[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 22 (Monday, June 4, 2007)]
[Page 687]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Congressional Passage of Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations

May 25, 2007

    Congress voted yesterday to provide our troops with the funding and 
flexibility they need to protect our country, and I was pleased to sign 
the bill today. Rather than mandate arbitrary timetables for troop 
withdrawals or micromanage our military commanders, this legislation 
enables our service men and women to follow the judgment of commanders 
on the ground.
    This important bill also provides a clear roadmap to help the Iraqis 
secure their country and strengthen their young democracy. Iraqis need 
to demonstrate measurable progress on a series of benchmarks for 
improved security, political reconciliation, and governance. These tasks 
will be difficult for this young democracy, but we are confident they 
will continue to make progress on the goals they have set for 
themselves.
    I am pleased that Congress removed billions of dollars in 
unrequested spending. I would like to have removed even more, but this 
package was part of the effort to move forward and ensure our troops in 
harm's way have the resources they need.
    I congratulate Members of Congress for coming together in a 
bipartisan fashion and providing the necessary funding for our troops 
and support for the Iraqi people.

Note: The statement referred to H.R. 2206, which was assigned Public Law 
No. 110-28. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.