[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 7274-7275]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                BUYING VOTES TO MICROMANAGE WAR IS WRONG

  (Mrs. MILLER of Michigan asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, today we will debate the 
emergency supplemental to fund our efforts in Iraq and in Afghanistan. 
Will it be an open debate? No. We will be operating under a closed rule 
with no amendments. Will it be a focused debate? No. Unless you believe 
that pork

[[Page 7275]]

barrel spending on spinach farmers and peanut storage are critical to 
the global war on terror.
  A USA Today editorial said this: ``It is hard to say which is worse, 
leaders offering peanuts for a vote of this magnitude, or Members 
allowing their votes to be bought for peanuts. These provisions demean 
a bill that if enacted would affect the lives of troops in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, the balance of power in the Middle East and America's 
long-term security.''
  Reports today also say that if pork-barrel spending isn't enough, 
that Democrat leaders are issuing veiled threats, such as the loss of 
committee assignments, for those Members who oppose them. The Democrat 
leaders offered the voters change in November, but all the Nation is 
getting is politics worse than usual.
  The supplemental should be defeated, and the Democrat majority should 
come back with a bill that honors our troops and does not demean their 
sacrifice.

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