[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            PROGRESS IN IRAQ

  (Mrs. DRAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, this is a historic week in Iraq. They have 
passed a new budget for 2007, an overwhelming majority of the Iraq 
Council of Representatives voted in favor of the $41.1 billion budget 
that will aid Iraq with rebuilding, security, and move them forward to 
be more self-sufficient.
  We should celebrate this achievement as evidence that we are making 
progress in Iraq, and we should allow the new strategy a chance to 
work. The 2007 Iraq budget represents a 21 percent increase over the 
2006 budget. Over $10 billion will be dedicated to reconstruction 
efforts and capital investment projects this year, and over $7 billion 
will be used to provide security to protect Iraq from insurgents that 
continue to work against the cause of freedom.
  This is great news from Iraq. We are making progress. I applaud the 
dedication to fiscal responsibility in Iraq and urge my colleagues to 
celebrate the success stories like this one in Iraq.

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