C. Young

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

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

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the supplemental appropriations bill that we present today was requested by the President of the United States several weeks ago to respond to the disaster in Central America, Honduras and Nicaragua specifically, as well as the earthquake damage in Colombia. Actually, the bill has been fairly well discussed during consideration of the rule, but I think it is appropriate that we point out that this bill reflects a humanitarian reaction to a terrible disaster in our own part of the world. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, this Congress and the administration spent billions of dollars in attempting to keep Fidel Castro and his friends in the Kremlin from exporting communism all over that area. We were very successful, and we helped our friends develop democratic forms of government. With the exception of Cuba, we currently have democratic governments throughout these regions. They are our friends, and they are our neighbors, and it is appropriate that we respond to them in their time of need. As soon as the disaster occurred, American troops were sent to the region. They pulled children out of flood waters. They pulled people out of mud-swept homes. They did many, many things to save lives and to bring sanitary conditions to the region. So what we are trying to do with this bill, as requested by the President, and he did not request all of it, I will have to admit, and we will talk about that later; he did not request the offsets that we use to pay for this bill, but the President did request that we provide $152 million for our own agricultural programs here at home, which we have done. The President requested that we provide funding for Central America, which we have done. The President also requested that we provide a payment to Jordan, one of our greatest allies in the Middle East and an ally that is very important to peace in the region. We did provide the $100 million for Jordan, but again we offset this $100 million. We also replaced $195 million for the Defense Department to pay them for the expenses involved in actually responding initially as a 911 force to this terrible disaster. Now, we took considerable time to determine the appropriate offsets to pay for these bills. As I said, we did not offset the $195 million for the Department of Defense. That was a true emergency. They were truly responding to that emergency. They saved lives. They helped people bring their lives back together. They brought sanitary conditions. They brought water that could be consumed. They repaired hospital facilities. They made medical care available. And we are not suggesting that we think we should offset these funds, but we do offset everything else. The $100 million for Jordan I wanted to mention specifically because I said the bill was what the President asked for. Actually, the President asked for the entire Wye River commitment that he made when the Wye River agreements were reached. He asked for all of that to be done in this bill, and we did not do that. The reason is that we think that the part of the Wye River agreement that relates to Israel and the Palestinian Organization should be handled in the regular order as we go through the FY 2000 appropriations bills. But because of the death of King Hussein and the important role that he played and the establishment of the new kingdom and the new king, his son, King Abdullah, we thought it would be appropriate to move expeditiously to show a sign of support for Jordan. The President requested $300 million in that account, $100 million in FY 1999 funds and $200 million in advanced funding. We provide in this bill the $100 million for Jordan. We do not provide the advanced funding. Again, we believe that should be taken up and considered as we go through the regular order in the FY 2000 appropriation bills. Mr. Chairman, we need to expedite this bill. The monies that we will appropriate today will not go from our Government to another government. Because of the oversight responsibilities that the Congress has, and the Committee on Appropriations specifically, we do have an obligation to our taxpayers to make sure that any money that we appropriate is spent the way that we intend it to be spent. And so these funds will be appropriated into a special fund that will be administered by our own Government for the contracts awarded to replace the bridges or to help rebuild schools or to reconstruct roads or to do the many things that we will help our friends and neighbors. The contracts will be awarded on a competitive basis or negotiated basis and then the contracts will be paid for from the fund that we create, from the fund that we maintain control over and the fund that we have complete oversight over. And so, Mr. Chairman, this is a summary of the bill. I know we will have some discussions on some of the other aspects of this bill and especially the offsets, but that is basically what the bill does. At this point in the Record I would like to insert a table showing the details of the bill. (The table follows.) [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24MR99.000 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24MR99.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24MR99.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24MR99.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24MR99.004

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the requirement of clause 2(a) of rule XI of the Rules of the House, I submit herewith the rules of the Committee on Appropriations for the 106th Congress. The committee rules were approved by the full committee on February 2, 1999. U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations, Committee Rules Effective for One Hundred Sixth Congress, Approved February 2, 1999 Resolved, That the rules and practices of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, in the One Hundred Fifth Congress, except as otherwise provided hereinafter, shall be and are hereby adopted as the rules and practices of the Committee on Appropriations in the One Hundred Sixth Congress. The foregoing resolution adopts the following rules: sec. 1: power to sit and act For the purpose of carrying out any of its functions and duties under Rules X and XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee or any of its subcommittees is authorized: (a) To sit and act at such times and places within the United States whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned, and to hold such hearings; and (b) To require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, reports, correspondence, memorandums, papers, and documents as it deems necessary. The Chairman, or any Member designated by the Chairman, may administer oaths to any witness. (c) A subpoena may be authorized and issued by the Committee or its subcommittees under subsection 1(b) in the conduct of any investigation or activity or series of investigations or activities, only when authorized by a majority of the Members of the Committee voting, a majority being present. The power to authorize and issue subpoenas under subsection 1(b) may be delegated to the Chairman pursuant to such rules and under such limitations as the Committee may prescribe. Authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the Chairman or by any Member designated by the Committee. (d) Compliance with any subpoena issued by the Committee or its subcommittees may be enforced only as authorized or directed by the House. sec. 2: subcommittees (a) The Majority Caucus of the Committee shall establish the number of subcommittees and shall determine the jurisdiction of each subcommittee. (b) Each subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, receive evidence, and report to the Committee all matters referred to it. (c) All legislation and other matters referred to the Committee shall be referred to the subcommittee of appropriate jurisdiction within two weeks unless, by majority vote of the Majority Members of the full Committee, consideration is to be by the full Committee. (d) The Majority Caucus of the Committee shall determine an appropriate ratio of Majority to Minority Members for each subcommittee. The Chairman is authorized to negotiate that ratio with the Minority; Provided, however, That party representation in each subcommittee, including ex-officio members, shall be no less favorable to the Majority than the ratio for the full Committee. (e) The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the full Committee are authorized to sit as a member of all subcommittees and to participate, including voting, in all its work. sec. 3: staffing (a) Committee Staff--The Chairman is authorized to appoint the staff of the Committee, and make adjustments in the job titles and compensation thereof subject to the maximum rates and conditions established in Clause 9(c) of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives. In addition, he is authorized, in his discretion, to arrange for their specialized training. The Chairman is also authorized to employ additional personnel as necessary. (b) Assistants to Members--Each of the top twenty-one senior majority and minority Members of the full Committee may select and designate one staff member who shall serve at the pleasure of that Member. Such staff members shall be compensated at a rate, determined