Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. Speaker, the National Defense Authorization Act
provides critical authorities for our men and women in uniform. It
provides for their pay, addresses issues of mental health and suicide,
protects victims of sexual assault and ensures they are well equipped
and trained to conduct the missions that the country asks of them. I am
proud that my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee and in the
House could come to bipartisan agreement on this legislation to ensure
that our Armed Forces remain the best in the world. It is not perfect,
but this year's NDAA is an example of how we can work together to keep
the American people safe, save tax payer dollars and make sure our men
and women in uniform get the support they deserve.

However, I remain concerned about the provision included in the NDAA
to provide for authorization through 2016 for the equipping and
training of Syrian rebels.

There still remain too many questions about the long term
implications of arming and equipping rebel forces and how this action
fits into our broader strategy of destroying ISIS. I believe, without a
detailed discussion on what supporting the Syrian rebels entails, that
this kind of authorization will lead to a much longer and costly level
of engagement. Congress has failed to properly discuss and weigh the
long term consequences of this military action. As a Member of Congress, it
is my responsibility to make sure we don't commit resources, the most
precious of which are our men and women in uniform, with no
comprehensive plan for our involvement. Congress needs to debate and
develop a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) before
authorizing one piece of that strategy that will inevitably lead to
further involvement across multiple national borders.

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