Expresses Concern with Unrelated Provisions That May Further Delay Providing Resources to Our Troops
Published: 10-02-07
Published: 10-02-07
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee made the following statement today regarding the Senate’s passage of H.R. 1585 the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. With the support of Senator Cornyn this legislation passed the Senate this evening by a vote of 92 to 3. “Every day the men and women in our military put their lives on the line to defend our freedom and our way of life. It is among the most critical responsibilities of the Congress to ensure they receive the funding and resources they need to do their jobs and complete their missions.
From an across-the-board pay raise for our troops to critical authorization funding for Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected Vehicles to important reforms to our military health care system this bill goes a long way towards meeting the needs of our troops in the field.
“However while I’m grateful the Senate finally passed this defense authorization bill it’s deplorable that partisan gamesmanship delayed its passage for over two months. It is even more concerning that because of unrelated hate crimes legislation attached by the new majority in the Senate the President may be forced to veto this bill causing a further delay.
“Our troops should not be used as a political football to advance what in this case is a purely political objective.
“There is a time and a place for everything and controversial hate crimes legislation has no place in a bill devoted solely to providing our troops in the field with the resources that they need. It is my hope that this provision will be removed from the bill in the forthcoming House-Senate negotiations and the Congress sends the President a bill that he can sign immediately.”
Key Provisions in the Defense Authorization Act:
• Provides a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for all uniformed personnel a half a percent more than the President’s request;
• Authorizes $135 billion for military personnel including costs of pay allowances bonuses death benefits and permanent change of station moves.
• Adds $4 billion to the President’s budget for mine resistant vehicles to protect our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan;
• Authorizes $24.6 billion in funding for our military healthcare systems.
• Authorizes $135 billion for military personnel including costs of pay allowances bonuses death benefits and permanent change of station moves.
• Adds $4 billion to the President’s budget for mine resistant vehicles to protect our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan;
• Authorizes $24.6 billion in funding for our military healthcare systems.
Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee.
