[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 9 (Wednesday, February 2, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H303-H310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RELATING TO FREE ELECTION IN IRAQ HELD ON JANUARY 30, 2005

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the previous order of the 
House, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 60) relating to the free 
election in Iraq held on January 30, 2005, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of House Resolution 60 is as follows:

                               H. Res. 60

       Whereas in April 2003, United States Armed Forces and other 
     Coalition forces liberated the people of Iraq from the 
     dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein;
       Whereas at the end of June 2004, an Interim Government of 
     Iraq assumed sovereign authority over Iraq;
       Whereas the Interim Government of Iraq called an election 
     for January 30, 2005, to elect a Transitional National 
     Assembly, which will choose Iraq's Transitional Presidency 
     Council, approve Iraq's other national leaders, serve as a 
     transitional legislature, and draft a permanent Iraqi 
     Constitution to be submitted to a referendum;
       Whereas tens of thousands of Iraqis signed petitions 
     nominating thousands of candidates for seats in the 
     Transitional National Assembly under rules prescribed by the 
     Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq;
       Whereas thousands of Iraqis served as poll workers or 
     observers;
       Whereas a terrorist insurgency used murder and intimidation 
     in a desperate but ultimately fruitless attempt to prevent 
     the people of Iraq from exercising their right to choose 
     their own leaders;
       Whereas despite the efforts of Coalition forces and Iraqi 
     security forces, a regrettably large number of Iraqi election 
     workers, political party volunteers, security officials, 
     candidates, and ordinary citizens attempting to participate 
     in the political process or who

[[Page H304]]

     were merely innocent bystanders were victimized by the 
     insurgency, with some individuals having been killed while 
     attempting to vote;
       Whereas millions of Iraqis nevertheless exercised their 
     right to vote, despite threats and actual violence directed 
     against them;
       Whereas Coalition forces, in cooperation with Iraqi 
     security forces, continue to provide security for the people 
     of Iraq; and
       Whereas a representative democracy is more than a way to 
     settle disputes but, most importantly, ascribes intrinsic 
     value to every human being: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates the people of Iraq, in particular those 
     individuals who participated in the political process as 
     voters, poll workers, observers, party workers, or candidates 
     for the Transitional National Assembly, for having taken part 
     in the historic and inspiring Iraqi election of January 30, 
     2005;
       (2) expresses its thanks to the Interim Government of Iraq 
     and the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, Iraqi and 
     Coalition security forces, and the civilian United States and 
     international partners of the Government of Iraq for their 
     tenacious efforts to create the conditions in which a free 
     election could be held;
       (3) expresses its condolences to the families of those 
     Iraqis who perished while attempting to exercise their right 
     to choose their government or while protecting Iraqis who 
     were doing so;
       (4) congratulates the candidates who were elected to Iraq's 
     Transitional National Assembly which will be, when it is 
     formed, the newest democratically-elected legislature in the 
     world;
       (5) offers its continued support to the people and 
     political institutions of Iraq, including the Iraqi 
     Transitional National Assembly, as they deal with the 
     consequences of decades of misrule by the former regime of 
     Saddam Hussein;
       (6) expresses its gratitude to the United States Armed 
     Forces for their ongoing valiant service to their country and 
     commitment to the highest ideals and traditions of the people 
     of the United States;
       (7) expresses its gratitude to the families of United 
     States Armed Forces personnel, especially the families of 
     those who have lost loved ones in Operation Iraqi Freedom, 
     and to Armed Forces personnel wounded in the service of their 
     country, for their sacrifices;
       (8) reaffirms that--
       (A) United States Armed Forces in Iraq will remain under 
     the full authority, direction, and control of their United 
     States commanders; and
       (B) United States Armed Forces will possess all necessary 
     authority to fulfill their mission in Iraq effectively and to 
     provide for their operational safety;
       (9) urges the people of the United States and other 
     countries to celebrate this latest step in the restoration of 
     freedom to the people of Iraq; and
       (10) reaffirms that the world is safer when democracy 
     replaces tyranny.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
Tuesday, February 1, 2005, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will 
control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on H. Res. 60.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important resolution relating 
to the free elections held in Iraq on Sunday, January 30. I commend the 
leadership for bringing this important measure to the floor at this 
time.
  This past Sunday, freedom permeated from all corners of Iraq. Iraqis 
celebrated their vote. They reveled in it and embraced it. They clearly 
demonstrated to the terrorists and to the world the power of the human 
spirit. They showed the indomitable will of a free people anxious to 
exercise their rights as human beings and citizens. We witnessed women 
in this Arab nation taking their place as free individuals alongside 
men, their voices and their votes given equal weight.
  The Kurdish people, who have been the victims of unspeakable human 
rights violations under Saddam Hussein's evil regime, at long last 
voted to take their well-earned, equal, respected place in a new Iraq. 
Both Shias and Sunnis, through the ballot box, were afforded an equal 
opportunity to exercise their rights and a role in their future 
government.
  Some naysayers have focused on percentages and what ethnic group 
voted more than others. I, however, will always remember the images of 
the young and old Iraqis, of men and women of all backgrounds, proudly 
showing their ink-stained fingers, while hugging and waving to American 
soldiers in a show of gratitude.
  I have never been prouder to have been an American and know that we 
have and will continue to contribute to make these images of hope 
possible. It is a testament to the power of freedom that as we 
commemorated the liberation of Auschwitz we finished that same week 
with elections in a country previously shackled with decades of 
tyranny.
  It is a victory for those of us who believe that people throughout 
the Middle East are not just ready but enthusiastic for democracy. It 
is a victory for the principle that human rights are universal and not 
gifts bestowed to a select few.
  However, our work is by no means complete. From Iran to Libya, from 
Saudi Arabia to Syria and beyond, much of the Middle East remains 
engulfed in oppression under the iron grip of dictatorships. Only by 
securing a decisive shift towards democracy across the region can the 
misery endured by the people of the Middle East be relieved.
  Simultaneously, we must encourage those governments and populations 
in the region who have heeded the call for political and economic 
reform to expand those efforts, as they will surely ensure a prosperous 
future for their people and a more secure and stable world for us all.
  Let us congratulate and commend the courageous Iraqis for defying the 
terrorists in going to the polls in huge numbers. Let us honor the 
brave men and women of our Armed Forces and all Iraqi security forces, 
officials and innocent civilians who have given their lives so that all 
Iraqis were given the opportunity to exercise a valuable, cherished 
freedom.
  As the great communicator, former President Ronald Reagan, said on 
January 20, 1981, ``No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so 
formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.'' This 
was clearly evident in Iraq this past Sunday.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to overwhelmingly 
support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I first 
want to commend the bipartisan leadership of this body for bringing 
this resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, the votes are still being counted in Iraq, but it is 
already clear that democracy has won. The people of Iraq have cast 
their ballots in favor of freedom, including the right to choose their 
own leaders and their own fate.
  We should not be surprised. We have seen people choose freedom over 
tyranny repeatedly during the past 15 years in country after country. 
But Iraqis voted in unprecedented circumstances, literally risking life 
and limb merely to exercise the privilege that most of us take for 
granted and many of us do not even exercise. Their courage inspires us, 
reinvigorating our own love for democracy and testifying to the power 
of freedom's call.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to have been a fly on the wall of those in 
power throughout the Arab world who watched the televised spectacle of 
Iraqis freely choosing their own leaders. We do not know yet who will 
lead the new Iraqi government, but we know that that government will be 
the sole representative of democracy in the halls of the Arab league. 
And we know that increasing numbers of Arab citizens in other Arab 
countries are already asking why their governments, with very limited 
exceptions, are chosen and perpetuated only at gunpoint.
  The evident success of the election should boost the self-confidence 
of all concerned. Iraqis themselves organized the campaign and 
election. They monitored the vote, they secured the polling places, and 
now they are counting the ballots.
  U.S. forces wisely situated themselves beyond the horizon of the 
polling places, but no one should lose sight of the fact that it was 
American and coalition soldiers who made this day possible because of 
their performance on

