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Fact check: Did U.S. Senator Mark Kirk vote against fixing military equipment?
March 14, 2016
By Karen Shanton
VoteVets Action Fund, a nonprofit education and advocacy organization, released an ad on February 26 backing U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth's (D-IL-08) bid for the U.S. Senate.[1] Duckworth is running against two other Democratic candidates, Illinois Sen. Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey) and Andrea Zopp, to challenge U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) in the November 8 general election.[2] In the ad, Marine Corps veteran Michael Terranova says Kirk “voted against fixing equipment that keeps guys like me safe in the field.”[3]
The Kirk campaign issued a statement in response, claiming the vote in question, "Would Transfer Money From Iraq Reconstruction To Quality Of Life Enhancements, Not 'Fixing Equipment That Keeps' Soldiers Safe In The Field As The Ad Claims."[4]
Are these claims correct? We found that the ad is technically accurate but somewhat misleading. Kirk did vote against an amendment that would have increased funding for refurbishing military equipment. However, casting this as a vote against fixing equipment is an oversimplification because it leaves out other parts of the amendment. It also fails to acknowledge that Kirk voted for the full version of the bill, which included appropriations for military equipment maintenance.
The Kirk campaign's statement also oversimplifies the vote. Though the amendment did include funding for quality of life items, it also proposed funding for military equipment maintenance.
Background
VoteVets Action Fund is the 501(c)(4) arm of VoteVets.org. According to VoteVets.org, it is “the largest progressive veterans organization in America” and its mission is “to use public issue campaigns to give a voice to veterans on matters of national security, veterans’ care, and every day issues that affect the lives of those who served and their families.”[5]
Kirk and Duckworth both served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Kirk joined the Naval Reserve as an intelligence officer in 1989 and retired in 2013.[6] Elected to the House in 2000 and the Senate in 2010, he chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.[7]
Duckworth, who served as a helicopter pilot in the Illinois Army National Guard, lost both legs and sustained damage to her right arm in 2004 when her helicopter was downed by a rocket-propelled grenade.[8] She continued to serve in the National Guard after her combat injury, until her retirement in 2014.[9] Duckworth, who was first elected to the House in 2012, is a member of the House Committee on Armed Services.[10]
Kirk’s vote on the Obey amendment to H.R. 3289
VoteVets Action Fund cites Vote 547 on H.R. 3289 as its source for the claim that Kirk voted against fixing military equipment.[11] H.R. 3289 was introduced in 2003 to provide emergency supplemental funding for military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.[12]
Vote 547 was on an amendment to H.R. 3289 offered on October 16, 2003, by U.S. Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI-07).[13] Obey’s amendment proposed a number of changes to the funding levels in the bill:[14]
| Purpose | Bill funding level | Amendment funding level | Proposed change in funding level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Personnel, Army | $12,188,870,000 | $12,238,870,000 | +$50,000,000 |
| Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide | $4,485,452,000 | $4,600,452,000 | +$115,000,000 |
| Iraq Freedom Fund[15] | $1,988,600,000 | $5,294,000,000 | +$3,305,400,000 |
| Defense Health Program | $658,380,000 | $808,380,000 | +$150,000,000 |
| Security, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Iraq[16] | $18,649,000,000 | $15,028,000,000 | -$3,621,000,000 |
The amendment was rejected by a vote of 209-216.[17] Kirk, who was a member of the House in 2003, was one of the 216 representatives who voted against it.[18]
Analysis of Kirk’s vote on the Obey amendment to H.R. 3289
Obey summarized the purpose of his amendment in comments on the House floor. He said that it would “increase by $3.6 billion funds that are not provided in the committee mark for quality-of-life items for the troops as well as other items reconstituting the force.”[19]
The quality-of-life items included provisions for clean water for troops in the field; medical and dental screening for reservists prior to activation; extended health coverage for troops returning from the field; increased support for reserve family assistance centers; prepaid phone cards for troops in the field; full coverage of troops’ transportation while on rest and recuperation; and increased transition assistance for disabled troops.[20]
The provisions for reconstituting the force included funding “to reconstitute and refurbish and replace the equipment that was used or used up in Iraq.”[21] Obey said, "We have almost half of our Army divisions with, at this point, equipment which is not up to full readiness standards. We need to correct that as soon as possible."[22]
The proposed funding increases were offset by reductions in funding for reconstruction efforts in Iraq.
