1Urging the President of the United States, the Congress and the
2Pentagon to reconsider any planned reduction in the current
3military officer strength.

4WHEREAS, The Preamble to the Constitution of the United
5States reads in part, "We the People of the United
6States...to...provide for the common defence...and secure the
7blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity..."; and

8WHEREAS, Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution of the
9United States reads in part, "The Congress shall have power...to
10raise and support armies...to provide and maintain a navy...";
11and

12WHEREAS, The United States has seen that war or aggression
13comes not when forces of freedom are strong, but when they are
14weak and tempt the forces of terror and tyranny; and

15WHEREAS, The cost of liberty must never be waived, but must
16be met with eternal vigilance; and

17WHEREAS, Recently, the Pentagon announced that thousands of

1soldiers, many serving as commanding officers in Afghanistan,
2have been or will be notified in the coming weeks that their
3service to the country is no longer needed; and

4WHEREAS, Officials from the Department of Defense have stated
5that the reductions are the result of mandatory spending cuts
6imposed by sequestration and part of a major plan to reduce the
7number of United States soldiers from 520,000 to 450,000; and

8WHEREAS, The men and women of the United States Armed Forces
9who risk their lives while they and their families make great
10sacrifices will now be faced with news that their services are
11no longer needed, and in many cases they will return home to
12their families and have no jobs; therefore be it

13RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
14Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the President of the United
15States, the Congress and the Pentagon to immediately reconsider
16the plan to lay off or reduce the current military officer
17strength of the United States Armed Forces; and be it further

18RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
19Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Pentagon to examine other
20options that do not include the forced separation of current
21military officers, such as natural separations like retirement;
22and be it further

23RESOLVED, That the President of the United States and the
24Pentagon consider the potential danger and impact to morale the
25forced separations may have on our current military officers who
26have sacrificed so much for their country; and be it further

27RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
28the President of the United States, to the presiding officers of
29each house of Congress, to each member of Congress from
30Pennsylvania and to the Pentagon.