Boozman Upholds Bush Veto

Press Release

Boozman Upholds Bush Veto
Calls Old Bill Flawed, Exercise in Futility

U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today voted to uphold President Bush's veto of Democrat-backed Iraq war supplemental which included an arbitrary timeline for withdrawal and over $20 billion in pork-barrel spending.

"Today we can finally get to the business of properly funding our troops, instead of playing politics with their lives," Boozman said. "Today, we have the opportunity to put together a bipartisan plan to ensure our military has the resources it needs, while not hamstringing its commanders with a pre-planned date of withdrawal."

Today's attempted veto override mustered 222 votes, short of the 289 needed (accounting for the passing of two House members this year).

"As members of the legislative branch, we have the right to exercise our constitutional rights to oversight and accountability. However, those powers do not include war-planning, which is what this supplemental was tantamount to," Boozman said. "We have gone through a process which has resulted in nothing but photo-ops and soundbites. It is unfortunate that the leadership of the House put forward a flawed bill, loaded with pork, when we all knew it would be an exercise in futility.

"It is now time to put partisanship behind us and put something together which will get more than just 218 votes and give the President a truly bipartisan bill which will fully fund our troops," Boozman added.

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