Ellsworth Votes to Strengthen Defense, Restore Military Readiness

Press Release

Ellsworth Votes to Strengthen Defense, Restore Military Readiness

Continuing his track record of strongly supporting U.S. troops, Rep. Brad Ellsworth today voted to restore military readiness and strengthen national defense. The House Armed Services Committee passed the 2008 Defense Authorization bill unanimously last week, and the House passed the bill today with overwhelming bipartisan support.

"As a member of the Armed Services Committee, my number one priority is providing our brave men and women in uniform with the weapons, equipment, and training they need to complete their missions," said Ellsworth. "This is critical not only for current conflicts, but to ensure our Armed Forces are ready to respond to emerging threats throughout the world."

The bill creates a Defense Readiness Production Board to identify critical weapons and equipment shortfalls and develop creative solutions to increase defense industry capacity and fill those shortfalls. It establishes a $1 billion Strategic Readiness Fund to meet this goal. In addition, the bill provides an additional $250 million to improve soldiers' training in a full-spectrum of combat scenarios.

"There is no question the War in Iraq has had a crippling effect on our military. They simply do not have the weapons, equipment and training they need," said Ellsworth. "We let these problems go unaddressed for too long. It will be a long road back to restoring readiness levels, but we took an important first step today."

The bill addresses National Guard readiness concerns. In testimony before the Commission on the National Guard in January 2007, Lieutenant General Steven Blum said, "88 percent of the forces that are back here in the United States are very poorly equipped today in the Army National Guard." Articles published late February about the possible early redeployment of National Guard troops from four states, including Indiana, conveyed similar findings with military officials indicating troops were currently short of some equipment needed for deployment. Indiana National Guard troops from the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Indianapolis have since been called up for redeployment to Iraq.

The bill requires the Department of Defense to conduct quarterly state-by-state assessments of National Guard capability to meet homeland and military responsibilities. Currently, there is no system in place to assess the National Guard's ability to respond to natural disaster or national crisis. It also provides $1 billion to address shortfalls in ‘critical, high-priority equipment' for National Guard units.

"National Guard units across the nation are playing a vital role in the security of our country; not only serving valiantly in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also responding to national crisis and natural disaster at home," said Ellsworth. "However, their ability to respond to tomorrow's crisis depends on the steps we take today. This Congress cannot afford to leave these shortfalls unaddressed, and I'm glad to see us taking action in this bill."

The bill includes numerous provisions to further strengthen national defense. It provides $4.6 billion for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles which could reduce casualties from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by as much as 80%. It also includes billions of dollars for body armor, up-armored humvees, and other weapons and equipment for troops. It authorizes expanding the U.S. Army by 36,000 soldiers to alleviate the stress placed on soldiers and families, and provides $2.3 billion for military construction to accommodate the larger force.

"We need to treat our troops as if they were our own sons or daughters," said Ellsworth. "Nothing but our full support is acceptable to me, and I think this bill accomplishes that goal. I am proud to support it."

Source