CAMPAIGN TO DEFEND AMERICA
2008 Presidential Campaign John McCain
Initial Submission: 11/13/07
Updated: 2/
…….against H.R. 1591, legislation to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and require that troops begin withdrawing from Iraq by October 2007. He failed to vote on the conference report. President Bush vetoed the bill. The bill
would have: Provided $91.5 billion for continued military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as requested by the president, $1.2 billion for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, $2.1 billion for soldier and veteran health care, $1 billion for Guard and Reserve units to purchase equipment, $7 billion for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and $2 billion for port security, mass transit security, airport security and several initiatives to address the shortcomings identified by the 9/11 Commission. [H.R. 1591, thomas.loc.gov; US Fed News, 4/26/07; McCain Military Issues Research Memo, 1/06/08]
McCain Voted Against Mandating Minimum Intervals Between Deployments for Troops. In 2007, McCain voted against an amendment that would mandate minimum intervals between deployments for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would require active duty forces to be guaranteed as much time at home as they served while deployed. National Guard and reservists would be guaranteed three years at home between deployments. A “nay” was a vote in support of the president’s position. The motion failed 56-44. [CQ Floor Votes; HR 1585, Vote #341, 9/19/07]
McCain Voted Against Requiring Mandatory Downtime Between Tours Of Duty In Iraq. Senator McCain voted against requiring mandatory minimum downtime between tours of duty for troops serving in Iraq. The bill would provide active duty forces to be given as much time home as they were deployed. National Guard and reservists would be guaranteed three times the amount home as they served. [HR 1585, Vote #241, 7/11/07]
McCain Stood Out in Opposing Veterans’ Funding. McCain was one of only 13 Republicans to vote against an amendment that added over $400 million for inpatient and outpatient care for veterans.
[Senate Roll Call Vote #98, 4/26/06; DNC Release 1/9/08]
McCain Voted To Slash $2 Billion From U.S. Troops. McCain voted to cut $2 billion in crucial funding for Pennsylvania soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, including funding for military pay and benefits, operations and maintenance, Iraqi security force training programs and even medical care. Senator Harry Reid argued that the Santorum-backed amendment would “rob Peter to pay Paul.” [HR 4939, Vote 94, 4/26/06; Reid Statement, 4/26/06]
McCain Voted Against Funding for Body Armor: In 2003, McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Mary Landrieu to the fiscal year 2003 supplemental appropriations bill for the Iraq war. Her amendment would have added more than $1 billion to the bill for the procurement of “National Guard and Reserve Equipment.” According to Landrieu, the amendment targeted “shortfalls identified by the National Guard and Reserve in their Unfunded Requirement lists,” including the “shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests.” Later in 2003, McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Chris Dodd to an emergency supplemental war funding bill. The amendment would have added $322 million for small arms protection inserts (SAPI) body armor and battlefield cleanup. [Media Matters, 9/21/06; McCain Military Issues Research Memo, 1/06/08]
Consistently Voted To Spend More And More On Defense Spending…
McCain Voted for $70B for Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq With No Conditions. In 2007, McCain voted for a amendment to the Omnibus Appropriations Bill to provide $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with no conditions. A “yea” was a vote in support of the president’s position. The motion passed 70-25. [Council for a Livable World; CQ Floor Votes; HR 2764, Vote #439, 12/18/07
before deleting this over 300 page pdf of john mccain his biography, i'm dropping here then deleting from my files….