ROONEY ASKS SPEAKER TO REMOVE IMF PROVISIONS IN WAR FUNDING BILL

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) spearheaded an effort today urging Speaker Pelosi to remove controversial provisions related to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from the pending war supplemental bill. Rooney sent a letter to the Speaker asking that they pass a clean war supplemental without this very controversial rider. All 22 freshman Republican members joined Rooney in sending this letter. Funding for the IMF has not been debated in the House and has no place in a bill focused on supporting our troops.

Text of the letter:

Dear Madam Speaker:

We write to express our strong opposition to the inclusion of controversial items unrelated to the support of our troops and their efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the pending war supplemental bill.

Specifically, we are troubled by reports that indicate that provisions related to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), including provisions to provide the IMF with up to $108 billion is U.S. taxpayer funds, will be included at the direction of the Majority Leadership in the final war supplemental.

The IMF proposal is highly controversial and has no place in a bill that is supposed to be focused on supporting our men and women in uniform. Rushing the IMF proposal through Congress on a troop funding bill is a disservice to our men and women in uniform and it is exactly the type of political maneuvering we came to Congress to change.

Finally, we are disturbed by media reports that indicated that you and your Leadership would seek to accuse Republicans of failing to support the troops if we opposed a conference report on the supplemental because of inclusion of the unrelated IMF funding. This is the type of gotcha politics that the American people are sick and tired of.

Each of us supported the original supplemental that passed the House without the controversial IMF provisions and we stand ready to work with you to enact a clean final bill that supports our men and women in uniform. Our troops and the American people deserve nothing less.

Sincerely,

Tom Rooney (FL-16)