 18 be modified in the form I have placed at the desk.

Mr. McKEON. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition to the amendment, although I don't oppose the amendment.

Mr. McKEON. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. I yield myself the balance of my time. I want to thank my good friend. And, you know, we use that word a lot around here, but I really feel that Ranking Member Smith is my friend. And we have worked well together on this bill. I really appreciate his seriousness, the effort that he has put in to working, his staff. They have done an outstanding job. I also want to echo your remarks about Secretary Gates--many, many years of outstanding dedication, devotion, of service to his Nation. I asked him what he was going to do. He said he had a long honey-do list. He was going to be working on that and probably a book. I also want to welcome Mr. Panetta, Director Panetta, and wish him all the best on confirmation in the Senate. I look forward to working with him here as the new Secretary of Defense. I want to thank the vice chairman of the committee, Mr. Thornberry, who has been a great right-hand man through all of this process, as well as all of the subcommittee chairs and ranking members for their hard work at the subcommittee level, and then helping out through this whole process. I want to thank our staff director, Bob Simmons, and the minority staff director, Paul Arcangeli. They have been just magnificent through this process, as well as all of the staff here on the floor and those working back in their offices who worked so tirelessly on behalf of our troops, the men and women serving throughout the world in various uniforms of the service. Mr. Chairman, I encourage all to support the bill.