Providing for Consideration of S. Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend- Lease Act of and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, it is frustrating to hear the political games being played, when a piece of legislation isn't really about what it is intended to be about or what the title says that it is.

My colleague, whom I have respect for, and have watched him argue cogently on some issues, is actually incorrect on this. Suggesting that because I voted ``no'' on this bill I somehow don't support NATO, it is really, quite frankly, absurd.

I remember being in Iraq in 2003 when British SAS soldiers were wounded, and my Tier One task force went in, and we pulled those guys off the battlefield wounded. I took care of them in the back of the helicopter. I am fully supportive of NATO.

Quite frankly, it angers me that the suggestion because I voted on a piece of legislation that had a clause in it that didn't make sense to me that I am somehow not supportive of NATO. No one has been more supportive of NATO.

Yes, many of us voted ``no'' on that bill, but it was because it created this extra body to discuss democracy when we are at war trying to save a democracy.

How about we focus NATO on what is going on in Ukraine and not forming some new discussion group about democracy?

So, yeah, several of us voted no. But I assure you, Mr. Speaker, and my colleague from Maryland, that has nothing to do with a lack of support for NATO. Because when I was on that battlefield helping that British SAS warrior and they are supporting us, I didn't see a lot of other people who might be pointing a finger at us for not supporting NATO on that battlefield that day. There was nobody in this room in that helicopter flying into Baghdad with me.

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