[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 78 (Friday, June 16, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1169-E1170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION ON THE IRAQ CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT ENHANCEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 15, 2006

  Ms. BARDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Iraq 
Congressional Oversight Enhancement Act. I serve on the Committee on 
Armed Services in the House and have traveled to Iraq 8 times. These 
trips have allowed me to see Iraq first-hand, to meet with our fighting 
men and women and civilians serving there, and to learn from them the 
facts on the ground in that country. This legislation recognizes the 
complexity of the mission in Iraq and the need for enhanced 
Congressional oversight based upon comprehensive reporting from the 
administration.
  This legislation is intended to enhance Congressional oversight of 
our operations in Iraq. This bill would not set a timetable to dictate 
the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. This bill would require that the 
President transmit periodically to Congress a consolidated, 
comprehensive report on the implementation of the National Strategy for 
Victory in Iraq. This bill would also provide the Congress the vital 
measures or other benchmarks for Iraq's political, security, and 
economic development and metrics by which progress towards these 
benchmarks can be more effectively measured and assessed.
  This legislation would affirm Congress's support of our troops and 
civilian personnel in Iraq, and expresses its concern regarding the 
continued, deadly insurgent attacks against them. This legislation also 
would affirm Congress's support for the formation of a democratic, 
pluralistic, federal, and united Iraq, while urging elected Iraqi 
leaders to maintain and preserve a national unity government for the 
Iraqi people. Moreover, this bill recognizes the complex and 
interdependent nature of the challenges associated with the political, 
security, infrastructure, and economic development of Iraq, including 
governance capacity building at and between the various levels of 
government in Iraq.
  The National Strategy for Victory in Iraq, presented by the President 
on November 30, 2005, is an informative document. The Strategy 
represents progress toward defining the terms for victory in Iraq. I 
believe, however, more progress on defining the current mission in Iraq 
and the benchmarks for achieving victory are necessary. This 
legislation would require the President to transmit to Congress a 
report to back-up the Strategy by identifying benchmarks and by using 
metrics.
  It is true that two recent legislative initiatives have required 
reports along these lines. They are the section entitled ``Measuring 
Stability and Security in Iraq'' of House Conference Report 109-72 
accompanying H.R. 1268, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for 
Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005, Public Law 
109-13, and the U.S. Policy in Iraq Act, Section 1227 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, Public Law 109-163.

  These reports, provided to Congress by the Secretary of Defense, 
contain useful information. But, when taken together, the reports are 
not sufficient for Congress to fully exercise its oversight 
responsibilities pertaining to this war. These reports also do not 
provide the American people a clear and full picture of what the United 
States seeks to achieve in Iraq, what the United States Armed Forces 
and civilian personnel are doing to achieve those objectives, and where 
we are in the process of achieving them--at the various levels of 
government within Iraq.
  Our service in this body is never more consequential than it is when 
our troops are in harm's way. Debate regarding issues of war and peace 
deserves sober reflection, reasoned thinking, critical focus, and 
balanced

[[Page E1170]]

perspective. This is an institutional responsibility for the House of 
Representatives. But it is also a personal responsibility for each of 
us as representatives of our constituents. The sacrifices made by our 
military and civilian personnel serving in support of Operation Iraqi 
Freedom, those made by Coalition personnel, and those made by Iraqis 
themselves only further reinforce the need to elevate our discussion on 
the merits of and challenges associated with what remains of the 
mission in Iraq.
  I believe an honest and open exchange of views on the substance of 
what our country and our allies seek to achieve in Iraq is needed. This 
legislation would provide us the information we need to make better 
informed decisions on policy with regard to Iraq.

                          ____________________