Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced legis...

Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced legislation that would require the Defense Dept. (DoD) to give free phone service to military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to boost troop moral. McCain’s bill, the “Troops Phone Home Free Act” (S-178), would require the Defense Secy. to provide phone cards, or an equivalent method to supply service, and access to telephones to troops oversees. The program would end 60 days after the completion of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The cost to each troop couldn’t exceed $40 per month. The bill would instruct DoD to work with telecom providers to deploy additional telephones for calling the U.S. Sens. Allen (R-Va.), Graham (R-S.C.) and Chambliss (R-Ga.) co-sponsored the bill. The legislation comes after McCain sent letters to major telecom associations asking that families of troops not have their phone service disconnected for the duration of the Iraq war (CD March 26 p8).