Statement from Congressman Doc Hastings on Wartime Supplemental
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Washington, D.C. - With Congressman Hastings support, the House of Representatives today approved an $81.3 billion wartime spending bill to fund urgent needs related to the war on terror and national security.
Among other things, the bill includes $75 million to purchase additional body armor, $743 million for additional armored HUMVEES, and $408 million to harden facilities to protect troops against indirect fire attacks - including $108 million to construct Concrete Masonry Unit barracks in high risk areas. Additionally, the military death gratuity payment is increased from $12,000 to $100,000.
The bill was approved with broad bipartisan support by a vote of 388 to 43. The Senate must approve the bill before it can be sent to the President to be signed into law. A statement from Congressman Hastings on the wartime spending bill follows:
"We must win the war on terror abroad to protect American families here at home - and that starts with providing our men and women in uniform with the tools the need to do their jobs as safely and effectively as possible.
Our troops are on the front lines of the war on terror and they deserve our full support for these much needed funds.
We rightly recognized the need to help provide for the families of those who lost their lives serving our nation.
In recent weeks the House carefully reviewed the Administration's emergency spending request. While fully funding defense activities, our bill shows a strong commitment to carefully allocating taxpayer dollars by trimming the request by $600 million."
http://www.house.gov/hastings/pr050316wartime.htm