(Washington, DC) -- Today, Rep. Wasserman Schultz voted for the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act [H.R. 2956]. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 223 to 201 and, if passed in the Senate and signed by the President, begins redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq within 120 days of enactment and completes redeployment by April 1, 2008.
This vote for a new direction in Iraq, involves the responsible redeployment of our brave men and women in Iraq and refocuses their efforts on protecting Americans from terrorism.
Key points:
- Requires a responsible redeployment of U.S. troops beginning within 120 days of enactment and ending by April 1, 2008.
- Requires the President to publicly justify the post-redeployment missions for the U.S. military in Iraq and the minimum number of troops necessary to carry out those missions.
This bill is consistent with the advice of military and foreign policy experts, ensures the safety of our men and women in uniform, addresses our commitment to fighting terrorism, and reflects the will of the American people.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz made the following remarks in support of H.R. 2956:
I rise today in strong support of The Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act, and I thank Chairman Skelton for his leadership and his dedication to the readiness of our troops and the continuing excellence of the United States armed forces.
The President continues to ask this Congress and the American people to “stay the course” in Iraq. Well, Mr. President, today the American people and the Congress say, “No more!!”
Instead, I add my voice once again to the growing number of retired military generals, the Iraq Study Group, and untold thousands of rank-and-file on the front lines who are calling for a new direction in Iraq.
The success of our military depends on a sound strategy. Yet, instead of fighting terrorists in the mountains of Afghanistan, our armed forces are overextended after four years of refereeing a civil war in the sands of Iraq.
Our troops have performed heroically in Iraq, but the Iraqi government has failed to meet ANY of the benchmarks endorsed by the President in January. Political reconciliation within Iraq is non-existent.
A change of course is long overdue.
The time has come for Iraqis to take primary responsibility for their country and their security.
Madame Speaker, this bill will do exactly that.
Let me be clear on one additional point. Democrats support the troops.
As a Member of the Appropriations Committee, I have consistently voted to fund our troops and provide our soldiers in the line of fire with the resources they need.
I do this because our brave servicemen and servicewomen are not risking their lives each and every day for one political party or the other. They are risking their lives for America.
Our nation owes our troops a strategy that is worthy of their sacrifice.
But “stay the course” is not that strategy. It is a slogan that continues to fail them.
No, Madame Speaker, if we really want to support our troops, it is now time to get them out of Iraq and re-deploy them to other areas where they can fight the terrorists who have attacked, and who continue to threaten, our nation.
Thank you, Madame Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.
