U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) today voted against an appropriations bill originally intended to fund ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but which instead became so politicized that it will actually weaken our national security, further endanger the lives of our troops, and allow the majority to continue its reckless spending spree. Luetkemeyer and 367 of his House colleagues passed a clean supplemental bill in May that was strictly focused on meeting the needs of our military men and women, but now has been politicized by the liberal majority to use as vehicle to actually fund and help our enemies.  

“I strongly support our men and women in uniform and will continue to vote to give them the funding to complete their mission and return home safely. The bill I opposed today will provide aid to countries like Venezuela and Iran; release sensitive military photographs, which our military commanders have stated will further endanger the lives of our troops; make it easier for the administration to relocate dangerous terrorists from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States; and provide $5 billion less in funding for our troops than the clean troop funding bill I voted in favor of in May,” Luetkemeyer said. “Let me be clear: with this bill, the majority is using the men and women who are defending our country as political pawns to advance their liberal agenda.”

The bill passed today spends $5 billion less on our troops than the bill supported by Luetkemeyer and includes $108 billion for the International Monetary Fund to help bailout the economies of countries like Iran, Venezuela and Burma.

The spending bill also disregards the safety of our military by caving to the ACLU to allow the release of sensitive military photographs. Senior military commanders responsible for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, including General David Petraeus and General Ray Odierno, have stated that the release of these sensitive military photographs will further endanger the lives of our troops in the field. 

Also of great concern is that the supplemental spending bill has also removed an amendment prohibiting dangerous terrorists imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay from being transferred to the U.S. This legislation now allows terrorists being held at Guantanamo Bay to be brought into the U.S.  Luetkemeyer is a co-sponsor of the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act to prohibit the transfer of dangerous terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to the United States.

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