00:00California is recognized for two minutes. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to thank Ranking Member
00:04Smith for his leadership. I also want to thank Chair Rogers for the fair way he conducts the
00:09committee. We should be debating how much money to spend on defense and whether we're getting
00:15our money's worth. It's no secret that I believe it should be a lower number, but I recognize that
00:20that's a valid debate that this committee should have. What I don't understand is some of the
00:26amendments that have nothing to do with defense that are being introduced into this bill. Amendment
00:3255, for example, prohibits the Defense Department from paying for the sick leave or travel for
00:39service members receiving an abortion. Amendment 51 prohibits the DOD from using masks to combat
00:47a pandemic. Amendment 49 prohibits the Defense Department from providing or approving pride
00:54flags. Amendment 47 prohibits even the teaching of affirmative action. Now at this point you wonder
01:01what what does this have to do with defense policy or keeping our country safe? Amendment 22 prohibits
01:08the DOD from buying electric vehicles or chargers. Talk about big government being prescriptive.
01:15Amendment 30, Amendment 9 or Amendment 44 bans and directs the Confederate Memorial to return
01:23to the Arlington National Cemetery. Mr. Speaker my hope is that this committee could debate
01:28the top line of defense and what we need to do to keep our country safe and that we not bring
01:34these cultural divisive issues into supporting our troops and into keeping America the strongest
01:40country in the world. I yield back. Gentleman from Washington Reserves, a gentleman from Alabama
01:45is recognized. Thank you Mr. Chairman, I'd like to yield.
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