C. Young

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I would say to the sponsor of the amendment that this is a more reasonable approach--yes, it is--but this actually cuts the fund in half. Now, that is a major cut on something that our military commanders in the field say that they really need to have. Now, the committee took a $25 million cut, but that was in agreement with the commanders. They felt that they could absorb that cut and still do the program, but I don't think I can support cutting this program in half.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Reclaiming my time, I want the troops out of Afghanistan as soon as our military commanders advise us and the President that we can do so and we can do it safely. I have seen on my weekly visits to the Walter Reed/Bethesda Hospital, I have seen the terrible, terrible tragic cost of this war, and that doesn't even talk about those who have lost their lives. I don't want to walk through that hospital and see any more quadruple or triple amputees. I don't want to see that, and our military commanders must make that decision. We are not in a position to make that decision of how, when, where do we accomplish this departure from Afghanistan with victory. And so I still have to express my objection to this amendment because it cuts the fund that our military commanders tell us that they need-- cuts it in half. And so I just have to oppose the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I yield to my friend from Washington.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I had opposed similar amendments in the past because of the source of the funding, the defense-wide O&M accounts which we just really cannot afford to cut into our readiness accounts. This does not take funding from that account. And so I appreciate the gentleman's changing the source of his amendment, and I'm agreeing to the amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I thank the gentleman for his comments.

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

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the gentlelady's amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I don't know how many times that I have said this on this floor and in the committee and to anyone that would listen: You cannot make your decisions on national defense based on politics. You can't make your decision based on national defense just on a number. And this number, by the way, on this similar amendment, has changed. Where is the commitment? The policies and the investment in our national defense must be based on the real threat to our own security, to the security of the United States, to the security of our troops, and to the security of our allies and our interests, whatever they might be. Stop and think. The threat has not diminished. The threat has not gone away. Did anybody happen to watch Iran's exercises last week where they fired short-range missiles, medium-range missiles, and long-range missiles? Iran is moving to make itself a strong military capability nation. That is a threat. Their commentaries about the United States and to the United States, that's a threat. We have got to be careful. China is expanding its military, expanding its technology, and expanding its work in cyber. The threat is growing, and so this is not the time to reduce our capability, to reduce our readiness, to reduce our training, to reduce in preparing our troops for whatever is required to defend the Nation that we love so much. This amendment just can't go, and I strongly ask Members to oppose this amendment and the message that it would send around the world that we don't care about the threat. We do care about the threat, and we are aware of the threat, and we know what it could mean to us. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. It has been a long-standing practice put in place by appropriations legislation years ago that the contracts for these pans must be awarded under a competitive process. In fact, the FY 2010 DOD appropriations bill required that the contract be competitive, and every year the Army holds an open competition where it asks all qualified companies to place a bid. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I don't think the amendment is necessary, but I do agree with what it does, and I accept the amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. We do understand that the law does exist that requires it, so we're with you.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against the amendment because it proposes to change existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriation bill and, therefore, violates clause 2 of rule XXI. The rule states in pertinent part: ``An amendment to a general appropriation bill shall not be in order if changing existing law.'' The amendment grants new authority. I ask for a ruling from the Chair.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I want to associate myself with the remarks of Mr. Wittman. He is right on. And I just want to emphasize how strongly I agree with what he has to say, and I strongly support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I want to compliment the gentlelady. She is certainly determined. This is the third or fourth amendment on the same subject, just by changing the numbers. I'm not going to make the same arguments about the threat and about the need to defend our country. Again, you have heard that many, many times. But it is serious. It is serious. The numbers keep changing. I don't know why they keep changing, but the fact that they keep changing indicates to me that there's not really a real determination here on the number. But there is a determination on my side and from my viewpoint and, that is, the threat cannot be ignored, the threat is growing, and this is not a good amendment and I ask that our Members oppose it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank the gentleman for working with us. As we discussed earlier during our debate, we would work together to find a solution that would be acceptable. You have done that, I congratulate you, and I support your amendment.