WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence gave the following speech from the floor of the U.S. House regarding the emergency war supplemental funding bill:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker, and I thank the distinguished Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee for yielding.

"I rise in reluctant opposition to the military supplemental bill that is before the Congress today.

"I was pleased to join many of my Democratic colleagues in supporting the bipartisan military supplemental bill that passed this House earlier in this Congress. It seems to me that when it comes to providing our soldiers with the resources they need to get the job done and come home safe, it's the right time to set aside politics as usual, the partisan divide and go forward to the best of our abilities in a united front-and we did that.

"But I cannot support this military supplemental bill today-I see it as a disservice to the taxpayers of this country and a disservice to those brave men and women who defend us every day.

"In the midst of difficult economic times, it's easy for some people to forget that we are a nation at war and go back to politics as usual and spending as usual. But with American soldiers in harm's way, we must never falter in our effort to make sure those soldiers have everything they need to get the job done and come home to us and their families safely. But emergency war funding bills should be about emergency war funding.

"This legislation, which includes $108 billion in loan authorizations for a global bailout, for the International Monetary Fund-at a time when this government has run up a $2 trillion annual deficit-I believe does a disservice to taxpayers and to those that defend us. Passing a $108 billion global bailout on the backs of our soldiers is just not right.

"I urge my colleagues to oppose this conference report. Stand with our troops. Stand with the American taxpayer. Stand against one more bailout. Let's reject this bill tonight and come right back here to this floor tomorrow and bring a clean emergency war funding bill in bipartisan fashion back into the legislative process.

"It's time for us to reject this legislation, reject the changes that were made in the United States Senate, and get our soldiers the resources they need and do it in a way that serves the broadest possible interest of the American taxpayer."