| Personal Explanation |
May 18, 2012 |
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Jackie Speier, D-CA
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"Mr. Speaker, I was unfortunately unable to cast a vote on rollcall vote 291 on Friday, May 18, 2012 because I was tending to a family matter. H.R. 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2013 does not sufficiently address the strategic or fiscal realities we are facing and I would have voted “no” on its passage. I would not in good conscience have been able to vote for this authorization bill that forces the Pentagon to accept $8 billion that it neither requested, needs, nor wants. Many weapons programs, like upgrades to the Army’s ground vehicles, were funded not only above the President’s request but the Pentagon’s. Some programs, like Block 30 of the Global Hawk, the Pentagon doesn’t want at all. Funding for East Coast missile defense dumps money into systems that don’t work against a remote, unlikely threat. Lastly, there are not sufficient safeguards in place to ensure that we are not only funding the right programs, but receiving a fair price for them."
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| Lieutenant Colonel Arnett |
May 17, 2012 |
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Cory Gardner, R-CO
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"After 16 years of service in Greeley and a dozen major and minor combat inspections by the United States Air Force, Colonel Arnett was additionally recognized as one of the Nation’s top space and missile operators and flight commanders. In the Greeley community, Colonel Arnett was the Boy Scouts of America Scout Master of the Year and is a loving husband to his wife, Cindy, and father of their four children."
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| Defense Budget |
May 17, 2012 |
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Susan Davis, D-CA
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"I do not believe that this is smart legislating, when we choose to ignore the current fiscal environment. And when we raised concerns on the plans to build a missile defense site on the east coast with money we do not have, the Rules Committee would not even allow it up for debate."
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| Paying Tribute To U.S. Army Colonel Chandler C. (Skip) Sherrell |
May 17, 2012 |
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Mike Rogers, R-MI
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"COL Skip Sherrell concluded an outstanding career by serving for two years as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Life Cycle Management Command (AMCOM). He brought a wealth of expertise in aviation operations to the AMCOM Command Group. Prior to joining AMCOM, COL Sherrell performed one of the most demanding and critical assignments of his career, serving as the Commander of Task Force (TF) 49. TF 49 was the Army’s designation for a composite Aviation Brigade, formed from many units to perform combat operations in Iraq. In twelve months of intensive flying in multiple locations across Iraq, COL Sherrell led TF 49 to complete mission success with an impressive safety record—an outstanding achievement."
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