[[Page H305]]

election day and for many days and weeks before.

                              {time}  1145

  Mr. Speaker, we must pay special tribute today to the bravery shown 
by our fighting men and women, to the commitment shown by our civilian 
personnel in Iraq and to the dedication and sacrifice shown by their 
families. I am proud that this resolution does just that.
  We also acknowledge with respect those who have been wounded in the 
prosecution of this war, and we remember with the deepest sadness those 
who made the ultimate sacrifice.
  Not the least of the gratifying developments on Sunday was the 
excellent manner in which the Iraqi armed forces acquitted themselves. 
We need to pay special tribute to General David Petraeus for his 
extraordinary work in training Iraq's military forces.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe Sunday's election is an important milestone in 
the democratic development not only of Iraq but the entire Middle East. 
But it is also another battle won in the fight against the 
antidemocratic terrorists who opposed the election and continue their 
pernicious struggle. The impressive voter turnout, perhaps most 
impressive in the Sunni areas where antidemocratic intimidation was the 
most intense, is the surest sign that Iraqis as a whole are embracing 
the legitimacy of their new government and their new security forces.
  But we must be realistic, Mr. Speaker. Democracy entails far more 
than a day at the polls. The major challenges are still ahead for Iraq. 
Can Iraqis ensure that all segments of their nation have the 
opportunity to be heard? Will they produce a fair and workable 
constitution leading to a durable democracy? Will they learn the art of 
compromise that will be essential to their success? Will they be 
moderate or will they dig in their heels on the difficult issues such 
as the role of religion or the disposition of the contested city of 
Kirkuk?
  Building democracy in the Middle East will require immense patience. 
It surely is a multigenerational project. Even building democracy in 
just one nation, especially one with a complicated society such as 
Iraq's, is a long-term challenge. But for today, Mr. Speaker, let us 
recognize that the Iraqi people have just taken a first but vitally 
important step towards meeting that challenge, and let us affirm that 
they merit the admiration of all free peoples across the globe. And 
last, but hardly least, let us take pride in America's enormous 
contribution towards true Iraqi self-determination.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to yield 3 minutes to 
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart), the vice chair of 
the Committee on Rules.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I thank the distinguished 
gentlewoman for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution brought 
forth by our majority leader and others commemorating, celebrating the 
extraordinarily historic accomplishment of the Iraqi people last 
Sunday.
  As our majority leader stated in a meeting where we were able to hear 
him speak just a few minutes ago, what we saw, what the world saw in 
Iraq on Sunday was more than an accomplishment. It was a miracle. But 
it was a miracle made possible by the leadership of President Bush and 
the Armed Forces of the United States and the coalition that have stood 
firmly for the security of a people who were oppressed for decades and 
who made it known to the entire world last Sunday that those thugs who 
seek to cloak themselves in some sort of sector of Islamist thought are 
nothing but a bunch of gangsters, thugs and gangsters who seek to 
intimidate through violence and through terror.
  So the world was able to see on Sunday the gangsters and the thugs 
for what they are, a pathetic group dedicated to terror and 
intimidation. The world has seen and was able to see, by the courage of 
the millions and millions of Iraqis who, despite the threat to their 
own lives, stood in line and the lines refused to be broken. As our 
majority leader stated so eloquently in the meeting that we had, as I 
stated before, earlier today, the lines refused to break even when the 
bombs came and the attacks came and the injured were taken to hospitals 
and the dead were mourned. Yet the lines remained to demonstrate to the 
world that the Iraqi people not only seek but appreciate and will stand 
for their freedom and that the gangsters and the thugs are simply 
pathetic believers in violence.
  I am a firm believer in the Bush doctrine. All people want to be free 
and all people deserve to be free. There are a handful of tyrannies in 
the world. Their day will soon come, also.
  Just 90 miles from the shores of the United States there is a tyrant 
who for 46 years has oppressed a people, also through the same gangster 
tactics that these thugs in the Middle East use. Unfortunately, he has 
all the weapons, and his people are unarmed. His day will soon come as 
well.
  This is a great day for history, for peace that we are celebrating 
today with this resolution by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay). 
That is why I so strongly support it.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to yield 2 minutes to 
the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, there have been so many images that have come out of the 
election in Iraq that have warmed the hearts of all who love freedom. 
My favorite was that of a woman holding up the victory sign accentuated 
by the blue ink on her finger indicating that she had voted. That 
victory sign stands for victory over dictatorship, for victory over 
terror, victory for democracy, victory for freedom.
  There have also been some statements from voters showing what they 
think of their newfound freedoms. One voter remarked, ``I moved to mark 
my finger with ink. I dipped it deep as if I was poking the eyes of all 
the world's tyrants.''
  The Iraqi people have spoken with a loud voice, and once again 
freedom is on the march. This is thanks to the dedication not only of 
the people of Iraq but certainly for all the service and the sacrifice 
of our brave men and women in the armed services.
  So I do find it amazing that some on the other side of the aisle and 
throughout our Nation are calling for a quick pullout of our troops 
from Iraq. We all want our troops to come home, and they will, as soon 
as their mission is accomplished, as soon as it is completed. They will 
not leave early and allow dictatorship and repression to return to fill 
the vacuum left by their departure.
  Many of these advocates of an early withdrawal were also in 
opposition to President Ronald Reagan when he stood strong for freedom 
against Soviet communism. These same detractors say that we should not 
overhype the election in Iraq. In 1989, were they saying that we should 
not overhype the fall of the Berlin Wall? Tell that to the people of 
the former East Germany who now live in freedom, tell it to the people 
of Poland, tell it to the people of the Czech Republic, tell it to the 
people of Hungary, or to the people of the Ukraine, all of whom live in 
freedom because of the steadfast determination of the American people 
to spread liberty.
  The flag of freedom has been raised high in Iraq, and we cannot and 
must not leave Iraq before freedom and democracy take root. Because, 
just as in Europe, the idea of freedom will resonate throughout the 
Middle East.
  Let freedom ring.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), a member of the Committee on 
International Relations.
  Mr. ROYCE. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution celebrating 
the free elections held in Iraq this past weekend. I think it is 
important that the world watched as millions of Iraqis defied the edict 
of Zarkawi and other terrorist leaders, defied their edict not to 
participate and went forward to cast what for most was the first 
meaningful vote in their lives.
  Thousands of Iraqis served as poll workers. There were thousands of 
observers, as this resolution notes. The

