Ehrlich on Washington column, October 1, 2001

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Rood, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 205 1 5 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of October 1 , 200 1 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. The Task Ahead for America’s Armed Forces In a historic address to the nation two weeks ago, President Bush made clear to America the new course it must take in response to the recent terrorist attacks stating, “Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen.” The United States military, the greatest fighting force in the world, is now preparing to strike agents of terrorism around the world in ways never before seen. It is critical that all Americans support our troops and exercise patience as the Bush Administration prepares a multi-faceted, forceful response to the cowardly attacks of September 1 1 . Let there be no doubt: our armed forces are 100% combat ready. Over 1.3 million highly-capable Americans stand ready for orders around the world, with state-of-the-art technology and weaponry at their disposal. Furthermore, Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld, now in his second term heading the Pentagon, and incoming Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard B. Myers make up one of the most formidable teams to lead the U.S. military in recent years. Despite our overall military superiority, the recent terrorist attacks underscored one painful reality: that the steady decline in defense spending during the Clinton Administration slowed the deployment of the next generation of weapons onto the battlefield. Furthermore, America’s inability to react to terrorist threats in the ‘90's emboldened those who are hostile toward American ideals. Congress must fulfill its duty to provide our military with the necessary funding, not only to gain decisive victories on the 21s1 century battlefield, but also to deter terrorists and rogue nations from testing our mettle in the future. Accordingly, the House of Representatives adopted H.R. 2586, the National Defense Authorization Act, which increases funding for cutting-edge, war-fighting technologies that give our troops dominance in the next generation of warfare. These programs include the Global Hawk Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV), the President’s missile defense program, and emphasizes our biological and chemical defense programs. I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation, which also gives our troops their largest pay raise since 1982. After all, if America sends her military into harm’s way, it must be backed by American resolve at home equal to the fortitude of our troops in the field.