John Hansen: “I stand in support of the resolution. When American troops are deployed on the field of battle it is the duty of every…”

“I stand in support of the resolution. When American troops are deployed on the field of battle it is the duty of every American offer them our clear support and prayers for their safe return home. That is why I will vote for a supplemental appropriations bill that not only pays today's bills in Kosovo, but also begins to meet the national security emergency caused by 7 years of neglect of our military forces by this administration. It is an emergency that we have troops fighting in Bosnia whose families are asked to survive on food stamps. It is an emergency the Air Force now has less cruise missiles than they have bombers to fire them. It is an emergency that as we call up 2,000 Air Force reservists for Kosovo, the Air Force still faces a shortage of over 2,000 pilots. And it is a grave emergency, that while we have gotten bogged down in a tiny country on the periphery of our vital interests, the Joints Chiefs of Staff have now confirmed that we face a 'very high risk' of not being able to respond to our vital national interests in major theaters such as the Persian Gulf or the Korean Peninsula. Support for our troops means more than a 'photo op' for the Commander-in-Chief. It means providing them all of the resources they need to safely and successfully complete their mission. Support for our troops also means not putting them in harm's way without a clear goal, which can be achieved by military means, and which supports our vital national interests.”