[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10447]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS PLAY POLITICS RATHER THAN OFFER REAL SOLUTIONS

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, we need to declare victory with the Zarqawi 
killing, and this is a time to also declare that the Iraqi government 
has completed the formation of its cabinet and we can start withdrawing 
our troops.
  Now, all Americans are disgusted by what they see in Washington and 
they are looking for real leadership on the important issues of the 
day. First we could announce there are victories and we can start 
withdrawing our troops.
  But, unfortunately, Washington Republicans prefer to waste time on 
partisan politics, instead of focusing on priorities such as affordable 
health care, energy costs, the economy, the rising cost of staying in 
Iraq and the deficit.
  This week, the Senate spent 3 days debating a gay marriage amendment 
that everyone knew was going nowhere. In order to pass out of the 
Senate, the amendment needed 67 votes, and they couldn't even get a 
majority. The issue should be dead for the year, but now we hear the 
House leadership plans to bring it up later this summer.
  Mr. Speaker, let us give ourselves credit for what we have done in 
Iraq and let us focus on these issues and let us start withdrawing our 
troops.

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