Jim Costa: “this House on a bipartisan basis overwhelmingly supported our troops last week by giving them a 3.5 percent pay raise…”

“this House on a bipartisan basis overwhelmingly supported our troops last week by giving them a 3.5 percent pay raise over the next year. What is our President's response? A threatened veto. In a statement opposing the higher pay raise, the administration noted that the President's proposal, in their opinion, provided a good quality of life for servicemembers and families. Mr. President, apparently you have not read the 2004 Kaiser Family Foundation report that indicates that over one in five military families rely on food stamps or WIC for Federal aid. This is simply unacceptable. The best way we can send a message to our troops that we support the grueling work that they do on a daily basis is by showing it, by putting more money in their pockets so they can better provide for their families. The bottom line is that men and women fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan should not have to supplement their income through living on food stamps or WIC. We encourage the President to reconsider the veto threat and to support the entire pay raise.”