Did U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole vote against providing body armor?
A new TV ad from Vote Vets, a veterans advocacy group opposed to the Iraq war, claims that Dole voted against paying for armor for soldiers on Oct. 2, 2003.
The vote was on an amendment to a supplemental military appropriations bill for Iraq and Afghanistan proposed by Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut. It would have redirected $322 million for reconstruction in Iraq to additional "safety equipment."
In proposing the amendment, Dodd described the equipment as "high-tech body armor, bullet-proof helmets, special water packs to keep soldiers hydrated, and other survival gear."
The water packs, called CamelBaks, are attached to soldiers' backpacks and allow them to drink water without stopping. Body armor — such as the bulletproof vests shown in the ad — was also mentioned, but the debate focused on hydration systems.
Senate Republicans argued that the military budget already included enough money to purchase the equipment. A spokesman for Dole said the amendment was a "political stunt."
A motion to table the amendment passed on party lines, with Dole voting for it.
