[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24604]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NOT THAT MUCH GOOD NEWS

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I think that there is not that 
much good news. We will begin today a process of deliberating on the 
$87 billion that this administration has asked this Congress to decide 
on. As those who take a loyal oath to this Nation, we will do our very 
best to make decisions on behalf of the American people.
  But there is not good news in Iraq. Our young soldiers are confronted 
with sniper shooting and landmines. There is not good news amongst 
their families when National Guardsmen and Reservists are not getting 
the fullest pay that they need to have. There is not good news when our 
soldiers do not have a time certain or do not have an opportunity to 
rotate out, as we have known to happen in past operations.
  I had the opportunity to meet with these young people. These are 
young people who are fighting on the frontlines who have taken an oath, 
who believe in this country. I think it is our obligation as we debate 
this supplemental, the largest supplemental in the history of this 
Nation, that we deliberate over a period of days, not 48 hours, and 
ensure that the American people know that when we vote on the 
supplemental, it is not for the brass, it is not for corporations, but 
it is for our children, the young men and women who are on the 
frontline. I believe that the vote should be delayed so that we can do 
what is good for those young people.

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