January 29, 2008
For Immediate Release: January 30, 2008
Contact: Cleve Mesidor, (202) 225-2661
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) released the following statement regarding the Signing Statement President Bush issued to circumvent a key provision in the Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4986) against a permanent military presence in Iraq:
“In his usual manner, President Bush signed the Defense bill into law, and then turned around and quietly issued a Signing Statement to ignore a key provision he signaled he would uphold by signing the bill in the first place. Sadly, this is what we’ve come to expect from this administration.
“The president has only reinforced what we have always known – this Republican administration intends our occupation of Iraq to be indefinite.
“As a leading advocate for the effort in Congress to ensure the United States does not have a permanent military presence in Iraq, I am extremely disappointed, yet not surprised, that this administration would take such action - essentially is thumbing their nose at Congress.
“It is unclear if the administration is suffering from confusion or contempt. Circumventing this provision is contrary to the law. Since 2006, the President has signed into law five times legislation that included provisions to prohibit permanent military bases in Iraq. Now, however, the President has signaled his willingness to flagrantly disregard the law of the land by reserving the right to ignore a similar provision in the FY08 Defense Authorization bill.
“March will mark five (5) years since the war in Iraq began. The majority of the American people are committed to ending our occupation of Iraq on a timeline within a year. Congress must hold this administration accountable.”
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (Oakland-D) is co-chair of the Progressive Caucus and a co-founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus. She sits on the House Appropriations Committee, where she serves on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Subcommittee, the State Foreign Operations Subcommittee and is Vice-Chair of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee.
Barbara Lee Blasts Bush for Pushing for A Permanent Military Presence in Iraq
PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release: January 30, 2008
Contact: Cleve Mesidor, (202) 225-2661
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) released the following statement regarding the Signing Statement President Bush issued to circumvent a key provision in the Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4986) against a permanent military presence in Iraq:
“In his usual manner, President Bush signed the Defense bill into law, and then turned around and quietly issued a Signing Statement to ignore a key provision he signaled he would uphold by signing the bill in the first place. Sadly, this is what we’ve come to expect from this administration.
“The president has only reinforced what we have always known – this Republican administration intends our occupation of Iraq to be indefinite.
“As a leading advocate for the effort in Congress to ensure the United States does not have a permanent military presence in Iraq, I am extremely disappointed, yet not surprised, that this administration would take such action - essentially is thumbing their nose at Congress.
“It is unclear if the administration is suffering from confusion or contempt. Circumventing this provision is contrary to the law. Since 2006, the President has signed into law five times legislation that included provisions to prohibit permanent military bases in Iraq. Now, however, the President has signaled his willingness to flagrantly disregard the law of the land by reserving the right to ignore a similar provision in the FY08 Defense Authorization bill.
“March will mark five (5) years since the war in Iraq began. The majority of the American people are committed to ending our occupation of Iraq on a timeline within a year. Congress must hold this administration accountable.”
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee (Oakland-D) is co-chair of the Progressive Caucus and a co-founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus. She sits on the House Appropriations Committee, where she serves on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Subcommittee, the State Foreign Operations Subcommittee and is Vice-Chair of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee.