Jim Matheson: “two long years have passed since our soldiers left for Iraq. We all have constituents serving overseas now and it's…”

“two long years have passed since our soldiers left for Iraq. We all have constituents serving overseas now and it's these brave men and women and their families that I keep in mind these days. I wish that we had more people on their way home, than on their way to Iraq right now. Last week, soldiers from the Triple Deuce--a field artillery battalion headquartered in my district--left home for final training at Camp Shelby. After that they'll be sent to Iraq for the next year. Members of the Triple Deuce include a small town mayor, a local fire chief and many ordinary citizens who--when we are not at war--make up the fabric of everyday life in Utah. These Americans are in the infantry. They're going to serve our country in a dark corner of the Middle East and I'm very worried about them. But I do know that they have lots of loved ones and fellow Utahns back home thinking about them and praying for them. I heard that their family and friends lined the streets of St. George today to say goodbye and I wish I could have been there too. This is a good bill--I'm proud to support it. My vote will go towards more armor, more vehicles, better weapons, and better compensation for the countless soldiers who are serving our country. We all want these brave Americans to return home as soon as possible. I believe that we need to accurately measure our progress in Iraq and continue taking care of our troops.…”