Providing for Consideration of HR 1591, US Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1591, U.S. TROOP READINESS, VETERANS' HEALTH, AND IRAQ ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, 2007

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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, as a founding and active member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, someone who identifies closely with the peace movement and a ``no'' vote on the war itself, I rise in support of this measure because for the first time we have a date certain for the war to end, a date when U.S. combat troops must be out of Iraq.

It is not the bill I would have written, but it moves us closer to the goal, as clearly stated by Speaker Pelosi, of ending the war in Iraq.

Like many progressives, I have consistently voted against funding for this war. We have withstood Republican critics who say we are hurting the troops, because we know the way to care for them is to get them out of the meat grinder that is Iraq.

This vote draws a clear line between those who want to stay indefinitely in an unwinnable war and those of us who, along with the majority of Americans, want to end it. After 4 horrifying years of war, finally the issue before us now is when, not if, we will leave Iraq.

We aren't going to end the war with any one vote, but this vote should be the beginning of the end of this tragic chapter in our history. It will have my support.

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