Amendment provides free Internet access for service members in a combat zone
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Today Congressman Gene Green offered an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2014 to provide free Internet access for service members serving in a combat zone.
In his statement submitted for the record on the amendment Rep. Green explained:
Mr. Speaker I rise in support of my amendment (#63) to the National Defense Authorization Act which would require the Army Navy Air Force and Marine Corps to provide free Internet access for service members serving in a combat zone.
This amendment comes as a response to several service members from my district who while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq found the distribution and pricing of recreational Internet usage for service members to be unequal and exorbitant.
For the vast majority of our nations service members serving overseas the Internet has become the best means to communicate with spouses children parents and other loved ones. It is the key link to staying connected with home and provides a much needed boost in morale for our nations warriors who have had to endure multiple tours of duty in some of the most difficult terrain in the world.
It is imperative that as the peoples elected representatives we make sure that this important service is provided to those who have answered the call of duty and are putting their lives in harms way at the lowest cost for our service members.
For situations in which the local security environment does not allow for recreational Internet usage this amendment provides for a temporary waiver.
I ask for my colleagues for stand with our service members and their families and vote in support of my amendment.
The NDAA bill was voted on today and passed with a strong vote of 315 to 107.
