Lewis: Despite delays, troop funding supplemental is finally something “we all can support”

Lewis: Despite delays, troop funding supplemental is finally something “we all can support”

WASHGINTON, D.C. – Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif), Ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, will today vote in favor of the long-waited emergency was funding supplemental legislation. This legislation was first requested by the White House in February of 2007, and has been at the center of a months-long political struggle to find a compromise version that Republican and Democrats in the House and Senate could accept, and that the President would sign into law.

Ranking Member Lewis had opposed a previous version of the supplemental in May due to extraneous spending and war policy provisions, and because of the abnormal legislative process by which it was considered.

“God created the world in seven days and destroyed it with a flood in 40. Our record here in the House isn’t so good. As of today, it’s taken this body 500 days to come up with a supplemental agreement,” Lewis said.  “This emergency supplemental funding for our troops is the single most important piece of legislation before Congress, and I am pleased that we are going to get these funds to our men and women in uniform as quickly as possible.”

Lewis also indicated that the supplemental package was a success for House Republicans, who made significant progress in the negotiations, including eliminating a tax increase, war policy restrictions, and billions in Senate-sponsored spending.

"We now have an agreement that we all can support that will by signed by the President,” Lewis said. “Even better, we can finally reward the service of our troops – who have been performing honorably and admirably over the last 500 days with this funding hanging over their heads - with adequate pay and support.”