[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 50 (Tuesday, April 13, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H1898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORT MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR NATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, we as a Congress and as a 
nation are very concerned about the current conflict in the Balkans. It 
is sad that too many times we do not think of our military or address 
the problems they face until they are called to duty. Only then are we 
reminded of the critical role they play in defending this great country 
and our interests.
  Like so many of my colleagues, I do appreciate and value the service 
of our Nation's armed forces, whether at war or at peace. In the Third 
District of North Carolina, which I am proud to represent, we are 
fortunate enough to have four military bases.
  I have had the opportunity to spend many hours meeting privately, off 
base, with dozens of military pilots, commanders, and enlisted 
personnel. These men and women will tell us what many of my colleagues 
will, our military's quality of life is far below what it should be. In 
fact, low pay levels have forced almost 12,000 of our enlisted military 
families to accept food stamps to survive.
  Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable. A junior enlisted soldier at an E1 
rank receives approximately $11,500 in basic pay for his service in 
addition to a housing allowance. But, Mr. Speaker, this same soldier 
also pays over $3,000 in taxes on that salary.
  These are the men and women called upon to defend this Nation. They 
are placed in harm's way to protect the freedoms my colleagues and I 
enjoy every day. How can we expect our troops to focus on, or 
successfully complete, their missions if they are worried about their 
husbands, wives, and children back home that are struggling to put food 
on the table?
  Our troops accept the ultimate responsibility. They sacrifice their 
lives for this country, and they accept it voluntarily. Yet, despite 
the critical job they undertake, many are paid so little they are 
forced to take on second jobs. Many others are left to rely on 
government assistance to feed their families.
  Last month, I introduced a bill to provide our enlisted military 
families who are eligible for food stamps with a $500 tax credit. It 
should not take a conflict like that in Kosovo to remind us of the 
important part our armed services play in protecting the freedoms of 
this Nation, but it often does.
  Now, as we turn on the evening news and can see our military in 
action, Congress has an excellent opportunity to show its support for 
our Nation's troops and work to address the needs of our military. 
While this $500 tax credit cannot alone guarantee military families 
will not have to receive food stamps, it can, together with the 
anticipated increase in basic pay, help show our support and 
appreciation for our men and women in uniform.
  Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the amount of encouragement we have 
already received in the House for this bill. But I will be asking each 
and every one of my colleagues from both parties to join me in support 
of this effort. Now is the best time to show our military that we value 
their job and their sacrifice.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting our military families 
and join me in supporting H.R. 1055.
  God bless our troops, Mr. Speaker, and God bless America.

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