[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 78 (Friday, June 16, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE, THE GLOBAL WAR 
          ON TERROR, AND HURRICANE RECOVERY, 2006--CONFERENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 12, 2006

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, from the beginning, the Bush 
Administration's policy on Iraq has been based on distortions and 
misjudgments. Prior to the invasion, I fought to prevent this war. I 
parted with most members of Congress and cast a vote against the 
resolution authorizing the use of military force in Iraq. The President 
misled the American people into believing there was a link between Iraq 
and the terrorist attacks of September 11.
  I understand the frustration and heartbreak that have led many 
Americans to conclude that it is now time for us to remove ourselves 
from this misguided quagmire and bring our troops home. That is why I 
have called on the President to change course. America simply cannot 
continue indefinitely to pay the high costs in both lives and dollars 
to stay on the same failed course in Iraq.
  In December 2005, I voted for H.R. 1815, the FY 2006 Defense 
Authorization bill, which the President signed into law in January 
2006. Section 1227 of that bill, United States Policy on Iraq, states 
that it is the sense of Congress that ``calendar year 2006 should be a 
period of significant transition to full Iraq sovereignty, with Iraqi 
security forces taking the lead for the security of a free and 
sovereign Iraq, thereby creating the conditions for the phased 
redeployment of United States forces from Iraq.''
  It is time for the President to implement this policy. We should not 
have American troops in the middle of a civil war. President Bush is 
wrong to say that we should stay the course in Iraq. We need a new 
direction in Iraq.
  The President must present a strategy to Congress to draw down 
American troops from Iraq and return them home to their families. This 
strategy must ensure that our National Guard troops are the first to 
come home, as they were never intended as our primary force for 
overseas military missions. We need our National Guard troops to be 
home and available for our local needs.
  Military experts have recommended a drawdown of 10,000 troops per 
month. Although we should not announce a specific timeline for troop 
withdrawal, it is reasonable to expect that we should have half of our 
combat troops home by the end of 2006, and all of our combat troops 
home by the end of 2007. Even with such a drawdown of American troops 
in Iraq, this supplemental appropriations is necessary in order to 
insure the proper funding of our military operations during such a 
drawdown.
  Bringing our troops home allows us to achieve certain necessary 
objectives. First, we will bring our troops home safely to their 
families and remove them from being in the middle of a civil war. 
Second, we should send an important message to the Iraqi government to 
take responsibility for their government--after they ratified a new 
constitution, held elections, and installed a new government--because 
American troops cannot and should not remain in Iraq indefinitely. 
Third, we would remove a powerful propaganda and recruitment tool for 
Al Qaeda that the United States is an occupation force. Fourth, we 
would be able to stage our troops outside of Iraq to work with our 
allies and the international community to fight the war against 
international terrorism. The repositioning of our troops would help us 
to regain our focus on the war on terror. Finally, bringing our troops 
home would help us preserve the strength of our all-volunteer military 
by improving troop morale and boosting our efforts to improve 
recruitment of new soldiers.
  I have repeatedly called for a change in America's policies so that 
we can bring our troops home as soon as possible. In December 2004, I 
visited our troops in Iraq. I thanked them for their service and 
listened to their stories. It was a moving experience for me. I honor 
the sacrifices they and their families are making each day.
  The men and women of our armed forces are demonstrating tremendous 
dedication to our nation through their performance in Iraq. These brave 
soldiers have put their lives in harm's way for our country, and we are 
forever grateful for their service.
  This bill also contains crucial provisions, which I support, that 
would provide nearly $20 billion for Hurricane Katrina relief, 
including funds for housing, community planning and development, flood 
control, and small business loans. In addition, the House should take 
up H.R. 4197, a comprehensive Hurricane Katrina recovery bill 
introduced by the Congressional Black Caucus.
  I am encouraged that the bill provides nearly $500 million to address 
the ongoing genocide in southern Sudan and Darfur. These funds are 
critical to meeting the immediate needs of victims of the Darfur 
crisis, such as shelter, health care, and access to water and 
sanitation. Sudanese government-backed Arab militias have slaughtered 
hundreds of thousands of villagers, and they have burned entire 
villages. Up to two million refugees have fled this genocide to 
neighboring countries, but the small, poorly-equipped, and underfunded 
African Union (AU) force cannot offer them adequate protection. This 
bill provides needed funding to help transition the AU peacekeeping 
operation to a United Nations mission. It is also encouraging that in 
April the House passed H.R. 3127, the Darfur Peace and Accountability 
Act, which I co-sponsored, and which I urge the Senate to take up 
without delay.
  Mr. Speaker, this emergency supplemental is a necessary measure that 
will provide essential support for our troops in their arduous mission 
in Iraq, vital funding for the global war on terror, and desperately 
needed assistance for our own Gulf region and the many Americans who 
have been uprooted by Hurricane Katrina.

                          ____________________