For Immediate Release: April 25, 2007

Sutton Votes for a New Direction in Iraq

Sutton Calls upon President Bush to Sign the Iraq Accountability Act, In Order to Support Our Troops, Supports Our Veterans, and Hold Iraqis Accountab

Washington, D.C. - Today Rep. Betty Sutton voted with a majority in the House of Representatives to approve the conference report on the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act. This measure provides the change in course in Iraq that the American public has been demanding - requiring accountability from both the Bush Administration and the Iraqi government. The measure passed 218-208.

It is anticipated that the Senate will take up and pass this legislation on Thursday and then send it to the President's desk.

Sutton commented on the bill's passage stating, "Again, we vote for a new direction in Iraq. We must put an end to the Administration's failed stay-the-course policy in Iraq. This bill provides what the American people are demanding and what our troops need-a responsible policy that funds our troops, demands accountability from the Administration and the Iraqi government, and supports our veterans.

"This measure supports our troops by providing $4 billion more for our troops than the President requested. This includes additional funding for military health care, military housing, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles for our troops, and a Strategic Reserve Readiness Fund. The measure also honors our veterans, providing $1.8 billion not requested by the President to begin meeting the unmet health care needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

"In addition to funding our troops, it demands accountability from the Administration and Iraqi government that the Republican-led Congress failed to provide. It requires the Iraqi government to take control of Iraq by meeting key security, political and economic benchmarks endorsed by the President himself. The measure also establishes a responsible timeline for the redeployment of U.S. combat troops from Iraq with redeployment beginning in October 2007, at the latest, with a goal of being completed by March 2008. This represents the approach recommended by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which also called for a goal of redeployment being completed by March 2008.

"I am calling upon the President to reconsider his veto threat and support this new direction in Iraq. The President should sign this bill, in order to get these needed resources to our troops and our veterans, finally hold the Iraqi government accountable, and truly transition the mission of our troops from combat to training, and begin to rebuild our overstretched military.

"In November, the American people voted for a new direction in Iraq," Rep. Sutton concluded. "This Congress is committed to delivering it."

Contact: Ian Mandel at 202-225-3401