[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5675]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 THE REAL BENCHMARK IN THE IRAQ POLICY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, yesterday as a member of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee, I participated in one of the Petraeus-Crocker 
hearings. Sadly, it was just more of the same. We heard doubletalk and 
nuanced excuse.
  The American people and the Congress demand more. This is not the 
punchline on some late night comedy news show. This is the blood and 
treasure of our Nation. And now the Administration has its hand out for 
another blank check, over $1 billion rumor has it. This Congress should 
remain firm in its opposition to an open-ended occupation which is 
neither making America safer nor providing any real hope for the Iraqi 
people.
  Just a few months ago, Madam Speaker, our esteemed Appropriations 
Chairman, Mr. Obey, introduced, and this House passed, a bill that 
clearly stated the position of a majority of Americans.
  With bipartisan support, the bill stated, the primary purpose of 
funds made available by this Act should be to transition the mission of 
United States Armed Forces in Iraq and undertake their redeployment and 
not to extend or prolong the war.
  A line has been drawn in the sand. The bar was raised, and we will 
not step back from this.
  From so-called blue states to red states, from east coast to west, 
from the deep south to the midwest, on to the great plain states, 
people are fed up. They overwhelmingly, time after time, demand that we 
end our occupation of Iraq, bring our troops home and that we also 
bring military contractors home and reaffirm our support of the Iraqi 
people by funding reconstruction and reconciliation efforts.
  Our assistance should come through diplomacy. Actually through a 
handshake, not at the point of a gun. What is the best way to help the 
Iraqi people? By occupying their land or by lending a hand? As I said 
many, many times, I represent the most beautiful and most progressive 
congressional district. Every day my constituents make me proud to 
represent such amazing people. My own community has collected supplies 
for the troops, has donated to aid agencies and has gone the extra 
distance by giving straight from the heart.
  One such example is Dominican University in Marin County. They've 
offered free schooling to Iraqi refugees. As part of the Iraqi Student 
Project, they will receive tuition and fee waivers. It may not seem 
like much to some, but I can tell you, this generous gift will change 
lives.
  Our communities can make these small but priceless gestures. But the 
real work lies here under the Dome. We have the support of the American 
people, the Iraqis, and the world community. We can't wait until next 
year. We can't wait until the next decade or the next century.
  So as this spending bill comes together, Americans want to know that 
their voices are being heard and, most importantly, heeded.
  We must stand strong. We must steel our spines. In November, the 
House of Representatives said that the primary purpose of all of those 
Federal dollars was a safe and orderly redeployment. The administration 
disagreed saying it won't back down.
  We will consider spending over $1 billion on the Iraq occupation in 
the coming weeks, Madam Speaker. I, for one, welcome the debate.

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