BIDEN: MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT ABOUT THE TROOPS?

Sen. Joe Biden issued a statement following President Bush’s veto yesterday of the Defense Authorization Conference Report:

“It is shocking that this White House thinks it’s more important to shield the Iraqi Government from lawsuits than to meet the needs of our troops. President Bush has said for months that Congress must immediately support our troops and that any delay was unacceptable. Now he's vetoed legislation that provides a pay increase to our troops and reforms the health care system for our veterans in the wake of the Walter Reed scandal. Why? Because it doesn't do enough to protect the Iraqi government.

“This president’s priorities are exactly backwards. Our troops must come first. The men and women on our front lines and our wounded warriors back home will have a hard time understanding what the President has done. And they’re right – this is outrageous. The most important promise a president must keep is to our troops. This president has broken that promise."

Bush said Defense Authorization is “A Promise to Fund our Troops in Combat.” In a radio address, Bush said, “This week, Congress considered a defense authorization bill. An authorization bill is a pledge to spend money. Under such a bill, Congress will make a promise to fund our troops in combat.” [Bush Radio Address, 12/15/07]

Bush: Funding the Troops is the “First Priority.” In a radio address, Bush said, “Congress's first priority should be to provide the funds and flexibility to keep our troops safe and help them protect our Nation.” [Bush Radio Address, 12/1/07]

JOHN MCCAIN QUALIFIES FOR TEXAS BALLOT

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign announced that John McCain has filed the required ballot paperwork to qualify for the 2008 Texas Republican primary.

John McCain's Texas team is led by state Chairman James Huffines, and includes Secretary Robert Mosbacher, National Campaign Chairman; Senator Phil Gramm, National Campaign Co-chairman; Congressman Tom Loeffler, National Campaign Co-chairman and National Finance Chairman; Fred Zeidman, National Campaign Vice-chairman; Governor William P. Clements, Honorary Texas Chairman; Red McCombs, Honorary Texas Chairman; Mica Mosbacher, Women For McCain Chairwoman; Roger Staubach; and six state Senators.

"I am proud to lead a grassroots team of men and women who support John McCain," said James Huffines. "John McCain's lifetime of service and sacrifice has prepared him to lead our nation from the first day he takes office. He is the only candidate that can maintain the principles of the Republican Party and unite all the Republicans to beat the Democratic nominee in the general election."

John McCain thanked his Texas leadership team, stating, "I am proud to appear on the Lone Star State's Republican ballot. I look forward to campaigning in Texas and to winning the state's support for the GOP nomination."

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP FROM TEXAS:
Secretary Robert Mosbacher, National Campaign Chairman, Houston
Senator Phil Gramm, National Campaign Co-chairman, San Antonio
Congressman Tom Loeffler, National Campaign Co-chairman & National Finance Chairman, San Antonio
Mr. Fred Zeidman, National Campaign Vice-chairman, Houston
Mrs. Mica Mosbacher, Woman for McCain National Chairwoman, Houston

TEXAS CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP TEAM:
Governor William P. Clements, Honorary Texas Chairman, Dallas
Mr. Red McCombs, Honorary Texas Chairman, San Antonio
Mr. James Huffines, Texas State Chairman, Austin
Mr. Dennis Nixon, South Texas Co-chairman, Laredo
Mr. Gene Powell, South Texas Co-chairman, San Antonio
Mr. John Steen, South Texas Co-chairman, San Antonio
Senator Steve Ogden, College Station
Senator John Carona, Dallas
Senator Troy Fraser, Horse Shoe Bay
Senator Robert Duncan, Lubbock
Senator Kevin Eltife, Tyler
Senator Kip Averitt, Waco
George Bayoud, Dallas
Mr. Jerry Ford, Dallas
Mr. Earl Nye, Dallas
Mr. Roger Staubach, Dallas
Mrs. Jeanne Tower Cox, Dallas
Mr. David McDavid, Ft. Worth
Mrs. Kit Montcrief, Ft. Worth
Mr. Jim Dannenbaum, Houston
Mr. Larry Finder, Houston
Mrs. Nancy Loeffler, San Antonio
Mr. Gaylord Hughey, Tyler
Mr. Whit Riter, Tyler

BIDEN HITS BUSH ON VETO AND HIS FAILED IRAQ POLICY

Today, Sen. Joe Biden criticized President Bush for his veto of the Defense Authorization Conference Report and called on him to immediately begin implementing the Biden-Brownback Resolution and Senator Biden’s comprehensive exit plan for Iraq which is contained in the bill.

In calling for the President to act on the bill’s key components, Sen. Biden stated, “Yesterday’s tragic events in Pakistan underscore the sobering effects of our failed policy in Iraq. As I’ve said, when President Bush abandoned Afghanistan to go to war in Iraq, it sent a message to Musharraf that the U.S. might not be there to protect him.

“Ending the war in Iraq would allow us to go after al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and assist the Pakistani moderates in taking control of their country. And it would allow us to get our sons and daughters out of the middle of Iraq’s civil war,” said Biden.

“Just moving to enact the Biden-Brownback resolution would bring the international community into the cause of long-term peace in the region. And we would further stabilize the region by committing to the bill’s provision that the U.S. foreswear any long-term military bases in Iraq,” added Biden.

“This war must end and the Biden-Brownback resolution is the key to that endgame,” said Biden. “It is essential that the President sign this provision as soon as possible and help the Iraqis implement the federal system called for in their Constitution.”