Legionnaires called to action
American Legion Legisative Commission Chairman Ken Governor is urging Legionnaires nationwide to fight for the protection of DoD and VA budgets as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction – known as the “supercommittee” – studies thousands of recommendations to cut $1.5 trillion in federal costs over the next decade.
Legion National Commander Fang A. Wong issued a memo Nov. 8 to leaders of the organization nationwide, urging them to contact elected officials and media and make the organization’s position known. “Nothing could be more serious or vital to the future security of the United States of America, its citizens and our military service members and their families than National Commander Wong’s memorandum,” Governor said in the call to action. “Commander Wong is calling on all of us to step up in an important and historically critical moment in time… our members of Congress – they’ll be home in the districts and states for Veterans Day. If they hear from us, congressional representatives will bring the word back to the ‘supercommittee’ about what their constituents are telling them, but only if we act and … get the message out.”
Click here to read the entire memo from Commander Wong.
Wong’s memo contains additional documents and a copy of Resolution 1, passed at the Fall National Executive Committee meeting in Indianapolis, which states the Legion’s opposition to DoD and VA cuts.
“Our job is all about the one-page Resolution No. 1 … that calls for a cessation of all efforts to further reduce the defense budget,” Governor said. He added that equally important additional material in the memo calls on the “supercommittee” to avoid a deadlock.
“Once again, we are being called on to use all the abilities and intellect in our power to make our case to our members of Congress so they can reinforce our stance to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction,” Governor said. “We need to encourage our members and our communities to get involved immediately to keep our country safe.
“Our country depends on American Legion leadership throughout the land and its strong voice for our service men and women, our veterans and their families … We have an obligation to protect them and keep them safe. We are The American Legion, and if we don’t speak for them, who will?”