Prescription Drug User Fee Amendments Act Of 2007--Continued

Floor Speech

PRESCRIPTION DRUG USER FEE AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2007--Continued -- (Senate - May 08, 2007)

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Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from New York. I know my colleague from Illinois, Senator Durbin, will be here shortly as well to talk about a critical juncture at which we are now in terms of the war in Iraq.

Last week, both the House and Senate sent a very strongly worded bill to the President of the United States supporting our troops, saying we are there for them when they need us, but we also said it is time for a change of course in Iraq, that we can no longer leave our troops in the middle of a civil war. It is disappointing to all of us that the President chose to veto that bill and sent it back to us. But I think it is very important for us to set the context of where we are now as we look at what we are going to send back to the President.

These are the facts. There is increased violence in Baghdad as we speak. There is increased violence outside Baghdad today. In fact, over 100 American soldiers died last month alone, and at least 27 more American troops have been killed this month. In my home State of Washington, we got the sad news yesterday morning that six of our Fort Lewis soldiers were killed over the weekend. These are families--husbands, children, grandchildren--who will be impacted forever and who will not forget.

Months ago, the President said to the American people that he was going to change his course by having a surge of American troops--25,000, 30,000, 40,000 new troops. They are now on the ground in Iraq. What we are seeing is increased violence inside and outside of Baghdad, more American soldiers losing their lives. And what are we looking at? An Iraqi Government that has not changed, has not stood up to the mark to care for their own country and make the tough decisions they need to make. The bill we sent to the President was designed to give him the tools to turn to Iraq and say: You need to take on your own battles and make these tough decisions. It is time for Iraqis to stand up. Four years after removing Saddam from Iraq, the Iraqis have still not made the political compromises necessary to bring peace to their own country. In fact, they are on pretty shaky ground today, even as we speak, as we hear of factions that may pull out.

Most important, what is happening here in our country? Mr. President, 64 percent of Americans and 65 percent of independents support setting a timetable for redeployment.

That is the ground we are now on, as the President vetoed that very important piece of legislation which funded our troops. We had funding for our veterans as they came home and important, critical funding for Katrina and other important causes.

Despite all the facts I just laid out--the increased violence, the soldiers being killed, the Iraqis not standing up for their own Government--we have seen Republicans on the other side of this aisle stubbornly stand with President Bush and refuse to set a timetable for our troops to come home, refuse to set a timeline to force Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future, and refuse to set a timetable to let Iraqis know we are not going to be there endlessly, month after month, year after year, for decades.

Mr. President, what is heartening to me today, after the President's veto, is we now are hearing from many of our Republican colleagues that they, too, believe we cannot continue to send a message that we will continue to be there forever.

Senator Schumer was just here on the Senate floor and spoke of some of our Republican colleagues who have been speaking out. House Minority Leader BOEHNER said:

Over the course of the next 3 to 4 months, we'll have some idea how well the plan is working. Early signs are indicating there is clearly some success on a number of fronts. But, by the time we get to September or October, Members are going to want to know how well this is working, and if it isn't, what's Plan B.

We are now hearing, thankfully, our Republican colleagues set forth time tables of their own. I think it is important we listen to what they are saying because despite the fact they said no time tables in the bill, we are hearing them say there is a timeline; that this country cannot continue to send our troops to Iraq without Iraqis standing up.

Importantly, as well, we are hearing our Republican colleagues talk about benchmarks. We know benchmarks without consequences are pointless. But unlike the President, our Republican colleagues are starting to realize this and are breaking with the White House.

Senator SUSAN COLLINS said:

Obviously, the President would prefer a straight funding bill with no benchmarks, no conditions, no reports ..... Many of us, on both sides of the aisle, don't see that as viable.

I hear that as very promising language from our colleagues on the other side. We are hearing from many others--Senator Voinovich, who spoke out this weekend. We are hearing from House minority whip ROY BLUNT, who says he ``can support binding benchmarks on the Iraqi Government tied to a `consequences package,' so long as it would not put restrictions on the military.''

Mr. President, we support our troops. The bill we sent to the President last week supports our troops. Our troops have done everything we have asked them to do and more, and they have done it courageously. It is time now for us to give them the tools they need so the Iraqis will stand up and take control of their own government.

We can no longer simply say: We will stand down when you stand up to the Iraqi people. I hope our Republican colleagues will join with us in standing up as well, now, to send a strong message to the Iraqi people that it is time for our troops to get the support they need and to know that they will be brought home in a timely manner.

It is encouraging to hear the comments we are hearing. I hope they are met by the courage of our colleagues on the other side to stand with us, find some language we can agree on, and send the supplemental to the President. I hope that is what we can do over the next several days. I encourage our colleagues to work with us to do so.

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