[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 111 (Thursday, September 5, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H6078]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   FREE DEBATE OVER THE WAR WITH IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this morning before we began 
our legislative business, news rang out from Afghanistan that another 
car bomb had taken the lives of many individuals in one of their major 
cities.
  Just a few months ago, we made the decision to ensure that those who 
committed the horrific act would understand that America takes care of 
its own. And I voted for that resolution to go after the terrorists. 
Today, however, I think it is important that the American people be 
informed on the recent raging debate regarding Iraq.
  The best thing about what we are hearing is that this is not a 
political debate. It is, in fact, a debate of conscience, and a debate 
that rages among Democrats and Republicans and Independents. It is one 
that will require America to be informed. And I would simply say to 
those who may be listening as I bring this issue to the floor that we 
need to engage the American people and provide them with information. 
It is imperative that we go home to our congressional districts and 
have citizen summits so that information can be translated.
  But let me begin to enunciate, if you will, what is the conflict and 
the confusion with such a debate. First of all, it concerns all of us 
that this debate would be raging in the press with no information that 
connects the need to investigate or to attack Iraq and reality.
  It is interesting that we have noted by Members of the other body 
that there is no scintilla of evidence that connects at this point Iraq 
with the horrific acts that occurred in the past year. There is no 
evidence that Iraq at this point has nuclear weapons. The case has not 
been made. But we have not said to the American people this is 
different from Kuwait, when Iraq attacked Kuwait when we had the 
coalition of Arab allies as well as our allies around the world.
  What is not being focused on is the loud and resounding voice of 
those who oppose even the mere discussion of what is going on, meaning 
our allies. For those of us who care about our friends around the 
world, and those in the region like Jordan and Israel, do we even know 
what the ultimate impact will be on those neighbors?
  What is the difference of sending 75 to 100,000 troops and maybe more 
of our young men and women in this Nation, those U.S. military 
personnel who we love and respect, who at the drop of a hat will go and 
fight for our freedom and justice? What is the determination as it 
relates to them going on soil, foreign soil, where we know that a caged 
animal such as Saddam Hussein will do anything to survive? Have we told 
the American people how long and how costly? Have we proposed to the 
American people a resolution on the devastating economy that we are 
facing, jobs being lost across this land and people begging us to 
define an economic policy that will put them back to work, that will 
give them costly or cost-efficient health care, that will provide for 
their children going to school? Are we answering the hard questions of 
protecting their pensions and 401(k)'s? Are we telling my constituents 
that we are bringing relief to them? Every day their homes are on the 
foreclosure list because they have no jobs in Houston, Texas.
  Are we letting them know that right now we are paying a billion 
dollars a month in Afghanistan and we do not know when it will end for 
the war we are waging there? And we have no endgame to any war with 
Iraq. One year, 2 years, 20 years, millions and millions and billions 
of dollars. And have we looked at the Constitution which clearly states 
that we as a Congress have a right to declare war. The War Powers 
Resolution of 1973 in its opening language said we are sending this 
forward because it helps to collaborate and to emphasize the 
relationship between the Executive and the Congress, and that the 
Congress has the purse strings and the right to declare war. And if 
there is need for a preemptive strike to protect this land, the 
Executive, the Commander in Chief can go in for 60, 90 days without the 
authority of Congress.
  We were together in World War II when we were attacked in Pearl 
Harbor. We have been together before. But it is important for the 
American people to be informed. It is important for us to have an 
agenda, to put the economy first. It is important to ask the question 
why. What relevance is it? Are we in an imminent attack?
  I ask, Mr. Speaker, that this debate be long and protracted and that 
no vote be taken without the American people knowing what is going on. 
That would be my voice, a continuous voice speaking out against this 
process and this potential attack without the American people.

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