Providing for Consideration of H. Con. Res. 63, Iraq War Resolution

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. CON. RES. 63, IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by first thanking my colleagues, Tom Lantos, Ike Skelton and Walter Jones for working together in a bipartisan way to create this very simple, straightforward and clear resolution. Their work will allow this House to have a full and fair debate and, at the end of this week, have a clear up-or-down vote on whether or not we support or oppose the President's plan to escalate this war in Iraq.

I also want to thank all my colleagues on the Rules Committee for a very thoughtful and productive debate last night.

Mr. Speaker, the American people are way ahead of the politicians in Washington on this issue. They want this war ended, and they want our troops to come home. Any Member of this House who has been home recently knows that the questions are increasing, the concern is growing, and the patience is running out.

The American people are tired of the bickering and partisan posturing. They are also tired of people trying to muddy the waters and confuse the issue. They want their leaders to be less concerned with saving political face and more concerned with saving lives.

It is my hope that at the end of this debate, the House will send a strong bipartisan message to the President of the United States that it is time to change course in Iraq.

I hope that the President will listen and will take the opportunity to sit down with us, roll up his sleeves and do the hard but necessary work of bringing this tragic war to an end.

If he does not, if he continues to ignore the will of the Congress and of the American people, then we will have no choice but to go beyond nonbinding resolutions.

Mr. Speaker, Members like me, who believe it is time to exercise the power of the purse, will get that opportunity when we take up the President's supplemental appropriations request and the fiscal year 2008 defense bills.

The best way to support our troops is to bring them home safely to their families. The best way to protect them is to begin their immediate, safe and orderly withdrawal from Iraq.

But this week we are focused, rightly in my opinion, on the narrow and important question of whether we support the President's desire to escalate the war.

The irony is that Members of this House will be given more time to debate this nonbinding resolution than they were given by the previous majority on the question of authorizing the war itself.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a meaningless exercise, which is what some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have said. For the first time in 4 years, the people's House will be on record opposing the President's policy in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, the American people are watching. They want to know where each Member stands on the issue of escalating the war in Iraq. That is the issue before us today. That is the only issue we shall be debating. It is what the American people want to know, and it is what the President of the United States needs to hear.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov