I recently wrote about evidence that the Democrats and Republicans have come together and acted like adults to increase troop strength, taking politics out of the equation. A bill has been introduced, HR3696 on the subject. This is neither a bipartisan bill, nor does it approach things in a responsible way, nor is it ever likely to see the light of day. All the backers of this bill are Democrats (yes, I checked the official list).
Increasing the mandated number of bodies without increasing the funds available to train, pay, and equip these new soldiers is a recipe for more military deaths in future. This is a horrible idea and the 26 sponsors/cosponsors should be ashamed of themselves.
The roll-call of shame (from the Library of Congress' bill summary):
Original Sponsor:
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10]
Cosponsers:
Rep Alexander, Rodney - 12/8/2003 [LA-5]
Rep Brady, Robert - 12/8/2003 [PA-1]
Rep Cooper, Jim - 12/8/2003 [TN-5]
Rep Davis, Susan A. - 12/8/2003 [CA-53]
Rep Edwards, Chet - 12/8/2003 [TX-11]
Rep Evans, Lane - 12/8/2003 [IL-17]
Rep Frost, Martin - 12/8/2003 [TX-24]
Rep Hill, Baron P. - 12/8/2003 [IN-9]
Rep Holden, Tim - 12/8/2003 [PA-17]
Rep Holt, Rush D. - 12/8/2003 [NJ-12]
Rep Israel, Steve - 12/8/2003 [NY-2]
Rep Larsen, Rick - 12/8/2003 [WA-2]
Rep Larson, John B. - 12/8/2003 [CT-1]
Rep McIntyre, Mike - 12/8/2003 [NC-7]
Rep Meehan, Martin T. - 12/8/2003 [MA-5]
Rep Meek, Kendrick B. - 12/8/2003 [FL-17]
Rep Moran, James P. - 12/8/2003 [VA-8]
Rep Murtha, John P. - 12/8/2003 [PA-12]
Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. - 12/8/2003 [TX-27]
Rep Reyes, Silvestre - 12/8/2003 [TX-16]
Rep Rodriguez, Ciro - 12/8/2003 [TX-28]
Rep Skelton, Ike - 12/8/2003 [MO-4]
Rep Smith, Adam - 12/8/2003 [WA-9]
Rep Taylor, Gene - 12/8/2003 [MS-4]
Rep Turner, Jim - 12/8/2003 [TX-2]
If you have the misfortune to be living in anyone of these people's districts, make this an issue and ask them why they signed onto the kill more soldier's act of 2003 (HR3696). Good equipment and good training means the US has an incredibly low casualty rate. How dare these people try to jeapordize it? More troops and more money have to go hand in hand.
Posted by TMLutas at December 15, 2003 05:09 PM