[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 128 (Saturday, August 4, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ENSURING MILITARY READINESS THROUGH STABILITY AND PREDICTABILITY 
                     DEPLOYMENT POLICY ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TOM DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2007

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong 
opposition to H.R. 3159. If it were a sincere attempt to address 
deployment-to-dwell schedules, I would be inclined to support it. Our 
troops have been rotating frequently; it is a serious issue that calls 
for a serious discussion.
  H.R. 3159, however, is yet another sound bite masquerading as policy, 
and is illustrative of the entire congressional debate on Iraq thus 
far.
  Not once have we had a serious deliberation regarding how to 
extricate ourselves from our current dilemma. We have only considered 
take-it-or-Ieave-it measures designed to inflict political damage; we 
have yet to make a serious attempt to find consensus on the most vexing 
foreign policy conundrum of our time.
  I am dissatisfied with the conduct of the war, and I am eager to see 
an end to the casualties. Regardless, we must accept the fact that our 
actions will have long term consequences for the United States, for 
Iraq, and the entire Middle East. We must put more thought into our 
exit than we did our entrance to Iraq; legislation like H.R. 3159 does 
not suffice.
  Yesterday at the Rules Committee, my colleague Frank Wolf offered an 
amendment expressing the sense of Congress that the way forward in Iraq 
would be to implement the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group. I 
was a cosponsor of this amendment, and I was disappointed the Rules 
Committee yet again denied us an opportunity to debate this important 
measure.
  Madam Speaker, we are in a difficult spot in Iraq. In such 
circumstances, it makes sense to gather the best minds our country has 
to offer, from across the political spectrum, and ask their advice as 
to how we should proceed. That's what we did when we created the Iraq 
Study Group, and their recommendations represent a blueprint for an 
orderly way out of Iraq.
  In my opinion, we should embrace these recommendations. At a minimum, 
we should debate them. I continue to look forward to the day that 
occurs.
  Despite my misgivings, I would have supported this legislation had 
the majority supported the motion to recommit. This stipulated the 
deployment timetables proposed by the Democratic majority could go into 
effect. The Secretary of Defense, however, would have to certify they 
would not cause the tour of any unit already deployed to be extended. 
He would also have to certify they would not increase the operational 
risk to any deployed unit.
  These were common sense measures worthy of support. Unfortunately, my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle rejected them, and I am 
compelled to vote against the bill.

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