by the Member, not to exceed 75 per centum of the maximum established in Clause 9(c) of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives; Provided, That Members designating staff members under this subsection must specifically certify by letter to the Chairman that the employees are needed and will be utilized for Committee work. Sec. 4 Committee Meetings (a) Regular Meeting Day--The regular meeting day of the Committee shall be the first Wednesday of each month while the House is in session, unless the Committee has met within the past 30 days or the Chairman considers a specific meeting unnecessary in the light of the requirements of the Committee business schedule. (b) Additional and Special Meetings: (1) The Chairman may call and convene, as he considers necessary, additional meetings of the Committee for the consideration of any bill or resolution before the Committee or for the conduct of other Committee business. The Committee shall meet for such purpose pursuant to that call of the Chairman. (2) If at least three Committee Members desire that a special meeting of the Committee be called by the Chairman, those Members may file in the Committee Offices a written request to the Chairman for that special meeting. Such request shall specify the measure or matter to be considered. Upon the filing of the request, the Committee Clerk shall notify the Chairman. (3) If within three calendar days after the filing of the request, the Chairman does not call the requested special meeting to be held within seven calendar days after the filing of the request, a majority of the Committee Members may file in the Committee Offices their written notice that a special meeting will be held, specifying the date and hour of such meeting, and the measure or matter to be considered. The Committee shall meet on that date and hour. (4) Immediately upon the filing of the notice, the Committee Clerk shall notify all Committee Members that such special meeting will be held and inform them of its date and hour and the measure or matter to be considered. Only the measure or matter specified in that notice may be considered at the special meeting. (c) Vice Chairman To Preside in Absence of Chairman--A member of the majority party on the Committee or subcommittee thereof designated by the Chairman of the full Committee shall be vice chairman of the Committee or subcommittee, as the case may be, and shall preside at any meeting during the temporary absence of the chairman. If the chairman and vice chairman of the Committee or subcommittee are not present at any meeting of the Committee or subcommittee, the ranking member of the majority party who is present shall preside at that meeting. (d) Business Meetings: (1) Each meeting for the transaction of business, including the markup of legislation, of the Committee and its subcommittees shall be open to the public except when the Committee or its subcommittees, in open session and with a majority present, determines by roll call vote that all or part of the remainder of the meeting on that day shall be closed. (2) No person other than Committee Members and such congressional staff and departmental representatives as they may authorize shall be present at any business or markup session which has been closed. (e) Committee Records: (1) The Committee shall keep a complete record of all Committee action, including a record of the votes on any question on which a roll call is demanded. The result of each roll call vote shall be available for inspection by the public during regular business hours in the Committee Offices. The information made available for public inspection shall include a description of the amendment, motion, or other proposition, and the name of each Member voting for and each Member voting against, and the names of those Members present but not voting. (2) All hearings, records, data, charts, and files of the Committee shall be kept separate and distinct from the congressional office records of the Chairman of the Committee. Such records shall be the property of the House, and all Members of the House shall have access thereto. (3) The records of the Committee at the National Archives and Records Administration shall be made available in accordance with Rule VII of the Rules of the House, except that the Committee authorizes use of any record of which Clause 3(b)(4) of Rule VII of the Rules of the House would otherwise apply after such record has been in existence for 20 years. The Chairman shall notify the Ranking Minority Member of any decision, pursuant to Clause 3(b)(3) or Clause 4(b) of Rule VII of the Rules of the House, to withhold a record otherwise available, and the matter shall be presented to the Committee for a determination upon the written request of any Member of the Committee. Sec. 5: Committee and Subcommittee Hearings (a) Overall Budget Hearings--Overall budget hearings by the Committee, including the hearing required by Section 242(c) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 and Clause 4(a)(1) of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives shall be conducted in open session except when the Committee in open session and with a majority present, determines by roll call vote that the testimony to be taken at that hearing on that day may be related to a matter of national security; except that the Committee may by the same procedure close one subsequent day of hearing. A transcript of all such hearings shall be printed and a copy furnished to each Member, Delegate, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico. (b) Other Hearings: (1) All other hearings conducted by the Committee or its subcommittees shall be open to the public except when the Committee or subcommittee in open session and with a majority present determines by roll call vote that all or part of the remainder of that hearing on that day shall be closed to the public because disclosure of testimony, evidence, or other matters to be considered would endanger the national security or would violate any law or Rule of the House of Representatives. Notwithstanding the requirements of the preceding sentence, a majority of those present at a hearing conducted by the Committee or any of its subcommittees, there being in attendance the number required under Section 5(c) of these Rules to be present for the purpose of taking testimony, (1) may vote to close the hearing for the sole purpose of discussing whether testimony or evidence to be received would endanger the national security or violate Clause 2(k)(5) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives or (2) may vote to close the hearing, as provided in Clause 2(k)(5) of such Rule. No Member of the House of Representatives may be excluded from nonparticipatory attendance at any hearing of the Committee or its subcommittees unless the House of Representatives shall by majority vote authorize the Committee or any of its subcommittees, for purposes of a particular series of hearings on a particular article of legislation or on a particular subject of investigation, to close its hearings to Members by the same procedures designated in this subsection for closing hearings to the public; Provided, however, That the Committee or its subcommittees may by the same procedure vote to close five subsequent days of hearings. (2) Subcommittee chairmen shall coordinate the development of schedules for meetings or hearings after consultation with the Chairman and other subcommittee chairmen with a view toward avoiding simultaneous scheduling of Committee and subcommittee meetings or hearings. (3) Each witness who is to appear before the Committee or any of its subcommittees as the case may be, insofar as is practicable, shall file in advance of such appearance, a written statement of the proposed testimony and shall limit the oral presentation at such appearance to a brief summary, except that this provision shall not apply to any witness appearing before the Committee in the overall budget hearings. (4) Each witness appearing in a nongovernmental capacity before the Committee, or any of its subcommittees as the case may be, shall to the greatest extent practicable, submit a written statement including a curriculum vitae and a disclosure of the amount and source (by agency and program) of any Federal grant (or subgrant thereof) or contract (or subcontract thereof) receive during the current fiscal year or either of the two previous fiscal years by the witness or by an entity represented by the witness. (c) Quorum for Taking Testimony--The number of Members of the Committee which shall constitute a quorum for taking testimony and receiving evidence in any hearing of the Committee shall be two. (d) Calling and Interrogation of Witnesses: (1) The Minority Members of the Committee or its subcommittees shall be entitled, upon requested to the Chairman or subcommittee chairman, by a majority of them before completion of any hearing, to call witnesses selected by the Minority to testify with respect to the matter under consideration during at least one day of hearings thereon. (2) The Committee and its subcommittees shall observe the five-minute rule during the interrogation of witnesses until such time as each Member of the Committee or subcommittee who so desires has had an opportunity to question the witness. (e) Broadcasting and Photographing of Committee Meetings and Hearings--Whenever a hearing or meeting conducted by the full Committee or any of its subcommittees is open to the public, those proceedings shall be open to coverage by television, radio, and still photography, as provided in Clause (4)(f) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. Neither the full Committee Chairman or Subcommittee Chairman shall limit the number of television or still cameras to fewer than two representatives from each medium. (f) Subcommittee Meetings--No subcommittee shall sit while the House is reading an appropriation measure for amendment under the five-minute rule or while the Committee is in session. (g) Public Notice of Committee Hearings--The Chairman of the Committee shall make public announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of any Committee or subcommittee hearing at least one week before the commencement of the hearing. If the Chairman of the Committee or subcommittee, with the concurrence of the ranking minority member of the Committee or respective subcommittee, determines there is good cause to begin the hearing sooner, or if the Committee or subcommittee so determines by majority vote, a quorum being present for the transaction of business, the Chairman or subcommittee chairman shall make the announcement at the earliest possible date. Any announcement made under this subparagraph shall be promptly published in the Daily Digest and promptly entered into the Committee scheduling service of the House Information System. Sec. 6: Procedures for Reporting Bills and Resolutions (a) Prompt Reporting Requirement: (1) It shall be the duty of the Chairman to report, or cause to be reported promptly to the House any bill or resolution approved by the Committee and to take or cause to be taken necessary steps to bring the matter to a vote. (2) In any event, a report on a bill or resolution which the Committee has approved shall be filed within seven calendar days (exclusive of days in which the House is not in session) after the day on which there has been filed with the Committee Clerk a written request, signed by a majority of Committee Members, for the reporting of such bill or resolution. Upon the filing of any such request, the Committee Clerk shall notify the Chairman immediately of the filing of the request. This subsection does not apply to the reporting of a regular appropriation bill or to the reporting of a resolution of inquiry addressed to the head of an executive department. (b) Presence of Committee Majority--No measure or recommendation shall be reported from the Committee unless a majority of the Committee was actually present. (c) Roll Call Votes--With respect to each roll call vote on a motion to report any measure or matter of a public character, and on any amendment offered to the matter, the total number of votes cast for and against, and the names of those Members voting for and against, shall be included in the Committee report on the measure or matter. (d) Compliance With Congressional Budget Act--A Committee report on a bill or resolution which has been approved by the Committee shall include the statement required by Section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, separately set out and clearly identified, if the bill or resolution provides new budget authority. (e) Constitutional Authority Statement--Each report of the committee on a bill or joint resolution of a public character shall include a statement citing the specific powers granted to the Congress in the Constitution to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution. (f) Changes in Existing Law--Each Committee report on a general appropriation bill shall contain a concise statement describing fully the effect of any provision of the bill which directly or indirectly changes the application of existing law. (g) Rescissions and Transfers--Each bill or resolution by the Committee shall include separate headings for rescissions and transfers of unexpended balances with all proposed rescissions and transfers listed therein. The report of the Committee accompanying such a bill or resolution shall include a separate section with respect to such rescissions or transfers. (h) Listing of Unauthorized Appropriations--Each Committee report on a general appropriations bill shall contain a list of all appropriations contained in the bill for any expenditure not previously authorized by law (except for classified intelligence or national security programs, projects, or activities). (i) Supplemental or Minority Views: (1) If, at the time the Committee approves any measure or matter, any Committee Member gives notice of intention to file supplemental, minority, or additional views, the Member shall be entitled to not less than two additional calendar days after the day of such notice (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) in which to file such views in writing and signed by the Member, with the Clerk of the Committee. All such views so filed shall be included in and shall be a part of the report filed by the Committee with respect to that measure or matter. (2) The Committee report on that measure or matter shall be printed in a single volume which-- (i) shall include all supplemental, minority, or additional views which have been submitted by the time of the filing of the report, and (ii) shall have on its cover a recital that any such supplemental, minority, or additional views are included as part of the report. (3) Subsection (i)(1) of this section, above, does not preclude-- (i) the immediate filing or printing of a Committee report unless timely request for the opportunity to file supplemental, minority, or additional views has been made as provided by such subsection; or (ii) the filing by the Committee of a supplemental report on a measure or matter which may be required for correction of any technical error in a previous report made by the Committee on that measure or matter. (4) If, at the time a subcommittee approves any measure or matter for recommendation to the full Committee, any Member of that subcommittee who gives notice of intention to offer supplemental, minority, or additional views shall be entitled, insofar as is practicable and in accordance with the printing requirements as determined by the subcommittee, to include such views in the Committee Print with respect to that measure or matter. (j) Availability of Reports--A copy of each bill, resolution, or report shall be made available to each Member of the Committee at least three calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) in advance of the date on which the Committee is to consider each bill, resolution, or report; Provided, That this subsection may be waived by agreement between the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member of the full Committee. sec. 7: voting (a) No vote by any Member of the Committee or any of its subcommittees with respect to any measure or matter may be cast by proxy. (b) The vote on any question before the Committee shall be taken by the yeas and nays on the demand of one-fifth of the Members present. Sec. 8: Studies and Examinations The following procedure shall be applicable with respect to the conduct of studies and examinations of the organization and operation of Executive Agencies under authority contained in Section 202(b) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 and in Clause (3)(a) of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives. (a) The Chairman is authorized to appoint such staff and, in his discretion, arrange for the procurement of temporary services of consultants, as from time to time may be required. (b) Studies and examinations will be initiated upon the written request of a subcommittee which shall be reasonably specific and definite in character, and shall be initiated only by a majority vote of the subcommittee, with the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking minority member thereof participating as part of such majority vote. When so initiated such request shall be filed with the Clerk of the Committee for submission to the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member and their approval shall be required to make the same effective. Notwithstanding any action taken on such request by the chairman and ranking minority member of the subcommittee, a request may be approved by a majority of the Committee. (c) Any request approved as provided under subsection (b) shall be immediately turned over to the staff appointed for action. (d) Any information obtained by such staff shall be reported to the chairman of the subcommittee requesting such study and examination and to the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, shall be made available to the members of the subcommittee concerned, and shall not be released for publication until the subcommittee so determines. (e) Any hearings or investigations which may be desired, aside from the regular hearings on appropriation items, when approved by the Committee, shall be conducted by the subcommittee having jurisdiction over the matter. Sec. 9: Official Travel (a) The chairman of a subcommittee shall approve requests for travel by subcommittee members and staff for official business within the jurisdiction of that subcommittee. The ranking minority member of a subcommittee shall concur in such travel requests by minority members of that subcommittee and the Ranking Minority Member shall concur in such travel requests for Minority Members of the Committee. Requests in writing covering the purpose, itinerary, and dates of proposed travel shall be submitted for final approval to the Chairman. Specific approval shall be required for each and every trip. (b) The Chairman is authorized during the recess of the Congress to approve travel authorizations for Committee Members and staff, including travel outside the United States. (c) As soon as practicable, the Chairman shall direct the head of each Government agency concerned not to honor requests of subcommittees, individual Members, or staff for travel, the direct or indirect expenses of which are to be defrayed from an executive appropriation, except upon request from the Chairman. (d) In accordance with Clause 8 of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives and Section 502(b) of the Mutual Security Act of 1954, as amended, local currencies owned by the United States shall be available to Committee Members and staff engaged in carrying out their official duties outside the United States, its territories, or possessions. No Committee Member or staff member shall receive or expend local currencies for subsistence in any country at a rate in excess of the maximum per diem rate set forth in applicable Federal law. (e) Travel Reports: (1) Members or staff shall make a report to the Chairman on their travel, covering the purpose, results, itinerary, expenses, and other pertinent comments. (2) With respect to travel outside the United States or its territories or possessions, the report shall include: (1) an itemized list showing the dates each country was visited, the amount of per diem furnished, the cost of transportation furnished, and any funds expended by any other official purpose; and (2) a summary in these categories of the total foreign currencies and/or appropriated funds expended. All such individual reports on foreign travel shall be filed with the Chairman no later than sixty days following completion of the travel for use in complying with reporting requirements in applicable Federal law, and shall be open for public inspection. (3) Each Member or employee performing such travel shall be solely responsible for supporting the amounts reported by the Member or employees. (4) No report or statement as to any trip shall be publicized making any recommendations in behalf of the Committee without the authorization of a majority of the Committee. (f) Members and staff of the Committee performing authorized travel on official business pertaining to the jurisdiction of the Committee shall be governed by applicable laws or regulations of the House and of the Committee on House Oversight pertaining to such travel, and as promulgated from time to time by the Chairman.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am saddened by this day because we are saying an official farewell to a very dear friend and a very distinguished Member of this House, and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Livingston) and I have served together on the Committee on Appropriations for many years. We served on the same subcommittee and sat side-by-side. And I can tell my colleagues that here is a man who is totally honest. What you see is what he is. When he says something, we can depend on it. He is not afraid to buck the tide of public opinion, if that need be the case on a given occasion, in order to stand for what his conscience tells him is right, for what his convictions tell him is right. Mr. Speaker, he is an example for people in public life to follow through his dedication to the constituents that he represented, his dedication to the country, the entire United States of America and his willingness to stand up and take whatever heat was necessary to do what he felt was right for America. Personally, I will miss Bob Livingston, and I hope that he will feel free to stay in touch with this Member and, I think, with all of us, because he has been a good friend, and he has been an outstanding Member. And he became Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations when many of us had never ever served in the majority before, and we were wondering: What do we do next? Mr. Speaker, of all the things that have to be done in a Congress, appropriations bills have to pass. Those are the things that have to be done. And Bob Livingston, as the new chairman and the first Republican chairman of the Committee on Appropriations in 40 years, had a major, major task and a major responsibility, and he had problems not only in the House within his own party on occasion. But he stood tall, and he stood strong, and he guided this appropriations process for those 4 years in such a way that most of us thought never would work. To the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Livingston) I say: Congratulations on a job well done. Your friends will miss you dearly, and that comes from our heart.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as one of 23 members of this House who served in the 93rd Congress, the last time the House was presented with articles of impeachment against a President of the United States, I know there is no joy on either side of this issue. There certainly will be no joy, whatever the final outcome, when the House completes its deliberations. It is never a pleasant situation to sit in judgement of another person, but that is our Constitutional responsibility when it comes to the President. Each of us took an oath of office to ``support and defend the Constitution of the United States'' and ``to faithfully discharge the duties of the office.'' Therefore, we are obligated to debate and consider the four articles of impeachment before us today as reported by the Judiciary Committee. Likewise, President Clinton took an oath of office to ``faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States'' and ``to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.'' With allegations and charges as serious as those that have been made against President Clinton, it is obvious that they cannot be overlooked. Even my Democratic colleagues are demanding a resolution of condemnation. Clearly we must do something and the Constitution tells us that is to follow the procedure established by the Constitution to consider articles of impeachment. If we fail to follow proper procedure, future generations of Americans may see our lack of resolve as a precedent that in some way excuses or overlooks serious lapses of public trust or criminal acts committed by future Presidents. This lack of resolve could tempt future Presidents to bend or violate the rules of law. Some of our colleagues suggest that the House consider a resolution to censure the President, saying that impeachment is too severe an action. The problem with censuring a President is that it becomes a precedent that could be used anytime a majority of the members disagree with any actions of a President. Those actions might simply be a political difference of opinion, not something related to the law or to a President's conduct. This would move our relationship between the legislative and executives branches more towards that of Parliament, where votes of confidence are in order that can lead to a dissolution of the government. That was not the intent of the authors of our Constitution and as our colleague Henry Hyde, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee has said, threatens the separation of powers that is the cornerstone of our government as provided for by the Constitution. Mr. Speaker, the United States has been the target of many enemies over the past 222 years of our nation's history. Those enemies have attempted to destroy our nation with force and ultimately our system of government. Every attempt, though, has failed and the Constitution remains the standard by which all other forms of government are measured. The single greatest threat to the Constitution may come from within our nation, from those who might one day fail to uphold the Constitution that we have sworn to protect. Such a failure would undermine the very basis for our government, rendering it to be nothing more than mere words on a piece of parchment. In other words, the best way to preserve and protect our Constitution is to abide by it. The debate today is as much about the erosion of this trust that has been placed in each of us as it is about the trust of the American people that a single President has betrayed. Mr. Speaker, Congress cannot allow truth, justice and the rule of law to be sacrificed on the altar of political expedience. When future generations review our actions today, they will not be as concerned with the actions of this President as they are with the actions of this House to uphold the Constitution and ensure it remains the world pillar of freedom, liberty, and democracy.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, 2 minutes is not anywhere near enough to discuss even the defense part of this bill, but I will give it a quick try. First of all, let me say that everyone that has spoken here this evening so far is correct. It is a good bill, it is a terrible bill; the process is unacceptable, it just does not work; but it was the only way to get here where we are tonight to keep the government functioning for the balance of the fiscal year. When we are dealing with 435 people in this House, 100 people in the other House at the end of the hall, and at the White House, that is 536 people that had to come together, and 536 people are never going to agree on a perfect bill. It has been suggested that some of the defense money was under the emergency proclamation. That is true. The largest single part of the defense bill, however, is $1.9 billion for the deployment of U.S. troops to Bosnia. Other large portions of the bill go to intelligence. When we just remember Kenya and Tanzania, where our embassies were bombed, with much loss of life and much injury, more intelligence against terrorism, more intelligence against military threats to our own interests, are important. Yes, there is a substantial amount of money for intelligence here. Another large portion of this bill is missile defense. The Chinese have developed tremendous missile capability, using much of the technology developed by American industries that was allowed to go overseas to China. The North Koreans not only developed weapons of mass destruction, but also the missiles with the ability to carry them to wherever, to Hawaii, to Alaska. The last North Korean missile shot, some of the debris fell near the Aleutian Islands. The Aleutian Islands are part of the United States of America. In addition, we increased the President's request for readiness funding in this bill by 30 percent. We recognized the need for more investment in readiness and for troop morale.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me the time. I want to say first that it has been a real honor to serve as a Member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, this term for 8 years and in the previous term for 6 years, and to be entrusted with some of the most critical secrets relative to our own national security during that period of time. I am real honored to work with people like the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Goss), my distinguished colleague who before coming to Congress even had his own outstanding record as a member of our intelligence community, and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), our ranking member. The gentleman from Washington and I have had a chance to work together for a long time as members of the Subcommittee on National Security of the Committee on Appropriations, which I have the privilege to chair. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that these two Members, and the other members of our committee, have dedicated their lives to the security of the United States of America without any sign of partisanship, without any discussion or controversy, other than sometimes good honest opinions on what might be right or what might be wrong. As has been pointed out, the staff has been unusual in their dedication to the members of the committee, and to the mission of the committee. This is a good bill. I wanted to start off by saying that this bill meets the requirements of our intelligence community, but actually it does not. There are a lot more things that we need to be doing that we have not been able to do in this bill because of the financial limitations. But it does a good job and it is important that the United States of America, as the leading Nation in the world, the leading military Nation in the world, that our Nation have the ability to hear or see what potential threat there might be to us, to our people, and to our national interest. And that is what intelligence is all about. Whether we are dealing with a military situation such as we dealt with in Iraq with Saddam Hussein, or in Bosnia, or potentially in Kosovo, wherever it might be, Korea is one of the most realistic examples of where good intelligence is necessary, because military operations could happen overnight. And especially in places like the Mideast. We have to be aware of what a potential threat there is out there. After the Iron Curtain melted and the Berlin Wall came down, many of us felt that we could breathe a sigh of relief. No more threats to our interests, no more threats to our own security. And all of the sudden up from the sands of the deserts of Iraq came Saddam Hussein. We do not know who might be next to raise the ugly threat of a threat against the United States militarily or one of the growing threats is terrorism. The terrorists operate in the dark of the night with stealth, sneaky tactics. We have to not only be aware of the military, but also aware of the potential threat from terrorism. Also another major subject is drug interdiction; to detect who the drug movers are that are bringing the devastating drugs into our country that are so devastating. This bill goes a long way towards meeting those requirements. But I must say there is more that needs to be done, Mr. Speaker. And with the leadership of the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Goss) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) and the members of the committee, I am satisfied that we will meet those obligations. I am also proud to say that the Subcommittee on Appropriations that I have the privilege to chair works extremely closely with the Members and the staff of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, because we have the funding responsibility. We are obligated to find the money that this legislation authorizes. We have had a tremendous working relationship. We are all working together for what is in the best interest of the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report to accompany House bill, H.R. 3694, that authorizes funds for intelligence and intelligence-related activities for Fiscal Year 1999. This conference report, Mr. Speaker, reflects a constant theme: That, in order to protect our nation, we must provide for an Intelligence Community that can be strategic, as well as a tactical; flexible, as well as resolute; and worldwide, as well as specialized. What do I mean? Strategic as well as Tactical: Our conference report has paid close attention to the needs of the Department of Defense for tactical intelligence as reflected in the request for the Tactical Intelligence and Related Activities program, or TIARA, and for the Joint Military Intelligence Program, or JMIP. For both these programs, we have invested in needed improvements and capabilities aimed at providing our armed forces with the information that they need to operate effectively in the myriad of situations that they are now asked to address. This includes peacekeeping assignments, as well as direct military confrontation. And whether that action might be with Iraq or in Kosovo, we must work to make sure that the men and women that we are putting in harm's way have the tactical edge. That edge is comprised of raw information and analysis * * * in other words: Intelligence. But tactical intelligence alone will not win the day. Prior to deployment of our military forces, regardless of the mission, various types of strategic intelligence collection and analysis are required in order to ensure success. This strategic intelligence ranges from human intelligence that protects our forces by warning of upcoming plans and intentions of those who look for opportunities to hurt, sometimes fatally, our troops, to indications and warnings of key, significant activities that give us technical insight into the types of weaponry and forces that our military will confront in the years to come. Put simply, the military must have both strategic and tactical intelligence to be successful in defending our interests and way of life in this ear of worldwide turmoil. Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee for Appropriations, I have the luxury to look across the broad spectrum of our nation's defense. I can say, without reservation, that intelligence is the first line of defense. Without it, without the investments being made through this conference report, we do nothing less than risk our national security. It is that simple. Let me provide a few examples. Flexible as well as resolute: This legislation recognizes that changes in technology will require changes that we cannot currently anticipate. These technological advances will determine how we will collect intelligence against the new translational threats and challenges that now confront us. Drug cartels and terrorist networks operate through fiber, on the net, and across continents. Our ``eyes and ears'' must keep up with these complexities if they are to give us warning on a shipment of heroin or a truckload of C4. For these reasons, the Conference Report provides the means for the investments in research and development that should enable our collectors to keep up with our adversaries. Finally, worldwide as well as specialized: For the Intelligence Community, the Cold War was trench warfare. The enemy's command post-- the Kremlin--was fixed and its deployments were static. In contrast, the war against narcotics traffickers, terrorists, and proliferators of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological weapons, is guerrilla warfare. The command post of our current adversary could be in southern Columbia, rural Afghanistan, or in a ship headed south down the Bosphorus. They could be in Baghdad, in the Balkans, or in Port-au-Prince. To detect and counter these new adversaries, we must have the ``eyes and ears'' of our Intelligence Community in the fields, on the streets, in the air, and over the waters where they operate. For these reasons, our Conference Report provides the Community with the means to deploy more officers, and more technology, where they must be to meet these challenges: In the field. Our conference report, Mr. Speaker, begins to provide the investment that the Intelligence Community needs during fiscal year 1999: to develop its capability to collect tactical, as well as strategic intelligence, to meet and to exploit changes in technology, and to put its ``eyes and ears'' where they are needed. I am particularly proud of this report--and of the Committee that produced it--because it will be my last as a Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, or HPSCI. Over my 14 years on this Committee, I have been proud to have represented not only the people of this country, but also, in a very special way the Members of this House, in the oversight of the unique, exciting, and sometimes strange mix of espionage, technology, and plain old bureaucracy that is our Intelligence Community. What I would like to end with today is a reassurannce to my colleagues here, and our constituents everywhere, that the Members of this Committee have worked hard to begin to rebuild an Intelligence Community that will have the capability to collect against whatever enemies and adversaries we will face tomorrow, and in the next century. Like most Americans, I doubted I would ever see a world in which Moscow would not be the focus of our concern and our collection efforts. Though, to be sure, it cannot be altogether ignored. Like most today, I cannot imagine a world now without drug traffickers and terrorists as our major adversaries and targets of collection. But times change, and threats grow and recede. What we in HPSCI have worked so hard to do is to have an Intelligence Community with the capability to confront and to collect against any adversary that will threaten our country, its interest and most importantly, its citizens. For that, and for their steadfastness to this cause, I thank those on the Committee staff, and my colleagues on HPSCI. In particular, I thank Chairman Goss and Norm Dicks, the Ranking Democratic Member, for their vision, as well as for their hard work in achieving these critical goals. I would also extend a special thank you and congratulations to Norm Dicks, who is rotating off the Committee with me, and to Ms. Harman and Mr. Skaggs, both of whom are retiring from Congress. It has been my pleasure to serve with all of you, and I believe that you leave the Committee having served our nation's defense needs very well.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the managers on the part of the House have until midnight tonight, October 2, 1998, to file a conference report on the bill (H.R. 3694) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1999 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to inform my colleagues that Dr. Carl M. Kuttler, Jr., President of the St. Petersburg Junior College, has just been named the outstanding community college president of the year by the National Association of Community College Trustees. Having the privilege to represent the St. Petersburg Junior College, I know of the great work that Dr. Kuttler has done these past 20 years as President to make it one of the premiere colleges in our nation. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the college ranks third in the Nation in the number of Liberal Arts and Science degrees conferred, fourth in the number of associate degrees awarded in Health Professions and Related Sciences, fourth in the number of associate degrees awarded in Nursing, and fourth in the total number of associate degrees awarded. Dr. Kuttler has devoted his life to the growth of the St. Petersburg Junior College, having served in various capacities for 32 years. He was first a student at the college beginning in 1958 and in his second year was elected president of the student government, so he understands the needs of the students and faculty from various perspectives. In addition to raising the academic level of excellence at the college, Dr. Kuttler has also established a number of unique programs that respond to the needs of our State and our community. In 1998, he negotiated a special agreement under which the Allstate Insurance Company agreed to donate to the college land and facilities valued at $11.2 million. With this gift in place, Dr. Kuttler and the college have secured Federal and State grants totaling more than $30 million to establish a state of the art Southeastern Public Safety Institute, which provides training to Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers and emergency response personnel. Under his leadership, the college also responded to an unmet need for trained health care professionals by raising $3.4 million in gifts, and $6.5 million in State funds, to establish one of our Nation's finest allied health education centers at the St. Petersburg Junior College's Caruth Health Education Center. Pamela Jo Davis, the Chairman of the college's Board of Trustees who nominated Dr. Kuttler for this award, said, ``He personifies the 21st Century president, demonstrating all the global vision and community caring that balanced, successful leaders must have.'' In presenting the association's most prestigious award to Dr. Kuttler, Ray Taylor, the President of the Association of Community College Trustees, said, ``I only wish all of the Nation's 1,100 community colleges had somebody as outstanding as Dr. Kuttler.'' Mr. Speaker, speaking for the people of the 10th Congressional District I represent, I can say that we are proud and fortunate to have an educational leader who is as committed to his students, faculty, and staff as Carl Kuttler. It is a most fitting honor that his peers across the country have recognized him with such a great honor this month.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleagues from Pennsylvania, Mr. Shuster and Mr. Murtha, for taking this Special Order tonight to honor one of my dearest friends, Joe McDade. Joe has left his mark on this House in so many ways. As the Senior Republican in the House, he is a respected Statesman who is looked up to by so many of our junior members. His wise counsel and advice have helped maintain the decorum and traditions of this great deliberative body. As the senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee, he has served with great distinction. I can think of no finer tribute to Joe than in this his final year, our nation will enjoy a federal budget surplus for the first time in a generation. Finally, I want to thank Joe for his selfless service as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security to provide for the needs of our men and women in uniform. His leadership and long hours of work have ensured that he will leave this House secure in the knowledge that our troops in the field, at sea, and in the air are the strongest, most prepared fighting force anywhere in the world. In addition to his work to provide for the defense of our nation, he has also worked hard to defend our nation's great treasures which are our national parks and our environment. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Joe has reached every corner of our nation to support critical public works needs, and through his long service on the Interior Subcommittee, he has protected our public lands and rebuilt the decaying infrastructure of our National Park Service. No where is Joe's work more evident then in the many large and small towns of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He has been a diligent public servant for young and old alike. He is revered by the veterans of his community and you cannot go far in the 10th Congressional District without seeing another sign of Joe's handiwork. Mr. Speaker, Joe McDade has given this House and the people of our great nation 36 years of selfless service. Joe has been a revered colleague, and devoted member of the Appropriations Committee, and a warm personal friend. With his retirement, Joe will leave a great void in this House, but he also leaves those who follow him a lasting legacy of how one American can devote himself to service to this body and to our nation. Joe McDade has been a great American, a great colleague, and the greatest of friends. He will be missed by us all.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding Naval Officer, Commander Joseph A. Spata, who has served with distinction for the past 25 months for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Financial Management and Comptroller. It is a privilege for me to recognize his many outstanding achievements and commend him for the superb service he has provided to the Navy, the Congress, and our great Nation as a whole. As the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, I want to thank Joe in particular for the tremendous assistance he has given me and my staff since August 1996. In his position as Deputy, Appropriations Matters Office, Joe has provided us with timely and accurate support regarding Navy plans, programs and budget decisions. These invaluable contributions have enabled our Subcommittee and the Department of the Navy to strengthen our close working relationship and to help ensure that we maintain the most modern, well trained and well equipped naval force attainable for the defense of our great nation. Mr. Speaker, as with so many of our men and women in uniform, Joe Spata and his wife Eileen have made many sacrifices during his naval career. As they embark once again on that greatest adventure of a Surface Warfare Officer's career, command at sea of U.S.S. Moosbrugger (DD 980), I would ask my colleagues to say thank you to Joe Spata for his yeoman's service in working with our Committee, to wish him every success as Commander, and to pray that he always have fair winds and following seas.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

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

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to pay tribute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) for the great job and the support that he has given us as we prepared this bill in the subcommittee and in the full committee and on the floor of the House, and then through the conference with the other body. Also, I would like to mention our counterparts in the Senate, Senator Ted Stevens and Senator Dan Inouye, as we worked closely with them for weeks leading up to our final conference. We found them to be very cooperative, very constructive, and certainly committed to the security of our Nation. Each and every member of our subcommittee has a vast amount of knowledge about our National Security that they bring to the table. In addition to Jack on that side of the aisle, Norm Dicks, Marty Sabo, Julian Dixon, and Pete Visclosky all have made valuable contributions throughout the years they have served on this subcommittee. On our side of the aisle we have Jerry Lewis, Joe Skeen, Dave Hobson, Henry Bonilla, George Nethercutt, Ernest Istook, and Duke Cunningham. All of them devote a tremendous amount of time and energy helping us craft this bill. In addition we are fortunate to have Chairman Bob Livingston, and Ranking Minority Member Dave Obey serving on this subcommittee. They provide valuable leadership during the particularly tough times as we bring this bill through the process. There are two other members that I have saved for last. They are Joe McDade and Bill Hefner who are both retiring this year, Joe, Bill, and I all joined this subcommittee together 18 years ago and this will be the last time that it will be my privilege to bring a bill to the floor with them. Joe McDade has dedicated his entire life to this institution. No constituency in the Nation, is better represented than the people of the 10th district of Pennsylvania. Anywhere you go in his district you will come across some project that would not be there if it weren't for Joe. He is a great Congressman, and a loving husband and father. I will miss him, but as one who also has a young son I know he will be very happy with the time he will now have to do the things we all would like to do with our growing boys. Joe, thank you for being my friend. Bill Hefner is one of the most unique members in the Congress. Behind that self depreciating personality and slow Southern drawl is a very intelligent Congressman who has used his considerable legislative talent to make the quality of life much better for millions of service members and their families. I have had the privilege of traveling with Bill and his wife Nancy to some of the hot spots in the world. He is a true patriot and great member of this body. Bill we will all miss you. Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to call special attention to the staff of our subcommittee. I am providing all of the names of all of our staffers for the record, including the associate staff members of our committee members, because they have all contributed just tremendously to the work of our subcommittee. I do want to specifically mention the chief of staff and the clerk of the subcommittee, Kevin Roper, who has spent many, many long hours, many, many days, many weeks, many months, getting us to where we are today. I would say that Kevin has a brain somewhat like a computer. One can punch up almost any subject and he can bring it up, and if one checks it out one will find that it is very accurate. Also, Greg Dahlberg, who represents the minority on the subcommittee, and who is equally aggressive in meeting the responsibilities of the subcommittee. I take my hat off and salute both of them and the staffs who worked with them. Jack and I are very fortunate to have a professional staff which is beyond a doubt the best on the hill. They also work many long hours and have become true professionals in their areas of expertise. They are Doug Gregory, Alicia Jones, Dave Kilian, Betsy Phillips, Julie Pacquing, Greg Walters, Trish Ryan, Tina Jonas, Paul Juola, Steve Nixon, Dave Norquist, Jenny Mummert, and Sherry Young. Julie Pacquing is retiring this year after many years of service to the Appropriations Committee. She has played a very valuable role particularly in the Intelligence part of our lives that we can't talk about and she will be missed by all of us. I also want to note that Trish Ryan and her husband Terry, and Steve Nixon and his wife Nancy are about to become parents for the first time. We are all one big happy family on this subcommittee and we all look forward to the births of Trish and Steve's children. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the staff members of the full committee who hardly ever get any recognition, but play very important roles in putting all of our products together. They are ably led by Jim Dyer our Staff Director. We also appreciate the good work of Dennis Kedzior, John Mikel, Chuck Parkinson, Elizabeth Morra, Di Kane, Tracey La Turner, Sandy Farrow, Theodore Powell, and Larry Boarman. At the Computer Shop we also want to thank Ken Marx and Dale Oak. For this conference alone we had 12 computer runs. In case you are interested there are 2,686 separate line items that we track in this bill, 947 of which were in conference. Each member of our committee also has staff who play an important role. At the risk of leaving someone out, let me thank them for all of their work throughout the year. They are Jake O'Donnell, Letitia White, Bruce Donisthorpe, Kenny Kraft, Marc Lubin, Rob Neal, Nancy Nowak, Bill Berl, Les Dixon, Steve McBee, Irene Schecter, Dan Beck, Alan Dillingham, Paul Cunningham, and John McNutt. In particular, I want to thank Paul Cambon and Carman Scialabba who work for Bob Livingston and Jack Murtha. And finally, I want to thank a couple of people who serve on my personal staff and Jack's who help us in too many ways to mention here. They are my Administrative Assistant Harry Glenn and Jane Porter of my office. In Jack's office I want to thank Colette Marchesini-Pollock. As I said in the beginning, this is a very involved process, creating a conference agreement appropriating $250 billion. There are a lot of very capable members and staff who work many many long hours throughout the year to produce this product, but particularly at this time of the year. I thank each and every one of you, and I also thank your families who lend you to us, particularly mine. We know that this work is tough on our families and we appreciate your understanding. We know that there are some back to school nights that don't get attended, and some high school football games and half time shows that are missed. We know there are birthday parties that get postponed, as well as baby showers. But please know that this Congressman, and this Congress appreciate your unselfish contribution to the National Security of this great Nation. Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention the staff of the subcommittee in the Senate, headed by Steve Cortese, because they have also been extremely cooperative and extremely constructive in the effort that we have put forth. On the Senate side, Steve Cortese and Charlie Houy, as Majority and Minority Staff Directors, work together and with our staff in a very accommodating manner. They have assembled a very talented group of professional staffers, and let me thank each of them here for their work on behalf of the Conference: Mary Marshall, John Young, Sid Ashworth, Susan Hogan, Gary Reese, Tom Hamkins, Carolyn Willis, and Mazie Mattson. They also rely on help from the Full Committee including Jay Kimmitt, Dona Pate, and Justin Weddle. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would respond that the gentleman is absolutely correct in his understanding.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure the gentleman from Virginia that it is the intent of the conferees to maintain software integration and development for the CHCSII system in the national capital region.