Congressman McCaul Votes to Fund Troops, GI Bill Democrats Finally Negotiate
AUSTIN – Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) voted to give American military forces fighting on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan the funding they need through an emergency supplemental budget bill. The Republican-backed $165.4 billion in war funding will cover costs through summer 2009. It passed the U.S. House Thursday after a several month impasse with Democrats controlling Congress.
"Today we can finally prove to our brave men and women risking their lives on the front lines of the war in Iraq and the War on Terror that we support your efforts to defend this nation and we will give you the proper tools to do it," said Rep. McCaul. "I’m glad the Democrats finally came to the negotiating table to support our troops. It’s unfortunate that it took this long.
"These men and women are the ones who keep our families safe here at home. I have been to Iraq and have seen them defending this country with honor and dignity, and I have comforted families in my district whose son or daughter gave their life for the rest of us. It is unimaginable that the Democrats controlling Congress, controlling the money we spend, would deny our service men and women funding for this long."
Congressman McCaul has consistently advocated for full funding of our men and women in harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan and has opposed Congress micromanaging the war from Washington.
In addition to funding our troops, the supplemental also requires the Iraqi government to match U.S. aid for that country’s reconstruction dollar for dollar. And the bill no longer contains the Democrats’ provision that existed in a previous version of the bill which set a timetable for troop withdraw.
GI Benefits
Congressman McCaul also voted to prioritize our veterans’ heath and education needs. The supplement includes $62.8 billion to expand education benefits veterans receive under the GI bill to restore the promise of a full, four-year college education. It allows service members to transfer those benefits to their spouses and children once they have met length of service requirements. And it makes veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan part of an American economic recovery, similar to the veterans of World War II. (Details attached)
"Our service men and women, with the support of their families, have volunteered to risk their lives for our nation," Rep. McCaul said. "We have an obligation to help them further their education and support their families by allowing them to transfer their benefits to their spouses and children. Not only will this relieve a great financial burden on our service members, but it will increase their families’ professional opportunities."
VA Hospitals
Congressman McCaul’s vote also includes $4.6 billion for military construction and veterans hospitals. That figure is nearly double the president’s request. It includes $863 million for military hospitals, $396 million for VA hospitals and polytrauma centers, and more than $210 million for the military child care centers that the President announced in the State of the Union but never funded.
The emergency supplemental also includes funding for:
Disaster Relief
: $2.65 billion to ensure that critical resources are available to respond to disasters in the wake of tornadoes and flooding in the Midwest.
Bureau of Prisons
: $178 million urgently needed to meet rising incarceration costs and growing inmate population. The administration would have paid for these costs with cuts to state and local law enforcement.
Border Security
: $465 million to send military equipment to Mexico to assist with efforts to eradicate the drug cartels. Congressman McCaul agrees with this military strategy to keep the violence from spilling into Texas, but firmly believes we must also provide more funding and resources to our federal agents and border sheriffs on the U.S. side. Congressman McCaul will continue to offer amendments to secure that funding.