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Woolsey Statement on Supplemental

5/14/09

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, a founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus and a Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, today voted against funding to prolong the occupation of Iraq and increase the military buildup in Afghanistan.  The 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act passed the House by a vote of 368-60.  Woolsey went to the House floor before the vote to express her opposition:


“Madam Speaker, I rise today with grave concerns about the measure before us.  This supplemental funding bill will sink us further into the quagmires of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The cost of the supplemental is just too great.  Without a redeployment plan, our endless military presence will only serve to fuel anti-Americanism throughout the region and promote instability.

“Sadly, Members were not provided a chance to remedy this situation.  Proposals provide accountability and transparency from my colleagues Barbara Lee, Jim McGovern, and John Tierney won’t have the chance to get an up or down vote on the Floor.

“The American people deserve better than this.  I urge my colleagues to oppose this funding and promote a foreign policy based on smart security – humanitarian assistance, development, and diplomacy.”