Statement From Congressional Candidate Lee Zeldin

MASTIC, NY (05/21/2008)(readMedia)-- The endorsed Republican candidate for Long Island's First Congressional District today issued the following statement encouraging Congress to support the troops and provide much needed ammunition, supplies and equipment for those currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan:

Congress set a goal to pass legislation that provides funding of essential ammunition, supplies and equipment for our forward-deployed troops. Instead, politics as usual once again stalls necessary progress.

Providing our troops the supplies and funding necessary to accomplish their mission is the responsibility of every Congressional Representative. However, some members of Congress mistakenly view this bill as an opportunity to grandstand about an unpopular war and promote unrelated agendas.

Instead of presenting a bill that achieves the goal of funding our troops, Congress instead adopted a legislative farce that initially included unrelated provisions like immigrant farm worker permits and the extension of unemployment benefits.

Piling amendments onto a bill that intends to fund essentials for our deployed servicemembers only serves to muddy the waters and subverts the objectives of transparent governance. And while I have called for passage of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, I maintain that this should stand as separate legislation, which also deserves swift, unimpeded passage.

A message to Congress: Step up and lead. While mistakes have been made in Iraq, the fact is that we are there now and we have brave men and women in harm’s way. Put these warriors first for once and get this done. There is too much at stake to use our troops to leverage a misguided agenda. Vote in favor of much needed ammunition, supplies and equipment for our troops currently deployed.

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Zeldin served as an aide to State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. The Shirley resident studied at the University at Albany, graduated from Albany Law School, and earned his commission through Army ROTC. He was a paratrooper, prosecutor and magistrate with the 82nd Airborne Division and XVIII Airborne Corps. In the summer of 2006, he was a JAG attorney deployed to Iraq. He is currently an attorney at Raiser & Kenniff on Long Island.

For more information on Lee’s campaign please visit us at www.zeldin08.com

Paid for by Lee Zeldin for Congress