[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 14, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H2545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, good evening.
  Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago I had the privilege to visit our service men 
and women serving in Iraq, and I saw for myself what is really 
happening on the ground.
  I met with several service men and women from cities that I 
represent, the city of Azusa, East Los Angeles and West Covina in 
California. I spoke with troop commanders, Iraqi women representing 
NGOs, and two parliamentarian women.
  My trip to Iraq confirmed my belief that we must supply better 
support for our troops, including redeployment out of Iraq. But 
supporting our troops means securing our troops and making sure we 
minimize the risks they really face. Our troops, as you know, are 
overextended. The length of time they are spending in Iraq is not only 
demanding, but exhausting. For many of them, it is not their first tour 
either, this is their second, third and maybe even fourth.
  While our troops remain committed to their work, they are concerned 
about the impact their duty is having on them and their families. The 
time they spend with their families is shorter with each tour of duty.
  Our troops are concerned about the lack of adequate equipment. Some 
troops lack the basic equipment needed to do their job, like body 
armor. In fact, one soldier told me they don't have light bulbs. I said 
light bulbs for what? They said well, Congresswoman, for our vehicles. 
When we are asked to go into the communities, if we don't have light 
bulbs on our vehicles we can't see. Another one mentioned they didn't 
have scissors, and I said, Why do you need scissors? And he said 
because if one of my men gets hit, I need to have scissors to be able 
to bandage and provide whatever help that person needs.
  In some cases they told me that the equipment they use is unreliable 
due to overexcessive use. And I was appalled to learn that some service 
members are forced to share their equipment with recent arrivals. The 
new members of the service that we are sending in in this surge or 
escalation are actually taking equipment away from those who are being 
currently deployed there. Without the proper equipment, our troops face 
significant and unnecessary risk to their lives.
  Supporting our troops also means redeployment and an Iraqi nation 
that will govern itself and its people. Unfortunately, the best plan 
President Bush offers is another blank check request for his already 
failed policies.
  In California, the 32nd Congressional District that I represent, as 
you can see, 13 of our sons have already given their lives, the 
ultimate sacrifice. U.S. casualties, as you know, are close to 3,200, 
and more than 24,000 service men and women have been injured or 
permanently disabled, and more than half of those will not be able to 
lead normal lives.
  This blank check that President Bush provides must end. By deploying 
additional service men and women into combat, the President shows just 
how out of touch he is with the real needs of our troops and the 
reality of the situation. The increase of troops will do nothing to 
improve the long-term security situation.
  The President's escalation plan ignores the very needs of these 
veterans. The crisis, as you know, at Walter Reed highlights the fact 
that this administration has not prioritized the health care needs of 
our returning veterans. And as Members of Congress, it is our 
responsibility to protect our troops and veterans when our Commander in 
Chief will not. We need a plan that will ensure that there will not be 
permanent bases in Iraq. And we need to ensure that all troops are 
provided with adequate equipment and training needed to do their job 
safely.
  Our plan must require the Iraqis to take control of Iraq and bring 
other Arab states together to help solve this problem. Our plan must 
refocus also on Afghanistan. And our plan must ensure that our service 
men and women and veterans receive the best care available when they 
return home.

                              {time}  1830

  This includes traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, 
culturally competent health care, housing, and education.
  The troops and their families have kept their promise to us. We must 
now keep our promise to them, and I am proud that we have made such a 
plan available. The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health & Iraq 
Accountability Act, in my opinion, is key to this success. It supports 
our troops. It holds the administration accountable. It establishes a 
plan for redeployment, and provides for our veterans.
  My trip to Iraq strengthened my belief that the right course of 
action is to redeploy our troops out of Iraq. Our men and women in 
uniform are doing their job, and we in Congress must do ours so that 
our troops will come home and receive the care that they deserve. We 
must not continue to turn our backs on those who proudly have served 
our Nation, and I will continue to fight and support our troops.
  I look forward to their redeployment and their safe return to their 
families, to their friends, and to their loved ones, and I look forward 
to a resolution, and an Iraq governed by Iraqis, and a world safer and 
more secure for all of us. And I know our leadership will help to take 
us there.

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