WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following statement on military funding legislation:
Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following statement on military funding legislation:
"Despite the divisions of a highly partisan year, Congress has managed to reach bipartisan consensus on the depth of our military's readiness crisis and the resources required to begin to fix it. That consensus is reflected in the five times Members from both parties and in both chambers, have voted overwhelmingly to support the defense resources contained in the bill now before us. To be clear, no one is arguing that we are appropriating too much money for the military, or that the needs of our men and women in uniform aren't urgent, or that we aren't running out of time to turn the readiness crisis around in the face of serious threats. Those issues are settled."
Opponents of this bill argue that we should put our urgent national security needs on hold until we reach a similar consensus on a whole host of other domestic programs. That is the approach we have taken for the past six years and the results are indisputable: the number of our troops killed in training accidents is increasing, our military capabilities are eroding, our enemies have become emboldened, and America is less secure. To continue to use defense funding as a political football in the face of these undisputed consequences is irresponsible. We know what needs to be done to begin to repair our military. Congress should approve these resources now."
