Bilirakis Supports Veterans and Troops, Opposes Senator Reid’s Recklessness

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) cosigned a letter with eight other Florida Republicans, urging Senator Bill Nelson to oppose Senator Reid's plan to block all funding bills until the sequester caps are lifted. Sequestration was a law passed by a Democratic Majority in the Senate, and was supported by both Senator Reid and Nelson.

The letter reads: "Senator Reid's strategy means that your Democratic colleagues will block bipartisan appropriations bills to pay for our troops' salaries, fund our national security to keep Americans safe, and care for our veterans. Putting our security at risk and holding our troops, military families and veterans hostage in exchange for billions of additional dollars for wasteful bureaucracies like the IRS is beyond the pale."

Bilirakis added: "Senator Reid said that voting on the bill to fund our military operations and support our troops and Veterans is a ‘waste of time.' I disagree. Senator Reid's plan is reckless and shameful, and it is my sincere hope that Senator Nelson will join the bipartisan group of members of the House and support these spending bills to ensure our troops remain safe and our Veterans get the care they need. Senator Reid, after years of accusing Republicans in the Senate of stonewalling, is now willingly putting our troops and Veterans at risk for political benefit."

Full text of the letter is below. A PDF is available here.

Dear Senator Nelson,

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has announced that he will and Senate Democrats will block all appropriations bills from reaching the Senate floor unless spending caps on domestic programs are lifted. As you recall, these spending caps were established by sequestration, a law passed under a Senate Democratic majority with Reid's support and yours. Senator Reid's strategy means that your Democratic colleagues will block bipartisan appropriations bills to pay our troops' salaries, fund our national security to keep Americans safe, and care for our veterans.

Putting our security at risk and holding our troops, military families and veterans hostage in exchange for billions of additional dollars for wasteful bureaucracies like the IRS is beyond the pale. We hope you will stand up for the millions of veterans, men and women in uniform, and military families who call Florida home, put our nation's security above petty politics, and reject Harry Reid's destructive plan with your vote and your vocal opposition.