Georgia Republicans vote to prevent Dems from playing political games with our troops

Members of the Georgia Republican Delegation today voted to prevent the Democratic Majority from using American servicemen and women serving in theater as a vehicle to promote their liberal agenda. This afternoon, the Democratic leadership attempted to use a procedural stunt to force Republicans into voting for a troop funding measure that was tied to troop withdrawal deadlines and tax increases for small business owners. The Members of the Georgia Republican Delegation strongly believe that we should support our troops with a clean funding measure that does not handcuff our commanders in the field or promote a radical domestic agenda.

Congressman Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10):
“Today, the Democratic leadership showed they cared less about supporting our troops than they did about increasing taxes and increasing spending. As a United States Marine, I will do everything I can to ensure that the needs of our troops and their families are met. I will not, however, allow the Democratic leadership to use our fighting men and women as pawns by which they can extort votes for an ever-increasing government funded by ever-increasing taxes. I encourage the Senate to adopt a bill that meets the urgent needs of our military personnel without heeding Speaker Pelosi’s call for increasing taxes and increasing wasteful spending.”

Congressman Phil Gingrey, M.D. (GA-11):
“The Members of the Georgia Republican Delegation are not going to stand by and allow the Democratic leadership to use the strength of our votes to further their leftist agenda of withdrawal deadlines, tax increases, and wasteful domestic spending. The Democrats’ actions on the floor today couldn’t provide a clearer picture of where their priorities lie – and it’s certainly not with our troops. Our brave men and women deserve a clean troop funding measure that gives them every opportunity to succeed in the Global War on Terror — not a cut-and-run Iraq policy packaged with an enormous tax increase — and we will accept no less.”

Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-01):
“To amend a troop funding bill with war policy is disingenuous. We feel strongly that the badly needed funding for our troops shouldn’t become a vehicle to pass a bunch of unrelated spending. Increasing unemployment, spending more money on the census, New Orleans levees and the Bureau of Prisons may be necessary and worth debating but it shouldn’t be put on an emergency war bill. These provisions, as well as the base bill, should go through the transparency and scrutiny of the committee process and not be airdropped on the House floor.”

Congressman Tom Price, M.D. (GA-06):
“Today’s vote is a stunning demonstration of how Democrats in the House view our brave troops. They are willing to tell our commanders how to run a war, yet deprive them of the money to execute it. For too long, the majority has relied on Republicans to carry their water to support our troops. Today, the curtain has been pulled back, and all that is left is extraneous spending, job-killing tax hikes, and handcuffs on our military. This is the result of government by fiat. House Democrats have hung our troops out to dry. Rather than soaking every action in partisan politics, it is time for real leadership. I call on Congress to pass a clean funding bill for our troops.”

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03):
“Speaker Pelosi showed once again that there is no sacred ground she won’t soil in her efforts to pander to the most liberal elements of American society. Not even the Democratic caucus is liberal enough for her. She completely hijacked the troop-funding process and handed it over to Moveon.org. Our generals have repeatedly told us we must have this funding by Memorial Day. We’re a week away from that deadline and the Democratic leaders have nothing to offer our soldiers but political games. Give us a bill that funds the troops and funds the troops only -- no Washington spending and no tax increases.”