Rep. Wicker Signs Discharge Petition In Support Of Troops

REP. WICKER SIGNS DISCHARGE PETITION IN SUPPORT OF TROOPS

U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS) has joined the effort to force a vote in the House of Representatives to prevent Congress from cutting off funds for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Texas Congressman Sam Johnson introduced legislation mandating that Congress fully fund U.S. military personnel engaged in the war against terror, but the House Democratic leadership will not allow the bill to be considered. House rules allow for legislation to be brought to the floor without the consent of the majority leadership by means of a discharge petition. Rep. Wicker has signed the petition, which requires the support of 218 members, a simple majority in the House.

"Members of Congress should stand and be counted on the record about whether they support providing the resources our troops need to carry out their mission," Rep. Wicker said. "This legislation is in stark contrast to the Democrat plan in the supplemental appropriations bill, which amounts to a back-door effort to cut off funding."

Rep. Wicker said the Democrats' proposal containing deadlines for troop withdrawal and benchmarks for progress that cannot be met "signals to our enemies to bide their time and wait us out. This kind of micromanagement from Capitol Hill undermines the military effort to win in Iraq and the global war on terror."

The Congressman said, "Our military personnel are watching what we do here. We should be sending a loud and clear message that we support them fully. We should be given the opportunity to debate and vote on Rep. Johnson's resolution."

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