As a member of Congress, I have no greater responsibility than defending the security of our Nation. I am committed to ensuring that the brave men and women of our military have the weapons, body armor, equipment, and training they need to protect themselves and our Nation.  

War on Terrorism

The United States must remain vigilant in seeking out and destroying terrorist organizations, like Al Qaeda, that seek to do our Nation harm. Working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I am committed to providing all the necessary resources to our military and taking all the necessary steps to eliminate these terrorist organizations. I believe we must refocus our attention on Afghanistan and make certain that the Taliban is not allowed to regain power.

The War in Iraq

Our men and women in uniform have performed brilliantly in Iraq and achieved every task laid before them. They deposed a ruthless dictator and have provided an opportunity for the Iraqi people to be free. We cannot, however, continue policing another nation indefinitely. Iraq is a sovereign nation, and the Iraqi people must begin standing up for their own country. The Iraqi people must choose to move beyond partisan and religious differences to create a peaceful and prosperous nation. However, the Iraqi government has failed to make the real gains needed for the creation of a lasting and stable nation. No amount of American military might can do that.

We must now begin refocusing our military focus on tracking and eliminating terrorist cells that wish to do us harm, not policing other nations.

9/11 Commission Recommendations:

The first bill considered by the House of Representatives in the 110th Congress, H.R. 1, provided for the implementation of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission recommendations.

This legislation, which the President signed into law August 3, 2007, contains strong measures to protect America from terrorism, including requirements to scan 100% of seaborne containers bound for the U.S. before they leave foreign ports within five years and the full screening of cargo on passenger planes with three years.

The legislation also ensures that our first responders will have interoperable communications systems by providing grants through the department of Homeland Security.

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008:

I was proud to support over $500 billion for the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2008 in the National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 4986. This legislation provides full support to troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, while meeting immediate military requirements and ensuring the military’s ability to deter and respond to future threats.

Additionally, this legislation provides a well-deserved 3.5% pay raise for all members of the Armed Forces.

The Defense Authorization also addresses the lack of oversight and accountability over the conduct of the war in Iraq by requiring that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to establish a Commission on Wartime Contracting. This Commission will study and investigate federal agency contracting for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan; the logistical support of coalition forces operating in Iraq and Afghanistan; and the performance of security functions in those operations. These measures were an integral part of H. Res. 97, of which I was an original co-sponsor.

Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007:

We owe a great debt to the men and women of Armed Forces, and those who are wounded in battle deserve the highest quality of care possible. Unfortunately, as we saw at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, that was not always happening. To ensure a situation like Walter Reed does not arise again, the 110th Congress passed and had signed into law, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act.

This legislation requires the assignment of a Case Manager to each servicemember receiving outpatient care at a Defense Department facility; requires the Defense Department to provide a formal, written plan of transition for a servicemember’s paperwork and necessary forms from the DOD to the VA; calls for fully interoperable medical records between the DOD and VA; and provides for an increase in mileage reimbursement and elimination of deductible for veterans traveling for VA medical care.

National Guard

The 110th Congress has created a Strategic Reserve Readiness Fund to rapidly address the equipment shortfalls facing our Nation’s military, especially our National Guard units. Additionally, we have strengthened National Guard preparedness for disaster response here at home.

I was proud to secure nearly $4 million for the North Carolina National Guard to improve the Asheville Field Maintenance Facility in the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill.

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Congressman Shuler chairs a hearing in the Small Business Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship

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