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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION
CONTACT: Adam Buckalew
PRINTABLE VERSION
HARPER COMMENTS ON OPPOSITION OF THE ’09 WAR SUPPLEMENTAL
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R – Miss.) opposed the Conference Report accompanying the Fiscal Year 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act today although the measure passed the House of Representatives.
“The bottom line is that a war-funding bill should focus on our troops,” said Congressman Gregg Harper. “I will not support taking money from our troops to bailout foreign countries. This compromise bill included several non-war related spending provisions that I simply could not support.”
House Republicans recognize the responsibility of supporting our military, intelligence and civilian personnel deployed in defense of our country and are committed to ensuring they have all of the necessary resources to complete their mission successfully. That is why Congressman Harper joined and overwhelming majority of House Republicans voting for passage of the Fiscal Year 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act on May 14, 2009.
The conference agreement voted on today reduced funding for important defense and military construction programs by $4.6 billion compared to levels passed by the House. Non-war related provisions included the President’s $5 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) proposal to secure $108 billion in loans for IMF member countries such as Iran, Venezuela, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Burma. The “Cash for Clunkers” proposal is also set to receive $1 billion in this war-funding bill.
In addition, the conference report fails to include Senate language that a bipartisan majority in both Senate and House supported pertaining to the release of war detainee’s photographic records. The bill also lacked the Senate’s stronger funding restrictions on the transfer or release into the United States of detainees currently being held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.
For these reasons, Congressman Gregg Harper and 170 of 178 House Republicans voted against the House-Senate compromise on the Fiscal Year 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act.
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A conservative man of faith and integrity, Gregg was elected in November, 2008 to serve the citizens of Mississippi’s Third Congressional District. Soon after the election, his peers elected him as the only freshman of the Republican Steering Committee in the House of Representatives. Gregg is the only Republican freshman appointed by Republican Minority Leader John Boehner to the Committee on House Administration and also sits on the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on the Budget. Gregg currently resides in Pearl with his wife of 29 years, Sidney, and their two children, Livingston and Maggie, where the Harpers are active members of Crossgates Baptist church.