So, Obey’s amendment did propose increased funding for fixing military equipment. However, the vote was on the amendment as a whole, including the increased funding for quality of life items and cuts to reconstruction funding. Kirk's campaign did not respond to inquiries about his reasons for voting against the amendment. However, in statements at the time, Kirk stressed the importance of funding that would have been cut by Obey's amendment. For example, during floor consideration of H.R. 3289 on October 16, 2003, he said,
| “ | We know that President Truman's decision to back the Marshall Plan helped to prevent World War III. A third generation of Americans did not return to the killing fields of Europe. Today, we face a similar challenge of rebuilding Iraq and preventing a third Middle Eastern war… In considering $19 billion to rebuild Iraq, we face the same question that President Truman faced.[23][24] | ” |
Kirk’s vote on H.R. 3289
Though Kirk did not vote for Obey’s amendment to H.R. 3289, he did vote for H.R. 3289 itself.[25] H.R. 3289 provided supplemental funding for military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, including $39.9 billion in new appropriations for operations and maintenance, $339 million for procurement and $412 million for military construction.[26]
Conclusion
An ad from VoteVets Action Fund claims that Kirk voted against fixing equipment that keeps troops safe in the field. The Kirk campaign claims that the vote was not about fixing military equipment.
We found that both claims oversimplify the vote. The amendment in question would have increased funding for refurbishing military equipment but that was just one of the changes it would have made. Also, Kirk voted for the full version of the bill, which included supplementary funding for military equipment maintenance.
Launched in October 2015 and active through October 2018, Fact Check by Ballotpedia examined claims made by elected officials, political appointees, and political candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. We evaluated claims made by politicians of all backgrounds and affiliations, subjecting them to the same objective and neutral examination process. As of 2025, Ballotpedia staff periodically review these articles to revaluate and reaffirm our conclusions. Please email us with questions, comments, or concerns about these articles. To learn more about fact-checking, click here.
Sources and Notes
- ↑ Capitol Fax, "New TV Ads in US Senate Race," February 26, 2016
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Duckworth at 52%, Zopp 6% in Senate Race: SIU Simon Institute Poll," February 19, 2016
- ↑ Capitol Fax, "New TV Ads in US Senate Race," February 26, 2016
- ↑ Kirk for Senate, "Kirk for Senate Statement on VoteVets.org Ad Launch," February 26, 2016
- ↑ VoteVets.org, "VoteVets PAC Endorses Sestak for Senate," accessed March 7, 2016; VoteVets.org, accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ Mark Kirk, U.S. Senator for Illinois, "About Mark," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ Mark Kirk, U.S. Senator for Illinois, "About Mark," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, Proudly Serving Illinois' 8th District, "About Tammy," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, Proudly Serving Illinois' 8th District, "About Tammy," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, Proudly Serving Illinois' 8th District, "About Tammy," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ Capitol Fax, "New TV Ads in US Senate Race," February 26, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "Summary: H.R.3289—108th Congress (2003-2004)," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "All Actions: H.R.3289—108th Congress (2003-2004)," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ The below table was created by Karen Shanton using the text of the Obey amendment.
- ↑ The Secretary of Defense was authorized to use funds from the Iraq Freedom Fund for military personnel; operations and maintenance; overseas humanitarian, disaster and civic aid; procurement; military construction; the Defense Health Program; and working capital funds.
- ↑ The adjustments to funding for security, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in Iraq included cuts to funding for security and law enforcement; justice, public safety infrastructure and civil society; the electric sector; oil infrastructure; water resources and sanitation; roads, bridges and construction; private sector development; and education, refugees, human rights, democracy and governance.
- ↑ U.S. House of Representatives, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 547," October 16, 2003
- ↑ U.S. House of Representatives, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 547," October 16, 2003
- ↑ Congressional Record, "H9562," October 16, 2013
- ↑ Congressional Record, "H9562-H9563," October 16, 2013
- ↑ Congressional Record, "H9563," October 16, 2013
- ↑ Congressional Record, "H9563," October 16, 2013
- ↑ Congressional Record, "H9527," October 16, 2013
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ U.S. House of Representatives, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 562," October 17, 2003
- ↑ Americans for Democratic Action, "ADA's 2003 Congressional Voting Record," May/June 2004
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