Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. today released the following statement regarding the new mission for the 118th Airlift Wing in Nashville:"I am pleased that the Air Force is moving towards finding a new mission and new aircraft for the 118th in Nashville. The 118th's C-130s should never have been removed in the first place, but this new mission will go a long way to making sure that all of the 700 jobs stay in Nashville.
"Governor Bredesen, General Gus Hargett and General Russ Cotney deserve our thanks for their tireless efforts in bringing a new mission to the 118th. It is good to see Senators Frist and Alexander getting involved as well.
"The Guard has never been stretched as thin as it is today. Guard and Reserve forces make up almost half of our forces in Iraq, and they have primary responsibility to responding to disaster here at home. Yet the administration is closing bases and proposing to reduce the Guard's overall fighting force by 17,000. This could mean 1,000 fewer Guard slots here in Tennessee. These decisions do not just hurt the Guard - they make us less safe here at home.
"The 118th's new mission is a step in the right direction, but we need to do more. That is why I am sponsoring legislation to give the National Guard a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. With the Guard's input, these ill-advised decisions might have been prevented. I urge our Senators and all of my colleagues in the Tennessee Congressional delegation to join me in support of this bill."
###
Once again, Congressman Ford is showing his Senatorial-like leadership and his support for our men and women in uniform.
Over the past year, Congressman Ford has did everything within his power to save the 118th Airlift Wing from being closed. His actions include offering an amendment that would stop the closure of the base as well as co-sponsoring legislation protect and strengthen the National Guard, rather than diminish it. Ford also wrote a letter to President Bush urging him to reverse his decision to close the 118th.
Ford has demonstrated brilliant leadership throughout the whole ordeal. However, the same cannot be said for his opponents who have done nothing to save the 118th or strengthen our National Guard.
Tennesseans and our men and women in the military deserve a U.S. Senator who will fight for them and not turn their back on them when they need help the most. Harold Ford Jr. has shown is up for the job.
Lets send a new generation of leadership to United States Senate this year.
Related:
Read Congressman Ford's brilliant record on supporting our troops! (1,2)
155 Days
Days of Congressional Inaction on Ethics
Above is the number of days that have passed since Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to bribing Congressman.
It is also the number of days in which Congress has failed to pass an ethics reform bill that would limit private travel, ski and golf junkets, and would call for a full disclosure of expenses by lobbyists on members of Congress.
It is time for Congress to step up and pass an ethics reform bill that would do all of the above. In addition, it is time to end the pork barrel spending system as we know it and establish an independent ethics commission that would review ethics complaints against members of Congress.
I am proud Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is fighting for that reform!
Read Congressman Ford's call for reform of the House rules here!
