Hartzler urges Congress to prioritize national defense

Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler says that any money saved through eliminating waste in the defense budget should be reinvested in defense. From her news release:

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, is calling on leaders of the U.S. House to write a budget plan for 2012 that continues to provide a strong commitment to national defense. She and a group of fellow congressional freshmen are leading the charge to protect defense spending by sending a letter today to House leaders asking them to adhere to their “Pledge to America” commitment to a strong American military.

“While we look for ways to reduce runaway federal spending, we must remember that one of our main directives as representatives of the people is to ‘provide for a common defense,’” Hartzler said. “I support efforts to stop any wasteful spending at the Defense Department, but believe any efficiencies should be reinvested in our fighting men and women. We must keep in mind that the costs of protecting America are the first claim on the budget. We are fighting wars on two fronts, in Afghanistan and Iraq, and must be alert to emerging nuclear threats from rogue nations like Iran and North Korea. For the men and women who are risking their lives for America, we must replace aging military equipment that makes their work even more dangerous and difficult, especially when quick response must be vital to our military thinking.”

“President Obama’s budget request is unacceptable,” concluded Hartzler. “For five years running, he seeks to cut baseline funding for national security and shift national defense resources to domestic spending like ObamaCare. This is short sighted and wrong. It would put our servicemen and women and their missions at risk. As the House Budget Resolution for the 2012 fiscal year is drafted I ask that Republican leaders fund our military and related national security programs above President Obama’s request level. Our men and women serving our country deserve no less.”