Department of Defense Survivor Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014
Floor Speech
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Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise, first of all, to thank Mr. Frelinghuysen for bringing this legislation to the floor. I want to thank Chairman Young of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and the subcommittee members for their work, and I certainly support the gentleman's legislation.
Unfortunately, the Department of Defense had to report that since October 1 of this year, 17 serv ice mem bers have perished whose survivors would be entitled to a death gratuity payment. So the gentleman's legislation is correct in that it is timely, and it should pass.
The only other observation I would make at the beginning of the debate is the House passed the Pay Our Troops Act, H.R. 3210. I would hope that none of our colleagues are under the misimpression that we have solved all of our problems relative to our national defense because, in a comprehensive fashion, essentially, it deals with about 40 percent of the Department's budget.
The problem that Mr. Frelinghuysen is attempting to address today is but a slice of that 60 percent that, unfortunately, the Government of the United States has not dealt with since the beginning of the fiscal year. But, again, I strongly support and thank the gentleman for his efforts.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I appreciate the gentleman's remark about our chairman, Mr. Young, who has announced his retirement at the end of this Congress. You could find no finer person in the world--a kinder heart or wanting to leave the world better--than our chairman.
I would use this time while we are waiting to simply follow on Chairman Rogers' remark in reminding all of our colleagues that we do continue to be a Nation at war, and while we have lost 17 individuals since October 1, in fact, this Nation has lost 117 people since the beginning of this year.
I do hope, as we proceed with the United States Congress and the administration, people understand that we ought to fully fund not just the Department of Defense for their important job, but the other agencies of this government, and certainly through the regular appropriations process.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I appreciate the gentleman's remark about our chairman, Mr. Young, who has announced his retirement at the end of this Congress. You could find no finer person in the world--a kinder heart or wanting to leave the world better--than our chairman.
I would use this time while we are waiting to simply follow on Chairman Rogers' remark in reminding all of our colleagues that we do continue to be a Nation at war, and while we have lost 17 individuals since October 1, in fact, this Nation has lost 117 people since the beginning of this year.
I do hope, as we proceed with the United States Congress and the administration, people understand that we ought to fully fund not just the Department of Defense for their important job, but the other agencies of this government, and certainly through the regular appropriations process.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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