[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24859]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        IRAQ SPENDING DONE RIGHT

  (Mr. BLUMENAUER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, it was wrong to give this administration 
a blank check to wage unilateral war, and it is wrong to give them a 
blank check to rebuild Iraq. Total spending in Iraq is now approaching 
$200 billion of borrowed money, with no end in sight. We need to spend 
less, spend smarter and put someone in charge who knows what they are 
doing.
  None of this controversy should prevent our providing our troops with 
the support they deserve. They will ultimately get flak jacket liners, 
protective vehicles, and for their basic needs like safe drinking 
water. It is just sad that it is taking so long. It is not the time to 
approve this reconstruction package, 10 times the size of the Marshall 
Plan even after being adjusted for inflation (on a per capita basis).
  It is not being administered by the right people. I will offer an 
amendment to shift it to the State Department and USAID. Our troops, 
the Iraqi people, and the American public deserve this to be done 
right.

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