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Congressman John T. Salazar -- Defending Rural Values -- Third District of Colorado
  For immediate release  
  March 15, 2005  
 

Congressman Salazar: Give Our Troops the Resources They Need Now 

 
 

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John T. Salazar (CO-3) voted today to provide emergency funds to support our troops and the war in Iraq.

“This past weekend, Colorado welcomed home the 143rd Signal Company of the Colorado Army National Guard. We honor the sacrifices these men and women have made and welcome them home.

We must ensure the safety and well being of the brave men and women who are still serving our country overseas.

By passing this budget supplemental, we send a message to our troops that, “we support you in your cause to bring freedom and democracy to the world.”

I commend the committee for proposing to increase funding for vehicle armor kits, new trucks and night vision equipment above and beyond the administration’s request.

This money will ensure our troops are safe in the line of fire.

I am also very pleased that H.R. 1268 proposes to increase benefits for military personnel.

For too long, life insurance and death gratuity benefits have not been enough to take care of families who lost a loved one.

I urge my colleagues to support these two important provisions and not allow them to be stripped from the bill.

Although I will be voting for this supplemental, I hope in the future we will not have vote for supplemental appropriations.

I hope in the future we will vote on the funding of military operations during the budgeting process.

We are dealing with known and fixed costs in this supplemental.

It is time for the Congress to send a message to the Administration that we must include future funding for the war on terrorism in the federal budget.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support our troops and pass H.R. 1268. I yield back the balance of my time.

 
 

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