[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11391]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRANSITION TO IRAQI SELF-GOVERNMENT

  (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, to the new prime minister of Iraq, Dr. Ayad 
Allawi, let me say you are most welcome, sir. Dr. Allawi, in addition 
to being selected as the new prime minister for the country of Iraq, 
provided a very vociferous ``thank you'' to President Bush and the 
United States of America for ridding his country of the scourge of 
Saddam Hussein.
  We have now seen two significant events this year, the standing up of 
the new Iraqi constitution, a constitution that respects majority rule 
but also respects the rights of the minority; a constitution that 
contains a robust bill of rights and the protection and the involvement 
of women in government. There is a clear goal understood by all who are 
involved in that process, to see the Iraqi people free and in charge of 
Iraq for the first time in generations.
  America's task in Iraq is not only to defeat an enemy. It is to give 
strength to a friend, a free, representative government that serves the 
people and fights on their behalf. The sooner this goal is achieved, 
the sooner our job will be done.
  The Iraqi interim government takes power on 30 June. It will serve 
for only 7 months until a new government is chosen through democratic 
elections to be held as soon as possible, but no later than the end of 
January, 2005.

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