WASHINGTON Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today offered a motion to the tax reconciliation bill currently being considered by the U.S. Senate that would use funding collected from proposed capital gains and dividend tax cuts to replace certain equipment that is worn from continued use in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. In January, Reed made his seventh trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. Reed stated, While our military remains strong, it was clear to me, and to many experts who study our military, that our armed forces, particularly our ground forces, are suffering from the strain on personnel and equipment. Rather than debating whether or not to extend certain tax cuts, we should instead consider ways to increase federal revenues to pay for the cost of war, something the country has done in almost all past military conflicts, stated Reed. Instead of providing dividends to the wealthy, we should be providing our troops with an equipment dividend.The U.S. Army has estimated that over the next six years it will cost approximately $36.1 billion to reset and recapitalize the force. The Marine Corps estimates show that it would cost $11.7 billion to repair and replace their equipment over the next five years. Reeds motion is expected to be voted on later this week.