Emanuel One-Minute Floor Speech:
Priorities of the U.S. House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) delivered the following one-minute speech today in the House of Representatives.

“Mr. Speaker, since April first, this body has been in session 11 days.

In those 11 days of legislative activity we’ve:
- Named eight post offices and other federal buildings;  
- Authorized the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Soap Box Derby; and,
- Congratulated the University of Connecticut, the University of Denver and Kennesaw State for their sports achievements.

In the same period of time in Iraq, 163 soldiers died in Iraq, bringing the total to 767.

Yesterday the Administration announced that it will keep our current troop level to 138,000 through 2005, and that we will need another $25 billion on top of the $112 billion already spent.

But while we name post offices and congratulate sports teams, our constituents are asking us the “whys” and the “hows” of the Iraq.

When the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee and the House Majority Leader refuse to hold hearings, they are failing America.

As President Kennedy once said:  “An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.  Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed – and no republic can survive.”

Mr. Speaker, to govern is to choose…we can name post offices or we can ask the hard questions about the direction of our nation. And, we might even be able to do both in this House.”