[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10008]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 DEFEAT AUTHORIZATION FOR WAR IN LIBYA

  (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KUCINICH. We've been in Afghanistan for 10 years at a cost of 
over a half trillion dollars and in Iraq for 8 years at a long-term 
cost of at least $3 trillion. Those who told us the war in Libya would 
last days now want to extend it for another year at a total cost of 
billions.
  It is surreal that we could even be considering authorizing this war 
at a time when the government is collapsing in debt. Those who told us 
the war in Libya was to save civilian lives quickly switched to regime 
change, with innocent civilians dying from NATO's bombs.
  Prior to NATO's assuming responsibility, we launched hundreds of 
cruise missiles and dropped tons of bombs on Libya. Since NATO took 
over, the U.S. has struck from the air at least 90 times, including 
drone attacks. But these are not ``hostilities,'' claims the White 
House; so what business is it of Congress?
  We must put an end not only to the war in Libya, but we must put an 
end to the thinking that the Constitution is a doormat and that our 
constituents must simply bear the consequences of the misguided 
policies of this administration without this Congress having any say 
whatsoever.
  Defeat the authorization for the war. Vote for the Rooney bill, which 
limits the war. And when we return, let's vote for a total cutoff of 
funds for this wrongheaded adventure.

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