[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3201]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              IRAQ FUNDING

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, at this time there is no more important 
issue facing our country than the mission and the fate of the American 
service men and women in Iraq. This means, of course, that the men and 
women of this body have no higher duty than to express ourselves openly 
and honestly on this issue--to take a stand on where we stand.
  The only truly meaningful tool the Framers gave us to do this was our 
ability to fund or to not fund a war. That is it. And this is what 
Republicans are insisting upon: that the Members of this body express 
themselves on the question of whether to fund or not fund the war in 
Iraq.
  By blocking a vote on the Gregg funding resolution, our good friends 
on the other side are blocking a vote on this most essential question--
the only question that ultimately matters. Do we oppose this war to the 
point of action or do we simply want to make a point?
  Our colleagues say they want progress in Iraq, but by blocking a vote 
on the McCain benchmarks resolution, they are blocking a vote that 
would actually set concrete goals.
  So let's be very clear about what happened last night. Our colleagues 
on the other side do not want to vote on whether troops should be 
funded--period. There is no more critical question at this moment. We 
have the duty to take it up, and we will continue to fight for that 
right.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

                          ____________________