Waiving Points of Order Against Conference Report on H.R. 4200, Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005
WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4200, RONALD W. REAGAN NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005 -- (House of Representatives - October 08, 2004)
Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 843 and ask for its immediate consideration.
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The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Myrick) is recognized for 1 hour.
Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
Mr. Speaker, today the Committee on Rules met and granted a normal conference report rule for H.R. 4200, the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. The rule waives all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration. In addition, it provides for 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled between the chairman and ranking minority member of the House Committee on Armed Services.
This should not be a controversial rule; it is the type of rule we grant for every conference report that comes through the House. This legislation firmly shows our commitment to restoring the strength of our Nation's military. The conferees authorized $447.2 billion in budget authority for the Department of Defense, DOD, and the national security programs of the Department of Energy, DOE.
I want to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the ranking member, for all of the work they have done in their tireless support for our brave sons and daughters in uniform. The safety and security of our troops and our Nation can be attributed to the contributions they have made.
This legislation authorizes the funding necessary to defend the Nation and our interests around the globe. More than 200,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have served in the global war on terrorism. We owe them our gratitude for defending our freedom.
Their success in Iraq and Afghanistan is a testament to their bravery, training and equipment, and their commitment to defend our freedom.
On the battlefield, we provide critical force protection resources, including countermeasures for improvised explosive devices, improved surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and the latest infantry equipment.
H.R. 4200 adds more than $2 billion for force protection measures, including armor, munitions, communications and surveillance programs. The legislation contains provisions to eliminate procurement obstacles and field commercially available technology on an expedited basis, something that is much needed. At home, this legislation meets the needs of our military personnel with numerous quality-of-life improvements.
Among the many initiatives are a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise, special pay and bonuses, and improved housing, as well as the complete phaseout of out-of-pocket housing expenses.
This conference report makes great strides in addressing the disparity by which disabled military retirees have their pension benefits reduced, dollar by dollar, by the amount of disability benefits they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The fiscal year 2004 act authorized full concurrent receipt to be phased in over 10 years.
The conference report continues to build on this improvement by removing disabled retirees who are rated 100 percent disabled from the 10-year phase-in period. These retirees are authorized for full, concurrent receipt effective January 2005. Our veterans have given deeply and heroically, and it is only fair that we recognize their service.
So let us pass the rule and pass the underlying Defense Authorization Conference Report. At the end of the day, we are going to make our homeland safer and we will be supporting our sons and daughters serving in the military. We will be preparing for war, thereby ensuring victory. At this crucial time in our history, this bill is most important.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the distinguished chairman of this committee.
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Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.