Our heroes deserve better
In response to Lola Zinke’s opinion piece “Our Heroes Deserve Better” in the Sept. 27 issue of the Whitefish Pilot I could not agree with her more that it is disgusting that certain lawmakers “are willing to sacrifice our troops for political gain.” Ms Zinke knows first hand of the dedication and sacrifice our troops demonstrate both in war and in peace to keep our country protected and free.
The defense funding bill is critical to our nation’s security and to the welfare of the military families who depend on it for their livelihood. However laying the blame for the republican defense spending bill legislation being blocked at the feet of the “democrats and 5 self-serving individuals” is severely misguided.
To quote BBC News’ North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher… “Military expenditures are usually one area that garners broad bipartisan support in Washington - few politicians want to be seen as soft on national security, and big military contracts are often a way legislators can direct federal money - and jobs - to their home constituencies. Conservative Republicans, however, have been focused on using the defense legislation to advance hot-button cultural and social priorities, including limiting government support for abortion and transgender health services.”
Republican congressman are responsible for undermining the defense spending bill by adding controversial social issues to a bill that should be a stand alone sacrosanct fiscal obligation to our nation’s security and to those men and women serving with their families in the armed services.
The House adopted an amendment from Texas Republican Ronny Jackson that would block funding for a Defense Department policy to reimburse service members for travel expenses related to seeking abortions. The House also approved amendments from Republicans Matt Rosendale of Montana and Ralph Norman of South Carolina to block funding for health care for transgender service members.
Lauren Boebert and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, have credited Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s ongoing blockade of Defense Department nominees over the Pentagon’s abortion policy for inspiring the House members to distort and pervert the defense spending bill with unrelated and hotly debated social issue amendments dooming our country's fiscal and moral obligation to our troops and their families. And I agree again that “the actions of a few harm the many. Our heroes deserve better.”
Doug Pitman M.D.