PenceBlog: Supporting the Troops - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence : 6th District Of Indiana

During the recent floor debate on the bill to provide supplemental funding for the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Congressman Pence made the following remarks, dedicating his vote in favor of the supplemental funding to the memory of Master Sergeant Michael Hiester of Bluffton, Indiana. Pence's comments follow:

"Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the emergency war supplemental and commend the new chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Jerry Lewis and members of his committee for their work on this legislation.

"I traveled to Iraq in March of last year to meet with troops and local Iraqi leaders. Having witnessed firsthand the challenges and opportunities they face, I can tell you that heroes and the future of the Middle East are being forged every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. And while much work remains, I am more confident than ever in the justness of our cause.

"And, Mr. Speaker, I remain confident that we here in Congress must demonstrate the idealism and perseverance that I witnessed among the men and women serving in our armed forces, our allies and the good people of Iraq. And we can do so by passing the $82 billion of assistance before us today.

"The men and women who liberated Iraq deserve our very best for their sacrifice.

"It was just this morning I received an email from Dawn Hiester, the courageous widow of Master Sgt. Michael Hiester who fell in Afghanistan along with four other Hoosiers the day before Easter. The courage in her email inspired and moved my wife and I to such an extent that I rise today to dedicate my humble efforts and my vote today in favor of this emergency war supplemental in memory of Master Sgt. Hiester and his brave wife.

"Additionally, Mr. Speaker, Chairman Lewis has wisely included $635 million in budgetary resources for increased border security and enforcement. This also is a critical advance in the war on terror This money will help hire, train, equip and support an additional 500 border patrol agents and relieve current facility overcrowding. We’ll also provide addition resources for training.

"It will further allow the Department of Homeland Security to hire and train additional criminal investigators and Immigration Enforcement Agents and recognizes what the 911 Commission concluded: that for the terrorists, travel documents are every bit as powerful and important as weapons.

"This legislation will require that all states must require proof of lawful presence in the U.S. if their drivers’ licenses are to be accepted as a form of identification as a travel document to a federal official including federal officials working at airports for the Transportation Security Administration.

"And so I say we are doing our part to provide for the common defense, we are standing with our soldiers abroad as they fight on the front lines of the war on terror. But this legislation also importantly and urgently speeds added resources to the fight here at home with its increased complement of support for border security and travel security. I applaud again Chairman Jerry Lewis and the House Appropriations Committee for their principled and disciplined manner of approaching this legislation and I urge my colleagues to affirm their leadership with a yea vote and urge the passage of the emergency war supplemental."

posted by Pence Press Office # 6:57 AM