The House is currently considering the supplemental appropriations bill for the troops on the floor.  Aside from the setting of an arbitrary withdrawal deadline, and various other provisions I do not agree with, the supplemental has several domestically directed additions as well as a tax increase to top it all off.

First, this piece of legislation includes language that will expand veteran’s education benefits to the tune of $51.6 billion over ten years.  I don’t think anyone can argue that the modernization of education benefits for veterans is long overdue, but it must be done responsibly.  This expansion of benefits will, according to the Pentagon, and former P.O.W. and Navy Captain, John McCain discourage retention rates among active duty personnel. 

Second, it provides thirteen weeks of unemployment compensation to workers, and for states with unemployment rates that exceed 6%, the benefits would be extended for another thirteen weeks. History shows, that extending unemployment benefits longer actually keeps people unemployed for longer periods of time. Besides, unemployment benefits have nothing to do with this supplemental appropriations bill.

Lastly, Democrats have proposed a job-killing tax increase on individuals making more than $500,000 and couples making more than $1 million. According to the Tax Foundation, nearly 83 percent of filers who will be hit by the Democrat tax increase report some form of income from a small business, sole proprietorship, or partnership. According to ADP, last month, small businesses created 56,000 jobs, while the economy lost 20,000 jobs overall. The last thing we should be doing is raising taxes on the innovators and entrepreneurs who are critical to getting our economy back on track.

Three major domestic aspects of a supplemental appropriations bill that has nothing to do with domestic policy…what’s next?