BILL REQ. #: S-0509.1
State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/24/2005. Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.
TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of
the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully
represent and petition as follows:
WHEREAS, The security of our nation and people is the first and
foremost obligation of our United States federal government; and
WHEREAS, The men and women of our United States armed forces now
serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard,
Merchant Marines, National Guard, and Reserves have shown great courage
and self-sacrifice and deserve to be equipped with the best weapons and
resources to protect our nation; and
WHEREAS, In past years politicians have delayed passing the defense
appropriations bill until late in the budget year so that the defense
appropriations bill was misused as a dumping ground for pork barrel
spending and as a political hostage to pork barrel spending in other
appropriations bills; and
WHEREAS, In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001, on America, President Bush asked that the Congress of the United
States pass the defense appropriations bill before passing other
spending bills; and
WHEREAS, Congress acted responsibly in the 2002, 2003, and 2004
budgets when it passed the defense appropriations bill first, thereby
protecting the men and women in our armed forces from becoming pawns
for politicians' spending maneuvers;
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists commend Congress for making our
nation's defense its first priority in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and
request that the Representatives and Senators from our state continue
this important tradition by passing and enacting the defense
appropriations legislation before all other spending bills in 2005 and
in future years.
BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately
transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United
States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of
Washington.