"I have always fought to ensure the men and women serving our nation have had the support, equipment and training they need to safely carry out their mission. As a military parent and former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I take great pride in serving those who have served our nation. The bill that passed today addresses many of Iowa's priorities, including taking important steps to strengthen the Rock Island Arsenal by driving more workload to their facilities.
"At the same time, I have great concerns about how this bill came together. For example, it is paid for using an accounting gimmick, amounting to tens of billions of dollars, while undermining investments in education and infrastructure. Since the idea was first introduced, I have been opposed to the across the board cuts, known as sequestration. Congress must find a way to get rid of these cuts and replace it with a commonsense way to deal with our nation's fiscal issues. I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats to strengthen this bill as it works its way through the Senate and during the Conference Committee to improve the final bill."
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