Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I urge the committee to adopt the amendments en bloc, all of which have been examined by both the majority and the minority. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Matsui).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Childers).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 1404, I offer amendments en bloc No. 7.

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

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), my friend and colleague.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1404, I hereby give notice that the amendments numbered 15 and 62 may be offered out of order.

Mr. SKELTON. I certainly thank the gentlelady from Texas for her observations. Yes, of course, I agree that NASA space programs have made important contributions to our national security. In specific response to your concern, the industrial base required for reliable space launch could be placed at risk by the proposed changes in the human spaceflight program. Further, I understand the department is carefully evaluating the impact of those changes.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I urge the committee to adopt the amendments en bloc, all of which have been examined by both the majority and the minority. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).

Mr. SKELTON

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

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 1404, I offer amendments en bloc No. 2.

Mr. SKELTON. The gentleman from Indiana spoke about the challenge of those returning from the Gulf and facing the depression that often ends in suicide. The gentleman from Rhode Island did the same. The tragedy of a serviceman or woman and suicide came home to many of us in the State of Missouri not long ago when a young marine from Sedalia, Missouri, suffered that tragedy. It breaks the heart of not just the family but of all who knew him. I think it's up to us to do our very best to continue to study this issue and make preparation for those who come home so that these tragedies can be put behind us that they can come back to a grateful Nation and warm and loving home and fit in and continue to perform their duties in uniform and duties at home. So those of us who knew this young marine from Sedalia understand fully the comments of the gentleman from Rhode Island and the comments of the gentleman from Indiana. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin). (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I urge the committee to adopt the amendments en bloc, all of which have been examined by both the majority and the minority. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee). (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 1404, I offer amendments en bloc No. 1.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1404, I hereby give notice that amendments number 21, 42, 47 may be offered out of order.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk, amendment No. 1.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, picture in your mind an American soldier, a corporal, patrolling in Afghanistan, wearing his American-made uniform, carrying his American-made M4 rifle, having been transported in an MRAP security vehicle to his place of patrolling, with a radio on his back which was made in America--all of these items furnished by the Congress of the United States and under our duty and the duty to train and to allow him to be fully prepared to fight the fight that he is. That is what is important in what we do today. That is the purpose of an authorization bill. It is required by the Constitution of the United States. It is paramount. It is the most important job that we have to do--to provide for the security of those who fight and who protect us in their line of duty. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), the chairman of the acquisition reform task force. (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague, my friend, the distinguished chairman of the Budget Committee who is also a member of our Committee on Armed Services, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chair, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1404, I hereby give notice that amendment Nos. 80 and 82 may be offered out of order. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin).