National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005-Part I

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005 -- (House of Representatives - May 19, 2004)

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 648 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 4200.

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Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4200, Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Authorization. The House Armed Services Committee deserves recognition for producing a bill that addresses the critical needs of our Armed Forces at a time when we are engaged in major military campaigns in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also makes provisions to ensure the long-term strength of our military readiness and improve the livelihood of our military families.

Specifically, I am pleased that this measure eliminates the Survivor Benefit Penalty to spouses of deceased members of the Armed Forces. Not only is this annuity essential to the livelihood of many surviving spouses, but it provides much-needed peace of mind to our dedicated military personnel.

Additionally, I am pleased that this bill contains $400 million for individual body armor. I have long been concerned about this issue since receiving several phone calls and heartfelt letters from parents in my district whose children serving in Iraq have no body armor. There is no excuse for us to send our soldiers into harm's way without this most basic protection. H.R. 4200 commits substantial resources to ensure that our troops have the body armor they need.

Next week, we will commemorate Memorial Day and remember the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Regrettably, since the beginning of the campaign in Iraq, we have added 793 to their ranks. More troubling is that potentially one in four of these fatalities could have been avoided if our troops had had the armored equipment they needed.

This bill makes a commitment not only to the memory of the soldiers we have lost but also the ones that continue to be in harm's way in Iraq. We owe it to their memory and those who answer the call to service to do everything in our power to minimize the risk of loss of life.

I also want to rise in opposition to H. Res. 648, the rule for consideration of this bill. In Rules Committee, I offered three amendments that would have substantially improved the underlying bill. Regrettably, the Committee decided to deny this body the opportunity to consider two of my amendments.

My first amendment would have ensured that the Department of Defense had a steady stream of domestically produced electronic equipment. These components are vital to the maintenance of some of our most sophisticated weapons and communications systems.

My second amendment would have allowed individuals to apply for benefits under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act if they developed diseases from their work at facilities that had residual contamination, after the Manhattan Project had been completed. It is long overdue to do right by this aging and ill population.

Our men and women in uniform are bravely serving all over the world because their country has called on them. In return, we must ensure that we are doing everything within our power to provide them with what they need. This bill makes great progress toward meeting the needs of our soldiers and their families.

For this reason, Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support for H.R. 4200.

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