Charles Skelton: “for the most part, Congress looks at national defense with a bipartisan eye. I am proud to say that I have served with…”

“for the most part, Congress looks at national defense with a bipartisan eye. I am proud to say that I have served with five chairmen of the Committee on Armed Services of both parties and of various viewpoints. The number of substantive disagreements on matters of national security have been rewardingly few. That is why so many of my colleagues and I were encouraged to see both candidates for President urging increases in funding for national defense. That is why President Bush and Vice President Cheney's declaration that help is on the way sounded welcome to many congressional ears. That is also why it does not sit too well with us to hear that the President has now decided that no increase is needed, either for next year's budget or to pay the bills already clogging the Pentagon's in-box. I have to say that it probably does not sit too well with a lot of the military officers who broke tradition to publicly endorse the President, either. But the issue is not 'I told you so.' It is, instead, about how are we going to get our parents, siblings, and children who are in uniform the resources they need to do their jobs. The world is an unstable place, and the United States cannot afford to ignore any part of it. That is why our military is working so hard. That is why the cost of keeping our people trained, fed, and properly equipped is so high. We do not get good people by neglecting their needs.…”