Message from the Senate

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the current administration has gotten too many things wrong in Iraq and has totally misrepresented the lessons of the post-9/11 world. It is now up to Democrats to get things right in Iraq so we can focus our military efforts to fighting terrorists around the world who want to harm us.

Today I ask my colleagues: Will we realistically confront terrorists and terrorism with all the elements of our national power, or will we continue to ignore a proven approach in order to follow a shop-worn, idealistic approach that drains our military of its resources and America of its goodwill with the very partners we need to fight terrorists? That is the choice that our country faces in Iraq and in our national security.

Democrats must speak out against this administration's tendency to overlook problems and push for a policy that centers on oversight of U.S. taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, we do not practice oversight. This Congress practices ``overlook.'' We must respond to public frustrations by creating a secure future for our military and reestablish a foundation for American efforts to fight terrorists and terrorism across the globe. Congress must confront the legacy of the waste, fraud, and abuse that plagues our efforts in Iraq.

As Democrats, we must continue our efforts, in spite of the current opposition, to bring this waste, fraud, and abuse in Iraq to light.

Some talk about cutting and running. But I say we must confront the legacy of cutting and running from veterans health care. Just as the next generation of combat veterans return home, the long-term veterans health care budget falls $8.6 billion short from projected needs. We must reject that legacy of Iraq.

And, finally, I join my colleagues in commending our U.S. military working in conjunction with Iraqi security and Iraqis themselves for locating and eliminating Abu Musad al Zarqawi. His terrorist violence is gone. But we have learned in Iraq that fighting a classic guerrilla-type war means that a victory like killing Zarqawi cannot be celebrated too long. Much remains to be done in Iraq, and Democrats have to make right where the administration has gone wrong. Our obligations compel us to ask the tough questions that are currently ignored.

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