[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7283]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IRAQ: PAY FOR ITS SECURITY

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, Iraq's oil revenue is projected to be a 
record $70 billion this year, according to a report set to be released 
today from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. The 
cost of Iraqi oil has skyrocketed in recent years up 250 percent since 
2003. With these soaring oil revenues, the time is now for the Iraqi 
government to take greater responsibility for the security and 
reconstruction of their country and begin the process of weaning 
themselves off the largesse of the United States of America.
  Recently, Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, announced that he was 
cutting $171 million in Pentagon funding for a police station 
construction in Iraq. This is a good first step towards ensuring that 
the Iraqi government understands that they need to show a real and 
sustained commitment to taking control of their country's destiny. By 
spending some of their record oil revenues, the Iraqis can send a 
definitive statement that they are serious about investing in their own 
future.

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