[[Page H306]]

turnout exceeded all expectations. Iraqis of all backgrounds celebrated 
this milestone in the history of their country, but I believe it was a 
milestone for the Middle East and a milestone for the world. Tyrants 
and dictators would have people believe that democracy is a charade. 
Tell that to the Iraqis celebrating in the streets throughout Iraq. 
They rejected Saddam Hussein in a way that they had not had an 
opportunity to before, and they actually rejected him with an 
exclamation point in this election. What we saw was yet more evidence 
that the yearning to shape the political life of one's community and 
one's nation is universal. Freedom truly is a human aspiration.
  Voting, as we have heard, is a step. The ballots have not yet been 
counted. A constitution needs to be drafted. Democracy, if it is going 
to work, must respect the interests of minorities. Otherwise, it is the 
tyranny of the majority.
  In general, everyone wants their own rights respected. The challenge 
is to get people to respect the next person's rights. Kurdish rights 
must be protected, Sunni rights must be respected, and the rights of 
the Iraqi down the street must be respected. As President Bush has told 
the American people, this will be a long struggle. Iraq is very 
difficult terrain.
  The stars of last weekend clearly were the Iraqi people. They put 
their lives on the line for a better future. Some were killed. But, 
make no mistake about it, there was a key supporting cast. Our Nation 
owes a debt of gratitude to the many members of our Armed Forces, our 
diplomats and other Americans in Iraq who are also risking their lives 
and in some cases sacrificing their lives to help Iraqis and also 
Americans.
  We have a strong national interest in seeing Iraq become a success. 
If this happens, when the history of this era in Iraq is written, these 
men and women will be widely revered.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Kingston).
  Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, insurgents in Iraq this weekend had vowed to wash the 
streets in blood. Yet, despite all their threats of people who were 
going to get killed and places that were going to be bombed, and indeed 
43 people were killed, despite all that, voters turned out, of course, 
in record numbers because the election itself was a record.
  One voter said on Sunday that each vote was a bullet in the heart of 
the enemy. We are defeating the terrorists in coming here, he said 
proudly, as he dipped his finger in the famous purple ink. This was 
done in over 30,000 polling places. And now the votes are being 
counted.
  When we look at the turnout, nearly 60 percent, we are not really 
sure what the turnout officially is, but compare that to the United 
States presidential election just this November of a 60.7 percent voter 
turnout. Yet no one was threatened to be killed. That was the highest 
turnout in the United States of America in 38 years. Indeed, in my home 
county in Savannah, Georgia, Chatham County had a turnout of a mere 48 
percent 2 years ago when we elected the Governor of Georgia.

