{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2018-2", "2012-12-31", 112, 2, null, null, "CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4310--THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013", "HOUSE", "EXTENSIONS", "ALLOTHER", "E2018", "E2019", "[{\"name\": \"Betty McCollum\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", "[{\"congress\": \"112\", \"type\": \"HR\", \"number\": \"4310\"}, {\"congress\": \"112\", \"type\": \"HR\", \"number\": \"4310\"}, {\"congress\": \"112\", \"type\": \"HR\", \"number\": \"5652\"}]", "158 Cong. Rec. E2018", "Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]\n[Extensions of Remarks]\n[Pages E2018-E2019]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\nCONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4310--THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT\n                          FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013\n\n                                  _____\n\n                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM\n\n                              of minnesota\n\n                    in the house of representatives\n\n                       Monday, December 31, 2012\n\n  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply disappointed that I must rise\nin opposition to the Conference Report on H.R. 4310, the FY13 National\nDefense Authorization Act. America's men and women in uniform deserve,\nand Congress must pass, legislation that provides them with the\nresources they need to preserve our national security. Unfortunately,\nthis bill does not reflect the range of 21st-Century threats the United\nStates must prepare for, nor does it reflect the urgent fiscal crisis\nthis Congress must address. What this massive $633 billion defense bill\ndoes reflect, however, are disastrously misplaced priorities.\n  On May 10th of this year, House Republicans passed the Sequester\nReplacement Reconciliation Act (H.R. 5652), which exempts the Pentagon\nfrom $55 billion in automatic spending cuts agreed to in last year's\nBudget Control Act (P.L. 112-25). How did they propose to do it? By\ncutting over $310 billion from domestic programs. These were cuts to\nnutrition assistance programs for low-income seniors, people with\ndisabilities, and working families; cuts that will deny more than\n200,000 low-income children their school lunches; cuts to the Meals on\nWheels program critical to disabled seniors, and cuts to programs that\nprotect vulnerable and abused children. These will have a real and\nsevere impact on American families. Instead of asking the Pentagon to\nmake tough choices and eliminate wasteful spending programs, House\nRepublicans would rather balance the budget on the backs of our\nNation's most vulnerable citizens.\n  Here is just one example of Pentagon spending that House Republicans\nare protecting by cutting programs for low-income children, seniors,\nand working families: in this fiscal year, the Department of Defense\nplans to spend $389 million for its 150 military bands and more than\n5,000 full-time, professional military musicians. This is a prime\nexample of excessive military spending that we simply do not need, and\ncan no longer afford. Earlier this year, the House passed my bipartisan\namendment to this bill limiting the amount the military spends annually\non military bands to no more than $200 million--not an insignificant\nsum. I am very disappointed to see that this language was not included\nin the Conference Report. This smart cut would have continued to\nprovided $200 million for military bands in fiscal year 2013, ensuring\nthat America would maintain its strong tradition of military bands,\nwhile saving taxpayers $2 billion over the next decade.\n  Lastly, the Conference Report does virtually nothing to correct the\ncivil liberties abuses passed in last year's defense authorization\nbill. House and Senate Conferees stripped a bipartisan amendment\noffered by Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Lee (R-UT) which would\nhave helped ensure that no one can be denied a fair trial and detained\nindefinitely when they are captured in the United States. I am appalled\nthat this commonsense amendment to protect the most basic American\ncivil liberties was not included in the legislation before us today.\n  Mr. Speaker, there are several positive provisions of this bill that\nI support, including the continuance of DOD clean energy programs,\nlifting restrictions on servicewomen's access to reproductive health\ncare, and addressing military sexual assault. It also takes steps that\nwould help eliminate hazing in the military and prevents any increase\nin new TRICARE fees. Unfortunately, the underlying legislation contains\ntoo much wasteful spending and does not correct the egregious human\nabuses that were part of the fiscal year 2012 bill.\n  One of our primary duties as Members of Congress is to provide the\nresources and policy guidance necessary to protect our Nation. We must\nmake certain that every dollar in this bill contributes to our national\ndefense. It is time for tough choices and smart cuts that save taxpayer\ndollars, even at the Pentagon. Wasteful and excessive Pentagon spending\nis no longer acceptable as low income families, seniors, and disabled\nAmericans to go without the critical services.\n  I urge my colleagues oppose this legislation.\n\n[[Page E2019]]\n\n                          ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2018-2"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.4012439167127013, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}