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WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Jon Porter voted Thursday for a beefed-up GI Bill for returning Iraq and Afghanistan vets, distancing himself from both his party and the Bush administration, which oppose the bill.
Porter was among 32 Republicans who crossed over to join Demcorats, including Nevada's Rep. Shelley Berkley, in approving the amendment that was part of an Iraq war spending package.
House Republicans oppose the "milionaire's tax," a half-percentage surtax on individuals making $500,000 or couples earning $1 million, to pay for enhanced education benefits for veterans. The Pentagon has warned that enhanced benefits could harm troop retention. The amendment also included a short-term extension of unemployment benefits to help prevent further economic downturn.
Republican Rep. Dean Heller voted against it.
House Republicans took a strategic gamble on the Iraq war debate on Thursday.
To protest Democrats' strategy of linking war funding with domestic spending and a troop withdrawal plan, more than 130 Republicans cast protest votes that helped kill the troop funding provision.
By refusing to vote for war funding and instead voting "present," Republican denied Democrats the majority needed to pass the war funding provision. Republicans then blamed Democrats for denying troops funds needed in wartime.
Porter was having none of it, nor was Heller, and both declined to join their party in the protest vote. They both joined Berkley in voting to send troops the funds.
Only Berkley voted for the provision to withdraw troops.
The package, without the troop funding provision, now goes to the Senate.
Porter has voted AGAINST our Troops, AGAINST our Military Famiies and AGAINST our Veterans time and time again!
Now, that the word is getting out about how he has been a political puppet and Bush bag-boy and he's up for re-election he's just trying to soften his image and pandering!
The people of C.D. #3 need to take a long, hard look at the facts beginning with Porter's voting record - Porter doesn't really care about anyone but his wealthy donors and corporate cronyies!
We need to VTBO - Vote This Bum Out!
It figures Johnathan would be blasting Porter for voting for more benefits for the military.
Even when a Republican does something he agrees with he can't say anything nice. Hey, try an anti depressant.
Yes, Johnathan is at the head of the cheese line when it comes to getting more benefits. More, more, more, gimme more, is his mantra. Pension, disability, free health care,
free college and education benefits, etc. Nope, it's never enough. Never will be for him. Just wants more. Typical government employee.
While Republicans really support the Military == the Social Communists are poseurs here, have been in forever.
Imagine that? A Republican who supports the Military, and the liberal reaction is "He's Bush's Bag Boy"(mq). The 2006 Lib-D Congress - which the (D) leads - keeps paying for the Liberations!!
DemocRATz are the hand pushing this, mainly to tie up more capital, create more debt and make government larger. Imagine That!!
The military is little more than "meals on wheels" to the Democrat.
Porter wins here.
Helen, I'm blasting Porter for being the puppet and hypocrite that his is - and using facts to support that position!
People who truly support OUR Troops, and Veteran's Advocates, Activists and Columnists like me, just want the Vets to get everything they were promised, not a penny more, and NOT a penny less - you are just one greedy, selfish, bitter, cheap and unappreciative occupant that doesn't even care about who protected your very freedom to protest - which makes you a hypocrite TOO!
"NVMakz" you could not be more wrong! It's guys like me, who have actually fought communism - what have you done to protect, uphold and defend the Constitution, the United States, all of our freedoms and way of life?
Oh, yeah, you've whined, sniveled and complained!
And after the Republicans have put us in greater debt, including indebting our children and grand children from the unnecessary expense of a three TRILLION dollar unjust war - you think you can rationally or logically criticize the Dems - are you delusional?
You two obviously are not able to seperate facts from fiction - and don't have a clue about what has really been happening in America since Nixon in '68 and, especially, in the past 8 years of Bush and political puppets like Porter!