Smith Decries Troop Funding Delay

Press Release

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE), co-chair of the Congressional Rural Veterans Caucus, today denounced the delay of necessary military funding due to billions of dollars in additional, unrelated domestic spending.

Because the House of Representatives approved a bill which spends $20 billion more than the legislation already passed by the Senate, the needed funding will not be available until after the two chambers can reconcile the differences later this month. President Obama has threatened to veto any bill with additional spending - an action which could further delay the process.

In early June Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned funding for the Navy and Marine Corps will begin to run out in July, forcing the Pentagon to disrupt other programs and by mid-August the military may not be able to pay members of the active-duty military.
"Congress cannot continue to spend money everywhere but the battlefield. We are a nation at war. Military spending bills should not be used to push through extraneous spending which serves no purpose other than securing votes. This sends the wrong message to our troops and the enemy we are fighting. I am extremely disappointed and fear last night's action will mean our troops will go even longer without the necessary support," Smith said.

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