[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14115]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    OFFERING SUPPORT FOR OUR MILITARY AND CALLING FOR CONGRESSIONAL 
       INVESTIGATION OF INFORMATION SUPPLIED TO CONGRESS AND THE 
          ADMINISTRATION REGARDING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

  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. Madam Speaker, we have had a very long 
journey. I think it is important today to first of all again 
acknowledge the brave men and women who serve us in the United States 
military; and to add a recommitment to those who are returning home, 
one, to ensure that they have full health care, whether they remain in 
the service or they come out as veterans. In addition, I think it is 
important to add a $1,000 bonus to combat veterans on returning, as 
they move into either their new lives or remain in the United States 
military.
  I can truly say, Madam Speaker, that whether or not we agreed with 
the policies of the war in Iraq, as Members of the United States 
Congress and as Americans there was not one divide relating to our 
support for the United States military.
  Even today, as we begin to analyze the aftermath of Iraq, in my 
meetings with Arab nations just a month or so ago, leaders of Arab 
nations, many of them offering to work with the United States in the 
rebuilding of Iraq, just a few days ago I had submitted into the 
defense authorization bill an amendment to ensure that small and 
medium-sized minority- and women-owned businesses are engaged in the 
opportunity of rebuilding Iraq. We realize that we have a 
responsibility to that nation, as well as to the troops on the ground.
  We can also see that the war is really not over inasmuch as we are 
seeing the loss of our troops on a daily basis. There is much work to 
do to rebuild hospitals, roads, bridges, and neighborhoods in Baghdad 
and other places. We believe it is important to do it together.
  But I think we have another challenge, Madam Speaker, that is 
extremely important. Madam Speaker, I recall the debate on the floor of 
the House. I stand by my vote. I believe that war should have been the 
last option and the U.N. inspectors should have been allowed to do 
their job.
  But I know my colleagues who voted for the effort to go into Iraq did 
it out of conviction and the belief that this Nation was under imminent 
attack. Again, I say that we did not vote in the constitutional way 
because this Congress did not vote under article 1 to declare war. I 
maintain that we still had that hurdle to overcome. But the basis of 
the vote, the overwhelming vote to go forward was on the intelligence 
that was given by the intelligence community, not only to this Congress 
but, I assume, to the administration.
  I believe it is imperative, Madam Speaker, that we have a special 
investigation, a special prosecutor to investigate what the 
intelligence community and officials knew, what information they gave 
to Congress, what information they withheld. We need to know for sure 
what information they had, definitive information, about the weapons of 
mass destruction. The American people need to know, first of all; the 
United States military needs to know; the United States Congress needs 
to know; and certainly all of the families of the loved ones of those 
who we mourn who lost their lives need to know.
  Madam Speaker, I am unsure of what the intelligence community knew. 
They stand now to say that they have documentation; but 2 months now 
have gone by, and we have found no weapons of mass destruction.
  Many would say we as Members stand on the floor of the House and put 
ourselves in jeopardy because tomorrow we could find the weapons of 
mass destruction. I am not in an argument with my government. I hope my 
government is a government of truth, and whatever they find, it will be 
in conjunction with the work that they are doing on behalf of the 
American people.
  But it was represented to us that because of the weapons of mass 
destruction that Saddam Hussein had, this Nation was under imminent 
threat.

                              {time}  2000

  And so the President used his powers to go forward. Without the 
declaration of war of this Congress, Members of this Congress cried on 
the floor of the House because they were so conflicted with the idea 
that they must do what is right for the American people and go forward 
with war, because they believed in the information that was given.
  In order for this Nation to be a true democracy, for the Constitution 
to prevail, for us to be a shining example of transparency in this 
Nation, it is important that we find out the truth. I do not believe we 
have the truth today. And I think it is imperative that even if 
Congress investigates this, because we have a one-party government, I 
think it is imperative that we have a special prosecutor to investigate 
and/or commission to investigate the tragedy of the war and as well the 
information that has been given to us.
  Madam Speaker, I believe we can do no less to unveil the truth as our 
troops are fighting for us in Afghanistan and fighting for us in Iraq, 
as they are offering their lives for the ultimate principles of freedom 
and justice. It is imperative, again, must I say, that we have the 
truth. I hope that the administration listens, a special prosecutor, a 
special independent commission to investigate the existence of weapons 
of mass destruction and what the intelligence community knew.

                          ____________________