H. Res. 375

Summary

Request the President and the Secretary of State to provide documents in their possession relating to communications with British officials before Congress granted the President authority go to war against Iraq.

What does the bill do?

Requests the President and directs the Secretary of State to present to the U.S. House of Representatives (not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution) all information in the possession of the President and the Secretary of State (including telephone and e-mail records, logs, calendars, minutes, and memos) relating to communication with officials of the United Kingdom between January 1, 2002, and October 16, 2002, relating to the policy of the United States with respect to Iraq.

This information should specifically include any discussions or communications between the President or other Administration officials and officials of the United Kingdom that occurred before the meeting on July 23, 2002, at 10 Downing Street in London, England, between Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom intelligence officer Richard Dearlove, and other national security officials of the Blair Administration;

Why is this bill needed?

There is no more solemn or important decision that a President can make than that of putting troops in harm’s way and going to war.

The American people deserve to know the truth about the circumstances under which our troops were sent to war. The seven Downing Street memos have raised grave and serious questions including:

(1) was there a coordinated effort with the US intelligence community and/or British officials to “fix” the intelligence and facts around the policy, as the leaked documents state?

(2) At what point in time did President Bush and Prime Minister Blair first agree it was necessary to invade Iraq?

(3) Was there an effort to create an ultimatum about weapons inspectors in order to help with the justification for the war, as the minutes indicate? and

(4) Does the President or anyone in the administration dispute the accuracy of the leaked document?

This resolution takes steps in the direction of uncovering the truth.