On the recordOctober 9, 2013
I thank the gentleman from New Jersey and all of my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee who are bringing this up so quickly and for fast-tracking it. Mr. Speaker, I was in the Marine Corps. I did three tours: two in Iraq, one in Afghanistan. I served with these men and women. I have met their wives, their husbands, their kids, their families. I sat down with them. I've had dinner with them. I want to say from the bottom of my heart, I apologize for the shameful act of the administration's lawyers in determining that what we passed last month does not count for paying this death benefit. When the lawyers in the administration made the decision to not count the death benefit, they broke a sacred trust with our U.S. military men and women and those on the front lines. It is up to us in this Congress to restore that trust for the American people and for our military that we have sent to war for whom we have a responsibility.
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