CONSTITUENTS EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON PRESIDENT'S REQUEST FOR $87 BILLION
SUPPLEMENTAL -- (House of Representatives - October 01, 2003)
[Page: H9083] GPO's PDF ---
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I wanted to join my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), who, along with him, I have been reading some letters and e-mails from constituents regarding their view on the ongoing war in Iraq , and their views about the request for $87 billion. A number of these e-mails that I have gotten have been generated by moveon.org that has an online petition where hundreds of thousands of people have signed on, and many of them have written comments regarding their unwillingness to spend $87 billion, particularly while the leadership team that got us into Iraq is still in place, and as long as we fail to internationalize the effort in rebuilding Iraq .
So I thought it would be useful to read some of the letters and the e-mails that I have gotten.
Rebecca from Park Ridge says, ``This Congress has a responsibility to ensure that our tax dollars are used well, but President Bush is demanding another enormous blank check. Congress must withhold the $87 billion requested by President Bush until he dismisses the team responsible for the quagmire in Iraq , starting with Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, and end the U.S. occupation of Iraq by transferring authority for rebuilding to the United Nations.''
Doralee of Evanston says, ``I beseech you as moral people who care about the survival of this world to deny Bush's request for $87 billion and fire Rumsfeld and develop a whole new approach to restoring Iraq by involving the United Nations. This is such a serious matter that you cannot give Bush blanket authority anymore. He has not handled this situation in a competent manner.''
And Barbara from Wilmette says, ``I was stunned and disheartened to read that President Bush is asking for $87 billion from Congress for an occupation in Iraq that has only lead to the death of our soldiers and Iraqi civilians and further bitterness of the Iraqi people toward the United States.''
Oletta from Chicago says, ``This war has been fiscally and morally mismanaged and should not garner any further financing without an exact budget and defined timelines. Don't let Bush and his administration continue to bankrupt America because he still doesn't know what he is doing or is going to do.''
Pamela says, and she is from Chicago, ``I believe we need to invest in rebuilding Iraq and protecting our troops, but we need to do it in a sensible way, in concert with the world, and in a way that benefits the people of Iraq . So, the quid pro quo for the money is a change in policy and in leadership.''
Cecelia, also from Chicago says, ``I don't begrudge funding, as long as I feel that the war is properly managed. I don't. Our soldiers are vulnerable, the Iraqis seem to hate us, the terrorists are picking us off, and we don't seem to have a plan to change any of this. Firing Rumsfeld would be a start.''
David from Chicago says, ``I hear story after story of parents of our men and women serving in Iraq sending regular care packages with things like sun screen because their children are not being provided these items by the military. It is clear that the money being spent is not being targeted to those in the service and apparently not to the Iraqi people who still lack power, water, food, and medical facility. It does appear that Halliburton is profiting quite nicely from its no-bid contract. I object to sending more money until Mr. Rumsfeld is removed and we get an accounting of how the money is being spent and who is getting their pockets lined with it.''
Janice from Chicago says, ``Congress must withhold the $87 billion requested by the President until he dismisses the team responsible for the quagmire in Iraq , starting with Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, and ends the U.S. occupation by transferring authority for rebuilding to the United Nations.''
Jonathan from Chicago says, ``Don't reward failure. The war in Iraq was won handily, but the Defense Department's ham fisted attempts to run things in Iraq , over the objections of the more experienced State Department, has been dismal and embarrassing. By all means, fund the continued rebuilding efforts in Iraq, but not while the architects of the current mess are still choosing how to spend our money.''
And David from Chicago says, ``Please make sure we don't alienate the rest of the world more than we already have. Please make this administration admit that it has made a misstep by not involving the world community in the Iraq situation from the outset.''
Jeffrey from Chicago said, ``This is outrageous, given the fiscal crisis
our States are in, and the fact that the money would go a long way to shore up
education or help programs that confront the issues of homelessness or poverty.
Get up and do something about this. I'm keeping track.''
