Buck McKeon

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. I want to assure my good friend from Florida that I look forward to working with you to ensure that modeling and simulation remains an essential part in maintaining our military readiness.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mr. McKEON. I thank the gentlelady for her passionate and well articulated arguments supporting the 440th Airlift Wing which provides airlift to our Nation's paratroopers, including the storied 82nd Airborne. The 1,200 men and women who comprise the 440th Airlift Wing do an incredible job each and every day providing the airlift necessary to do their complex and challenging missions. This provision highlights the difficulty we face as the top line budget has decreased and sequestration remains the law of the land. We have been forced to make choices as we consider the defense bill that were far from ideal, but attempted to balance competing interests and minimize risk to the greatest extent possible. That being said, the budget simply doesn't provide sufficient funding to meet the requirements identified in our Nation's defense strategy. I will continue to work with Representative Ellmers and others to preserve assets like the 440th Airlift Wing, and most critically, on the true cost of our problem, sequestration. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Daines), my friend and colleague.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I encourage our colleagues to support the amendments en bloc. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I appreciate the gentleman's concern. We agree that we must ensure the successful sustainment of this critical engine. I look forward to working with the gentleman as we move forward to conference with the Senate on this bill to ensure that we achieve both improved visibility and cost-efficiency for the government, as well as keeping a successful model for engine sustainment.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I have a great amount of respect for my colleague and friend, the ranking member, but I strongly oppose this amendment. My friend talks a lot about how we shouldn't limit the President's options with regard to Guantanamo. I don't think that we should be limiting our options in dealing with terrorists, and I can't imagine anything more fundamental than taking away the option to question al Qaeda terrorists bent on killing American citizens in whatever is the most effective way possible, and consistent with the law, to stop future attacks. In the fiscal year 2013 NDAA, we addressed any misconceptions about the detention authority provided by the Authorization for Use of Military Force. We included the following language in the conference report: Nothing in the Authorization for Use of Military Force or the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 shall be construed to deny the availability of the writ of habeas corpus or to deny any constitutional rights in a court ordained or established by or under article III of the Constitution to any person inside the United States who would be entitled to the availability of such writ or to such rights in the absence of such laws. The NDAA has changed nothing with regard to the laws of war, our values, or our traditions. Our Supreme Court has agreed that appropriate detention and interrogation of al Qaeda terrorists is entirely lawful. It is false to imply that this is not the case or to something not in line with our values. In fact, our courts have gone well beyond the traditional attachment of rights to our enemies and has extended the constitutional right of habeas corpus to foreign detainees held at Guantanamo Bay. This amendment would be the first time we self-imposed such a sweeping change to the conduct of war and our ability to gather intelligence. Despite what any of us may want, al Qaeda has not surrendered. Far from it. The threat is evolving, but unfortunately for all of us, it continues. We must oppose this amendment and preserve every lawful option in our arsenal.

Mr. McKEON. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. McKEON. I, likewise, would be interested in working with you on this. In southern California, I know a major highway runs right through Camp Pendleton, and there is a lot of traffic. With Congressman Smith, I was able to visit Lewis-McChord, and I think you would find that a lot of people on both sides of the aisle would be willing to work with you on this bill, and I hope to be able to.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 2, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chair, I urge the committee to adopt the amendments en bloc, all of which have been examined by both the majority and the minority. At this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. DeSantis) for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for her work in this area, and I appreciate her efforts to advance U.S. manufacturing and our industrial base, and I thank her, again, for her hard work on this issue. I look forward to working with you as we move forward on this. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I will continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chair, I encourage our colleagues to support the en bloc amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 590, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chair, I urge the committee to adopt the amendments en bloc, all of which have been examined by the majority and the minority. At this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. McKEON. I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. McKEON. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), my friend and colleague.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman), my friend and colleague, a member of the Committee on Armed Services.