U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release December 28, 2007		CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630 Cody Wertz 303-350-0032
Sen. Salazar Statement on President Bush Veto of Defense Authorization Bill DENVER, CO – United States Senator Ken Salazar released the following statement after President Bush announced he would veto the 2008 Defense Authorization bill, which passed overwhelmingly in the House 370-49 and cleared the Senate on a 90-3 vote earlier this year. Senator Salazar worked to include several amendments in the bill, including amendments that will help curb encroachment around military bases, address Army expansion at Pinon Canyon, and hold DOD’s feet to the fire in completing weapons destruction at the Pueblo Chemical Depot. The bill also includes a .5 percent pay increase that is crucial to our service men and women and their families. “I am extremely disappointed that at the eleventh hour President Bush has said he will veto the Defense Authorization Bill. The President should have raised his concerns earlier as the bill was in Congress so we could have addressed them without it coming down to a veto. In vetoing this bill he is jeopardizing several Colorado priorities that support our troops and their families, strengthens our military installations and bolsters our National Security. Upon returning in January, we must make this one of our top priorities to pass this bill and get it enacted into law.” ###