[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5514-5515]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                IRAQ WAR IS COSTING US MILLIONS AT HOME

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, every day that we spend money in Iraq means 
missed opportunities to invest in priorities here at home. While the 
Bush administration spends $339 million a day in Iraq, we are diverting 
money from our Nation's needs.
  With that $339 million that we spend today, we could instead ensure 
that 2.6 million Americans have access to medical and dental care at 
community health centers. We can provide 955,000 families with help for 
their energy bills, and we could hire 50,000 more cops to protect our 
citizens on our streets.
  With the funds we are spending in Iraq today we could also provide 
937,000 grants for research into diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's and 
diabetes, provide 317,000 kids with vaccinations and could send 18,000 
more students to school.
  The millions we are pumping into Iraq today is desperately needed 
here at home as this country stares recession in the face. Yet 
President Bush

[[Page 5515]]

continues to recommend nothing but the status quo in Iraq.
  Put America first.

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