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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT
, 1997 (House of Representatives - June 13, 1996)

[Page: H6385]

AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

The Clerk read as follows:

Amendment offered by Mr. SKELTON: Page 87, after line 3, insert the following new section.

Sec. . Of the funds provided in title IV for `Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Defense-Wide', the amount available for National Missile Defense shall not exceed $812,437,000.

Mr. SKELTON (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the Record.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?

There was no objection.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I rise with an amendment to modify the funding priorities of the bill for missile defense programs. It is my intention to explain this and to discuss it briefly with the chairman of this subcommittee, Mr. Young, and then it is my intention to withdraw it. But I wish I could explain it at this time.

The bill before us contains $350 million increase for national missile defense research and development but eliminates funding for the only emerging technology aimed at protecting our front line troops throughout the world. The program formerly named CORPS SAM and now called Medium Extended Air Defense Systems, or MEADS, is a joint research and development program with Germany and Italy. The administration's budget request included $56 million, but this bill includes no funding, no funding. My amendment recommends restoring $46 million to MEADS from the National Missile Defense Account.

Our forward deployed military personnel face a critical and growing threat from the air. Today short range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles threaten American soldiers, front line American soldiers. Tomorrow this threat will certainly be greater. We live in a dangerous world. Our troops were vulnerable to missile attack in Desert Storm, and further proliferation of dangerous weapons will certainly increase the threat tomorrow. I am concerned because no other program, Mr. Chairman, no other program promises to protect our forward deployed troops as shown by a chart that I have available.

I might say that, on behalf of our soldiers and our marines, three of our regional commanders have written about the requirements for MEADS: Generals Luck, Peay, and Joulwan.

Mr. Chairman, I include for the Record the following correspondence:

Mr. Chairman, I ask the gentleman from Florida if he understands the importance of this MEADS proposal?

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SKELTON. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I would respond and say we certainly understand the importance of CORPS SAM. We also know there are some difficulties in the program because of the international participation in the program, where it is unclear if some of the sponsors or some of those who are involved are committed to this effort. However, we will work with the gentleman to make sure that the right thing is done on the issue of CORPS SAM because I think it is an important issue.

Mr. SKELTON. I appreciate that. This is terribly important. In all of this discussion about missile defense, no one seems to be looking out for the front-line American troops. That is the purpose of this MEADS proposal.

Mr. Chairman, with the gentleman agreeing to work with me and looking forward to the future in the conference, I will at this time ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?

There was no objection.

The CHAIRMAN. The amendment of the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Skelton] is withdrawn.