[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 50 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

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                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2003

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I commend to my colleagues' attention the 
following letter sent to President George W. Bush by members of the 
California Legislature stating their opposition to war against Iraq. I 
am proud of these 52 lawmakers who represent a diversity of 
California's citizens. They understand first-hand the cost of this 
capricious act. Financing this war will mean less federal investment in 
schools and nursing homes and the loss of basic services for the 
working poor, the disabled and mentally-ill. They are rightly concerned 
about the impact this war will have on those young Americans who have 
been called to fight. They are disappointed about the diminished 
respect and influence America will have in the world given the 
President's use of military power, not the interests of peace and 
democracy, in his approach to foreign affairs. I commend my fellow 
Californians for their eloquence and outspokenness on an issue of such 
great importance to the American people.


                                       California Legislature,

                                                    March 4, 2003.
     Hon. George W. Bush,
     President, United States of America, The White House, 
         Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: As Members of the California State 
     Legislature, we respectfully write in opposition to a war on 
     Iraq without a formal resolution by the United Nations 
     Security Council and a declaration of war by Congress.
       As elected representatives of the largest population and 
     economy in America, we have many concerns over the policies 
     your administration is pursuing. These include:
       A lack of credible evidence that meets the standard of 
     ``beyond a reasonable doubt'' that shows the imminent danger 
     Iraq poses to America's essential interests. Neither Colin 
     Powell nor Hans Blix presented a case sufficient to warrant 
     an attack by American forces.
       A failure to persuade other nations to support our 
     intentions. Unlike the aftermath of the Attack on America, 
     you have not been able to enlist the support of other key 
     nations, who presumably have been given even more 
     intelligence data than has the American public. This lack of 
     geo-political solidarity substantially weakens America's case 
     in the court of world opinion. Further, it enhances the 
     prospects of fighting a war with few allies.
       Lack of clarity about the possible instability in the 
     Middle East during the war and subsequent foreign occupation 
     of Iraq. It seems unlikely that the Muslim world will for 
     long passively accept America's incursion--whatever our 
     provocation.
           Respectfully,
         Don Perata, Byron Sher, Jack Scott, Mike Machado, Tom 
           Torlakson, Gloria Romero, Wesley Chesbro, Debra Bowen, 
           Deborah Ortiz, John Burton, Liz Figueroa, Gil Cedillo, 
           Sheila Kuehl, John Vasconcellos, Edward Vincent, 
           Richard Alarcon, Jackie Speier, Dede Alpert.
         Paul Koretz, John Longville, Mervyn Dymally, Christine 
           Kehoe, Jackie Goldberg, Fabian Nunez, Sally J. Lieber, 
           Ronald Calderon, John Laird, Loni Hancock, Judy Chu, 
           Patricia Wiggins, Alan Lowenthal, Hannah-Beth Jackson, 
           Gene Mullin, Cindy Montanez, Marco Firebaugh, Patty 
           Berg, Wilma Chan.

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