[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23080]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HISTORIC IRAQI ELECTIONS

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, over the weekend an historic day occurred 
in Iraq. Millions of Iraqis took another step toward democracy and 
turned out to vote for a new constitution.
  While the final results will not be known until the end of this week, 
the large turnout of voters and the significantly fewer security 
incidents are, therefore, a sign that Iraq is on the way to democracy.
  Close to 63 percent of the country's 15 million registered voters 
cast ballots, which is significantly more than turn out in the U.S. 
presidential elections.
  Violent incidences were far less this election than in January. 
Perhaps contributing to the low levels of violence was the presence of 
Iraqi security forces themselves. These forces were up 35 percent since 
January to almost 200,000.
  Finally, after years of oppression under Saddam Hussein, Iraqis were 
able to hold a truly fair, open election. Saturday was indeed an 
historic day.

                          ____________________