[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12039]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  DON'T ALLOW PERMANENT BASES IN IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished Speaker, and I 
thank her for her leadership.
  We will in just a few minutes begin to talk about a very serious 
issue on universal access to health care, so I rise today to remind my 
colleagues that we are still in a very troubling conflict in Iraq. We 
are still spending billions and billions and billions of dollars. Even 
in the last few days I have seen the loss of young sons, young 
brothers, young men in my own community. We have buried a number of our 
fallen soldiers in the Houston, Harris County and South Texas 
metroplex.
  We recognize that we are a nation that is willing to send her very 
best, her very brightest, to the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan 
and places around the world to defend the honor, but yet the need for 
freedom and democracy. But this is a war that the American people over 
and over again, 60 to 70 percent have said we must bring our troops 
home. The American people have said enough is enough.
  We honor those who have fallen. We honored them in this memorial 
week. I was in Aviano, Italy, and celebrated there at the Air Force 
base with the young men and women, the fallen, who fell on foreign 
soil. It was my honor and my privilege to be there, and I will do so 
wherever there is the opportunity to say thank you to those that live 
injured, for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We will never 
dishonor their service.
  So I claim that today we can call the actions in Iraq, albeit my 
opposition to the offense or the invasion of Iraq by this country, we 
can call it a military success. We can call it a military success and 
bring our soldiers home.
  What disturbs me, Madam Speaker, is that this Nation, this 
administration, is negotiating for foreign bases on Iraq soil, U.S. 
bases on the soil of Iraq, when over and over again this Congress has 
voted against maintaining long-term bases, U.S. bases, in Iraq. We have 
said it clearly. We have said it over and over again.
  So I raise the question as to why is the administration engaging in 
negotiations for permanent military bases without the engagement and 
the affirmation of this Congress that has said to the administration 
that we do not want permanent military bases and neither do the people 
of the United States?
  Now, I recognize that we have the responsibility of transition as the 
new administration comes in. I am believing that the new administration 
that will come in to be President of the United States will be the 
administration that will oppose this war and that will begin to bring 
our troops home.
  But if, for example, we were concerned about transition, let me 
simply say, we are aware that we have a Central Command in the region. 
It is an active Central Command. It will be headed by General Petraeus 
for the next couple of months.
  There is no reason why when that region is in need that under the 
Central Command the appropriate military operation can be dispatched, 
if necessary, to the region, to Iraq and to other places around. It 
seems to be a smack in the face of Congress that has over and over 
again said that it is time to bring our troops home, that we cannot 
spend millions and millions and billions more of dollars in Iraq.
  It is time for Iraq to secure its own security, to defend itself, to 
build its own military bases. And, yes, we are quite happy to continue 
to train those Iraqi soldiers, which I visited with in the last couple 
of months. I was there. I saw them. They are committed and dedicated, 
the Iraqi soldiers. Their generals are committed and dedicated. Give 
them the opportunity to finance their own bases, to finance the 
military. But enough is enough. I believe the American people have 
spoken.
  So I say to the administration, we will not tolerate permanent bases 
on the soil. And I want to thank the Progressive Caucus with the 
leadership of Congresswoman Woolsey and Congresswoman Lee, the Out of 
Iraq Caucus with Congresswoman Waters, both of which I am a member of. 
We have worked on this. We have heard from the American people. We have 
heard testimony.
  Frankly, this is an insult to the Members of the United States 
Congress, when we know that there are alternatives to ensuring the 
safety and security of the region, and we also know that the American 
people have spoken.
  I stand with the American people. The needs are great. We must use 
this money for other reasons, bringing our soldiers home, training 
them, creating a green economy, making sure that we have the education 
we should and the health care that we should. It is time now to bring 
our troops home, and certainly it is time now to end this frivolous 
debate about permanent bases in Iraq.

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