FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29,
2007
Contact:
Jessica Rhoades 406-442-9520
Republicans’ Pathetic Scheme to Claim Credit for Schweitzer’s Square Deal for Military Families
Plan to Kill Help for MT Nat’l Guard Families on Friday
HELENA, MT – One week after
House Republicans defeated Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s ‘Military Family Square Deal’ on a straight party-line vote of 50-49, they
will attempt to claim ownership of the measure following blistering criticism from Montana Democrats. It has been learned that on
Friday, GOP Appropriations boss Rep. John Sinrud will direct Republicans in committee to kill the Governor’s help for military families, HB.
179, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Julie French. Afterwards, Republicans will pass an identical bill, HB. 848, introduced only
yesterday by Republican Rep. Alan Olson. The Governor’s measure, which helps to support Montana’s
military families with one-time payments, was first rolled out at his State of the State address in January.
“This may be one of the
more desperate and cynical acts of House Republicans in a legislative session which has been full of them,” said Jim Farrell, Montana
Democratic Party executive director. “How can military families, or anyone, trust them? It is pathetic
to attempt to steal credit for supporting policies which you actually oppose. No one will be fooled by Sinrud’s ploy. But
it is wrong to hold hostage the families of our Montana Guard for political advantage like Sinrud is doing.”
Rep. Julie French and Gov.
Schweitzer’s ‘Military Family Square Deal’, contained in HB 179, creates a military family relief fund out of a small portion of
the State’s budget surplus to help Montana families who have a loved on active duty overseas.
On Friday, March 23, Rep. French
attempted to ‘blast’ HB 179 from the Appropriations Committee, where it had languished for 52 days thanks to Republican stalling, onto
the full floor of the House for a fair up-or-down vote. The ‘blast’ motion was defeated with every Republican member
voting ‘No’.
“The families of thousands
of Montana’s Guard now serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and overseas are making enormous sacrifices on behalf of this nation.
Montana House Republicans are disrespecting them brutally,” added Farrell.
A few weeks ago, House Republican
supporter and talk-radio jock Dave Berg stirred controversy when he insulted Montana Guard on air. In
the course of attacking Gov. Schweitzer’s proposal, Berg said:
“Do you know what it sounds like? This, this
is a horrible, horrible thought, but I’ll tell you what it sounds like. Remember when Saddam Hussein said that he would pay twenty-five
thousand dollars to, uh, every martyr, everybody that would strap a bomb on and blow them selves up. It is horrible and it’s a real
stretch to get to that point, but it does hurt me.”
House Republicans have shown a
consistent pattern of turning their backs on Montana’s military families in this session. In addition to killing Rep. French’s HB 179,
they have blocked passage of the following measures this session:
- HB 142 sponsored by Rep. Hal Jacobson (D), which would authorize active duty call
out for disaster preparedness training
- HB 288 sponsored by Rep. Brady Wiseman (D), which would allow for depleted
uranium testing for certain veterans
- HB 294 sponsored by Rep. Sue Dickenson (D), which would fund soldier appreciation
scholarships
- HB 660 sponsored by Rep. Jill Cohenour (D), which would help protect property of
military personnel
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