Nelson Calls for Clear Mission for Proposed Troop Surge in Meeting with President and Budget Reform on War Spending
NELSON CALLS FOR CLEAR MISSION FOR PROPOSED TROOP SURGE IN MEETING WITH PRESIDENT AND BUDGET REFORM ON WAR SPENDING
Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson pressed the Administration to outline clear benchmarks for the Iraqi government and a clear mission for any troops deployed to Iraq in a surge during a meeting with President George W. Bush at the White House today.
Nelson, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, stressed to the President that the Pentagon must provide a clear and specific mission for the "troop surge" under consideration. "The White House has to make the case for sending in more troops before they send the troops. We need a new direction, not just a new slogan," Nelson said.
Nelson again suggested that the president outline specific goals for the Iraqi government to meet in order for US forces to remain in Iraq. "I look forward to working with the White House to achieve our objectives in Iraq and bring our troops home safely and as soon as possible," said Nelson.
During a conference call with reporters after the meeting, Nelson called for an end to the use of emergency supplemental spending bills to finance the war in an effort to begin to restore fiscal discipline in Washington.
"I proudly support our troops and will support the funding they need to complete their mission and to keep them safe," said Senator Nelson. "If the Administration is serious about restoring fiscal discipline in Washington, the practice of keeping the costs of the war off budget must end. Budget reform must begin in this area," Nelson said.
In June 2006, Nelson cosponsored and the Senate unanimously passed legislation (S.Amdt. 4257 to S. 2766) that would require that predictable war costs be included in the annual budget submitted to Congress by the President. The White House has brought six major off-budget war-related supplemental requests to Congress since September 11, 2001 totaling approximately $400 billion.
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