Yoho Votes For Fiscal Responsibility

Washington, DC – Congressman Ted S. Yoho (R-FL-03) voted against H.J. Res. 124 – Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015. The continuing resolution provides funding for federal agencies at current fiscal year 2014 levels until December 11, 2014. Congressman Yoho also voted against an amendment to H.J. Res 124, which would authorize the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide assistance including training, equipment, supplies, and sustainment to appropriately- vetted elements of the Syrian opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian groups and individuals. Congressman Yoho gave the following statement after his votes.

“I could not, in good faith, vote for a continuing resolution that is basically kicking the fiscal can down the road. The House has been doing its job, passing seven appropriations bills that would fund the Federal Government. These bills are sitting in Harry Reid’s Senate collecting dust. Because the Senate is failing to do their job, we are forced to pass a resolution to keep the government running for 72 days? There is no reason we should have reached this point. It is unacceptable.

“I also could not support the amendment funding the Syrian opposition forces, because it does not address the true threat – the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Instead, it creates the potential to involve the U.S. more deeply in the Syrian civil war. Furthermore, the amendment was too vague in how it would vet the Free Syrian Army members who receive our equipment; much less what equipment they would receive.

“Make no mistake, ISIL must be stopped. However, I felt the amendment will just repeat a history in which we fund, arm and train fighters because we believe that the enemy of my enemy is my friend only to see those supposed friends later turn those weapons and training on us. Instead, I believe the President should seek new Congressional authority that is narrow in focus, duration and scope coupled with a strategy that will defeat ISIL and not embroil the U.S. in a seemingly endless, larger conflict. A component of this strategy must be border security. I am introducing a security bill to aid in the prevention of people with western passports with known affiliations or ties to foreign terrorist groups from entering the U.S. The world has a moral obligation to stop such evil. An evil, if left unchecked, will eventually wind up on our shores.”

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Congressman Ted Yoho serves on the Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Committees. He represents North Florida’s 3rd Congressional District