[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3541]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         STOP TROOP ESCALATION

  (Mr. WELCH of Vermont asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Speaker, it is becoming ever more clear 
that the troop escalation plan proposed by the administration is not--
is not--in our Nation's best interest or in the best interest of 
bringing stability to Iraq.
  Last week, three different events demonstrated why it is absolutely 
essential that Congress accept its responsibility to debate the 
President's plan. First, the cost of the escalation: The President has 
advertised it to be $5.6 billion; CBO, nonpartisan, estimates it will 
be $21 billion.
  Second, the number of troops required, the President is selling it, 
advertising it as requiring 21,600 troops. CBO estimates suggest that 
it will be at least 48,000 troops.
  Next, Pentagon officials admitted last week that they do not have 
enough armored vehicles, armored kits and other equipment that is 
absolutely essential to protecting the well-being of our troops. We 
cannot be sending troops into battle without the equipment and the 
protection that they need.

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