Sara Jacobs: “I hear my colleagues on the other side talk a lot about the needs from Afghanistan. What is interesting is that in the…”

“I hear my colleagues on the other side talk a lot about the needs from Afghanistan. What is interesting is that in the continuing resolution that this body passed just yesterday there was additional supplemental funding for Afghanistan, and yet my colleagues on the other side of the aisle decided to vote against it. I also hear them talk about the threats and the briefings that supposedly we were not in. I sit on both the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, I assure you, Mr. Speaker, I have been to every single one of those classified briefings on the threats. I am very aware of the threats. But we need to dispel the notion that our ability to respond to the threats depends solely on the size of our military. I am honored to represent San Diego, a proud military community. They don't need a larger budget. They need one that takes their needs into account, which means better wages and housing free of mold, childcare and job opportunities for their spouses, and they need a government that goes through every diplomatic channel before making the decision to send them to war. Earlier this month vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Hyten asked: Do you think any taxpayer in this country would believe that for $700 billion a year we can't have a great defense? Hyten said: We should be able to, and it is crazy that we can't. He is right.…”