                              {time}  1200

  So for them under these circumstances to have a 60 percent voter 
turnout, it is phenomenal; but it is also a huge statement on how badly 
people want freedom, how badly they want to throw off the shackles of 
oppression, and how they value the opportunity to vote.
  The U.S. Marines said that watching voters go to the polls was a 
spectacular and a wonderful payoff of the magnitude of the well-
visualized photo of their knocking down Saddam Hussein's statue 2 years 
ago in Baghdad. And the people who died, the 43 lives who are no longer 
with us, they should all be remembered along with the other heroes who 
made the day possible. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
  It took the United States of America 7 years to fight the 
Revolutionary War to win its independence from Britain, and then it was 
not until 1789 that we threw out the Articles of Confederation and 
wrote our own Constitution. And yet we fought a Civil War since then 
and we have had lots of struggles and lot of amendments to our 
Constitution. Indeed, over 200 years later, we are still fighting and 
working on this experiment that we call democracy, representative 
democracy.
  What the world needs to do right now is to support Iraq in this 
endeavor. It is time for folks around the globe to say this did serve 
as a referendum and a statement; now let us reach out and do what we 
can to help Iraq become independent.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi); but before turning the 
microphone over to her, let me just say she has devoted her life to 
expanding the arena of freedom and democracy throughout the globe, and 
we are proud to have her represent us as our leader in this body.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his very 
generous remarks and commend him in turn for his leadership and the 
determination and dedication that he has given to human rights 
throughout the world and freedom throughout the world. Having just 
visited Auschwitz and having his own personal sad experience in the 
deprivation of freedom, he is an inspiration to all of us. I hope that 
the trip was not too painful for the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos), but again his courage and his determination are a lesson to 
all of us, and I thank him.
  Mr. Speaker, Sunday was a historic day for the people of Iraq. In the 
face of violence and threats, millions of Iraqis made it clear that 
they want the future of their own country decided by the ballot, not by 
the bomb or the bullet. Their willingness to risk their lives to vote 
is compelling evidence of the depth of their aspiration for self-
determination. Their courage commands our admiration and our respect.
  The bravery of our military personnel cannot be praised highly 
enough. Without their selflessness in the face of great danger, the 
election could not have been held. Every American is inspired by their 
courage, their patriotism, and the sacrifice they are willing to make 
for our country.
  Iraqis have demonstrated their desire to take responsibility for 
their country's future. Our effort now should be to use the momentum 
created by the election to help them realize that goal. Iraq needs to 
be made more secure. Let us intensify our efforts to train the Iraqi 
Army that can provide that security. The sooner we transfer the 
responsibility for security of Iraq over to the Iraqis, the better.
  Iraq's future depends on improvements to its economic infrastructure. 
Let us accelerate the reconstruction efforts that have lagged so badly 
and give Iraqis a larger stake in having those efforts succeed.
  Iraq's political future depends on the involvement of all Iraqis in 
the political process. Let us redouble our diplomatic efforts with 
Iraq's neighbors to help create an environment in which Iraq includes 
those who have thus far felt excluded.
  We know that Sunday's election was but a step on the road to a stable 
and secure Iraq. The American people, who have sacrificed so much for 
Iraq, are owed a clear explanation by the President of his plan to end 
our presence in Iraq and of the standards by which they can judge that 
plan. I hope that we will hear that plan tonight in the President's 
State of the Union address.
  In congratulating the Iraqi people on their achievement, we also need 
to acknowledge that the election should signal the beginning of a 
change in our relationship with Iraq.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Woolsey).
  (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, on Sunday Iraq held democratic elections to nominate 
legislators to write Iraq's constitution, and I want to congratulate 
the courageous Iraqi people who voted in the election. My congressional 
district, Marin and Sonoma Counties, north of San Francisco, across the 
Golden Gate Bridge, had an 89\1/2\ percent voter turnout in the United 
States the last election, 89\1/2\. Believe me, we know the importance 
that elections play in our democracy.

[[Page H307]]

