Coupons On Thier Way to Your Door in 24 Hours

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Bill Lets Taxpayers Opt Out of War Funding

I have always felt strongly about this. Quite frankly, it sickens me to see how some comgressmen and comgresswomen define "supporting our troops". It's as simple as this. Funding for our troops and the decision of if and when there is a pullout should never be addressed on the same piece of legislative paper.

The very idea of "supporting our troops" by not funding them to force them to come home is insulting to me. Do I want my wife to come home? Absolutely. Do I want her to not get the finding she needs to perform her job? Absolutely not!

I really don't know how to express the outrage I feel that this kind of thing is still being entertained. Work on resolving the issue of bringing them home or don't, but don't stop funding them while they're there.

Bill lets taxpayers opt out of war funding

By Amy Doolittle - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 31, 2007 19:01:32 EDT

A New York congresswoman has renewed an effort to divert money from the military by allowing taxpayers to opt out of funding the war in Iraq when they file their tax returns.

The bill, HR 3190, was introduced late last week and would let taxpayers choose to instead send their money to reduce national debt, finance the Head Start program or fund a college grant program for the children of veterans.

“Our brave service men and women have sacrificed too much already for a war that was ill-conceived and poorly managed,” said Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y. “The best way to support them is to bring them home, and if the American people make the choice to stop the funding, we can end this now.”

Unlike a similar bill introduced in June by Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., taxpayers under this legislation would not have to state a reason for their decision and would instead be required to check an opt-out box. While the Lewis bill calls for immediate troop withdrawal and would divert funding from the entire military to a religious peace tax fund, the Velazquez bill would block money only from funding the war and would still allow money to be spent on troop withdrawal and Iraq humanitarian relief.

The Lewis bill, HR 1921, which has 22 co-sponsors and was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, has not been scheduled for a hearing and is not likely to pass. The Velazquez bill, which has 30 co-sponsors, including Lewis, was referred to both the ways and means committee and the House Committee on Labor and Education. It is likely to face a similar fate.

No comments: