110 HRES 41 IH: Expressing the sense of the House of U.S. House of Representatives 2007-01-09 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

110th CONGRESS 1st Session

H. RES. 41

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 9, 2007

Mr. Meehan (for himself, Mr. Stark, Mr. Allen, Mr. Blumenauer, Mrs. Capps, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Payne, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mr. Markey, Mr. Honda, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Kennedy, and Mrs. Tauscher) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that an increase in the number of members of the United States Forces deployed in Iraq is the wrong course of action and that a drastic shift in the political and diplomatic strategy of the United States is needed to help secure and stabilize Iraq.

Whereas the situation in Iraq is rapidly deteriorating and is increasingly becoming a problem that cannot be solved militarily; Whereas President Bush has acknowledged that the current strategy in Iraq is not working; Whereas December 2006 marked the deadliest month of the War in Iraq in over two years, and United States casualties surpassed 3,000; Whereas it is crucial that the 110th Congress assert its constitutionally mandated authority to serve as a check on the President’s handling of the war by overseeing the more than $300 billion already obligated or expended on the war and any requests for additional appropriations; Whereas an increase in the number of members of the United States Armed Forces deployed in Iraq above the current level of 132,000 troops will continue to increase Iraqi dependence on United States forces and further prevents the Iraqi government from taking responsibility for securing their country; Whereas General John Abizaid, Commander of United States Central Command, has testified before the Armed Services Committee of the Senate that he has met with the top military commanders in Iraq and they all agree that more troops are not necessary because more American forces prevent the Iraqis from doing more, from taking more responsibility for their own future; Whereas since June 2006, the United States has increased its military presence in Baghdad twice, while the violence and deaths of Americans has drastically increased since the last troop increase; Whereas the neighboring countries and the region surrounding Iraq share a strategic vested interest in playing a constructive role in ending the violence in Iraq and creating a stable and peaceful nation; Whereas it is critical that United States diplomats engage the countries of the world in this struggle and make it clear that no nation can afford to ignore the continued chaos in the Middle East; and Whereas a growing consensus exists among the majority of the American people, military leaders, and the bipartisan Iraq Study Group that the United States should begin a phased strategic redeployment of United States troops from Iraq in 2007 in conjunction with a increase in diplomacy to stabilize Iraq: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1)after more than 3,000 American casualties, over $300 billion in expenditures, and almost four years of fighting, an increase in the number of members of the United States Armed Forces deployed in Iraq above the current level of 132,000 is the wrong course of action and should not be done without an express authorization for the increase in an Act of Congress; and (2)a drastic shift in the political and diplomatic strategy of the United States, as well as the mission of the United States Armed Forces in Iraq, is needed to secure and stabilize Iraq so that the United States can begin a phased withdrawal of United States troops as soon as possible.