Washington DC Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Department of Defense Authorization Act which is usually a bill that will provide our troops with the authorization for key funding needed to succeed in our mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. This year however Democrat leaders needlessly included the unrelated legislation for federal criminalization of certain hate crimes". After the vote Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX-11) a member of the House Armed Services Committee made the following statement regarding the Department of Defense Authorization legislation:
I believe that the support for our men and women in uniform is paramount and never in a million years would I have thought I would have to vote against legislation that authorizes funding for our troops and our missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. This year however Democrat leaders have included hate crimes legislation in the DOD Authorization bill forcing those of us who oppose the hate crimes legislation to choose between opposing the Democrats liberal social agenda and voting against our troops.
Conaway later added In years past we have been able to craft a bipartisan bill that ensures that the needs of our troops and commanders are met and the Department of Defense can carry out its mission of ensuring national security."
The Hate crimes provisions in this legislation are contradictory to the First Amendment and are unnecessary. This is yet another ploy for the Democrats to push their liberal agenda through Congress while playing politics with our troops. I am disappointed by their actions and was left with no choice" Conaway said.
House Republican Leadership John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed thought crimes" legislation as part of the
FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2647) :
Democrats have done a great disservice to the brave men and women of our Armed Forces today by using them as leverage to pass radical social policy. They engineered this abuse of the legislative process because they had no way other to pass legislation that is unconstitutional and just plain wrong. Our troops and their
families deserve better.
All violent crimes should be prosecuted vigorously no matter what the circumstance. The Democrats thought crimes legislation however places a higher value on some lives than others. Republicans believe that all lives are created equal and should be defended with equal vigilance" Boehner said.
