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Sen. David Vitter's holding up of Corps of Engineers promotion called an insult to military [Letter to the Editor by Sen. Byron Dorgan]
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| Contributor | Brandonius Maximus |
| Last Edited | Brandonius Maximus Apr 30, 2010 09:33am |
| Category | Op-Ed by Candidate |
| News Date | Apr 30, 2010 09:00am |
| Description | Re: "The corps has a problem," Our Opinions, April 24.
Your editorial about the dispute I've had with Sen. David Vitter misses the point.
My disagreement with Sen. Vitter is that for the past seven months, he has blocked the promotion of a decorated combat soldier who has served this country for more than 30 years, simply because Sen. Vitter is upset with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Using a soldier's promotion as a pawn to try to push the U.S. Senate into doing something that the Appropriations Committee has voted against is a pretty pathetic message to be sending to our American soldiers.
Sen. Vitter's actions are injuring the career of a soldier who was not a part of what your newspaper and Sen. Vitter believe to be past corps deficiencies with respect to New Orleans. This soldier has in fact been a part of the work done most recently in New Orleans that your newspaper suggests is an improvement.
Gen. Michael Walsh's job is to execute the laws and policies of the executive branch, and Sen. Vitter is demanding the corps make concessions to which Gen. Walsh and the corps are simply unable to legally agree.
So, please don't excuse Sen. Vitter's actions. They send a disturbing message to the all of the men and women who risk their lives and serve this country -- and then can be punished by a dispute that is wholly unrelated to that soldier's service.
As the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Corps of Engineers, I helped send $14 billion to New Orleans and Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I am proud to have helped provide assistance to people whose lives have been shattered by a natural disaster.
But these actions of Sen. Vitter are quickly wearing out his welcome with me and others in the U.S. Senate. |
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