Joe Biden: “Mr. President amendment No. 3142 is very simple. It provides the $23.6 billion in funding needed to replace every Army…”

“Mr. President amendment No. 3142 is very simple. It provides the $23.6 billion in funding needed to replace every Army up-armored HMMWV in Iraq with a mine resistant ambush protected, or MRAP, vehicle. Our commanders in the field tell us that MRAPs will reduce casualties by 67 to 80 percent. The lead commander on the ground in Iraq, LTG Ray Odierno told us months ago that he wanted to replace each of the Army's approximately 18,000 up-armored HMMWVs in Iraq with an MRAP. Instead of adjusting the requirement immediately, the Pentagon has taken its time to study this issue. Slowly they are getting there. We have seen this movie before with the body armor and with the up-armored HMMWVs. Until Congress insisted that the better protection be fielded to all those in Iraq, it was not. So, today, we are insisting that the Army get all of the 18,000 MRAPs the commanders in the field have asked for. To be honest, I cannot understand why it is taking so long to agree to replace them all. It makes no sense.”