Arrington Statement on the Bipartisan Budget Act
Washington, DC,
February 9, 2018
Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) released the following statement after the House passed the Bipartisan Budget Act.
“While I have serious concerns about our nation’s unsustainable spending and debt, the more immediate threat is our military readiness and the safety of our troops. The almost $200 billion in cuts during the Obama Administration have crippled our armed forces, compromised our national security, and cost the very lives of the men and women who defend our homeland and our freedom. I will support this funding agreement because our servicemen and women need us, but not without major reservations regarding our country's greatest long term enemy - the national debt.
“This is the political reality. As long as we need Senate Democrat votes to fully fund our military, they will always demand corresponding funds for domestic programs. However, this budget agreement provides some good things beyond strengthening our defense such as limiting the amount of non-defense spending and directing non-defense funds to our national priorities such as infrastructure, disaster relief, and veteran services.
“As both a defense and budget hawk, I wrestled with the dilemma of increasing our national debt or weakening our national security. Then, I asked myself this question: If my son or daughter were on the frontlines of battle - given the military’s current state of disrepair - how would I vote? Countless families in our district, home to Dyess Air Force base, face the reality of that question every day, and I would be doing them and our troops a grave disservice if I voted against this bill to fully fund our troops.
“This long-term funding deal will finally give our servicemen and women the budget certainty they so desperately need. It will also begin rebuilding our dilapidated military in order to better respond to the imminent threats that not only endanger our safety, but that of our ‘sons and daughters’ in uniform.
“In addition to increased funding for our military, this legislation includes critical support for our farmers by restoring cotton to the agriculture safety net, a solution we have long been fighting for. As the largest cotton-producing district in the country, this farm policy fix will save billions of dollars and secure a prosperous future for the next generation of West Texans. Other benefits from this legislation include, bolstering access to rural health care, repealing the Obamacare ‘slush fund’ and ‘death panel’, and reducing the backlog of veterans waiting months to see a doctor.
“Finally, this bill prevents Democrats from holding our troops hostage over amnesty for illegal immigrants and the bailout of Obamacare.”
BACKGROUND
Arrington worked closely with House and Senate leadership to ensure a fix for cotton was included in the supplemental appropriations bill. Click HERE for more information.
Earlier this week, Arrington led a letter to House leadership urging them to immediately extend expired Medicare payment programs that protect local access to health care for millions of rural Americans. In addition to sending the letter, Arrington authored the Healthcare Enhancement for America’s Rural Towns (HEART) Act, budget-neutral legislation aimed at preventing rural hospital closures by extending the Low-Volume Adjustment Program and the Medicare Dependent Hospital Program. Click HERE for more information.
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