“Caring for our troops and their families is the cornerstone of military readiness.”

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Republican Leadership Press Conference:
October 21, 2015

Participants:
Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA)
Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Vice Conference Chair Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)
Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX)

Chair McMorris Rodgers, Remarks As Prepared For Delivery:

“This week the House and Senate sent our Defense Authorization bill to the President’s desk.

“It is bipartisan. We do this every year to fund our military.

“This legislation is essential to providing a strong national defense that keeps us safe, equips those serving in harm’s way, and supports their families here at home.

“For the men and women at Fairchild Air Force Base in Eastern Washington and at other bases around the world, our priority should be to give our service members and their families the equipment and resources they need.

“As a co-chair of the Military Families Caucus, I hear story after story of families struggling to pay the bills at the end of the month and juggling the demands of being a single parent while their spouse is serving elsewhere.

“When someone joins the military, it’s not just a job — it’s a family commitment to our country. They all serve and make sacrifices for our country, and they have earned our support.

“Military families rely on programs in the National Defense Authorization Act. It includes a pay raise for our military, funding for commissaries, flights for family to visit deployed service members, and access to urgent care.

“Caring for our troops and their families is the cornerstone of military readiness. Our troops need to be focused on their mission, we should not make them worry about what’s happening to their families back at home.

“We have an obligation — and the Commander-in-Chief has an obligation — to ensure military and defense remain our top priorities.”