[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 27, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H2629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SMART SECURITY AND THE TSUNAMI OF PEACE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, those watching C-SPAN right now probably 
are wondering what they are watching. They probably think it is a 
circus. But they are pretty familiar with the 5-minute speeches that 
Members of Congress deliver each day after the House of Representatives 
wraps up its legislative session.
  Some critics and political opponents may claim that these nightly 
speeches serve little purpose, and sometimes they do serve little 
purpose. It is hard to accomplish much in 5-minute increments, they 
say.
  But because half of the American people are not being represented by 
the Bush administration's shameful and threatening foreign policy, and 
half the American people are not receiving the representation they 
deserve from the Republicans in Congress, those who cower to the 
President's every demand when it comes to funding the illegal, ill 
advised and dangerous war in Iraq, I come here nightly so that I can 
discuss that very issue, the issue of the war in Iraq. That issue says 
to me that we need to change the way we think about foreign policy if 
we hope our country will survive the threat of global terrorism from 
fanatical groups like al Qaeda.
  That is why next week I will reintroduce the SMART Security 
Resolution for the 21st Century, legislation that provides a positive 
alternative to the Bush doctrine of unilateralism and preemptive war. 
SMART Security addresses the threat of terrorism and nuclear security 
by augmenting and encouraging diplomatic efforts with other nations.
  We need to address the threats we face through international 
cooperation, not war, because the military option does not solve our 
problems.
  Only by promoting an effective national security strategy that is 
based on conflict prevention, diplomacy, multilateralism, and 
nonproliferation can we truly secure America for the future, while at 
the same time holding on to the liberties and values that make this 
country so very great.
  Many of my House colleagues have stood with me in urging a new and 
smarter American foreign policy. Fifty Members of Congress cosponsored 
the SMART Security resolution during the 108th Congress, and my staff 
and I will work to ensure that this number increases in the 109th 
Congress.
  But Members of Congress are not alone in this effort. Many of my 
constituents get it too. I am incredibly privileged to serve as the 
voice in Congress for the people of Marin and Sonoma counties, just 
north of the Golden Gate Bridge, which comprises California's 6th 
Congressional District.
  My constituents get democracy as well as anyone else in the country. 
In last November's election, for example, a record 89\1/2\ percent of 
registered voters turned out to vote in California's 6th district; 91.1 
percent turned out in my hometown of Petaluma, California.
  That is why I quote them, and I want to quote Marge Piaggio, who 
lives in Fairfax, California. She called my office earlier this month 
to say that what the world needs is, and I am quoting her pretty 
liberally here, but she said what the world needs is a ``peace 
tsunami.'' The tsunami analogy might sound like an odd idea at first, 
but I think Marge is on to something. It is about time, she said, and I 
agree with her, that we washed over the war machine and cleaned up our 
political system.
  Of course Congress will need the help and the support of citizens of 
the United States in this effort. And another one of my constituents, 
Jean Walz of Santa Rosa, wrote because she realizes that there is an 
important role that she and others like herself can play in helping to 
end the war in Iraq.
  In reference to my nightly 5-minute speeches, Jean wrote the 
following in an e-mail, and I quote her: ``If you can do this each 
night, so can I. I will send an evening missive each and every night to 
my local elected representatives to please stop this war in Iraq.''
  Everyone in this country, Mr. Speaker, who opposes the Bush 
administration's dangerous current path can emulate Jean Walz's heroic 
efforts to influence her local representatives. Then we will have peace 
in the United States between ourselves and other countries.

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