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I call up the conference report on the Defense Appropriations bill, which is a very good conference report, and it is a good defense appropriations bill as far as it goes. The problem is, this bill does not make adequate funds available to meet some of the shortfalls that have been identified by the Army and the Navy and the Marine Corps and the Air Force. The bill is $488 million below the President's budget request, but it is only below the President's budget request because the military construction allocation was so low, so critically low that we had to transfer that much of our authority to the Subcommittee on Military Construction. Despite this, in the conference report before the House we added $202 million over the budget request for a higher pay raise for the troops than was proposed by the President. We increased net funding for the Readiness accounts, Operation and Maintenance, by more than $500 million over the President's budget, while we cut a lot of unnecessary administrative and headquarters costs. We added $370 million over the budget request for National Guard and Reserve training and operations. We provided $135 million for the Department of Defense-sponsored Peer Review Breast Cancer Research program. The President's budget requested no funds for that program. We also provided $50 million for the DOD- sponsored Peer Review Prostate Cancer Research program, again funds that were not included in the budget request. We provided $735 million for Defense counter-drug and drug interdiction programs. Mr. Speaker, the list of the needs of the Department of Defense and the services is very long, and some of the more obvious are: FY 1999 President's Budget is Not Adequate Under the President's proposed FY 1999 defense budget, this will be the fourteenth straight year defense spending has fallen, when inflation is taken into account (every year since FY 1985). The cumulative decline since 1985 is nearly 40 percent. When considered in constant dollars, the President proposed FY 1999 defense budget is the lowest in nearly forty years. Moreover, the President's proposed plan for defense over the next five years (FY 1999-2003) is more than $54 billion less than what is needed to keep up with inflation. force structure cuts/increased deployments The size of the active duty military force has been cut by 36 percent (or over 700,000 troops) over the past ten years. Yet that smaller force is being asked to deploy more and more often. Army overseas deployment are up 300 percent from the rates sustained during the Cold War. This year, on average, on any given day one of three Army soldiers is deployed outside of the United States. The Army had 18 active divisions during Desert Storm. We are down to 10 divisions today. For the Navy today, on any given day 57 percent of its ships are at sea on deployment. In 1992 the figure was 37 percent. The number of Air Force personnel deployed away from home today is four times higher than in 1989--yet the Air Force is more than one-third smaller. Through FY 2003, the President budget plans on cutting a total of 103,000 active duty and reserve military personnel from existing levels (54,000 active duty and 49,000 reserve personnel). So while their missions are going up, because of budget constraints the military continues to shrink in size. manpower problems The services are having growing problems retaining personnel. Some examples: Air Force pilot retention is down significantly. A few years ago the re-enlistment rate was near 75 percent. Today it is at 36 percent, well below the Air Force target of 58 percent. Both the Navy and the Air Force are well below their targets for re-enlistments of first-term personnel. The Air Force is 18 percent below it re-enlistment goal, the Navy 7 percent. A recent Navy Times survey reveals that that 75 percent of respondents intend to leave the service. readiness problems Mission-capable rates for both Air Force and Navy aircraft have dropped every year since 1991. There are increasing shortages of spare parts and cannibalization of existing aircraft is on the rise. Last year Congress had to add over $600 million for aviation spare parts. CINCPAC has testified that his command's cannibalization rate has doubled since 1996. Due to funding shortages the Army has cut programmed tank training by over 20 percent in each of the past two years. Funding and budget problems For FY 1999, the military services and the Guard have provided Congress with specific program shortfalls of $12 billion that are not funded in the President's budget. The President's FY 1999 budget proposes cutting the Military Construction budget by over $1.4 billion from current levels--a 15 percent cut. The President's FY 1999 budget cuts Army, Marine Corps and Air Force depot maintenance by over $315 million from current levels. Army depot maintenance is proposed for a one-year reduction of 23 percent, while Marine Corps depot maintenance is cut by 40 percent. The President's FY 19999 budget cuts real property repair and maintenance by nearly 15 percent, or over $600 million from this year's levels. The President's FY 1999 budget proposes cutting Research and Development by nearly $600 million, or a 2 percent cut. personnel and readiness-related funding shortfalls The President's FY 1999 budget does not contain any funding for the Bosnia deployment. This is a shortfall of nearly $1.9 billion. The Service Chiefs have identified FY 1999 personnel/ readiness shortfalls of nearly $3.3 billion, including: Personnel: $250 million short; O&M: over $3 billion short, including depot maintenance ($350 million short), real property maintenance ($1.3 billion short), spare parts ($256 million short), active and reserve forces training ($400 million short), and base operations ($750 million short). Army Chief of Staff Reimer told you: ``If we can't get these shortalls fixed, the Army is going under.'' Weapons modernization shortfalls The Joint Chiefs of Staff have repeatedly identified a need for annual procurement funding of $60 billion. The FY 1999 budget proposes only $48 billion. Under the President's budget, the ``$60 billion procurement target'' will not be reached for another three years (FY 2001). For FY 1999, the Service chiefs have identified another $5 billion in shortfalls relating to procurement and RDTE. This includes $1 billion in ``non-glamorous'' items such as trucks/engineering vehicles ($230 million short), basic equipment for soldiers ($245 million) and modifications for aging equipment ($457 million). service-specific modernization problems Army: The Army's medium truck fleet currently averages over 25 years old. More than one-half of the current inventory qualifies for antique license plates. Under the current budget plan this fleet will not be replaced for another 30 years. The Army has a requirement for 18,000 additional HMMWV vehicles. The FY 1999 budget proposes buying 9 vehicles. Navy: The Navy budget proposes construction of only six ships in FY 1999 and is at similar levels for the foreseeable future. This is far below the ten ships per year which are needed to support the current fleet level of 326 ships (which is a far cry from the Reagan-era goal of a ``600 ship Navy''). Marine Corps: Commandant of the Marine Corps has said repeatedly: ``My annual procurement budget is $500 million short.'' In the FY 1999 budget the Marines are getting $750 million in procurement. This means the USMC modernization budget is funded at only 60 percent of requirements. Air Force: For FY 1999 the Air Force is requesting procurement of only two fighter aircraft. If approved by the Congress this would be the lowest in the history of the Air Force. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH28SE98.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH28SE98.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH28SE98.003

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of Friday, September 25, 1998, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 4103), making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I wish to engage in a colloquy with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis).

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the conference report to accompany H.R. 4103, and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge enactment and passage of this conference report, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Livingston) the chairman of the full committee, to continue the presentation that he was making earlier.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I support the realistic approach of the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Livingston) to this whole issue dealing with Section 907.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I would like to propound a question to the author of the main amendment, if he would be willing to respond. He and I have discussed this on many, many occasions, and I understand the seriousness of the problem that we are dealing with here, and I support the gentleman's amendment, as I have in the past on other times, that we have this debate before us. But I listened to the debate of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), and I would have to tell my colleagues that I have tremendous respect for him, I have listened to his debates at great length, not only today but at previous times. He and I have the privilege of serving together on the Board of Visitors at the Air Force Academy, and his presentations are always very well thought out, very sincere, and his questions are right on target. But today I have this question, I want to confirm this. It is my understanding that the Traficant amendment does not specify that there would be U.S. troops placed on the border.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's response, and I maintain my support for the gentleman's amendment and in opposition to the amendment to his amendment. But, Mr. Chairman, I would also like to point out that as I read the bill and as I read some of the substitutes and some of the amendments that will be offered, there are quite a few references to the Department of Defense, the transfer of assets and the distribution of authorizing funds from a Defense Department account to a nonDefense Department account. And I just wanted to make the case to my colleagues that yesterday we appointed conferees to go to work with the Senate on the defense appropriations bill, and as we talk about any legislation that authorizes additional spending, we need to know that as we go to conference with the Senate now, we are approximately $5 billion apart between the two houses, and we do have, as my colleagues know, a cap that was set by the budget agreement of last year. And so we need to be very careful about what types of mandated Defense Department spending that we deal with here.