Yesterday, the U.S House of Representatives approved this year's spending bill for the Department of Defense, and the Republicans in Congress delievered another slap to our fighting National Guardsmen and Reservists.
Yesterday, the U.S House of Representatives approved this year's spending bill for the Department of Defense. During the debate, an unknown congressman named Gene Taylor, a Democrat from Mississippi made a suggestion: "Let's extend military health benefits to active-duty National Guardsmen and Reservists". Since they make up nearly 50% of our forces in Iraq, and since 20% of them are not currently covered, this didn't seem like a bad idea to the 211 congressmen, including 9 Republicans, who supported it during a vote. However, 218 Republicans voted no: the reason, at a cost of $1 billion a year, it was too expensive.
"If we take that $5.8 billion that this will amount to over 5 years, much of which will be the shifting of this burden from the private sector to DOD, we may think we have served that Guardsman very well in one way, but we will disserve him in another way because he will not have the best equipment."
Representative Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services
Reply to Rep. Taylor (D-MS) on the House Floor.
Too expensive!?
With the new budget containing $106 billion in new tax breaks, its surprising that the House GOP wouldn't be willing to sacrifice just 0.94% of the new tax breaks to support our fighting men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. These National Guardsmen and Reservists make the ultimate sacrifice, and the Republicans in Congress left them hanging.
Our own representatives in Congress, Judy Biggert and Henry Hyde had a great opportunity to buck their leadership and stand behind our troops in both talk and substance. Instead, they choose to toe the party line.
Putting the yellow sticker on the back of your car is not enough, Mrs. Biggert and Mr. Hyde!
We need independent representatives who will support our troops over their party, even when no one is looking.
K.Baker