Washington, DC – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) issued the following statement after attending a briefing with other Members of Congress by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan Lieutenant General Douglas Lute on the U.S.-Iraq Security Agreement. The accord sets the parameters for the redeployment of U.S. combat troops out of Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009 and for the complete withdrawal from Iraq of all American troops by the end of 2011. It also includes provisions relating to legal jurisdiction over U.S. personnel and control over military operations. The agreement would replace the U.N. Mandate providing the legal authority for U.S. combat operations in Iraq, which is set to expire on December 31, 2008.

“Our brave men and women in uniform have performed brilliantly and after more than five -and-a-half years of war I am pleased to see the Bush Administration finally acknowledge that it is in our national interest to set a timeline to responsibly redeploy our forces out of Iraq. Many questions remain, however, over an agreement that I believe must be approved by Congress in order to have the force of law. Yet, the administration, which has utterly failed to consult with Congress on this issue, has no intention of submitting the accord for approval.”

“The Iraqi Parliament is beginning a robust debate over the agreement, literally breaking out into a physical confrontation earlier today. According to the Iraqi Constitution, a 2/3 majority vote is still needed to both pass a law regulating the ratification of international agreements in general and to approve the U.S-Iraq security agreement itself.”

“While I applaud efforts in Iraq to uphold the country’s new constitution, I am deeply troubled by the Bush Administration’s disregard for ours. I have heard from scholars, legal experts and others on this matter and believe there is no precedent for an agreement such as this that authorizes offensive U.S. combat operations without congressional approval.”

“It is highly unlikely that the agreement will be approved by the Iraqi Parliament before it recesses in less than a week and by the U.S. Congress before the U.N. Mandate expires on December 31. I strongly urge the administration to once again work with the Iraqi Government and the UN Security Council on a brief extension of the UN Mandate, the sole instrument providing our troops with the legal authority to fight in Iraq, while giving both legislative bodies the necessary time to carefully review, deliberate over and vote on the accord. An agreement of this magnitude for the future of both countries deserves that much.”

Congresswoman DeLauro earlier this year introduced the Iraq Strategic Agreement Review Act to ensure congressional consultations and approval of the agreement (H.R. 4959) and joined Congressman Bill Delahunt (MA-10) in introducing the Protect Our Troops and Our Constitution Act (H.R. 5626), which similarly calls for a congressional voice in the agreement and an extension of the U.N. Mandate. She has also participated in several House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearings on the accord.