Roy Blunt: “I thank Mr. Lewis for yielding. All I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that it is about time that we got this job done. Three…”

“I thank Mr. Lewis for yielding. All I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that it is about time that we got this job done. Three and a half months to respond to our troops and to their families is too long. Frankly, I think if we had been interested in getting this job done, most of us could have taken out a yellow legal pad and written 30 or 60 or maybe even as much as 90 days ago what the House would finally vote on that would solve this impasse in supporting our troops. While we have let this process drag on, the military has had to cancel noncritical contracts, defer home station unit training activities, defer any nonabsolutely critical orders for spare parts, defer maintenance, put off summer programs that have affected spouses and families while military personnel were assigned to Iraq, and that is unfortunate. What is fortunate is that we have come up with a bill that funds the needs of the troops and sets benchmarks for the Iraqis. House Republicans have been saying since January this bill needs to include benchmarks for the Iraqis. I have been saying almost since that time those benchmarks need to have consequences. We have done that in this bill, and that is a good thing. We are requiring the Iraqis to step up and do their part of the job. Equitable distribution of oil resources is something that needs to happen if this country is going to achieve stability.”