Ted Yoho, John Conyers Stop Funding Military Aid for Syrian Rebels

From his perch on the Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., teamed up with liberal stalwart U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., to add an amendment to the Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Act to ensure federal funds would not go to back Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS) for Syrian rebels.

I would like to thank Rep. Conyers for joining me, in a bipartisan effort, to keep U.S. weapons and equipment out of the hands of Syrian rebels, Yoho said on Friday. With so many combatants involved in that conflict, sending rebels easily concealed shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles could come back to bite us. Distributing these weapons to Syrian rebels only increases the chances that these weapons will end up in the wrong hands and be used against Americans in the region. This amendment shows that members from both parties can come together for the good of America and our troops.

In addition to our amendment, the defense bill we supported today funds key readiness programs, authorizes pay raises for military personnel, maintains 100 percent of troop housing costs, and provides medical care for our soldiers, their families, and retirees, Yoho added.