[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H7629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            McKEON AMENDMENT

  (Ms. LEE of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, as we prepare to cast our vote 
today to train and equip Syrian rebels, I want to remind my colleagues 
of the nearly $20.2 billion that the United States has spent to train 
and equip Iraqi security forces during our decade at war there.
  And what happened?
  The Iraqi security forces could not secure the country and fled major 
Iraqi cities when confronted by ISIS. $20.2 billion. And yet here we 
are again today ready to authorize hundreds of millions of dollars to 
train and equip members of the Free Syrian Army.
  What in the world are we doing?
  Instead of rushing into yet another war, flooding the region with 
more weapons and intervening further in a civil war, Congress should be 
pressing the pause button. Instead of rushing into yet another war 
authorization--which of course this congressional resolution says it is 
not, but the unintended consequences will expand this war--Congress 
should be examining all of the solutions to this crisis, not just the 
military ones.
  That is why I called and will continue to call for Congress to live 
up to its constitutional responsibility and have a full debate on the 
authorization to use force. The costs and consequences should be made 
clear.

                          ____________________