HOUSE PASSES DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL 362-40

“Duty, honor, country!” General Douglas MacArthur said that the “Long Gray Line” had never failed us and we must never fail them.

This Veterans Day, the House of Representatives has kept faith with America’s courageous defenders, overwhelmingly approving an historic $401 billion Defense Authorization bill for 2004.

The House voted 362 to 40 for Congressman Duncan Hunter’s bill, reflecting broad, bi-partisan support for defense programs at a time when U.S. armed forces are engaged in battle in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.

Once again, the entire San Diego/Imperial County delegation, including Democrat Susan Davis, voted to support our service men and women—except Bob Filner.

When passed by the Senate and signed by President Bush, soldiers’ and sailors’ pay will increase 4.1 percent. Combat pay and family separation allowances will rise. “Freedom to Train” portions of the bill strike a reasonable balance between nature and national security, protecting military training grounds like Camp Pendleton from frivolous lawsuits.

New air refueling tankers, desperately needed by our airmen at Naval Air Stations North Island and El Centro, will begin rolling off assembly lines at Boeing in 2005. Billions of dollars for shipbuilding and space technology mean thousands of jobs for our region.

The bill also authorizes $7.6 billion to hire local firefighters, crucial funding for Southern California communities faced with the constant threat of wildfires.

More than 3,000 non-citizen soldiers have served in the War on Terror. They will now be permitted to apply for U.S. citizenship after one year of service, instead of three years. Families of “Green Card” soldiers killed in the line of duty will be cared for.

For the first time since 1892, more than a quarter million retired veterans who are 50 percent or more disabled will receive “concurrent receipt” of both military retirement and disability pensions. Purple heart and other combat veterans will receive full benefits. Reservists and National Guard members will also be eligible.

Veterans Secretary Tony Principi said, “for 100 years, no president, Republican or Democrat, no Congress, led by Republicans or Democrats, would ever grapple with this issue.” This $22 billion dollar measure is a just and honorable compromise for those who bear our nation’s battle scars.

Rep. Ike Skelton, a Missouri Democrat stated, “There’s so much in this bill that takes care of the troops, their families, their needs, their capability of waging war. And we are at war.”

Once again, Filner is out in left field and his mainstream constituents are left without a voice in Washington.

As a veteran, I salute those Republicans and Democrats who have joined hands to provide for the common defense and to honor America's heroes in time for Veterans Day.

Michael Giorgino, Candidate for Congress, California's 51st District

Mike Giorgino is a retired Navy Commander and a Gulf War Veteran. He is the Republican candidate for Congress in the 51st District (against Bob Filner), including South San Diego and Imperial Counties. If you would like to help, please contact Mike at mgiorgino@aol.com.

Good Hunting, Mike.

While I salute the move to give concurrent reciept to those veterans with 50% or more disabilities, there is still a ways for the congress to go on this. Until each and every veteran with ANY disability receives dual pensions, like all Federal Cilvian employees currently do (search www.townhall.com for a piece written by Ret. Col. Oliver North on this very subject nearly two years ago), there will continue to be inequity for those of us who served our country in uniform. As I have stated on an earlier thread, either do it for everyone, or do it for no one.

-Regards, T.

And, as for the concurrent receipt...the story fails to explain that this earned retired pay that is dedicted when one receives VA compensation for service connected injury/illness is PHASED IN OVER THEN YEARS!

I simply ask: Does congess phase in it's annual pay riase over ten years?

That shuld have read TEN YEARS!

By the way...our disabilties were NOT PHASED IN!

"I simply ask: Does congress phase in its annual pay raise over ten years?"

...Are you kidding? And the excuse...er, uh reason that's usually given, is 'to not make money from speaking engagements.' If any of these people had any integrity at all, they would put the needs of their constituents (including Veterans) ahead of their own. Personally I'd prefer they make money from speaking engagements instead of padding their pockets with pay raises (or if you will, the taxpayers' money) some did very little to earn.

-Regards, T.