[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 17, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        AGAINST NEW IRAQ POLICY

  (Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, last week something very 
disturbing occurred. President Bush had an opportunity to demonstrate 
that he understood the country's concern, he had a chance to finally 
articulate a clear plan for our country's engagement in Iraq. But, 
instead, the President chose to escalate our involvement in Iraq's 
civil war by proposing a substantial increase in the number of American 
troops there, about half of whom are based in Georgia.
  Mr. Speaker, our troops have performed with great courage. They have 
performed admirably in the Congress, and the American people will 
continue to support them and provide them with every resource that they 
need. But we need better leadership coming from the President and his 
War Cabinet. This new Democratic Congress is not going to give the 
President a blank check, and we will continue to demand answers to the 
tough questions that have not been answered.
  Rather than escalating our involvement in Iraq, I believe that any 
plan should focus on shifting responsibility to the Iraqis so that we 
can begin a phased redeployment. The American people want change, of 
course, in Iraq, and House Democrats intend to keep pressing the 
President to provide it.

                          ____________________