House GOP Backs Veto of "Pork & Retreat" Bill, Demands Clean Troop Funding Bill

Via email:

President Bush has promised to veto the Democrats' "pork and retreat" bill, and today, 154 House Republicans signed a letter confirming they would sustain the President's veto. In today's press briefing, White House spokesman Dana Perino said:

"[T]he President has just received from the House Republicans a letter with proof that the House does not have enough votes to override the President's veto. So it's time that we believe the Congress get serious in supporting General Petraeus and the troops and the ground, and not mandate and legislate failure with the current path that they're on with this Iraq war spending bill."

Instead of a clean troop funding bill, Democratic leaders pushed their "pork and retreat" bill - a package loaded with arbitrary timelines and conditions, all designed to undermine our generals and hamstring our troops in harm's way. On NBC's Meet the Press, Ways & Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) openly admitted that Democratic leaders used pork to buy votes in order to pass the bill. Asked by host Tim Russert why Democrats would put pork-barrel spending in such a serious bill, Rangel responded: "Because they needed the votes."

The letter signed by 154 House Republicans reads:

"We are greatly concerned about the extraneous and excessive non-security related funds contained within the Global War on Terror supplemental spending bill currently under consideration in the Congress. If you choose to veto this measure over this spending, we will vote to sustain your veto."

After failing to provide a clean troop funding bill that gives American soldiers the resources they need to succeed, Democratic leaders did the not-so-obvious: they went on vacation. While Democrats circle the globe for two weeks, The Guardian newspaper notes that our military is already facing setbacks - including the possibility of longer deployments for troops in harm's way:

"Army chiefs said they might have to cut back on preparations for troops due to go to Iraq and Afghanistan . This would mean longer deployments for those whose tours of duty have already been extended. ...

"The department of defence on Friday notified Congress that in order to protect the needs of the military, it has begun borrowing funds from other marine and army programmes, including replacements for Humvees and tactical communications."

When will Democratic leaders do the right thing and bring up a clean bill that fully support our troops?

Good question...