~ Lawmaker says: “Congress must signal its strong support for our brave troops there -- and proceed with a full and robust debate on our mission going forward.” ~

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Venice), chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment, today issued the following statement:

“Today I cast my vote to provide needed funding for troops already in harm’s way in Afghanistan.

“I have been skeptical of the surge from the outset and believe that expanding our military footprint fails to make us or the Afghan people safer, but this vote is not where I am going to express those concerns. Congress must signal its strong support for our brave troops there -- and proceed with a full and robust debate on our mission going forward.

“While Gen. David Petraeus has my full support, my recent vote for the McGovern amendment to require the Obama Administration to provide an exit strategy for the war in Afghanistan is a signal of my strong and growing unease about our current policy.

“Finally, the practice of funding wars by supplemental must end. The United States must pay for the war in Afghanistan within the normal budgeting process so we understand its full impact on our deficit, and the trade-offs such spending imposes.”