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| Wilson Supports Funding for Troops |
March 16, 2005 |
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House Passes Bill That Funds Training for Iraqis & Armor for American Troops
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today voted for $81 billion in funding for our troops which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 388-43.
Wilson, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, said the bill contains important funding of equipment for U.S. troops in the field.
“The American military is the best equipped, best trained, and most capable in the world,” Wilson said. “Our troops are shouldering great responsibilities, and American men and women in dangerous areas must have the equipment to do the job. Nothing less is acceptable.”
“Since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, we’ve witnessed two historic turning points – the turnover of authority to an interim Iraqi government and the first free election,” Wilson said. “Whether our troops are securing a military post or setting up a school, we have to make sure they have the tools they need.”
“Our men and women in uniform are doing a great job in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world. They deserve our support,” Wilson said.
The Emergency Supplemental Wartime Appropriations Act, H.R. 1268, provides $81.3 billion for fiscal year 2005. President Bush had requested $81.9 billion.
Highlights
· Body Armor: $75 million for 47,000 new sets of body armor. In the past two years 535,000 sets of body armor have been purchased for our troops.
· Armored Vehicles: $185 million for an additional 1700 armored Humvees, and $800 million to add-on armor. In the past two years, 7,400 up-armored humvees have been funded at a cost of $1.66 billion.
· Hardened Facilities: $408 million to protect troops including $108 million for Concrete Masonry Unit barracks in higher threat areas.
· Life Insurance: The one-time disbursement for combat fatalities is increased from $12,000 to $100,000. The maximum Group Life Insurance disbursement is increased from $250,000 to $400,000.
· Iraqi Security Training: $5.7 billion to train and equip the Iraqi security forces, and $1.3 billion to train and equip the security forces in Afghanistan.
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