Committee Democrats Refuse Vote on Clean Troop Funding Bill, Instead Offer Handwritten Substitute With No Funds

Via email:

Fearing that a vote to authorize clean war funding supplemental without the strings and without the excessive spending would PASS in committee, Armed Services Committee Democrats used a procedural tactic to offer a last-minute, HANDWRITTEN amendment to deny members the opportunity for an up-or-down vote on an amendment by Rep. John Kline (R-MN) to authorize a clean troop funding bill. Rep. Kline issued the following statement:

"I am disappointed by the inability of the committee to perform its primary function-authorizing funds for our troops. When presented with my amendment to authorize a 'clean' supplemental funding bill and prevent Congress from cutting off or restricting funding for deployed troops, Democrats instead chose to complain about process instead of doing the right thing and supporting our troops. In the end, rather than take a principled stand by approving emergency funding for our troops in the field, Democrats instead offered up more empty rhetoric."

Unfortunately, the HANDWRITTEN amendment offered by Armed Services Committee Democrats failed to commit to additional funds to support the efforts of our troops in the Global War on Terror.

Today the House will vote on several bills to retreat from Iraq and ration funds for the troops - legislation already targeted for veto that undercuts our troops and undermines America 's national security. The Pentagon's troop-funding request arrived on Capitol Hill 94 days ago. More than three months later, Congress has failed to give our troops the resources they need to succeed.

The time is now for a clean bill that gives our troops the resources they need to succeed.

90-plus days and the Democrats can't figure out whether or not they want to support the troops or not. Some leadership on national security issues, eh?