Stearns Votes "Yes" for War Funding to Support Troops

Press Release

"As a veteran and a senior member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I understand the hardship and sacrifice of military service," stated Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala). "I voted in the Veterans Affairs Committee for legislation to update and expand the GI Bill (H.R.5684), and I am cosponsoring H.R. 5740, the new House companion bill to Senator Webb's S. 22. However, the House Leadership decided to combine provisions funding ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with legislation expanding the GI Bill, while also imposing restrictions on future military operations and including funding for Katrina relief, other domestic programs, and foreign aid. Our troops and our veterans deserve bills exclusively devoted to their needs."

Stearns today voted to approve funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and opposed an amendment establishing a timetable for withdrawing troops that does not recognize the need for conditions on the ground and the views of commanders in the field to determine the pace of withdrawal. In addition, Stearns opposed an amendment that included a tax increase and funding for various domestic programs.

Explained Stearns, "The House leadership added a tax increase on the gross income for individuals earning more than $500,000 and couples with over $1 million, but 82.7% of taxpayers with that income get it from small businesses. This is a tax increase on the gross income of small business men and women who operate as self-employed individuals. They are the primary source of new jobs in our nation. Instead of raising taxes, Congress could fund the new GI Bill by reducing federal spending by a mere 0.1 percent over 10 years. I am certain that we can find one-tenth of one percent in federal spending that is wasteful and apply that to meeting the needs of our 21st century veterans."

"The process for bringing up this bill today is not in keeping with the normal operations of the House. The new majority stated that bills should come to the floor under a procedure that allows open, full, and fair debate consisting of a full amendment process that grants the Minority the right to offer alternatives, including a substitute. Unfortunately, this supplemental bypassed the entire Appropriations Committee process altogether, and through the use of parliamentary gimmicks, avoided the input of both Democrat and Republican members. Our brave troops and millions of veterans deserve better," concluded Stearns.

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