[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 21 (Monday, February 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IRAQ AND THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2008 BUDGET REQUEST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, the devastating blast in the Baghdad 
market over the weekend was the worst suicide bombing since the 
American occupation began nearly 4 years ago, 121 killed and 226 
wounded. The Iraqi Interior Ministry says approximately 1,000 people 
have been killed over the last week alone.
  This so-called ``surge'' that the President is force feeding us is 
getting off to quite a start, isn't it? Indeed, The New York Times 
reported on Sunday that Iraqis are saying that the security situation 
has gotten worse, not better, with the escalation of American troops.
  The National Intelligence Estimate released last week offers little 
hope that sectarian violence will abate or that Iraq can repair its 
political rifts between Sunni and Shi'a. Under these circumstances, 
with American soldiers thrown into this unwinnable occupation with no 
hope of turning the situation around, there is only one solution, bring 
our troops home.
  I have introduced a bill, H.R. 508, with Congresswoman Lee and 
Congresswoman Waters and 30 others, which will do just that. H.R. 508 
will end the occupation within 6 months of enactment. H.R. 508 will 
prohibit the construction of permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq. It 
will restore the sovereignty of the Iraqi people, even as we continue 
to provide nonmilitary assistance and to support a short-term 
international stabilization force will be available, if requested by 
the Iraqi government.
  What a difference from the White House approach. Staring at the 
colossal, tragic failure of his Iraq policy, what did the President do 
today? He submitted a budget that asked Congress to sign off on $145 
billion to continue waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, he 
wants us to make his tax cuts permanent, and he says the budget will be 
balanced by 2012. So where is the money going to come from? Why, of 
course, it is going to come from the most vulnerable members of 
society, that is where.
  Actually, over time, the very troops and their families, who are 
sacrificing life and limb in Iraq today, will be paying for this debt.

                              {time}  1945

  The President's budget seeks deep Medicare and Medicaid cuts at just 
the moment when we need to be expanding access to affordable health 
care. Actually, it is simple, Madam Speaker. The money is there for the 
folly of occupying Iraq. The money is there for wealthy people to get 
tax breaks; but when old and when poor people need nursing home care, 
or kids need immunizations, suddenly it is time to tighten the belt.
  It is a disgrace, Madam Speaker, this ongoing occupation of Iraq. It 
is not only morally indefensible; it is fiscally irresponsible. So many 
of our own communities need investment. So many of our own poor and 
middle-class families are taking on more and more risk, struggling to 
get by, getting squeezed economically. But we are spending our 
grandchildren's money on a fantasy that is getting young soldiers 
killed, igniting a civil war, inciting jihadists, inspiring hatred of 
the United States around the world, harming national security and 
making Americans less safe.
  There is a solution: One, end the occupation; two, return Iraq to the 
Iraqis; three, spend our foreign affairs budget on humanitarian 
endeavors, not on war and conquest. Spend it on economic development, 
on democracy promotion, on building schools and hospitals.
  In addition, bring our troops home. Bring our soldiers home. Bring 
our tax dollars home where they can be put to work meeting the needs of 
Americans, strengthening American communities.

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