Cross posted at Blue Jersey
Over the next 35 weeks before Election Day, the Josh Zeitz campaign will be counting down the 35 facts Chris Smith doesn't want you to know about his record. We'll be compiling the facts on our new website.
Chris Smith cast the deciding vote against pay bonuses for our troops serving overseas, while voting annually for huge Congressional pay raises.
More after the jump.
In 2003, Chris Smith voted against an amendment that would have provided $1,500 bonuses to every American service member serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, including National Guard and Reserve forces. The funding would have been off-set by reducing a no-bid Halliburton contract that the Congressional Research Service concluded was over charging American taxpayers by $249 million. The amendment failed and the funds were used to import oil into Iraq. They were not used as part of the reconstruction effort. [The Plain Dealer 10/21/03, NYT 10/22/03, H.Amdt.423 10/17/2003]
The vote was a 213-213 tie that killed the amendment. If Chris Smith had voted yes, our troops would have received a $1,500 bonus. [Roll Call Vote 554 10/16/2003]
Instead, Chris Smith cast 9 votes to raise his congressional salary by $32,600 since 1999. [CRS: Salaries of Members of Congress Updated January 8, 2008; 1999 Vote #300; 2000 Vote #419; 2001 House Vote #267; 2002 House Vote #322; 2003 House Vote #463; 2004 House Vote #451; 2005 House Vote #327; 2006 vote #261; 2007 Vote #580]
Before veterans are veterans, they are servicemen and women. Voters deserve to know why Chris Smith voted for $32,600 in pay raises for himself, but against a reasonable bonus for our over-deployed and underpaid troops, said Josh Zeitz's campaign manager Steven D'Amico.
We need your help to elect Josh and bring a new, common-sense progressive voice to Congress. If you have any ideas and/or want to volunteer, please contact me at ian_at_joshzeitz_dot_com
I am a volunteer myself, and Josh's Netroots Outreach Coordinator.