Iraq Funding

IRAQ FUNDING -- (Senate - February 06, 2007)

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, at this time there is no more important issue facing our country than the mission and the fate of the American service men and women in Iraq. This means, of course, that the men and women of this body have no higher duty than to express ourselves openly and honestly on this issue--to take a stand on where we stand.

The only truly meaningful tool the Framers gave us to do this was our ability to fund or to not fund a war. That is it. And this is what Republicans are insisting upon: that the Members of this body express themselves on the question of whether to fund or not fund the war in Iraq.

By blocking a vote on the Gregg funding resolution, our good friends on the other side are blocking a vote on this most essential question--the only question that ultimately matters. Do we oppose this war to the point of action or do we simply want to make a point?

Our colleagues say they want progress in Iraq, but by blocking a vote on the McCain benchmarks resolution, they are blocking a vote that would actually set concrete goals.

So let's be very clear about what happened last night. Our colleagues on the other side do not want to vote on whether troops should be funded--period. There is no more critical question at this moment. We have the duty to take it up, and we will continue to fight for that right.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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