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There is nothing
nobler than serving one’s country during a time of
war. The brave men and women who volunteer to
protect America and American interests overseas are
truly heroes. As such, they deserve the full support
and protection of the U.S. Government both during
their tenure overseas and once they return home. To
forget those who sacrifice so much for our freedom
would be a travesty.
I strongly
believe that those serving to defend America should
have all the resources possible- including armor for
military vehicles- to come home safe and sound. That
is why I urged the Secretary of Defense last fall to
fully mobilize our nation’s industrial base to
provide our fighting men and women with the armor
they need to protect themselves.
As such, I recently
cosponsored legislation that will increase funding
for armored humvees. This funding is essential to
adequately protect American troops serving in harms
way in Iraq and Afghanistan. And this legislation,
which recently passed in the Senate, is a victory
for our troops and their families, as well as a
great step toward protecting our nation’s finest.
The
legislation, offered by Senate Armed Services
Committee Chairman John Warner (R-VA), increases
funding for procurement and armoring of Humvees by
$105 million for the Army and $340.4 million for the
Marine Corps. It would also require the Secretary
of Defense certify to the congressional defense
committees that the Army and Marine Corps have a
validated requirement for procurement of the
vehicles based on a statement of urgent needs from a
commander of a combatant command. It further
requires the Secretary of Defense to submit not
later than 15 days after an allocation of such funds
a report to the congressional defense committees a
report describing allocation of funds.
I will
also continue to urge Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld to take advantage of the capabilities
present at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. This
facility is uniquely situated to up-armor Humvees
used in combat operations overseas. The Maine
Military Authority is located there and operates the
Maine Readiness Sustainment Maintenance Center (MRSMC).
The MRSMC has a proven track record of refurbishing
military equipment for the National Guard Bureau (NGB).
Indeed, the MRSMC was recently awarded a contract
worth over $39 million to reset used vehicles to
factory conditions for the Army's 4th Infantry
Division.
I also
believe that while it is critical to provide
adequate protection to our troops when they are
overseas, we must not forget our veterans once they
return home. It would be unconscionable to fail to
provide adequate health care to those who have so
valiantly served our nation.
The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revealed last
month that it faces a significant shortfall in
health care funding. This announcement was a stark
reversal from the position it had previously held.
Less than three months ago, Congress was informed
that the Department of Veterans Affairs would not
require emergency appropriations for the current
fiscal year.
The Senate, however,
immediately sought to fix the funding shortfall and
passed legislation that would provide $1.5 billion
to close the gap. I both co-sponsored and voted for
this legislation as I feel it would be appalling to
forget those who have bravely served our nation and
put their lives on the line for our freedom. I also
supported subsequent legislation to ensure that this
funding is made available as soon as possible so
that VA services will not be disrupted.
What is most critical
right now is ensuring that all veterans and
returning soldiers have the resources necessary to
address their pressing health care needs. The
continuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have
strained the system, but we must not allow this
increased need to shortchange those who have
sacrificed so much for our country. The Senate also
passed a measure to extend the military’s Tricare
health care to reservists who are on standby for
deployment. This is clearly the right thing to do
and I will fight to ensure that this provision is
enacted into law.
In this
time of war and global unrest, each of us must
certainly make many sacrifices. However, we must not
sacrifice the safety and health of our nation’s
bravest men and women. Rather, we must do all we can
to support those who are fighting to defend our
country. Providing them with adequate armored
protection and healthcare is only the beginning and
I pledge to continue working to improve the lives of
those who are fighting for our freedom.
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