[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 10, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRATULATING CONGRESSWOMAN WOOLSEY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today to 
join my distinguished colleague, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, and 
recognize her for her 300th Special Order, or 5-minute speech, on the 
ongoing war and the occupation in Iraq. I also stand here calling yet, 
again, for an end, and I mean an end, to this unjust war, and for the 
return of our troops and military contractors from Iraq.
  Congresswoman Woolsey, let me just commend you for being such an 
unparalleled leader and a guiding light in Congress for peace, for 
smart security, and for justice. Congresswoman Woolsey, if you may 
remember, offered the first resolution calling for the withdrawal of 
our young men and women and the redeployment and bringing them home, 
and that was years ago.
  Today, Congresswoman Woolsey, thanks to your leadership, I think we 
are closer to that first resolution, where you stepped out on faith but 
knew that that was the right thing to do. I think we are closer to that 
day.
  Congresswoman Maxine Waters, founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus, and 
Congresswoman Woolsey and myself cofounded the Out of Iraq Caucus in 
order to really amplify this important message and the call to action 
to end this war of choice. And that is what it is.
  But Congresswoman Woolsey has been the one who's been down here 
representing us and representing the voices of peace in the entire 
country each and every day to make sure that she shone light on the 
untold hazards and costs of the United States military presence in 
Iraq.
  As cochair of the Progressive Caucus, Congresswoman Woolsey has 
worked tirelessly to bring attention to these vital issues of global 
peace and national security. And so, today, 300 times, this is really 
an amazing milestone.
  So, I am very, very pleased to be able to be with you today, 
Congresswoman Woolsey, and also just to say I am proud that you're my 
colleague and sister next to my district from the north.
  It's really, though, with a heavy heart that I note next week that 
our country will enter into the seventh year of this unnecessary and 
immoral war in Iraq. Six years of unnecessary bloodshed in Iraq. We 
have wasted too much American treasure, drained too much and too many 
of our American resources and, most importantly, Madam Speaker, we 
have, unfortunately, claimed too many American lives.
  As of February 25, 2009, according to the Defense Department, 4,252 
brave servicemen and women have given their lives, and more than 30,000 
United States troops have been injured. This war has already cost the 
American people more than $650 billion--this is $10 billion a month--as 
the economy spirals further and further into crisis.

                              {time}  1500

  The costs to the people of Iraq also have been far greater. Tens of 
thousands of Iraqi men, women, and children have been killed. More than 
a million Iraqis have fled their homes and live as refugees. Hundreds 
of thousands have been internally displaced.
  As we have watched our Federal resources go toward the continuation 
of violence and strife in Iraq, Congresswoman Woolsey has reminded us 
over and over and over again, 300 times now, that these are dollars 
that are not coming back into our communities or toward vital programs 
to help our neighbors most in need. We have committed more than a half 
trillion dollars to an occupation that, yes, has undermined our 
standing and credibility in the world, the enormous costs of which will 
no doubt be exacted on the physical and economic security of future 
generations. Of course we know the simple truth, that no unjust war 
ever produced a just and lasting peace. We look forward to working with 
our new administration to continue our efforts to bring our troops and 
military contractors home.
  I have to say again to Congresswoman Woolsey, thank you for your 
unwavering leadership and commitment. I am truly proud to serve with 
you in this body. When this unfortunate chapter in American history is 
written, especially the foreign policy chapter, your consistency and 
your courage and your resolve before this body will be long remembered. 
Moreover, your Special Orders should be acknowledged for their effort 
in rallying the American people to demand an end to this war and to 
finally bring our troops home.
  So this is a milestone today. Hopefully we won't have too many more 
300 times of your sounding the alarm, and that we can bring our young 
men and women home and begin to really move forward in seeking global 
peace and security.

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