Boehner Says Military Spending Bill Should Support American Troops, Not Pork

Via email:

Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) today called on House Democrats to craft a fiscally-responsible supplemental appropriations bill that supports and funds America ’s troops in harm’s way -- without micro-managing the Global War on Terror and undermining our troops, and without adding pork or other unrelated spending projects not requested by the Commander-in-Chief. Boehner issued the following statement:

“Congress has a responsibility to provide America ’s troops with the resources and flexibility necessary to complete their mission. Our focus must be on supporting our troops in harm’s way – without strings attached – not on using a military spending bill as an excuse to fund pork-barrel projects and other unrelated projects. The supplemental bill should be about our troops, and Republicans want to work with Democrats to pass a bill that supports our troops. Republicans will fight efforts by Democrats to use the military spending bill to add unrelated projects not sought by the Commander-in-Chief, and we will fight efforts by Democrats to attach conditions to the bill that would make it more difficult for our troops to successfully complete their mission and return home safely.

“In the seven weeks following the announcement of a new strategy for victory in Iraq, Democrats have failed to articulate a coherent vision for either victory or withdrawal; they’ve offered only a ‘slow bleed’ strategy that would slowly choke off the funding and reinforcements our troops need to successfully complete their mission. Placing arbitrary and punitive political hurdles before any Commander-in-Chief during a time of war – especially under the guise of supporting our troops – is wrong, and it is reckless.

“Republicans continue to stand united behind our troops in their battle for victory. They know they can win, they know the consequences of failure are unspeakable, and so do we. Republicans in Congress and the American people alike will continue to hold Democrats accountable for crafting a responsible supplemental appropriations bill that fully supports our troops in harm’s way.”