Statement by Congressman Jeb Bradley on the Emergency Supplemental Conference Report

STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN JEB BRADLEY ON THE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL CONFERENCE REPORT

Today, I voted for the fiscal year 2005 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 368 to 58. This bill funds urgent fiscal year 2005 needs to protect our troops in the field and continue the fight on the global war on terrorism.

I recently returned from a trip to Iraq, where I had the opportunity to meet with many U.S. soldiers who put themselves in harm's way every day in the fight against terrorism. In order to win the War on Terror, we must provide our troops with the safest equipment and most up-to-date training available. The Supplemental appropriates $75.9 billion for military operations, including increased funding for vehicle armor kits, new trucks, night-vision equipment and radio jammers, which are used to disrupt attempts by Iraqi insurgents and foreign terrorists to explode remote-control devices and mines. Outfitting our soldiers with the best equipment in the field to get the job done is our highest priority.

The bill strengthens our efforts at home to thwart another potential terrorist attack on American soil. The bill includes provisions to create minimum standards for driver's licenses, stiffen rules on granting asylum to foreigners and speed the completion of a border fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. These reforms fulfill several recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission to protect our country from terrorist attacks and ultimately make our country safer.

The bill also provides for the families of our fallen heroes by increasing the one-time death gratuity for combat soldiers' families from $12,000 to $100,000, and increasing the maximum Service member Group Life Insurance benefits from $250,000 to $400,000, both of which are retroactive to October 7, 2001.

The bill includes $4.2 billion in emergency foreign aid, which includes funding for tsunami disaster relief and humanitarian assistance in the Darfur region of Sudan.

While I am disturbed that there are funds in the Supplemental devoted to projects sponsored by individual Members of Congress, I am pleased that these projects were reduced significantly during conference deliberations. The Emergency Supplemental is necessary to maintain our commitment to our troops.

http://www.house.gov/bradley/20050505_main.html