Political Quotes

“On August 1, the Committee on Armed Services reported H.R. 2586 with strong bipartisan support, a vote of 58-1. The bill authorizes appropriations for the Department of Defense and for the Department of Energy national security programs for a total of $343 billion in budget authority, consistent with the President's amended defense budget request. This bill is all that and more. The bill contains the largest military pay increase since 1982 and provides significant increases in funding for critical military readiness accounts. The bill also makes great strides in beginning to fix our crumbling military infrastructure and makes a modest down payment on our next priority, the modernization of our aging fleet of combat equipment. However, the bill also reflects the reality that existed prior to last Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the United States. The tragic events of September 11, 2001, have changed our Nation. They exposed our vulnerability to terrorism and removed forever the belief that Americans here at home were safe from the kinds of barbaric attacks that have occurred against our citizens, our military personnel, and our friends and allies overseas.”