  And now with Iraq's elections completed, we in the United States must 
ensure that the people of Iraq control their own affairs as Iraq 
transitions towards democracy. In fact, Sunday's election gives the 
United States yet another opportunity to get back on course in Iraq. We 
can do this by supporting the Iraqi people, not through our military 
but through international cooperation to help rebuild Iraq's economic 
and physical infrastructure. There are four components to my plan on 
how to do this. H. Con. Res. 35, which is co-sponsored by over two 
dozen other Members of the House, this plan secures Iraq for the 
future. It ensures that America's role in Iraq gives Iraq back to the 
Iraqis and actually makes America safer.
  First, we need to develop and implement a plan to begin the immediate 
withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Second, we must develop and 
implement a plan for the reconstruction of Iraq's civil and economic 
infrastructure. Third, we need to convene an emergency meeting of 
Iraq's leadership and the international community to replace U.S. 
military forces in Iraq with an international peacekeeping force and 
Iraqi police and national guard forces. Finally, we need to take all 
steps to provide that the Iraqi people receive the opportunity they 
deserve to control their own internal affairs.
  In conclusion, I wholeheartedly salute the Iraqi people for their 
courage in participating in last Sunday's elections. But if we are to 
succeed in Iraq, we must utilize this moment as a means to bring our 
troops home and a means to return power to the Iraqi people.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Franks).
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, only a few months ago, for the 
first time in history, ballot boxes were coming in from remote places 
like Khyber Pass in Afghanistan on the backs of mules. What a great 
time it is to live in this world.
  And last Sunday we saw free elections in a nation whose people have 
been crushed and oppressed since the days their country was called 
Babylon. We saw young men carrying old men to the polls. We saw one 
gentleman whose leg had been blown off by a terrorist bomb who said, I 
will crawl to vote if that is what it takes. And one of Saddam 
Hussein's former generals said, When I voted today, it felt so good 
inside, like I was free.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States of America has been a leader in 
freedom, and we have now had the privilege of becoming the unipolar 
superpower of the entire world. No nation on Earth can actually 
challenge us in military, economic, or technological terms; and truly 
every nation sees America now as the flagship of humanity. This Nation 
now possesses a greater opportunity to promote freedom in the world 
than we have had since the Republic began.
  But it is because we have had such great victories and opportunities 
that more than ever before we must be deeply humble and remind 
ourselves that we are only briefly the temporary stewards of this God-
given greatest Nation in the history of humankind. And we only have a 
short time to fulfill our privileged and sacred mission of making 
America such a beacon of liberty that the light of freedom will some 
day fall across the faces of every person on this planet.
  Last Sunday tells me, Mr. Speaker, that this is the generation who 
lives in the window of time where we can firmly set the world on that 
course. This is freedom's day, and we must seize it while we can. And 
while I do not often quote Shakespeare, he said, ``There is a tide in 
the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; 
omitted'' or delayed, ``all the voyage of their lives is bound in 
shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea, we now find ourselves 
afloat, and we must take the current when it serves or lose our 
ventures.''
  Mr. Speaker, as we take this current to freedom, let us remember that 
the best leverage to maintain freedom's march in the world is to make 
sure that its foundations are secure beneath freedom's home; and then, 
Mr. Speaker, let us take this tide of freedom as it serves so that one 
day all generations will bask in this glorious sunlight of liberty just 
as it has now begun to dawn on the people of Iraq.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time, and I thank him for always standing first and foremost for human 
rights here and around the world. I am not surprised that he would come 
forward with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) with this well-
deserved and important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more gratifying to the American people 
than seeing people vote, and especially people vote for the first time. 
I feel what is happening in Iraq with great and moving nostalgia 
because it reminds me of the first African Americans who voted after 
the Civil War. It reminds me that this is the 40th anniversary of the 
Voting Rights Act of 1965 and what it meant for people in Alabama and 
Georgia to come to the polls for the first time. There is unanimous 
applause for the people of Iraq who risked their lives to come to the 
polls. They did not just vote. Many of them knew they were risking life 
and limb to vote.
  They know, however, and we know where the risk was greatest, and that 
risk was greatest on the Armed Forces of the United States and their 
allies who made this right possible.
  Mr. Speaker, I come forward to say that no people in our country more 
appreciate that vote on January 30 than the people in the District of 
Columbia. In the District of Columbia, lives were lost for the vote in 
Iraq. But these residents are the progeny of 2 centuries of District 
residents who have gone to war without a vote. Three of these young men 
who were on the frontlines in Iraq came to the House as the House 
opened and asked for the same vote for their families and for the 
residents of the District of Columbia as their service has given to the 
people of Iraq. They asked to start with the Committee of the Whole 
where we had the right to vote but the right was taken from us when the 
majority changed.
  Listen to one of the young men: ``Two of my friends and I earlier 
this month asked for the return of the House vote of the Committee of 
the Whole our city won during the 103rd Congress . . . Think of what 
American leaders and citizens would say if one party were to nullify 
the legitimate vote of another party after the elections in Iraq.''
  They asked to see the Speaker; the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Pelosi), leader of the Democrats. She saw him. The Speaker and a member 
of his staff were unable to see him. Senator Lieberman and I have 
reintroduced the No Taxation Without Representation Act.

                              {time}  1215

  Let me leave you with the words, finally, of one of these young men.
  ``I was prepared in Iraq for whatever came, including service in a 
border breach squad charged with clearing mines and anything else that 
got in the way to prepare the first troops to cross the border. That 
was my duty and I would do it again. However, our country also has an 
important obligation to those who serve and to other citizens. One of 
the most important obligations is to ensure every citizen that his 
representative will have a chance to vote before that citizen goes to 
war for his country.''
  The third young man: ``My father served in the 101st Airborne in 
Vietnam and I am proud to follow him by serving my country in the same 
manner. I want equal treatment at home. I want the same voting 
representation in the House and Senate as other soldiers and as the 
Iraqi people have in their elections this month.''
  Out of the mouths of young residents of the District of Columbia who 
are on the frontline. I will insert their statements and a statement 
concerning their service from the Washington Post in the Record.

                        Statement of Emory Kosh

       First, my thanks to Congresswoman Norton and Senator 
     Lieberman for re-introducing the No Taxation Without 
     Representation Act. I also want to thank Mr. Shallal for his 
     moving words addressed to men and women like me who served in 
     Iraq and to D.C. residents. During the year I spent in Iraq, 
     I met and spoke with many Iraqi citizens, but Mr. Shallal is 
     the first Iraqi American I have met. His words have special 
     meaning to me and I thank him.
       When I watch television and see people in Iraq and here in 
     the United States preparing

[[Page H308]]

     to vote in the Iraq elections for voting representation, I 
     think of my time in their country. I am proud that I had some 
     role in the voting rights Iraqis will get there on Sunday. 
     For that reason, I deeply appreciate that Mr. Shallal has 
     come not only to thank us, but to join us in the fight for 
     the same voting representation here in the Nation's capital.
       Two of my friends and I earlier this month asked for the 
     return of the House vote in the Committee of the Whole our 
     city won during the 103rd Congress that was taken from us 
     when control of the Congress changed hands. Think of what 
     American leaders and citizens would say if one party were to 
     nullify the legitimate vote of another party after the 
     elections in Iraq. Our vote in the Committee of the Whole 
     represented the first step toward the goal of D.C. residents 
     as expressed in the No Taxation Without Representation Act. 
     We didn't intend to stop there when we asked that this first 
     step be taken, and we won't stop now. We will work with the 
     Congresswoman, the Senator, Mr. Shallal and our fellow 
     citizens until the full voting rights we fought for in Iraq 
     are also available here in our hometown.
                                  ____


