[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 161 (Thursday, December 15, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H11868-H11869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TODAY'S IRAQI ELECTION

  Mr. OSBORNE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time 
of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).

[[Page H11869]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Nebraska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Madam Speaker, the Iraqis voted today, and it is 
estimated that approximately 10 million of 15 eligible voters did vote. 
Women voted in record numbers. The Sunnis participated in large numbers 
for the first time. The vote completes the political process in Iraq.
  Last January, they elected an assembly to draft a constitution. In 
August, the constitution was completed. In October, the constitution 
was approved by a large margin, about 70 percent of the voters. Now a 
new government is elected, and this was all done today with relatively 
little violence as the Iraqis went to the polls.
  There is some other news that I think is positive as well: School 
attendance in Iraq is up by as much as 80 percent; 774 schools have 
been built or renovated; 36,000 teachers have been trained; and 142 
health care facilities have been built or are under construction. 
Nearly all young Iraqis have been vaccinated for the first time. 
Satellite dishes, newspapers, TV stations and small businesses are 
developing and springing up, and 211,000 Iraqi troops have been trained 
and equipped.
  Still, there are many who say that there is no progress in Iraq, and 
I would like to reflect on some comments from a young soldier from 
Nebraska that I met in a recent trip to the Middle East who said this. 
He said it is important that we finish the job there and not pull out 
prematurely because, if we do leave early, three things will happen.
  Number one, thousands of Iraqis will die, and we have promised them 
we would not abandon them, and so we will break a promise.
  Secondly, we will encourage more terrorism worldwide and in the U.S. 
as well. It would inform the terrorists that terrorism does work.
  And lastly, 2,000-plus soldiers would have died in vain. I think this 
is an important point to consider. As I have talked to parents of 
soldiers who have died, this is something that they do not want to have 
happen. There was a letter distributed today by Congressman Jeff Miller 
from Bud Clay, and it was written to President Bush upon the death of 
his son, Staff Sergeant Daniel Clay in Iraq. This is what Mr. Clay 
wrote to President Bush, and I quote, he said, ``We and many others are 
praying for you to see this through. As Lincoln said, `that these might 
not have died in vain.' ''
  Included in the letter from Mr. Clay was a letter from his son, and 
this letter was written if he should happen to be killed in combat, and 
it was written to his family.

                              {time}  2315

  And this is what Daniel Clay said. He said, what we have done in Iraq 
is worth any sacrifice. Why? Because it was our duty. That sounds 
simple, but all of us have a duty. Duty is defined as a God-given task. 
Without duty, life is worthless. It holds no type of fulfillment. The 
simple fact that our bodies are built for work has to lead us to the 
conclusion that God who made us put us together to do His work. And 
then he goes on, finally he says, I know what honor is. It is not a 
word to be thrown around. It has been an honor to protect and serve all 
of you, meaning his family. I faced death with the secure knowledge 
that you would not have to. This is as close to Christ-likeness as I 
can be. That emulation is where all honor lives. I thank you for making 
it worthwhile.

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