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Cornyn: Support For Troops Sacrificed For Political Support From Far Left

Urges Senate Democratic Leader to Return to Defense Authorization Bill

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, made the following statement today regarding the decision by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid to pull the Defense Authorization bill from consideration before the U.S. Senate.  This action follows the defeat of an amendment offered by the Democratic Leader to set an artificial deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq in the immediate weeks ahead:

“In 2005, Senator Reid spoke on the Senate floor and said, ‘We need to act on the Defense Authorization bill so we can get to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families the resources and support they deserve.’  Yet today, under political pressure from the far left, Senator Reid sacrificed this very legislation that he himself has said is needed for our troops serving on the front lines. 

“This is a stunning affront to the bravery and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.  Regardless of our differences on the war in Iraq, every Senator should be united behind providing our troops and their families with the resources that they need and deserve. 

“With their decision to pull the Defense Authorization bill, the Democratic leadership has made clear that supporting our troops is secondary to the political support of far left groups like MoveOn.Org. 

“I stand ready to work with all of my colleagues so that the much needed items in this bill can be delivered to our soldiers.  It is my hope that Senator Reid will reconsider his decision today and do what’s right for our men and women in uniform.”

Among the key provisions included in the Defense Authorization Bill are:  

• A 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for all uniformed service personnel effective January 1, 2008.
• Authorization to provide $4 billion for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, vehicles to protect our service members from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Authorization to provide over 25 critically important bonuses and special pays set to expire at the end of this calendar year (e.g., enlistment and reenlistment bonuses and health care professional incentive pays).
• The Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, which addresses support programs for wounded combat veterans and their families in a comprehensive manner, including numerous initiatives to address traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) specifically.  This was unanimously adopted by amendment to the bill.
• Authorization of new hiring and bonus authorities to assist the Department in recruiting and retaining needed health and mental care professionals.
• Authorization to add $2.7 billion for items on the Army Chief of Staff’s Unfunded Requirements List, including
  • $775.1 million for reactive armor and other Stryker requirements,
  • $207.4 million for aviation survivability equipment,
  • $102.4 million for combat training centers, and
  • Funding for explosive ordnance equipment, night vision devices, and machine guns.
• Authorization of $50 million in supplemental educational aid to local school districts affected by the assignment or location of military families     
• Authorization of payment of combat-related special compensation to service members who are medically retired due to a combat-related disability.

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

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