[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 24 (Thursday, February 8, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H1404-H1405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ANNOUNCEMENT OF IRAQ RESOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, today we got word that a 
fellow Representative from the State of Georgia, Representative Charlie 
Norwood, has gone home to Augusta after battling cancer here in 
Washington, DC. at various facilities. And he has handled his 
affliction bravely, and he has been an example of a great fighting 
spirit. We wish his family the best, and he is in our prayers as he 
continues his battle.
  Today, Madam Speaker, I rise to give the people of the Fourth 
District of Georgia a voice in the debate on Iraq.
  Today, I introduced the first bill of my young congressional career, 
House Resolution 140. I look forward to presenting plans soon to 
directly better the lives of my constituents and others in need 
throughout this great country.
  However, the conflict in Iraq is consuming our time, thoughts, and 
funds; and people of goodwill must speak when given the opportunity, 
and this is my opportunity to speak.
  In order to move toward an end to the Iraq war, we need to push for 
two things: number one, ending troop presence, U.S. troop presence, on 
the streets of Iraq; and, two, securing the Iraqi Government.
  United States troops engaged in street patrol throughout the country 
expose themselves to massive violence, and it is arguably keeping this 
war going long past the time it should have been completed. Our troops 
are doing an excellent job, Madam Speaker, but the insurgents use their 
presence throughout the country to justify attacks on them, and 
actually 60 percent of the Iraqi people support those attacks against 
our servicemen and -women on the streets of Iraq.
  So why do they continue to be sent out into the streets of Iraq, into 
a world of explosive devices and sniper bullets without adequate armor? 
Madam Speaker, I am tired of seeing our troops lose their precious 
lives for

[[Page H1405]]

this seemingly unending cause. So I am requesting in this resolution, 
House Resolution 140, that they be taken off the streets and allowed to 
focus on a mission that would truly help bring about an end to this war 
once and for all.
  Make no mistake, the job of hunting insurgents throughout Iraqi 
neighborhoods is noble, but this is a job for the Iraqis, not American 
troops who should be on their way home. The time has come for a new 
strategy, Madam Speaker, one that focuses on taking our troops out of 
harm's way and pressuring the Iraqi Government to finally take the 
mantle.
  Once that government is up and running, they will be able to put the 
Iraqi military into action; develop a plan to ensure Sunnis, Shias, and 
Kurds benefit from Iraq's vast oil resources; create jobs; and do the 
numerous other things necessary to bring peace to that troubled land.
  We must also consider the lives of millions of Iraqi civilians. Are 
the insurgents using our presence, the presence of United States 
troops, on the streets of Baghdad as an excuse to blow up 
neighborhoods? Would they be better protected if we significantly 
reduce our presence? I believe so, Madam Speaker, and it is another 
reason that the President and the Secretary of Defense should consider 
instituting this plan. This is a practical solution to that seemingly 
unsolvable problem.
  The use of the Iraqis will reduce war expenses as well, lessening the 
burden on the American taxpayer and bring about a quicker conclusion to 
this conflict.
  Madam Speaker, it is time to bring this war to a responsible end for 
the American people, for the Iraqis, and for our brave troops. And I 
will continue to do all I can to help make this a reality.

                          ____________________