[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 21]
[House]
[Page 28542]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IRAQI PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, today is a historic day for democracy and 
freedom. Iraqis go to the polls to democratically elect the 275 seats 
of the new Iraqi Council of Representatives. The newly elected Council 
will then select a Prime Minister, a Presidency Council, and a Cabinet 
of Ministers.
  By any measure, today's elections are remarkable. In just under 3 
years, 26 million Iraqis have gone from brutal tyranny to 
representative democracy. A ruthless and dangerous dictator has been 
removed, and the stabilizing influence of democracy is taking root in a 
region desperately in need of it.
  This progress is a fitting tribute to the brave men and women in 
uniform who have sacrificed so much to see this day realized. There is 
more work to be done and there will be more setbacks to overcome, but 
this is tremendous progress. I salute them.

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