                         Remarks of Isaac Lewis

       Congresswoman Norton, Mayor Williams and fellow Americans, 
     thank you for recognizing us today. I was born and raised in 
     the District of Columbia and have always wanted to be in the 
     military and when I graduated from Dunbar High School, I 
     joined the Army Reserves. As a volunteer soldier I was 
     prepared for the interruption of my education at Morehouse, 
     or as it turned out at Bowie State where I was in college 
     when I was called up. I had to withdraw in the middle of the 
     semester and the loss of that time will delay for a year and 
     a half the possibility of law school for me. Yet my service 
     in the military has helped me meet my dream of a college 
     education and I am proud to serve my country.
       I was prepared in Iraq for whatever came, including service 
     in a border breach squad charged with clearing mines and 
     anything else that got in the way to prepare the first troops 
     to cross the border. That was my duty and I would do my duty 
     again. However, our country also has an important obligation 
     to those who serve and to other citizens. One of the most 
     important obligations is to assure every citizen that his 
     representative will have a chance to vote before that citizen 
     goes to war for his country. My buddies and I from the 299th 
     did not have the benefit of that vote. I come to the Congress 
     today to ask for that vote before we are deployed again. 
     Congress can return the vote in Committee of the Whole that 
     the District won fair and square in the 103rd Congress. 
     Although this would not be the full vote other Americans have 
     and that the Iraqis soon will have, I understand that this 
     vote would be the maximum the House of Representatives can 
     give at this time. The maximum is what my buddies and I are 
     pledged to give. We believe that voting representation is not 
     too much to ask in return.

                         Remarks of Marcus Gray

       Congresswoman Norton, Mayor Williams and fellow citizens, 
     thank you for honoring us here today. I am grateful to be 
     back home in the District of Columbia where I was born and 
     raised after almost a year in Iraq with the 299th Engineering 
     Company out of Fort Belvoir, VA. My father served in the 
     101st Airborne in Vietnam and I am proud to follow him by 
     serving my country in the same manner. I am equally proud to 
     be a resident of the District of Columbia where I was born 
     and raised. I am a graduate of Ballou High School and will 
     soon graduate from Norfolk State University. I was at the 
     University when I was called to duty. I am back at Norfolk 
     State to resume the year and a half I lost while on active 
     duty. I will obtain my B.A. in sociology with a concentration 
     in Criminal Justice.
       However, I could be called again this year, but being 
     called to active duty is what every soldier in the Reserves 
     expects could happen. We also expect equal treatment and the 
     Army tries hard to see that all soldiers are treated equally. 
     However, I want equal treatment at home as well. I want the 
     same voting representation in the House and the Senate as 
     other soldiers and as the Iraq people will have in their 
     elections this month. Today I ask that Congress make a good 
     start by returning to me and other citizens of the District 
     of Columbia the vote in the Committee of the Whole we once 
     had. This step would make me as proud as I will be to see the 
     Iraqi people go to the polls on January 30th.
                                  ____


[From an article in the Washington Post on the denial of Congressional 
                    voting rights to D.C. residents]

       Scanning the distant horizons looking for people craving 
     democracy.

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) be permitted to manage the balance 
of the time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and proud to yield the balance 
of our time to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), 
the democratic whip, who has been a leader in the field of expanding 
the arena of freedom globally.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  I would like to acknowledge the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) 
and his leadership. We had the opportunity to travel recently to Iraq, 
to Amman, and to Israel. Both Israel and Iraq have now passed through 
two very historic elections. I had the opportunity of speaking about 
the Palestinian election just recently.
  Despite the fact, Mr. Speaker, that we have differences over our 
Nation's military action in Iraq, I supported the effort and will 
support the funding to accomplish the objectives. But I have made valid 
criticisms, as others have, of the administration's administration or 
execution of the policy. However, Mr. Speaker, I believe that all of us 
are united today, hopefully, in saluting the courageous Iraqi people 
who turned out to vote on Sunday. I know that every Member of the body 
commends the bravery and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform 
whose patriotism and professionalism made this important day possible.
  We must hope that 50 years from now a future generation of Iraqis can 
look back at this election, this event, as a turning point in the 
history of their nation and as a victory for freedom over tyranny, for 
democracy over despotism.
  After toiling under the boot of Saddam Hussein for decades and 
weathering a vicious terrorist insurgency over the last 2 years, the 
Iraqi people said no, no to intimidation, and yes to the most basic 
democratic right, the right to vote.
  Sunday's election, Mr. Speaker, in which millions of Iraqis cast 
ballots, is a stunning repudiation of those who despise freedom and 
democracy. Zarkawi, that criminal leader of terrorist activity and 
insurgency in Iraq, said it accurately for the terrorists: They despise 
democracy. They despise freedom. They fear the decisions of free 
people. That is why they tried to intimidate the Iraqi people.
  Having lived under the totalitarian Saddam Hussein regime all these 
years, however, the Iraqi people know that the insurgents offer nothing 
but further repression and violence.
  Last Friday, Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of visiting the out-of-
country voting station in New Carrollton, Maryland, and watched as many 
of these Iraqis Diaspora cast their votes freely for the first time in 
their lives. The joy and pride on their faces and in their hearts had 
to move everyone with whom they spoke. It was a moving moment, it was 
an historic moment, and it was a poignant reminder to all of us that 
our rights, while God-given, must never be taken for granted; a 
reminder that the cost of protecting those freedoms is sometimes high, 
and we must honor those with the courage and commitment even for others 
across the sea to protect those rights in the realization that 
democracies and free people are safer for us here at home than the 
tyrannies that have prevailed in history.
  Without question, Mr. Speaker, there are difficult days ahead. The 
truly hard work that remains in establishing a viable, stable democracy 
that is capable of maintaining internal order in Iraq is not finished 
by far. But today, today at least, Mr. Speaker, let us celebrate the 
courage of the Iraqi people and express our gratitude and pride in the 
bravery of our Armed Forces, our men and women in uniform who made that 
day possible.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, before yielding back our time, may I just 
remind all of my colleagues and all of the American people that we have 
been debating three important policy resolutions with a degree of 
bipartisan unity that should fill us with pride and joy in the 
recognition of the fact that, despite all the commentary of deep 
divisions in this body, we stood together, Republicans and Democrats, 
supporting the same resolutions and the same policies.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H309]]

  Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of our time to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the distinguished Majority Leader 
and the original sponsor of this important resolution.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding me this 
time.
  I just want to say the comments by the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) are well taken; and it is because of his work, and particularly 
his work to hold us together and work together on these issues, that 
that kind of bipartisan support for these resolution happens. So I 
commend the gentleman and thank him very much for his work and his 
willingness to work with us.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) who 
came to the floor because he just returned from Iraq a couple of weeks 
ago and he has some very important things to say.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Majority Leader for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, two Sunday mornings I was in Baghdad inside the Green 
Zone, an idyllic morning in the cradle of civilization, if you will. 
But we had a wide-ranging discussion with Prime Minister Allawi about 
what lay ahead for Iraq.
  The Prime Minister said that what matters most is the kind of Iraq 
that we have at the end of this process. His feeling was that Iraq had 
its roots in ancient civilization. He now relished the opportunity for 
Iraq to spread the cause of democracy and liberty to other areas of the 
Middle East, which will make the cost and the risk of liberating Iraq 
worthwhile. Terrorism will continue after the elections because there 
will always be those who resist stability, but it will become more and 
more difficult to unravel the community.
  The Prime Minister became fairly philosophical and said he had spent 
the best part of his life fighting for freedom for his country, and now 
that freedom lay at the doorstep. He would not allow those individuals, 
meaning the Sunnis, to distract the process. He stated that if they 
cannot participate now, there will be a space open for them to 
participate in the future.
  To quote the Prime Minister, ``We don't want the radical forces to 
win now, nor do we want the outside forces from Syria or Iran to take 
over. I am a practical person. The Sunnis are changing. The process is 
slow, but our only hope for everyone is to engage in the process and 
distance ourselves from the terrorists. February 1 begins the next 
chapter in our country's history.'' From the Prime Minister Dr. Allawi.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I appreciate the 
gentleman from Texas entering the Prime Minister of Iraq's remarks into 
the Record. I think it is very appropriate to do at this time, 
particularly on this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, the central point of this resolution is the central 
point of America's foreign policy: that mankind is made more secure 
when tyranny is replaced by democracy. That is the story of the 
American revolution against the old world, Western Europe's liberation 
from Nazism, Eastern Europe and Central America's liberation from 
communism and despotism, and the Middle East's liberation from 
terrorism. The victory of human freedom over human oppression, of good 
over evil, Mr. Speaker, is why we are here.
  Last Sunday morning, the people of Iraq showed the world that 
humanity's will to freedom knows no borders. When I first saw the news 
Sunday and saw an image of a woman in Najaf exiting her polling place 
alive and well with tears streaming down her proud, smiling face, I 
thought to myself, now, this, this is what Operation Iraqi Freedom was 
all about. But I was wrong. Sunday's election, Sunday's miracle of 
democracy, was about more than that.
  I thought about the image of the elderly man in a wheelchair in Basra 
who, in his long years, saw revolution and war, tyranny and terror and, 
finally, with a joy only possible in a man who had known such pain, 
cast the first ballot of his life.
  I thought of the image of the little girl with a ribbon in her hair, 
holding her mother's hand as hundreds of women in traditional hijab 
dress waited in line. Now, this little girl was not quite sure what was 
happening, only that the women knew it was important.
  I thought of the image of the voters in Baghdad who ducked for cover 
as their polling place came under fire, yet whose lines never broke. 
There were bullets and bombs and mortar shells, yet their lines never 
broke.
  These voters in Baghdad, not soldiers, but shopkeepers and 
homemakers, knew when they left for the polls in the morning that they 
might not come home. They knew that they were targeted, that their 
spouses would be, could be widowed and their children orphaned. Yet the 
lines never broke. A humble defiance of evil.
  And that is when it hit me, Mr. Speaker. Just as on Sunday all free 
men and women were Iraqis and on Sunday the Iraqis were all free men 
and women. Sunday's elections are not just why we invaded Iraq. They 
were why we stormed Omaha Beach and took the Normandy cliffs. They are 
why we held Little Round Top and braved Valley Forge.
  The lines that formed in Iraq on Sunday stretch not only around the 
world but back in time to the moment when 13 British colonies declared 
their independence. For the first time, at that moment, a nation 
declared itself endowed with an inalienable right to liberty, and in 
228 years since, no nation, no nation, no people ever offered a chance 
at freedom refused it.
  Against all odds and it seemed at times even against all hope, the 
Iraqi people, over 8 million of them, all marked by death by the 
terrorists, woke up Sunday morning and got into line.
  Some people still do not get it. They still do not understand Concord 
and Lexington or Gettysburg or Bastogne or the Cold War, or even Flight 
93.

                              {time}  1230

  They do not understand why those lines in Iraq never broke or that 
every man and woman who ever lived, fought, or died for freedom was 
standing in that line with them. They still do not know why we fight.
  Last weekend that Iraqi woman in the photograph knew. After a 
lifetime of oppression she voted in humble defiance of evil, and then 
she broke down crying. And in those tears she is shedding along with 
the anguish of how many friends and children lost and how many wars and 
prisons are the hopes and dreams of all God's children who still yearn 
to be free.
  Sunday's elections in Iraq were not an accomplishment; they were a 
miracle, a miracle made possible by the resilience of a liberated Iraq, 
the mercy of a loving God, and the moral courage of this Nation under 
God to stare evil in the face and make the devil blink. Eight million 
brave Iraqis struck terrorism a lethal blow on Sunday, replacing 
tyranny with democracy, and in doing so they made America and the world 
safer, for which it is altogether fitting and proper that we commend 
and thank them.
  Despite the continued threat represented by terrorists and terrorism 
and despite the threat of disgraceful partisan rhetoric coming from 
many on the other side, Sunday's miracle in Iraq shows that the dead 
who died to free that nation have not died in vain and that even in the 
darkest recesses of violent oppression, all who would live in peace and 
liberty have yet reason to hope.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr.Speaker, I rise today to join my 
colleagues in offering my warm congratulations to the Iraqi people for 
the successful elections they held on January 30, 2005.
  It is truly amazing to see the Iraqi people take their first steps 
toward democracy. To see a people who were once slaughtered and 
tormented under a brutal dictatorship take a stand and declare that 
enough is enough, shows their unwavering determination in deciding 
their own fate by the ballot instead of the bullet.
  Despite the predictions of widespread terrorist attacks on election 
day in Iraq, 60 percent of the registered voters turned out. Moreover, 
the physical courage of the Iraqi people to leave their houses, walk to 
the polls and cast ballots under this specter of violence speaks to the 
power of democracy and their passion for freedom.
  Sometimes in America, we take the right to vote for granted. No one 
who watched the moving images of Iraqi men and women proudly showing 
their purple-stained fingers will ever make that mistake again.
  It is also important to pay homage to the thousands of brave American 
soldiers, some of who lost their lives, who held the line. Let

[[Page H310]]

us not forget the bold sacrifices these courageous men and women made 
to liberate the Iraqi people. It is all of our hopes that this election 
marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Iraqi people, one in which 
they enjoy the sweet taste of the fruits of freedom, democracy and 
sovereignty.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to commend the sponsors and 
leadership for bringing this important resolution to the floor and I 
urge an ``aye'' vote.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in 
offering strong support for H. Res. 60, commending the free election 
held in Iraq last Sunday, January 30, 2005. This historic event marked 
progress, hope, and enthusiasm for the future of democracy in the Arab 
region.
  Iraq held free elections for the first time in about 50 years. 
Millions of voters cast their ballots, and the death toll for the day 
was 45--lower than usual since the United States occupied the region.
  I applaud this administration for the successful free elections held 
on Sunday under its auspices. An election with a turnout of nearly 60 
percent is very encouraging for the Arab region. However, the fact 
remains that American troops have remained in occupation for 2 years, 
and the death toll continues to rise; therefore, we must proceed with 
caution. The positive momentum that has come from a successful election 
must be used as an opportunity to stop the bloodshed and the 
expenditure of tax dollars on this effort. I hope that the 
administration will use the positive momentum of this achievement as an 
opportunity to devise an exit plan for our troops.
  Now that the election has taken place, the next step of restoring 
independence in Iraq is crucial and must be taken now. Along with 25 
other original cosponsors, I joined Representative Lynn Woolsey to 
introduce H. Con. Res. 35, a measure to bring the troops home. It 
proposes to do this in a four-step process: (1) Development and 
implementation of a strategy to withdraw American troops from the 
region; (2) development and implementation of a reconstruction plan for 
the Iraqi civil and economic infrastructure; (3) creation of an 
international peacekeeping force composed of Iraqi leadership, 
neighbors in the Arab region, the United Nations, and the Arab League 
to keep Iraq secure; and (4) restoration of Iraqi officials as overseer 
of its internal affairs. This legislation will help restore 
independence in Iraq and will bring our troops home safe.
  Since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, 1,423 members of 
the United States military have died which includes 1,084 dead as a 
result of hostile action and 333 of non-hostile causes. Since May 1, 
2003, when President Bush declared that major combat operations in Iraq 
had ended, 1,269 U.S. military members have died. More than 89 percent 
of United States casualties in Iraq have come after this announcement. 
The message as to our exit plan must be made clear to the Iraqi people, 
the American people, and to our troops.
  Mr. Speaker, I support H. Res. 60, and I urge my colleagues to join 
me in the spirit of preserving democracy, in the spirit of instilling 
international trust and self-sufficiency, and in the spirit of keeping 
the American troops safe.
  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, the right to vote--democracy itself--is more 
than a way to settle disputes, however petty or important.
  It is, rather, the embodiment of a larger, much more important 
notion: the notion that every individual is worthwhile; that every 
individual, by virtue of his or her humanity, is worthy of 
consideration and respect.
  What an important notion. How that notion is disregarded and abused 
in so many places in the world--sometimes even here at home.
  Where was that notion ignored more systematically than in Saddam's 
brutalized Iraq? The Iraq of terror, of mass graves, of mothers and 
children killed by poison gas and rotting where they dropped to the 
ground?
  Yet less than 2 years later, the Iraqi people, under the protection 
of an American-led Coalition and their own nascent security forces, 
have turned out in defiance of threats and, in some cases, even in the 
face of explosions and gunfire, to cast ballots.
  When they did so, they affirmed that, as individuals, they were 
anyone's equal; they were, in essence, demanding respect from those who 
would govern them. And by joining together in public, each with their 
one vote, they were affirming their willingness to respect their 
neighbors and permit each of them an equal share of power.
  Mr. Speaker, as has been said repeatedly, this is but one step in a 
long road. The election was not perfect. Elections never are. And yet, 
this election may turn out to be a strategic victory for freedom for 
Iraq and for its region.
  It will, I hope prove impossible to persuade people who have 
understood and exercised their rights to surrender them willingly. We 
should have confidence that the Iraqi people will continue to defy the 
threats, to respond to them with force if need be, and to press fro the 
establishment of a state that continues to respect them as individuals.
  Such a state will be a good friend of the American people, and a good 
neighbor to all within its crucial region.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson.) All time for debate has 
expired.
  Pursuant to the order of the House of Tuesday, February 1, 2005, the 
resolution is considered read and the previous question is ordered on 
the resolution and on the preamble.
  The question is on adoption of the resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

                          ____________________