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Senator Klobuchar Statement on Emergency Supplemental Bill Passage

May 24, 2007

(Washington, D.C.) "I have been opposed to this war from the beginning. America needs a change of course in Iraq. And my visit to Iraq in March only cemented my commitment to this change in course. I have voted for a bill reflecting the bipartisan troop withdrawal plan of the Iraq Study Group, only to see the President reject it. I have voted for legislation calling for combat troop withdrawal by March of next year, only to see the President condemn it.

I will continue to aggressively push to get this policy right, but today is about taking care of our troops on the ground and our veterans here at home. I cannot in good faith deny our troops on the ground the equipment they need or our veterans at home the health care they need.

Today's emergency supplemental spending bill appropriates funding for only 120 days--giving us opportunities in the immediate future to start bringing our troops home. It also contains benchmarks, while not nearly as strong as I would like, that can be used to hold this administration and the government of Iraq accountable.

My vote today does not in any way diminish my desire to end this war responsibly, quickly, and safely for our troops. In fact I will support a measure on the Defense Authorization bill to start bringing our troops home beginning 120 days from now.

I simply could not stomach the idea of using our soldiers as bargaining chips with this White House while our troops go unfunded and our veterans go uncared for. That is why I felt the responsibility to vote in favor of this measure despite my fervent opposition to this War."

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