[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H4531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE ASIAN PACIFIC COMMUNITY AND THE IRAQ WAR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me take this opportunity, before I 
address the question our soldiers in Iraq, to thank Mr. Honda for 
convening this special order on the Asian Pacific community of this 
Nation and to thank him for his leadership of the Asian Pacific Caucus, 
of which I am a member and to acknowledge the Asian Pacific community 
in Houston, Texas, a thriving community so diverse and so respected.
  I am reminded of the unity that was exhibited as Katrina survivors 
who were Asian Pacific Islanders came into Houston. Both Mr. Honda and 
myself worked on the issue of language and representation and 
resources, and the Asian Pacific community in Houston was so united and 
so supportive so that these new visitors, these strangers in a 
different land, would feel welcome.
  Let me also acknowledge that I have the privilege of representing not 
only a very strong Vietnamese business community, but also the original 
Chinatown in Houston. So my hat goes off and salutes the outstanding 
leaders in that community, scientists, educators, businesspersons, 
public servants, and, as well, I thank them for the wonderful service 
that they give and the opportunity to work together with them. This is 
an outstanding tribute to be able to honor the Asian Pacific Islander 
community in the month of May.
  Let me also acknowledge that the Vietnamese community will have its 
first cultural event gala where it honors heroes and public servants 
from around the Nation.
  I would hope that as we look to the greatness of America, we will 
find it in our hearts to be able to address the question of the tragedy 
in Iraq. It is a tragedy that continues to grow. Every time you turn 
the corner, turn the news on or read a newspaper article, it is 
disintegrating and deteriorating.
  Today in the newspaper it says an Army general predicts a rise in 
casualties. So at the back of the surge the President says will have 
solved the conflict in Iraq, we will see, tragically in the words of 
Major General Rick Lynch, who is working with the 3rd Infantry 
Division, ``Casualties will climb as American troops dig into enemy 
territory as part of the stepped-up military operation ordered by 
President Bush in January.''
  His sentence does not say how we will resolve the conflict. It 
doesn't say that it results in any positive end. It doesn't say that we 
will be victorious in that effort, it says that the lives of Americans 
will be lost. We, as Americans, believe that when we go to war, the 
Nation goes to war. Therefore, it is important to have a mission to 
have a conclusion to that mission.
  Compounded to that issue, we show that attacks killed eight U.S. 
troops. They kill them because they are being killed by IEDs. They kill 
them because there is no mission, there is no policy, there is no 
political policy. There is no end, there is no beginning.
  So I ask the President to sit down with this Congress and be able to 
resolve this by, one, leaving in the language that says, we will 
redeploy the troops by July, 2007, or, at the latest, October, 2007, 
have a rational policy for exiting from the conflict that is causing 
the mounting lives that are lost.
  In addition, lives are being lost in Afghanistan of a civilian 
population, lives of the civilian Iraqis are being lost, and there is 
no response from this administration.
  While there they are wining and dining, I would simply ask in 
addition to that responsibility, let us find a conclusion to the war in 
Iraq by reconciliation and compromise between the executive and, of 
course, the Congress. We cannot tolerate any more headlines like this, 
mothers and fathers, husbands and wives are asking why, when there is 
no end. The soldiers are our heroes. They have done their job. We have 
said this over and over.
  I commend to this body H.R. 930, my legislation, Military Success in 
Iraq and Diplomatic Surge for National and Political Reconciliation in 
Iraq Act of 2007. Declare a military victory, our soldiers have been 
victorious. Let them come home to yellow ribbons and celebrations and 
their families, have them prepared, stronger, increased, a stronger 
military, with the right kind of equipment.
  Let the generals logistically plan how they will redeploy, possibly 
to the Kuwait borders and to the other borders, but let them come home. 
We are not trying to dictate to the generals how to redeploy, what the 
logistics would be, but we are only saying that the policy is a failed 
policy, and our soldiers must come home. No more headlines, Army 
general predicts rise in U.S. casualties, no more headlines eight 
troops dead and continuing to die with no solution and no end.
  I ask my colleagues to review H.R. 930 and ask the President and this 
Congress to find a way that we can work together.

                          ____________________