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Wicker Applauds Passage of Bill to Fund Troops, Expand G.I. Benefits
From: Office of Sen. Roger
Wicker Filed 6/27/08 GCN
WASHINGTON
– U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today released the following
statement after the Senate voted last night in support of a supplemental
spending bill that provides needed funding for our troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan as well as an increase in G.I. benefits for members of our
military:
“This legislation provides important and
much-needed funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our soldiers
are making extraordinary progress in the war on terror, and their funding
should never be put in jeopardy. I am glad we were able to find the
bipartisan consensus to pass this legislation and send our troops the
funding they deserve.
“This bill also includes historic increases
in G.I. benefits for our service members by improving education benefits
and, for the first time, allowing members of the military to transfer
those benefits to their spouses or children. The members of our military
are deserving of these enhancements, which will also strengthen military
recruitment and retention efforts by attracting those who want to make a
career out of service to their country.
“As with every compromise bill, this bill is
not perfect. I am disappointed that funding for Gulf Coast restoration
and other important Mississippi projects was not included in this final
compromise version of the supplemental. I supported these provisions when
this bill was first approved by the Senate, and I look forward to
continuing to work at securing these funds as other legislative
opportunities materialize.”
Senator
Wicker is an Air Force veteran and a member of the Veterans Affairs
Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and the Commerce, Science and
Transportation Committee.
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