Washington, D.C.— Last night, the House reaffirmed its commitment to our fighting men and women in the United States military by passing H.R. 2642, an emergency supplemental funding bill for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After close to five months of delay, this bill will ensure that our troops and their commanders will have access to the resources they need. The bill provides more than $160 billion in emergency funding for our troops for the remainder of fiscal year 2008 and part of fiscal year 2009. H.R. 2642 also provides $21 billion for other spending, including an important modernization of the GI bill that will ensure our veterans have access to a quality education.
Congressman Geoff Davis stated, “The passage of this legislation is a victory for American troops and American taxpayers. The bill is long overdue and by no means perfect, but I am pleased that the House was ultimately able to work in a bipartisan manner to support the brave patriots who dedicate their lives to serving and protecting our country. These men and women deserve to have all the resources they need delivered to them in a timely and efficient manner.
“I am proud that we were able to ensure that our veterans and the family members who support them have access to quality education benefits that more accurately reflect the costs of higher education in the 21st century. That we were able to do this while preserving the integrity of the all-volunteer force reflects the strength of this Congress’ commitment to our fighting men and women in harm’s way.”
The supplemental provides the funding necessary to support our troops without politically motivated mandates from Congress that undermine their efforts. Additionally, this legislation protects American taxpayers by excluding massive tax increases on small businesses, which are responsible for more than 75% of all new jobs in America.
Other highlights of H.R. 2642 include:
• Increased funding for the construction of veterans’ and military hospitals
• A requirement that ensures State Department and USAID reconstruction aid will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Iraqi government
• An extension of federal unemployment benefits for workers who have exhausted their current benefits
• Funding to provide relief from floods and tornadoes in the Midwest and to strengthen New Orleans levees
H.R. 2642 now awaits consideration in the Senate.
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