WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this afternoon, Congressman Steve Austria (R – Beavercreek) spoke on the House floor, urging his colleagues in the House to pass the short-term CR that is currently being debated, and also calling on Senate Democrats and President Obama to decide if they really want to hold the military hostage, or join Republicans in preventing a government shutdown.

Video of the floor speech can be found on Congressman Austria’s YouTube page here.

The full text of Congressman Austria’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:

“Madam Speaker, let’s remember why we are here again today on the floor discussing another CR.  It is because the Democrats – Leader Reid and former Speaker Pelosi – failed to do the most basic function of the United States Congress. They failed to pass a budget or even one of the 12 FY2011 appropriations bills.

“As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am pleased that this most recent CR includes an additional $12 billion in cuts, in addition to the full funding for the Department of Defense through the rest of the fiscal year. 

“It was 47 days ago that we passed a bill in this House that would have kept government open, that would have cut 100 billion from the President’s 2011 budget and would have fully funded our troops through the end of 2011. Any bill we pass must include full funding for our men and women serving in our military.

“I represent Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, one of the largest Air Force facilities in the country, and they could be forced to furlough many of its 27,400 military, civilian and contract personnel.

“By not getting serious about FY2011 funding, Senate Democrats are putting an undue strain on our military and their families. Because the Department of Defense does not have enacted appropriations or new start authority for the rest of FY2011:

• Over 300 personnel have been laid-off from repairing vehicles needed in Iraq and Afghanistan at Army maintenance depots;
• The Defense Supply Center in Columbus, Ohio cannot begin construction on a public safety facility;
• The Navy was forced to delay the procurement of a Virginia class submarine – putting our submarine industrial base at risk;
• The Defense Health Program has been forced to take actions that have adverse effects on the quality of healthcare provided to our military, retirees, and their families;
• And earlier this week Michael Donley, Secretary of the Air Force, said that the Air Force will not be able to make its payroll for the last pay period of FY2011.

“We are six months into FY2011 and these delays in full funding for the Department of Defense are leading to schedule slips, cost increases, and management problems for some of the most important programs to our National Defense – not to mention the quality of life issues they raise for our brave men and women in uniform.

“We are going to pass this CR today – with full funding for our troops – to prevent a government shutdown. Now it is up to the Senate Democrats and President Obama to eliminate the uncertainty our men and women serving our country feel, and join us in preventing a government shutdown.

“I yield back my time.”

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