Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement today after voting against a $607 billion defense spending bill:
"While there are parts of the Defense Appropriations Bill that I strongly support - a pay raise for our troops and a provision blocking cuts to the Iowa Air National Guard's 132nd Fighter Wing in Des Moines, for example - I cannot vote to spend nearly $90 billion to continue combat operations in Afghanistan that began over a decade ago.
"We have accomplished the objectives of our mission in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden is dead, al-Qaida has been marginalized, and the Afghan government has been stabilized. It's time to bring our brave men and women home to their families and focus on rebuilding America."
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