Hartzler: Mr. President, it is wrong to play politics with safety of our troops

(From Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler)

The primary Constitutional requirement of America’s federal government is to provide for the common defense. We must ensure the protection of our homeland by providing our men and women in uniform the resources they need to protect us from our enemies. The U.S. House and Senate have approved a bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to give our military the funding needed to do just that – but President Obama is vowing to risk our security by threatening to veto this important legislation.

The veto threat stems from his desire for more domestic spending. With this misguided threat, President Obama is telling the American people he is willing to sacrifice our national defense and the safety of our troops to pander to his political base that wants to see more tax dollars spent on domestic social programs.

It is wrong to play politics with the safety of our troops and the security of the American people. Yet, that is precisely what President Obama is threatening to do. At a time when America and its allies face threats from terrorists and rogue nations like Iran and North Korea, President Obama is defying logic by warning that he will veto a national defense bill because he wants more money to expand social spending, raising our bloated national debt to even higher levels.

This threat, if carried out, will be seen right here at home. The legislation President Obama threatens to hold up provides for funding of our airmen and the A-10 at Whiteman Air Force Base as well as funding to train and protect our troops who may be deployed from Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County. In short, the President is playing a dangerous political game with American lives and with our country’s safety.

The bipartisan agreements contained in the NDAA not only provide needed benefits for our troops – they cut waste and provide much-needed reforms. It is time for our Commander in Chief to approve the compromises reached by Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate. It is time for him to realize this is not a domestic spending bill. It is the time for him to provide for the common defense. It is NOT the time for a politically-motivated veto.