CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt. 3 4245 Will Advance Our Efforts to Conserve En- Danger
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February 15, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt. 3 4245 will advance our efforts to conserve en- danger. They could provide these arms Additional troops are not going to ergy by light years and to create great to terrorists, giving them the means to make a difference because there simply new jobs here in America. match their hatred. is not a military solution to the war in If my colleagues want true energy Secretary Rice, after being named Iraq. The devastating sectarian vio- independence and a thriving domestic Secretary to succeed Colin Powell, lence is going to continue. But our auto industry, we must focus on the warned 6 months before the invasion in troops should no longer be asked to technology of the future. Iraq that Saddam Hussein could deploy serve as referees in a battle between re- f a nuclear weapon, saying that the ad- ligious sects that have been fighting ministration did not want a smoking for centuries. IRAQ RESOLUTION gun. We want to know as New Yorkers, f (Ms. CASTOR asked and was given when will we find Osama bin Laden IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION permission to address the House for 1 f minute.) The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. IRAQ RESOLUTION Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, over the HOLDEN). Pursuant to section 3 of last 2 days Republicans who support (Mr. MEEKS of New York asked and House Resolution 157, proceedings will the President’s troop escalation plan was given permission to address the now resume on the concurrent resolu- have had two main message points. The House for 1 minute.) tion (H. Con. Res. 63) disapproving of first is that the resolution opposing the Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speak- the decision of the President an- President’s plan is nonbinding and er, as the November election clearly nounced on January 10, 2007, to deploy meaningless, and the second is that the showed, Iraq is the number one issue more than 20,000 additional United resolution will be the ‘‘end of civiliza- weighing on Americans’ minds. A vast States combat troops to Iraq. tion,’’ to borrow a term from a col- majority of people across the Nation The Clerk read the title of the con- umnist. They cannot have it both strongly disagree with the President’s current resolution. ways. plan to send nearly 21,500 additional The SPEAKER pro tempore. When What we are doing over these 3 days troops into Iraq, and a bipartisan ma- proceedings were postponed on Wednes- of debate is having a real discussion jority in this Congress has also voiced day, February 14, 2007, time for debate about changing the course of the war its opposition to this measure. on the concurrent resolution on that in Iraq. For those who support the This week here in the people’s House, day had expired. Bush-Cheney escalation, this debate we will have an opportunity to express Pursuant to the resolution, it is now serves as a prime opportunity to ex- our opinions on the troop escalation, in order for a further period of debate plain why they think this escalation and then we will have to vote whether on the concurrent resolution. will work when four other surges have or not we support the President’s plan. The gentleman from New York (Mr. not worked. The American people want a debate. MEEKS) and the gentleman from Michi- It is a shame that some have ignored And while there is one going on in this gan (Mr. MCCOTTER) each will control 6 the merits of the resolution and fo- House, the Senate Republican leader- hours. cused on political calculation. In fact, ship continues to block debate in the The Chair recognizes the gentleman several Republicans sent out a letter Senate. from New York. saying this debate should not even be One has to wonder what Senate Re- Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speak- about the Iraq war today. If we let publican leaders are so worried about. er, I yield 5 minutes to the distin- Democrats force us into a debate on After all, Republican Senators, like guished majority whip, the Honorable the surge or the current situation in JOHN WARNER and CHUCK HAGEL, joined JAMES CLYBURN of South Carolina. Iraq, we lose. with Democrats to propose their own Mr. CLYBURN. I thank the gen- Far from it, Mr. Speaker. No one will resolution opposing the troop esca- tleman for yielding. lose by having a debate. In fact, our lation. Mr. Speaker, the debate we join great democracy benefits and the Are Senate Republican leaders really today is essentially over the matter of American people win by knowing that willing to stifle the voices of their own sending 20,000 more American troops we are charting a new direction. Republican colleagues so that they can into Iraq. Over the past 2 days, some f continue to protect the Bush adminis- deeply felt sentiments have been ex- tration? It is time for real debate. It is IRAQ RESOLUTION pressed in this Hall by some patriotic time for a new direction on this war. and honorable Americans from all (Ms. CLARKE asked and was given f walks of life and on both sides of the permission to address the House for 1 aisle. minute and to revise and extend her re- IRAQ RESOLUTION marks.) (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given b 1030 Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise permission to address the House for 1 And I respect and appreciate the in- today because I am very supportive of minute.) tensity of those feelings. our troops around the globe and in par- Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, the de- If this were the only issue, if the ticular those who are in harm’s way in bate taking place here in the House matter were only a matter of troop Iraq. I wholeheartedly support H. Con. this week is long overdue. We are ap- strength and numbers, then the issue Res. 63. proaching our fifth year of this war. would lend itself to military and stra- Mr. Speaker, in the President’s Janu- This is the first time Congress is debat- tegic solutions and we would not be ary 29, 2002, State of the Union address, ing the strategy President Bush wants having this debate. in regards to protecting America, re- to implement in Iraq. Congress can no That is not the real issue, however. sponding to terrorist threats and cap- longer stand on the sidelines, and the That is not the reason that every Mem- turing Osama bin Laden, he said, this President has to know that to escalate ber of this Congress is being granted is a regime that agreed to inter- the war in Iraq is not acceptable. the opportunity to speak on this issue. national inspections, then kicked out The President hopes this troop esca- No, my fellow Members of Congress, our inspectors. This is a regime that lation plan will help secure Baghdad the real issue we are addressing today has something to hide from the civ- and reduce the sectarian violence that is not that simple. The real issue goes ilized world. is ripping the country apart. But there to the very heart of our American de- States like these and their terrorist is no evidence to support those hopes. mocracy. allies constitute an axis of evil, arming In fact, on four different occasions, the Last November the American people to threaten the peace of the world. By President increased troop levels in voted for a change in leadership. They seeking weapons of mass destruction, Iraq, and every time these plans failed did so overwhelmingly because they these regimes pose a grave and growing to calm the violence in Iraq. want a new direction in Iraq. The VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:24 Jun 09, 2017 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00147 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK 3\LOC FILES\BR15FE07.DAT BR15FE07 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with BOUND RECORD 4246 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt. 3 February 15, 2007 American people also voted for a new remain at the ready and not serve as eled to Iraq and once to Afghanistan to Congress, because they had lost faith targets for insurgents. meet with our troops; visited wounded in the old one. As a Congress, we had The best way for the Iraqi Govern- citizen soldiers, eulogized our fallen, lost our footing, and as a result, our ment to gain the trust of the American and consoled their grieving families. Nation lost its way on the inter- people is for them to step up and take As a witness to their courage, sacrifice national stage. control of their country’s security. and suffering, I have been morally I believe that last November’s call We say today that the victories we compelled to support every appropria- for a new direction in Iraq is also root- seek are real victories, permanent vic- tion for our military and civilian per- ed in our lost faith in those who are tories, victories of a Nation which still sonnel in harm’s way, oppose every pol- leading that nation. believes that the voice of the people is icy injurious to our country’s common We were stung when Iraqi Prime Min- our final and best judgment. cause of victory; advance my own ideas ister al-Maliki seemed to offer amnesty With this debate, we are taking steps on how to secure our victory, including to Iraqi insurgents that killed Ameri- to regain our footing as a Congress and the introduction of bipartisan, though cans.