Date: 2004-05-06
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. with Mothers Day quickly approaching. I want to first thank all of the mothers and wish them a happy Mothers Day and thank them for what they do to make America the great place that it is. I want to thank in particular the American gold star mothers for their sacrifice and for the sacrifice of their children by answering the call of duty to their country. Let me be clear: I support our troops 100 percent. I would like to honor our brave troops. all the military families and all that they do and have sacrificed for our Nation. I want to emphasize that I do not want our troops to be the scapegoats for this administrations failed policies. What is going on in Iraq right now is just another example of this failed administration policy. And where is the leadership on this? Where is the President? This administration is once again missing in action. MIA. At this exact moment. with all of the uprising in Iraq. our troops are being. placed in the most dangerous position. And although I pledge to do everything within my power as an elected official to ensure that our servicemen and women have the equipment and resources they need to carry out their mission. I find it disturbing. in fact. misleading that President Bush continues to hide the truth about Iraq from the American people. In fact. up until yesterday. the administration was saying that another supplemental appropriation request would be unnecessary until after. by the way. November elections. To me. however. it seemed more than likely that this administration knew all along that they were going to need additional funding. Unfortunately. this new request of $25 billion in supplemental spending for Iraq is just another example of the administrations pattern of covering up the facts and refusing to share information with the American people. Although the American public demands to know the truth about the cost of the war. time and time again the administration has denied them the opportunity to get the full story. Moreover. the Republican leadership in Congress refuses to fulfill its constitutional obligation to act as a check and balance on the executive branch. With this $25 billion. our countrys taxpayers will be forced to spend over $200 billion for this war. How much more will we need in the future? No one knows because the administration does not tell us anything. I would like to say contrary to the administrations talk about how they pass measures like this to provide for the troops. in the last $87 billion supplemental. the Bush administration never even requested sufficient funds for body -armor. Humvees. and dozens of other badly needed supplies that the troops need over there for their survival. These items were only included in the package because it was stuck in in this Congress. Not this administration. The Congress put those supplies in for the troops. In closing. we need to be included in the strategy. The President is asking for another $25 billion. What I am requesting from them is some transparency. I am requesting a broader. inclusive strategy. We are three branches of government. not a dictatorship. America needs a plan for Iraq. Mr. President. one that does not involve hundreds more American troops going home in body bags. In November. the American people will have their say. Do not forget the 2000 election because it does matter who is in charge.