Kansas congressman Jerry Moran has released a statement following the Bush Administration’s announcement on Thursday that U.S. soldiers’ combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan will be shortened from 15 months to 12 months for troops deployed after August 1, 2008.

Moran said: “This is welcome news for many Kansas families that have husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers serving in our military. We have asked much from our soldiers and their families and they need and deserve time at home to rest and recuperate.  Numerous studies point to the tremendous physical and emotional costs of repeated and lengthy deployments. This is the right decision for the health of our troops and their families and the strength of our military.”