June 08, 2005
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee offered amendments to prevent the US from establishing permanent military bases in Iraq and calling on the Bush administration to articulate a clear exit strategy for Iraq during a wide ranging debate on US foreign policy as the House International Relations Committee took up the State Department Authorization bill today.
“On April 13 last year, the President said, ‘as a proud and independent people, Iraqis do not support an indefinite occupation, and neither does America,” said Lee. “If the goal is a democratic Iraq, we do not need a permanent military bases, especially since the perception of a permanent occupation is fueling the insurgency.”
Addressing concerns that the credibility of the Iraqi government is undermined by the perception that it is beholden to a permanent US occupation, Lee offered an amendment to make it a statement of policy that the US will not enter in any agreements with the Iraqi government that will create permanent US bases in Iraq. The amendment won the support of several committee Republicans, but was defeated
Lee also introduced an amendment, aimed at addressing the fact that ongoing US occupation is unifying and fueling the insurgency, that would have expressing the sense of Congress that the President submit to Congress a plan for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq as soon as possible. The amendment was defeated by a vote of
Three measures offered by Lee, the senior Democratic woman on the House International Relations Committee, were approved by the committee.
Lee jointly introduced an amendment with Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) to increase funding for prevention of obstetric fistula.
Additionally, Lee’s amendment to increase famine assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa, and an amendment increasing the funding for minority recruitment for careers in the US foreign service and international affairs were both accepted during subcommittee debate on the bill.
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Barbara Lee Proposes Amendments to State Dept. Bill
Opposes Permanent Military Bases in Iraq, Calls for Exit Strategy
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee offered amendments to prevent the US from establishing permanent military bases in Iraq and calling on the Bush administration to articulate a clear exit strategy for Iraq during a wide ranging debate on US foreign policy as the House International Relations Committee took up the State Department Authorization bill today.
“On April 13 last year, the President said, ‘as a proud and independent people, Iraqis do not support an indefinite occupation, and neither does America,” said Lee. “If the goal is a democratic Iraq, we do not need a permanent military bases, especially since the perception of a permanent occupation is fueling the insurgency.”
Addressing concerns that the credibility of the Iraqi government is undermined by the perception that it is beholden to a permanent US occupation, Lee offered an amendment to make it a statement of policy that the US will not enter in any agreements with the Iraqi government that will create permanent US bases in Iraq. The amendment won the support of several committee Republicans, but was defeated
Lee also introduced an amendment, aimed at addressing the fact that ongoing US occupation is unifying and fueling the insurgency, that would have expressing the sense of Congress that the President submit to Congress a plan for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq as soon as possible. The amendment was defeated by a vote of
Three measures offered by Lee, the senior Democratic woman on the House International Relations Committee, were approved by the committee.
Lee jointly introduced an amendment with Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) to increase funding for prevention of obstetric fistula.
Additionally, Lee’s amendment to increase famine assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa, and an amendment increasing the funding for minority recruitment for careers in the US foreign service and international affairs were both accepted during subcommittee debate on the bill.
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