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FOXX ACTS TO EQUIP TROOPS, GUARD BORDERS, PROTECT LIFE
Washington, DC,
May 25, 2005
Tonight United States Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.-5) took yet another step to help keep America safe. She joined her colleagues in voting for H.R. 1815, The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, which passed the House 390 to 3
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tonight United States Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.-5) took yet another step to help keep America safe. She joined her colleagues in voting for H.R. 1815, The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, which passed the House 390 to 39. This balanced and comprehensive package will help ensure our troops have the resources needed to carry out their missions and win the War on Terror. "The number one priority of the Federal Government is to provide for a strong national defense and I am glad to see that we are taking care of our chief responsibility," said Rep. Foxx. The bill authorizes $441 billion for the Department of Defense and other national security programs. In addition, it allots $49.1 billion in supplemental costs to help fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and will add 10,000 active duty Army troops and 1,000 active duty Marine troops. These supplemental funds will also be used to purchase new equipment such as humvees, body armor, night vision devices, and improvised explosive device jammers. The Congresswoman said that while she is pleased with the progress being made in the War on Terror, we cannot neglect our homeland. Therefore, she supported an amendment introduced by Rep. Virgil Goode (Va.-5) to permit troops to patrol the borders in an effort to prevent terrorists, illegal aliens and drug traffickers from entering the United States. "I urge my colleagues to support the Goode Amendment so that we can continue fighting terror in the streets of Baghdad and in the mountains of Afghanistan - rather than in our cities and communities," said Rep. Foxx during debate earlier this afternoon. "Without the Goode Amendment, the Authorization Bill is incomplete - and its goals are unmet." Rep. Foxx also spoke on the House floor today to oppose an amendment introduced by Rep. Susan Davis (Calif.-53). Her amendment sought to mandate federal dollars to fund abortions at military facilities. "Military treatment centers -- which are dedicated to healing, nurturing and saving life -- should not be forced to facilitate the taking of the most innocent human life: the child in the womb," she said. "This amendment is a barely germane, blatant distraction from the important bill we are considering today." Rep. Foxx added that the amendment "... contradicts fundamental U.S. military values such as honor, courage and taking responsibility for one's own actions." Foxx said that as a steward of hardworking Americans' tax dollars, she could not ask her constituents to fund the killing of innocent human life on military bases. The Davis amendment was defeated. ### |