U.S. Increases Troops in Iraq and Syria: When Will Congress Act?

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Drip, drip, drip, Mr. Speaker. That is the sound of U.S. escalation in Syria and Iraq. Yesterday, the Pentagon announced that the U.S. will send 217 additional troops to Iraq, pushing the official number of U.S. troops there to more than 4,000.

Mainly Army Special Forces, they will be embedded with Iraqi brigades and battalions. They will be stationed close to the front lines. They will include trainers and maintenance crews for the new deployment of Apache helicopters.

More U.S. commandos could also head to Syria, bolstering the roughly 50 Special Operations Forces advising and training rebel forces on the ground.

Just when is the House going to debate and vote on an authorization for deploying U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria?

When is the House going to debate these escalations that add more firepower and put more U.S. troops close to the front lines?

Our troops carry out their constitutional duties. When will Congress act and carry out its constitutional responsibility?

The American people are tired of endless wars. Putting these wars on remote control, with no debate and no votes, is shameful.

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