HM 0039A

1	House Memorial
2	A memorial to the Congress of the United States, urging
3	Congress to insist that the United States Department of
4	Defense take whatever action is necessary to armor
5	American military vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan.
6
7	WHEREAS, the security of our nation and its people is the
8	first and foremost obligation of the Federal Government, and
9	WHEREAS, the men and women of our United States Armed
10	Forces now serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps,
11	Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, National Guard, and Reserves have
12	shown great courage and self-sacrifice and deserve to be
13	equipped with the best weapons and resources to protect our
14	nation, and
15	WHEREAS, the Secretary of Defense recently admitted that
16	the military sent soldiers into harm's way without the necessary
17	armor to protect themselves, and
18	WHEREAS, troops serving in Iraq are forced to rummage
19	through Iraqi landfills in order to find materials to armor
20	their vehicles, and
21	WHEREAS, the House Armed Services committee confirmed that
22	only 75 percent of Humvees have the necessary armor, while only
23	10 percent of the 4,814 medium-weight transport trucks, and only
24	15 percent of the 4,314 heavy-weight transport vehicles are
25	armored, NOW, THEREFORE,
26
27	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29	That the Congress of the United States immediately take
30	action to require the United States Department of Defense to
31	armor any and all military vehicles carrying American troops and
32	civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan.
33	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
34	dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
35	President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
36	United States House of Representatives, and to each member of
37	the Florida delegation to the United States Congress.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.