U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, And Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007

Floor Speech

U.S. TROOP READINESS, VETERANS' CARE, KATRINA RECOVERY, AND IRAQ ACCOUNTABILITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007 -- (Extensions of Remarks - May 16, 2007)

* s. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, we are here today because last week President Bush vetoed legislation supported by a majority of the members of the House and the Senate. The vetoed supplemental appropriations bill, H.R. 1591, would have provided funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, cared for the needs of our veterans and put forth commonsense benchmarks and timelines to hold Iraq's politicians accountable for achieving needed political results. President Bush rejected that modest requirement to the foreign policy disaster he has created in Iraq. Once again it would appear he has forgotten that the rubber stamp Congress he had grown accustomed to is no longer in power and the American people, along with the new Congress, expect cooperation, compromise and an exit strategy from Iraq, not more ``stay the course'' rhetoric that has cost our Nation so many lives.

* Today's bill, H.R. 2206, unfortunately does not set a timetable for bringing U.S. troops home, but it does provide President Bush with an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to holding Iraq's political leadership accountable while providing the Department of Defense with $42.8 billion in immediate funding for our troops in Iraq. This legislation also provides Congress the ability to ensure that the President and the Pentagon are taking meaningful steps to achieve success in Iraq by ``protecting'' an additional $52.8 billion in military spending. This spending would be released when the President reports to Congress in mid-July that his stated benchmarks and goals in Iraq are being met. This legislation is not the blank check the President wants. But, it is a responsible, measured approach for a White House that has proven itself incapable of honest, forthright leadership in managing this war.

* H.R. 2206 is necessary legislation that puts the needs of U.S. troops and responsible accountability for a policy that now threatens

U.S. military preparedness and our national security. Congress has every right, and in fact every obligation, to hold President Bush and Iraq's political leadership accountable for their lack of results and complete lack of urgency while U.S. troops patrol in the midst of an Iraqi civil war.

* Madam Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 2206 and I urge my colleagues--especially my Republican colleagues--to take this appropriate and tempered step towards protecting our troops while demanding political accountability from President Bush and his Iraqi counterparts.

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