H1674 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 15, 2007 Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. IRAQ RESOLUTION IRAQ RESOLUTION Speaker, this afternoon I will have an (Ms. CLARKE asked and was given (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given opportunity to talk about the war reso- permission to address the House for 1 permission to address the House for 1 lution, but this morning I would like to minute and to revise and extend her re- minute.) just talk for a second about energy marks.) Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, the de- independence. Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise bate taking place here in the House Several weeks ago we heard the today because I am very supportive of this week is long overdue. We are ap- President announce part of his agenda our troops around the globe and in par- proaching our fifth year of this war. for making America more energy inde- ticular those who are in harm’s way in This is the first time Congress is debat- pendent. But the real question is, how Iraq. I wholeheartedly support H. Con. ing the strategy President Bush wants do we get there? The President laid out Res. 63. to implement in Iraq. Congress can no a plan to place new draconian fuel-effi- Mr. Speaker, in the President’s Janu- longer stand on the sidelines, and the ciency standards on our domestic auto- ary 29, 2002, State of the Union address, President has to know that to escalate makers, which I believe is the wrong in regards to protecting America, re- the war in Iraq is not acceptable. approach to energy independence. sponding to terrorist threats and cap- The President hopes this troop esca- It is the wrong approach because it turing Osama bin Laden, he said, this lation plan will help secure Baghdad would force our domestic automakers is a regime that agreed to inter- and reduce the sectarian violence that to invest in old technology and to stifle national inspections, then kicked out is ripping the country apart. But there very exciting new technologies. Our do- our inspectors. This is a regime that is no evidence to support those hopes. mestic auto industry is nearing innova- has something to hide from the civ- In fact, on four different occasions, the tive breakthroughs, such as the usage ilized world. President increased troop levels in of alternative fuels, new battery tech- States like these and their terrorist Iraq, and every time these plans failed nology, and advanced hybrid vehicles. allies constitute an axis of evil, arming to calm the violence in Iraq. Additional troops are not going to I believe it is in our national interest to threaten the peace of the world. By make a difference because there simply to provide Federal support to advance seeking weapons of mass destruction, is not a military solution to the war in the auto technologies of the future to these regimes pose a grave and growing Iraq. The devastating sectarian vio- help achieve energy savings. Both Gen- danger. They could provide these arms lence is going to continue. But our eral Motors and Ford recently unveiled to terrorists, giving them the means to troops should no longer be asked to advanced plug-in hybrids that use a match their hatred. serve as referees in a battle between re- lithium ion battery. Helping that tech- Secretary Rice, after being named ligious sects that have been fighting nology become commercially viable Secretary to succeed Colin Powell, for centuries. will advance our efforts to conserve en- warned 6 months before the invasion in ergy by light years and to create great Iraq that Saddam Hussein could deploy f new jobs here in America. a nuclear weapon, saying that the ad- IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION If my colleagues want true energy ministration did not want a smoking independence and a thriving domestic The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. gun. We want to know as New Yorkers, auto industry, we must focus on the HOLDEN). Pursuant to section 3 of when will we find Osama bin Laden technology of the future. House Resolution 157, proceedings will f now resume on the concurrent resolu- f tion (H. Con. Res. 63) disapproving of IRAQ RESOLUTION the decision of the President an- IRAQ RESOLUTION (Ms. CASTOR asked and was given nounced on January 10, 2007, to deploy permission to address the House for 1 (Mr. MEEKS of New York asked and more than 20,000 additional United minute.) was given permission to address the States combat troops to Iraq. Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, over the House for 1 minute.) The Clerk read the title of the con- last 2 days Republicans who support Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speak- current resolution. the President’s troop escalation plan er, as the November election clearly The SPEAKER pro tempore. When have had two main message points. The showed, Iraq is the number one issue proceedings were postponed on Wednes- first is that the resolution opposing the weighing on Americans’ minds. A vast day, February 14, 2007, time for debate President’s plan is nonbinding and majority of people across the Nation on the concurrent resolution on that meaningless, and the second is that the strongly disagree with the President’s day had expired. resolution will be the ‘‘end of civiliza- plan to send nearly 21,500 additional Pursuant to the resolution, it is now tion,’’ to borrow a term from a col- troops into Iraq, and a bipartisan ma- in order for a further period of debate umnist. They cannot have it both jority in this Congress has also voiced on the concurrent resolution. ways. its opposition to this measure. The gentleman from New York (Mr. What we are doing over these 3 days This week here in the people’s House, MEEKS) and the gentleman from Michi- of debate is having a real discussion we will have an opportunity to express gan (Mr. MCCOTTER) each will control 6 about changing the course of the war our opinions on the troop escalation, hours. in Iraq. For those who support the and then we will have to vote whether The Chair recognizes the gentleman Bush-Cheney escalation, this debate or not we support the President’s plan. from New York. Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speak- serves as a prime opportunity to ex- The American people want a debate. er, I yield 5 minutes to the distin- plain why they think this escalation And while there is one going on in this guished majority whip, the Honorable will work when four other surges have House, the Senate Republican leader- JAMES CLYBURN of South Carolina. ship continues to block debate in the not worked. Mr. CLYBURN. I thank the gen- Senate. It is a shame that some have ignored tleman for yielding. the merits of the resolution and fo- One has to wonder what Senate Re- Mr. Speaker, the debate we join cused on political calculation. In fact, publican leaders are so worried about. today is essentially over the matter of several Republicans sent out a letter After all, Republican Senators, like sending 20,000 more American troops saying this debate should not even be JOHN WARNER and CHUCK HAGEL, joined into Iraq. Over the past 2 days, some about the Iraq war today. If we let with Democrats to propose their own deeply felt sentiments have been ex- Democrats force us into a debate on resolution opposing the troop esca- pressed in this Hall by some patriotic the surge or the current situation in lation. and honorable Americans from all Iraq, we lose. Are Senate Republican leaders really walks of life and on both sides of the Far from it, Mr. Speaker. No one will willing to stifle the voices of their own aisle. lose by having a debate. In fact, our Republican colleagues so that they can great democracy benefits and the continue to protect the Bush adminis- b 1030 American people win by knowing that tration? It is time for real debate. It is And I respect and appreciate the in- we are charting a new direction. time for a new direction on this war. tensity of those feelings. VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:41 Apr 19, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD07\H15FE7.REC H15FE7 hmoore on PRODPC68 with CONG-REC-ONLINE February 15, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1675 If this were the only issue, if the Now we stand ready to create new resolution authorizing the President of matter were only a matter of troop paths to new victories. We stand ready the United States to use martial force strength and numbers, then the issue to initiate the kind of victories, which to remove Iraq’s Baathist regime for would lend itself to military and stra- will restore America’s respect around numerous just causes, including its re- tegic solutions and we would not be the world and self-confidence here at fusal to honor its Gulf War cease-fire having this debate. home. and United Nations’ resolutions, during That is not the real issue, however. We cannot achieve this by military my time as a temporary custodian of That is not the reason that every Mem- might, but by diplomacy. The need for my constituents’ office, I have striven ber of this Congress is being granted a stable Iraq is not just an American to ensure our Nation’s victory in the the opportunity to speak on this issue. interest, it is a regional and global con- battles for Iraq, Afghanistan, and in No, my fellow Members of Congress, cern.