[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 158 (Tuesday, November 4, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE AND FOR THE 
              RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 30, 2003

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3289) making 
     emergency supplemental appropriations for defense and for the 
     reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes:

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Chairman, I had hoped to be able to vote 
for the final version of this supplemental appropriations bill, but I'm 
afraid the minor changes made in conference were not enough to overcome 
my grave reservations about the bill. So I cannot support this 
conference report.
  I voted against the resolution that authorized the president to begin 
military actions in Iraq at a time and under conditions of his own 
choosing, regardless of the likely costs and sacrifices that would be 
required. I was concerned that the Bush Administration had a plan only 
for invasion, not for the subsequent ``peace'' and occupation, and was 
too ready to go it alone.
  But Congress unwisely authorized the president to make Iraq the 
center of our war on terrorism, even without broad-based international 
support, and did so without a responsible debate that fully weighed the 
pros and cons of this strategic choice.
  In short, I did not think Congress should give the president such a 
blank check--but we did, and the bills are coming due.
  Now President Bush has asked Congress for an emergency appropriation 
of $87 billion--the largest supplemental appropriation in history. His 
request comes when our economy is weak, there are escalating needs for 
national defense, homeland security, and domestic programs--and he is 
still pressing for more tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthy.
  Of course, the Iraq bills must be paid. We must support our troops. 
And I support helping Iraq rebuild. It is in our national interest to 
have a stable Iraq, which will mean a safer environment for our troops 
and will be their ticket home. But I don't believe that our children 
should pay for the entire $87 billion. In the past, our wars have been 
paid for by the generations that fought them. That is a reasonable 
policy and I think it should be true for Iraq.
  If none of this money is to be a loan--and that is what the 
conference report provides--we should roll back the president's tax 
cuts for the wealthiest taxpayers. But we are not being allowed to vote 
on that idea. The Republican leadership refuses to let the Congress 
debate who should pay, or debate about priorities--in the war on 
terrorism or here at home.
  Rejecting this flawed bill will not immediately cut off funds for our 
troops. CRS has confirmed that they have enough money to continue 
operations well into next year. There is no reason we can't have the 
normal ``pay-as-you-go'' approach that provides funding in installments 
and only after certain benchmarks and milestones are met. And the Bush 
Administration showed its hand when it threatened to veto any bill that 
includes loans as part of the reconstruction of Iraq. If the debate 
were about supplying the troops, why would the president think of 
vetoing their money?
  I will not vote to spend billions in Iraq unless the administration 
does what it should already have done--that is, to provide detailed 
plans for Iraq's reconstruction and security; make concerted efforts to 
secure increased international participation under a UN resolution; 
demonstrate greater flexibility and openness toward questions of 
control over reconstruction and democratization; and craft a fiscally 
responsible plan to provide for the billions of dollars necessary.
  To merely rubber stamp administration requests, as this conference 
report essentially does, is a neglect of our congressional duties, and 
I cannot support it.

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