BLUNT BLASTS PRESIDENT'S REMOVAL OF C-17's FROM BUDGET
Congressional Desk
February 11, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt condemned President Barack Obama´s decision to remove important funding for the Boeing C-17 cargo plane from his $3.8 trillion budget proposal.
"These aircraft are critical in every aspect of our military operations," Blunt said. "On anything from moving troops and vehicles into combat to delivering humanitarian supplies to parts of the world affected by disaster, men and women in uniform know they need the C-17 to do their job."
"It doesn´t really matter how many supplies and troops we have if we can´t pick them up and move them to places they´re needed," Blunt said.
"If the President is serious about protecting jobs and protecting the country – two things he´s talked a lot about lately – this is exactly the kind of program that needs to continue," Blunt continued. "Telling thousands of Missourians who work on this key national security program they´re going to be out of work because of the president´s misplaced budget priorities seems like a real step backward for both of those goals."
"Here again we´re seeing the president attempting to spend a record $3.8 trillion next year – including $1.6 trillion in deficit spending – on things that just don´t make sense to the American people. Instead, we need a balanced budget that reduces the deficit, lowers taxes on American families and keeps our country safe." Blunt concluded.
Last year, President Obama also proposed elimination of the C-17 airlift program. At that time, Blunt joined his colleagues in a successful effort to maintain support for the program. The C-17 program was restored by Congress as part of the supplemental defense appropriations bill.
"These aircraft are critical in every aspect of our military operations," Blunt said. "On anything from moving troops and vehicles into combat to delivering humanitarian supplies to parts of the world affected by disaster, men and women in uniform know they need the C-17 to do their job."
"It doesn´t really matter how many supplies and troops we have if we can´t pick them up and move them to places they´re needed," Blunt said.
"If the President is serious about protecting jobs and protecting the country – two things he´s talked a lot about lately – this is exactly the kind of program that needs to continue," Blunt continued. "Telling thousands of Missourians who work on this key national security program they´re going to be out of work because of the president´s misplaced budget priorities seems like a real step backward for both of those goals."
"Here again we´re seeing the president attempting to spend a record $3.8 trillion next year – including $1.6 trillion in deficit spending – on things that just don´t make sense to the American people. Instead, we need a balanced budget that reduces the deficit, lowers taxes on American families and keeps our country safe." Blunt concluded.
Last year, President Obama also proposed elimination of the C-17 airlift program. At that time, Blunt joined his colleagues in a successful effort to maintain support for the program. The C-17 program was restored by Congress as part of the supplemental defense appropriations bill.
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