Barbara Lee Blasts Blank Check for Iraq
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) condemned the latest supplemental Iraq spending bill as a “blank check” and renewed her call for “fully funded withdrawal” during debate on the measure on the House floor today. The following is her statement:
“Mr. Speaker, in 2003 Congress approved a $78 billion dollar supplemental. In 2004 it was $87 billion. In 2005 it was $82 billion. In 2006 it was $72 billion. And now the administration wants almost $100 billion more?
“As of today, 3,429 of our brave troops and countless Iraqis have died in this occupation. The President has dug us into a deep hole in Iraq and it boggles my mind that Congress wants to give him another blank check to buy more shovels.
“This occupation and civil war cannot be won militarily. Mr. Speaker, how many will have to die before this House stops writing blank checks?
“Mr. Speaker, the American people are looking to Congress to end this failed policy and bring our troops home.
“Two months ago, we took the Lee Amendment to the Rules Committee, which would have fully funded the safe and timely withdrawal of U.S forces from Iraq. That is what we should be voting to do today, not to give the President another blank check. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.”
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