[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10909-10910]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, we are now in the fifth year of the war 
in Iraq. Once again this year, the President failed to include an 
honest cost of the war in the budget he sends to Congress every year. 
Why is that so important at this time? If the President had initially 
sent to Congress a realistic budget instead of one that is intended to 
make his fiscal policies look less irresponsible, our men and women in 
the service wouldn't be faced with debate

[[Page 10910]]

after debate after debate on emergency spending bills to pay for the 
cost of the war. Unfortunately, again, he did not send us a budget that 
was honest and paid for the war. So what we have now is an emergency 
spending bill for Iraq and other emergencies.
  Unfortunately, last night--and sadly, in my opinion--the President 
decided to say no to our men and women in Iraq, to our veterans, to 
victims of Katrina, and to many other people who needed this measure 
passed and signed by him.
  Democrats understand that our troops and their families should not 
pay for the President's budget games. That is why we passed funding for 
the emergency supplemental at record speed--faster, in fact, than the 
Republicans did in the last 2 years. Back in 2005, the Republican 
Congress didn't send the President emergency funding until May 10. In 
2006, the Republican Congress did not send an emergency funding bill 
until June 15. Not only did we send the White House a bill earlier than 
ever, we sent legislation that contained more funds than the President 
requested and all the money our troops need. Unfortunately for our 
troops, yesterday, 4 years after President Bush declared ``mission 
accomplished'' and 12 days after it was reported that 104 American 
servicemembers died in April, making it the deadliest month since the 
surge began, the President decided to veto that bill. With that, he 
decided to delay the funding for our troops.
  Included in that bill were billions of dollars to help solve the 
problems facing our men and women in uniform when they return home. The 
President didn't ask for those critical dollars. In fact, he has never 
included our wounded warriors as a cost of the war. Their families and 
now both Houses of the Congress understand the obligation to our heroes 
and have included them as a cost of war in this bill.
  The bill we sent to the President provided money to improve Walter 
Reed and other VA facilities that we know are in disrepair and money to 
help increase access to medical and mental health services for our 
returning soldiers. More than $143 million was included to improve the 
VA's polytrauma center, which, among other things, would have helped 
the VA better diagnose and treat the increasing number of traumatic 
brain injuries which have emerged as a signature wound of this war.
  The legislation also provided $100 million for the VA to target areas 
where mental health care is lacking. According to the VA's own 
statistics, more than 35 percent of returning Iraqi and Afghani 
veterans who have sought care have done so for mental health problems. 
We provide the funds in the bill we sent to the President. 
Unfortunately, he said no.
  Additionally, we put in $61 million for hiring and training of new 
compensation and pension claims adjudicators. That is important money 
because we are hearing from far too many of our returning soldiers that 
it is taking them months to get the benefits they have earned. These 
new claims processors will help address that growing backlog of claims. 
Unfortunately, last night the President said no.
  What we have today for our veterans, 4 years after President Bush 
declared ``mission accomplished,'' he decided to veto this bill. He 
decided to delay funds that would have addressed the problems facing 
our veterans.
  Not only did Democrats send the President funding earlier than ever, 
we listened to the military leaders, we listened to the Iraq Study 
Group, and we listened to the American people and included a provision 
to redeploy our forces from the Iraqi civil war. Americans 
overwhelmingly oppose the President's escalation plan. General Abizaid, 
General Casey, and other top former officials have made clear that a 
surge will not be a solution to a civil war in Iraq. Reportedly, the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff were not in favor of escalation, and even Colin 
Powell opposes the escalation. In fact, Colin Powell, who we know saw 
combat in Vietnam, said:

       I am not persuaded that another surge of troops into 
     Baghdad for the purposes of suppressing this communitarian 
     violence, this civil war, will work.

  GEN John Abizaid, former commander of U.S. Central Command, said:

       I do not believe that more American troops right now is a 
     solution to this problem.

  The Iraq Study Group, made up of Republicans and Democrats, called 
for the redeployment of our forces. But the President ignored all of 
them. He decided instead to escalate the number of troops in Iraq.
  This escalation is in its third month, and so far the results are not 
promising. The Iraqi Government reported that violence from February to 
March increased. Officials said the number of car bombings in Baghdad 
is rising. According to the U.N., sectarian violence in the capital has 
not declined one bit. Officials have also reported that sectarian 
violence outside the capital has increased. As I mentioned, 104 
American troops died in April--the deadliest month since this surge 
began.
  The redeployment provision this Democratic-led Congress included in 
the bill provided the President with an opportunity to force Iraqis to 
finally take responsibility for their own country. We are in the fifth 
year of this war, and Iraqis have yet to stand up for themselves. They 
are not policing their own streets. They are not running their own 
army. Their Government is a mess. Something has to be done to show them 
they have to get their act together, they have to take ownership of 
their own future.
  That is what the redeployment provision did in our bill. It said to 
Iraqis: After 5 years--5 years--and thousands of U.S. lives, you have 
to take responsibility for your future. It said: You must stand up.
  Well, unfortunately, for America's security, 4 years after President 
Bush declared ``mission accomplished,'' and after we have lost 3,351 
troops, the President, last night, vetoed the bill. By doing so, he 
ignored calls from military experts and the American people for 
redeployment and the need to make clear to the Iraqis they have to take 
responsibility for their own future.
  The President asked our Nation for patience after the first and 
second years of this war. Then he asked the American people for more 
time after the third year, and more time after the fourth year.
  This year, the fifth year of the war, he is now again asking us for 
patience, for the American people to just stand by as more of our young 
men and women die and as the Iraqis continue to shirk their 
responsibility for their own country.
  It is clear our troops are now policing an open-ended civil war. Now, 
more than ever, we need a new direction in Iraq. Unfortunately, 
yesterday, and, sadly, the President vetoed a bill which did provide a 
way forward. In doing so, he withheld millions of dollars for our 
troops and for our veterans and ignored the advice of military leaders 
and the Iraq Study Group and, importantly, the will of the American 
people.
  Today the President stands alone against the vast majority of 
Americans desperately seeking a new direction in Iraq. It is now up to 
him to come to the negotiating table and provide the American people 
with a real strategy for success.
  Mr. President, we also have before us today a bill on the FDA.
  Can I ask how much time I have remaining?
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator has only about a half a 
minute remaining.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I see another colleague on the Senate 
floor, and I ask him how much time he is going to need.
  Mr. BROWN. Five or ten minutes. Go ahead.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for an additional 
5 minutes to speak to the FDA bill that is in front of us today.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, the Senator is 
recognized.

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