[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 17, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H1122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      MARKING THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, as true as my friend from Georgia has just 
said, we are about to begin consideration of a very important 
resolution. It is one which I believe should, in fact, enjoy strong 
bipartisan support. It is noncontroversial in that it is designed 
simply to, as the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) said last 
night before the Committee on Rules, provide commendation to our troops 
and to the Iraqi people and to the coalition forces for the fact that a 
year ago this week they began this effort to bring about the liberation 
of the people of Iraq, and there has been tremendous success.
  We often hear of the negatives, Mr. Speaker, but I think it is 
important, as Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has pointed out time and time 
again, we are seeing schools rebuilt. We are seeing all kinds of very, 
very positive developments, even though we deal with some serious 
challenges.
  So, Mr. Speaker, my message as we prepare for consideration of this 
rule, which will be debated for an hour and then we will have 4 hours 
of debate which will allow for a wide range of views to come forward, I 
hope that at the end of the day, the United States House of 
Representatives will stand firmly behind our troops and this effort 
which we mark the anniversary of right now.

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