[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 15677]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN RIGHT ABOUT IRAQ ALL ALONG, WILLING TO ASK THE 
                            TOUGH QUESTIONS

  (Ms. LEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the Prime Minister of Iraq will 
address a joint session of Congress, and I hope that he levels with us 
about the current situation in his nation.
  Over the past week, the violence in Iraq has been replaced on the 
front pages and the television screens by the violence in Lebanon and 
Israel. However, that does not mean that things are getting any better. 
In fact, last month more than 3,100 Iraqis were killed in sectarian 
violence. That is more than 100 killed every day.
  While the situation in Iraq continues to spiral out of control, the 
Bush administration is just simply incapable of coming up with a 
strategy that provides a new direction. And for 3 years now, the House 
Republicans have refused to demand any answers from this administration 
about its failures in Iraq. They have allowed the incompetence to 
continue without holding anyone responsible.
  Congress can no longer sit on the sidelines. It is time to recognize 
that our brave young men and women must come home. They must be brought 
home as quickly as possible. We must end this occupation of Iraq. We 
need to provide a new direction for this administration and for our 
country. The American people are insisting on that.

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