[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 8 (Tuesday, February 1, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IRAQIS AHEAD OF THE CURVE

  (Mrs. DRAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my heartfelt 
congratulations to the Iraqi people for their bravery, their courage, 
and their sacrifice along the road to self-determination and 
sovereignty.
  As I contemplate the recent progress in Iraq, I am reminded of the 
fact that it was 13 years from the time we declared our independence 
until we elected our first president.
  In Iraq, it has been a mere 13 months since Saddam's capture. In 
America, it took 132 years for women to have the right to vote, but in 
Iraq women voted in their very first democratic election. This election 
is only the beginning of democracy in Iraq.
  As their newly elected leaders draft a constitution this year, 
America's commitment to Iraq's security is critical. We must ensure 
that democracy and freedom take root and begin to thrive in the hearts 
and the lives of the Iraqi people.
  I also believe as more nations in the Middle East move towards 
freedom and democracy, it will provide for a more secure and peaceful 
world.

                          ____________________