Senator
John Boozman Delivers Weekly Republican Address
June 27, 2015
Hi, I’m Senator John Boozman from
Arkansas.
In an era where we face growing
challenges from China and Russia as well as the persistent threat of terrorism,
Republicans and Democrats alike say they want the United States to maintain its
military dominance.
However, those words must be
matched with action. We must take the necessary steps to protect our country
from the evolving dangers facing our nation and its citizens and continue
offering security to those people who face tyranny and oppression around the
world.
The threats and challenges of the
21st century require a military that is manned and equipped with the newest
technology, equipment, and training. Accomplishing this requires that we
provide the Department of Defense the resources necessary to make these
updates.
This is a priority for Senate
Republicans. That’s why we are fulfilling the promise to make the Senate work
for the American people and return to regular order.
As a member of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, my colleagues and I are prioritizing how we spend
taxpayer dollars. This is a basic responsibility of Congress that for too long
was ignored by the Democrat-controlled Senate.
There should be no question that
ensuring our service members have the training [and] equipment they need to
fulfill their missions is a worthwhile use of taxpayer dollars.
The role of the federal
government is to defend our country and we must take appropriate steps to
maintain the readiness of our troops. This is reflected in the work we’ve done
in the Appropriations Committee, where the Defense Appropriations bill passed
with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Unfortunately, Senate Democrats
are working to stop funding these priorities that will keep the men and women
of our military safe, protect our nation against security threats, and help us
fight violence around the world.
This strategy to avoid Senate
debate of the Defense Appropriations bill risks serious damage to our national
and global security.
Blocking this bill reduces
readiness by depriving service members of the supplies they need to effectively
carry out their missions.
It deprives the Department of
Defense the budget certainty and ability to plan that comes when Congress
passes this legislation in a timely manner.
Unfortunately, the last time this was accomplished was in 2006.
We must remember that our enemies
around the world view this political gridlock as a sign of weakness.
This perception invites our
enemies to create chaos and engage in aggressive, destabilizing behavior. Look no further than Russia’s actions in Eastern
Ukraine as a prime example.
Arkansas is a proud contributor
to our nation’s defense. More than 15,000 Arkansans selflessly and proudly
serve our country.
It’s home to facilities that help
produce ammunition, explosives, artillery shells, rockets and missiles that are
all vital to combat operations our service members rely on during their
missions.
The protection of our troops and
the safety and security of our nation is not a game, but Democrats are willing
to play politics with our military to get more money for the agencies that have
abused their power like the Environmental Protection Agency and the IRS.
There will be plenty of time to
debate our domestic spending priorities. Now is not that time.
Our servicemen and women are the
reason we live in the greatest, freest nation the world has ever known. They
are beacons of light for people around the world looking for hope from
oppressive and abusive regimes.
To offer our thanks and
appreciation, we must pass the Defense Appropriations bill to ensure our service
members have every tool that they need to carry out their mission and return
home to their families safely.
As we approach Independence Day,
let’s remember the valuable role of our men and women in uniform and keep them
in our thoughts and prayers.
Happy Independence Day and may
God Bless America! |
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