On the recordApril 7, 2011
that brings to 43 the number of bipartisan Senators, including the Presiding Officer, who are supporting the bill that will assure that our military personnel are paid even if there is a government shutdown. We all realize the stress that a military person and a family are under if that military person, especially, is deployed overseas. We have troops in Afghanistan. I was talking to my staff a minute ago, and he heard from one of his friends in Afghanistan, on his ninth deployment, who had heard about our bill and he thanked us for realizing there might be a delay in the military pay and for trying to address it if, in fact, the government is shut down. His ninth deployment, and he is worried about whether he is going to be paid on time so his family, with a 1-year-old child, will be able to make sure and pay the mortgage on the first of the month. Oh, my gosh, what are we thinking here? I think there are certainly legitimate disagreements about the spending and the budget. I am one who believes we should be cutting the spending. I think the ways to get there are certainly legitimate areas of disagreement.…
