Memorial Day message from Congressman Mike Ross

Each year on Memorial Day, Americans join together to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country and in the name of freedom and democracy. The debt owed to them is immeasurable. Their sacrifices and those of their military families are the cornerstones of our national security. Without the brave efforts of all of our service members and their families, our country would not live so freely or have prospered for so long.

On this Memorial Day, as we continue to be engaged in hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must always honor the young men and women who paid the ultimate price while wearing the uniform of our nation. Let us honor the memory of the more than 4,400 Americans who have died in Iraq and more than 1,500 who have died in Afghanistan. We should also honor the sacrifices of our wounded, including 32,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and 11,400 in Afghanistan.

As we remember their patriotic sacrifices, we renew our commitment to keep our promises to the nation’s more than 2 million troops and reservists and their families and 23 million veterans across this country, including the more than 250,000 right here in Arkansas.

On May 26th, I voted for and the House of Representatives passed the Defense Authorization Act for the 2012 fiscal year. This bipartisan bill provides our service men and women with the tools and resources they need to do their job by funding the Department of Defense and our troops for the upcoming fiscal year. It passed with bipartisan, nearly unanimous consent in committee and overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives, truly reflecting that national security can and should be a joint effort by both parties.

Primarily, the bill’s provisions support our troops and their families by providing a pay raise for the troops, ensuring fair TRICARE premiums, providing new rights and protections for victims of sexual assault in the military and strengthening health care services for troops and their families.

The legislation also protects our troops in harm’s way, by authorizing investments in Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, skills and resources for combating Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the modernization of Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles.

The measure significantly increases support for Special Operations Forces to combat terrorism and improves our nation’s cybersecurity efforts.

Finally, this bill gives our military the investments they need to carry out their missions successfully and quickly, while also recognizing our budgetary realities here at home. As we are looking to trim spending in every federal agency, this bill represents a $15 billion cut in Defense spending from the previous year and the cuts are mostly based on recommendations from the Pentagon itself. The White House has already ordered the Pentagon to cut $78 billion over five years, so this is a good first step.

The legislation also reflects the reality of our concluding mission in Iraq and the expected drawdown in Afghanistan by reducing spending on the Iraq & Afghanistan wars by 25 percent without harming our troops. This legislation recognizes America’s commitment to give our military what they need to get the job done and come back home as safely as possible.

On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind. This day and every day, let us honor their service with actions that fulfill our commitment to our troops, their families, and our veterans – and that are worthy of our grateful nation.