“It’s not a waste of time to the men and women in uniform; it’s not a waste of time for those who serve; and it’s not a waste of time for those who say goodbye to their families to defend America.”
Republican Leadership Press Conference
June 10, 2015
Participants:
Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH)
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA)
Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Chair McMorris Rodgers, Remarks as Prepared for Delivery:
“Certainly, moving forward on the trade bills is very important — it’s important to our economy and it’s important to our national security as Americans. I also wanted to address something that is extremely important, and that is our support to those who serve in our military — the men and women who put their lives on the line every day for the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans.
“While we’re voting on important legislation this week to fund the Department of Defense, right now we’re hearing from the Senate a refusal to even take up the defense bill. This is the defense bill that passed out of Senator McCain’s committee with overwhelming support, and yet Senator Reid went so far to say that it’s a ‘waste of time’ to take it up in the Senate. It’s not a waste of time to the men and women in uniform; it’s not a waste of time for those who serve; ad it’s not a waste of time for those who say goodbye to their families to defend America.
“I’m proud to represent Fairchild Air Force Base, the men and women who serve and are deployed regularly from the Spokane area. The Senate’s unwillingness to legislate and this refusal to support our troops is unacceptable. I urge Senate Democrats to rethink this position, take up the defense bills, and support all of those who keep us safe.”