Foreign Aid Package

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Tom McClintock (CA-05) today delivered the following remarks on the House floor.  The Congressman voted AYE on HR 8034, HR 8035 and HR 8036:

Mr. Speaker:

Ukraine and Israel are in growing danger of running out of arms and ammunition while China casts a hungry eye on Taiwan.  History warns us of allowing aggression to grow unchecked and of how quickly events in an unstable world can unravel.

Profligate spending is exhausting our resources and damaging our economy, but as Reagan reminded us, defense is not a budget issue.  You spend what you need to spend – and although the defense of these besieged nations is one step removed from our own – it would be good to keep it that way.

I regret that the three military aid bills are larded up with $20 billion of economic handouts, but we’re out of time and out of options.  I’m afraid it is the price we now have to pay for months of dithering in this House.  Without these bills today, we and the world risk a future butcher’s bill that is incalculable.