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Mr. WOMACK. I thank the gentleman for the time.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution.
It is important for people to remember that the issue that we are speaking about goes right to the heart of readiness. Never before in the history of this Nation have we been so reliant on our Guard and Reserve as now.
I am an example, Madam Speaker, of that reliance. It was my National Guard battalion that became the first to answer our Nation's call after 9/11 when my Gunslingers from Arkansas took the mission of the Multinational Force and Observers into Sinai, Egypt--and let me just add--on very short notice. We were able to go because we were trained and we were ready.
This sequester has already taken its toll on our military, so to deny these Guardsmen and Reservists their pay when they're making these sacrifices makes absolutely no sense to me. In fact, it's incredibly stupid for our country to be so shortsighted to try to make our political statements by denying the men and women of the Guard and Reserve the pay for their sacrifices.
I urge support of the resolution.
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