[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7994]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
DEMOCRATS HOLD IRAQIS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR OWN RECONSTRUCTION COSTS IN 
                              SUPPLEMENTAL

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow this House will have the 
opportunity to send the Iraqi Government a strong message: They're now 
responsible for their own reconstruction funding.
  As we debate a new war supplemental, Democrats are bringing an 
amendment to the floor that requires all Iraqi reconstruction costs to 
be provided on a dollar-for-dollar match.
  To date, the United States has spent an estimated $46 billion in 
reconstruction costs in Iraq, all while our infrastructure is 
crumbling. The Iraqi Government is also currently working under a 
budget surplus, while, thanks to the Bush administration, we continue 
to face record deficits.
  The amendment also requires the Iraqi Government to charge the U.S. 
military in Iraq the same discounted price for fuel that it charges 
everyday Iraqis. Another fair measure considering that the Iraqis are 
expected to take in a record $70 billion in oil revenues this year.
  Mr. Speaker, I would hope that Democrats and Republicans could come 
together tomorrow to pass this common-sense amendment so that we can 
invest in America, rather than Iraq.

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