[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H4529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A HEALTH CHECKUP FOR IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, a very disturbing report emerged from Iraq 
last week. According to press reports, medical students in Iraq will be 
denied diplomas even though they have completed all of the coursework 
and passed all of the required testing. This means that they would only 
be allowed to practice in Iraq, and no other country will accept their 
medical training or let them practice in the new country, even though 
they have met all of the requirements.
  This harkens back to the Iraq we knew under Saddam Hussein's rule. 
Saddam refused to grant diplomas to medical students in order to keep 
them in the country. Who would have thought that the new Iraq 
government would resort to Saddam Hussein's old tricks? This is an 
alarming and troubling trend, and it should be reversed immediately.
  While dozens of international medical relief organizations have been 
forced to leave Iraq because of serious security concerns, Iraqis have 
fewer and fewer medical professionals available to them.
  A well-known organization, Doctors Without Borders, related the story 
of one doctor, Dr. Bassam. He is an Iraqi physician specializing in 
orthopedic surgery living with his family in Baghdad.
  His story says: Now, security issues have top priority for the few 
existing financial resources, and medical needs are forced to take a 
back seat. This morning, dozens of people were killed in Fallujah. 
Yesterday, it was Baghdad. And that's not counting the wounded, who add 
to the long list of emergency cases packing the hospitals. Every day 
brings a new batch of dead and wounded. In this context, patients 
simply cannot receive proper treatment from an increasingly overwhelmed 
health care system. Some are forced to sell their car, or even their 
house, to get certain kinds of care in the few hospitals able to 
provide it.
  That is the end of his story.
  Mr. Speaker, instead of locking people in against their will, the 
Iraqi government ought to be working with the international community 
to make Iraq a safe and prosperous place where people want to raise 
their families, where they want to stay, where they want to put down 
roots and contribute to the local communities.
  If this is going to happen, the United States must dedicate our 
energies to bringing our troops home and to working with the Iraqi 
people to stabilize their infrastructure and social programs, programs 
that will provide health care, education and jobs. These are the most 
important needs for the Iraqis.
  It is time, Mr. Speaker, to bring our troops home. It is time to 
provide a future of hope for the Iraqi people.

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