Kline Offers Emergency Troop Funding Amendment

Press Release

Kline Offers Emergency Troop Funding Amendment

Congressman John Kline (R-MN) introduced an amendment late Wednesday to the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1585) approving a "clean" supplemental funding bill and preventing Congress from cutting off or restricting funding for deployed troops. The Armed Services Committee chairman used a procedural tactic to offer a rushed, handwritten amendment to deny members a vote on Congressman Kline's amendment.

"It has been 95 days since the President asked Congress for an emergency troop funding bill," said Congressman Kline, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. "Since then, we have seen the Democrat leadership propose legislation full of pork barrel projects, reductions of troops below levels requested by military commanders, and timetables for withdrawal. We have a responsibility to prioritize and pass an emergency troop funding bill which is why I introduced this amendment."

In recent weeks, Congressman Kline cosponsored a bill by Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX), who was a prisoner in Vietnam for seven years, to fully fund all troops in harm's way. He also authored a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed by fellow Vietnam veteran Members of Congress which urged Democrat leaders to introduce a "clean" emergency defense bill without additional spending not requested by the Department of Defense.

"I am disappointed by the inability of the committee to perform its primary function —authorizing funds for our troops," Congressman Kline said. "When presented with my amendment to approve an emergency troop funding bill, they instead denied a vote on this crucial amendment."

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