[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[House]
[Page 32184]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, back in January, a number of Members of 
the House voted against a surge in Iraq which the President had 
promoted. Well, although that vote passed the House, it failed in the 
Senate, and we know the surge did take place and the surge has paid 
off. Civilian casualties in Iraq are down 20 percent; 75 percent in 
Baghdad. IED attacks are down by 50 percent, and we've nearly doubled 
the number of weapon caches that have been discovered this year from 
last year. Lots of good progress has been made.
  And I don't blame the folks who are against Iraq for pushing the bill 
back in January that they did. I believe that there's plenty of room 
for honest disagreement on this war. But at the same time, here we are 
now and we need to continue funding for that war. There is a $50 
billion bridge fund. The President actually has asked Congress for $196 
billion, but Congress has indicated $50 billion is all that we're 
willing to go at this point. But then there are some stipulations, some 
micromanagement of the war.
  I hope that we can have this bill on the floor of the House and have 
an honest debate on it and keep the spirit of agreeing to disagree 
agreeably.

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