Rep. Tubbs Jones yesterday opposed the amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations bill providing emergency supplemental funding for Iraq. Rep. Tubbs Jones expressed concern that the funding bill contained no significant restrictions on the spending, which would fund the occupation in Iraq well into 2009.

"We cannot continue to give blank checks to this Administration for the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Rep. Tubbs Jones. "While I wholeheartedly support our troops, I feel it important that we have a plan for a timely redeployment of our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan before we continue funding what has become a seemingly endless war."

Rep. Tubbs Jones voted in favor of an amendment to the same Supplementary Appropriations bill which included provisions to provide a 13 week extension of unemployment benefits for those workers who are unable to find a job in today's struggling economy and a landmark expansion of the GI Bill of Rights.

For the fifth straight month, the economy lost jobs and unemployment rose from 5.0% in April to 5.5% in May, with 49,000 jobs lost in May alone -- the largest monthly spike in 22 years. The economy has lost nearly 325,000 jobs this year and 1.6 million Americans have been unemployed more than six months, despite looking for work.

More than 53,450 troops from Ohio have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Unfortunately, current benefits pay only about 70 percent of a public college education and 30 percent of a private college education for these veterans when they return home. The expanded GI Bill will restore full, four-year college scholarships to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to help make them part of an economic recovery like the veterans of World War II. The legislation will also allow veterans to transfer those benefits to family members.

"This legislation will provide much needed relief to American workers and veterans to help them with rapidly rising gas and food costs," said Rep. Tubbs Jones. "This much needed assistance is long overdue."