Work Should Begin Now on a Clean Troop Funding Bill

Via email:

Now that House and Senate Democrats have approved a bill that shamefully ties critical troop funding to a series of arbitrary conditions and timelines, Democrats are purposely delaying sending that bill to the President. Why? So they can score cheap political points at the expense of American troops in harm's way.

If Democrats are serious about supporting our troops, they will send their surrender bill to the President immediately for his veto so the real work can begin on a clean troop funding bill.

A CLEAN BILL WILL NOT TIE TROOP FUNDING TO ARBITRARY CONDITIONS

Democrats claim they want "benchmarks." But benchmarks, by definition, are used to measure progress so that adjustments can be recommended periodically - based on results - to improve weaknesses and build upon strengths. Benchmarks are designed to foster success. What Democrats have actually authored and supported are a series of unrealistic conditions and timelines that choke off resources for our troops and force them to withdraw by an arbitrary date. Democrats have purposely written a bill that limits General Petraeus' ability to fight the war in a cynical effort designed to ensure America 's failure.

A CLEAN BILL WILL NOT TIE TROOP FUNDING TO A SURRENDER DATE

Democrats claim they want to "change course" - what they are really doing is giving a road map to al Qaeda who, as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) admitted yesterday, has a "very significant presence" in Iraq. Giving terrorists a timeline for our withdrawal from Iraq is one of the surest ways to jeopardize America 's long-term national security.

A CLEAN BILL WILL NOT TIE TROOP FUNDING TO EXCESS SPENDING

Democrats like Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) have openly admitted they "don't have the votes" to pass an emergency war supplemental, and so resorted to buying votes with billions in unrelated spending. The bill passed by the House and Senate was loaded with billions of dollars unrelated to the war, including $1.85 billion for crop production losses, $20 million for an emergency conservation program, $60.4 million for salmon fisheries, and $50 million for the Capitol Power Plant.

In a press conference today, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said that if Democrats bring a clean troop funding bill to the floor, House Republicans will support it:

"There is a bipartisan majority in the Congress - in the House and Senate - to support our troops without conditions, without surrender dates, and without all of the excess spending we see in this bill. And I can tell you this: if Democrat leaders do the right thing, I can promise that Republicans will be there to support them to get this bill to the President's desk as soon as possible - a bill that he can sign that will in fact support our troops that are in harm's way." (AUDIO)

Congress should immediately move to pass a clean troop funding bill that gives our soldiers the resources they need to succeed in the Global War on Terror.