Wilson Statement on Supplemental Funding Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2009

Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) issued the following statement today after Democrats hijacked legislation meant to fund our troops in harm’s way by loading the bill up with billions in unrelated spending – including a $5 billion down payment on a $108 billion loan to the International Monetary Fund and a $1 billion line item to incentivize Americans to buy new cars.

“It is a rather sad statement that the majority could not see fit to fund our brave military personnel without including a global bailout paid for by American taxpayers. The level of funding for our troops that was originally approved by the House of Representatives and which I wholeheartedly supported had to be cut in order to make available these global bailout funds. Nevertheless, the majority felt inclined to trade troop funding for bailout funding.

“It is also important to note that in an effort to strike a deal, the majority chose to remove specific provisions that would have prohibited the release of inflammatory photos. These photos would incite violence against the very men and women this bill was originally supposed to be all about. But, again, rather than build upon the broad bipartisan support this bill had originally, the majority has chosen to use it as a vehicle to appease the far left of their party.”

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