House Proceeding on Feb 15th, 2007 :: 0:00:00 to 0:20:00
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Stevan Pearce: you'll all be killed, that will put the o onus on them to stand up so we can so-called stand down. the soldiers going inside these villages reminds me when i was in the bush, when we go out there,

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Speech By: Stevan Pearce

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Stevan Pearce: it's like pulling a rock in water. we're coming through with all of our troops everybody is calm and peaceful. but the moment we leave the environment, the terrorists or the people that are terrorizing

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Stevan Pearce: the communities, they reassume their positions. and so, people are still frightened. so, i don't see what this does to mitigate the problem, other than we need to put the iraqi ian people on

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Stevan Pearce: notice that we're going to begin to downsize our troops here by "x" date and you need to begin to stand up. if you don't, you know what the ultimate outcome is. >> host: thank you, caller. congresswoman,

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do you agree, you want to see bench marks and time lines? >> guest: well, i'm not a big believer this time lines. i do think the iraqi government has to step up and particularly show its willingness

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to take on the shiite militias, which they have not been willing to do. one of the problems, they have a very weak central government and the -- it's weak under the constitution but there's fairly

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Stevan Pearce: weak personalities, too. the ability to stand up to the shiite militias and the shiite death squads is something we have not seen. and if they don't do that, there is nothing that we can do

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Stevan Pearce: for them. >> host: our next call comes from richmond, california. democrat line. go ahead. >> caller: representative wilson, i would say that, in the large degree, the civil war over there actually,

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Stevan Pearce: to some degree, serves our benefit strategically. it is a difficult thing to say but isn't it better the forces are against each other, the sectarian violence is not unified and directed against us?

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Stevan Pearce: we just had a democratic congressman say no one is talking about leaving iraq. we can never leave iraq says david scott. so, do you think a status of forces agreement long-term for our presence

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Stevan Pearce: there is a good thing, in ou vital interests? >> guest: i actually don't necessarily necessarily think so and it actually depends how things progress and what the iraqi people want in their government,

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Stevan Pearce: and so forth. we've had u.s. forces in south korea and germany since the end of the korean war and since the end of world war ii as allies and the relationship changed. at this point, i think

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Stevan Pearce: -- i think we have so many forces in iraq, as a percentage of our -- of our total forces, that we're stretched thin all over the world. and i don't think we should be planning at all long-term

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Gregory W. Meeks: to have this level of forces. we have relationships all every the persian gulf, with other states there, whether it's for, you know, bases and sometimes exercises and sometimes small, long-term

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Speech By: Gregory W. Meeks

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Gregory W. Meeks: presence. so, i don't think you rule any of those things out. i think the rule key is, eam key is to focus on national interests. we have to make sure it's not a place where al qaeda can thrive.

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Gregory W. Meeks: those are actually pretty narrow interests and don't have to do with, you know, destroying restoring electricity for the iraqis or quelling all sectarian violence, which i think is beyond our

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Gregory W. Meeks: grasp. >> host: thank you for joining us. we appreciate it. >> guest: thank you. >> host: now live coverage from the house as they continue their debate on the iraq resolution. [captioning made

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Gregory W. Meeks: possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political

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Gregory W. Meeks: or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] the speaker: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by the chaplain. chaplin coughlin:

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Gregory W. Meeks: god ever mindful of those who place their trust in you, you pless our comings and our -- you bless our comings and our goings because you are god with us and guide every step of the day.

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Gregory W. Meeks: today we ask your blessing upon lorraine miller and dan beard as they enter this chamber to be sworn in as officers of the house of representatives. may they faithfully fulfill the duties

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Lloyd Doggett: that are about to be laid upon them. and serve this noble institution and its members with diligence, prudence, and right judgment. may they be welcomed with sincerity and gratitude. today, lord,

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Speech By: Lloyd Doggett

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Lloyd Doggett: we also pray fsh the honorable charlie norwood, who will be carried from your church here on earth and laid to rest. may the modest smile on his face come to full expression as he hears you say,

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Lloyd Doggett: well done, my good and faithful servant. come, enter the joy of your master. grant his family and friends the consolation that comes from faith. may he and all those who serve and love others

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Lloyd Doggett: and work in public service through your mercy rest in peace. amen. the speaker: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and now announces to the house her approval thereof

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Lloyd Doggett: pursuant to clause 1 of ru the speaker: for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland rise? mr. hoyer: madam speaker, i offer a prive lemmed resolution and ask it immediate consideration

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Lloyd Doggett: to tell the united states senate the historic action we have taken today. the clerk: resolved that the senate be informed that lorraine c. miller, a citizen of the state of texas has been

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Lloyd Doggett: elected clerk of the house of representatives of the 110th congress. the speaker: for what purpose does the distinguished gentleman rise? mr. hoyer: i offer another privileged resolution.

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Lloyd Doggett: the speaker: i would like to say without objection the previous resolution is agreed to and the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. mr. hoyer: madam speaker, once again, i ask that a

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Lloyd Doggett: privileged resolution be taken from the desk and immediately considered. the speaker: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 166, resolved that the clerk be instructed

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Lloyd Doggett: to inform the president of the united states that the house of representatives has elected lorraine c. miller, a citizen of the state of texas, clerk of the house of representatives of

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Lloyd Doggett: the 110th congress. the speaker: without objection. the resolution is agreed to and the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the

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Lloyd Doggett: honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir -- madam, under clause 2-g of rule 2 of the rules of the u.s. house of representatives i herewith designate marjorie c. kelleher

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Lloyd Doggett: deputy clerk and jorge sorensen deputy clerk to sign all acts they would be authorized to do by virtue of this designation except such are provided by statcht by my temporary absence or

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Lloyd Doggett: disability. this shall remain in effect with the 110th congress or modified by me. with best wishes i am signed sincerely, lorraine c. miller, clerk of the house. the speaker: thank you.

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Lloyd Doggett: the chair wishes to congratulate lorraine c. miller on this historic occasion as she assumes the duties of the clerk of the house. first time an african-american had held a position of leadership

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Lloyd Doggett: in terms of being an officer of the house. the resolutions are necessary for the office of clerk and so there's much fanfare associated with that. we are also equally as pleased to have

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Lloyd Doggett: the services of daniele p. beard as our chief mishtive officer of the house. congratulations to dan beard as well. the chair will entertain up to 10 one-minutes on each side. for what purpose

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Lloyd Doggett: the gentleman from tennessee rise? >> i seek recognition to address the house for one minute. >> the gentleman from is recognized. >> thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, i had a one-minute

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Lloyd Doggett: prepared to talk about the debate on iraq but i think what is more appropriate at this time is to talk about what this house of representatives has experienced since january 4. the doors

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Lloyd Doggett: of this house of representatives, indeed, this country has been opened to thought, perspectives and issues that have been stifled for the last 12 years. i want to thank the speaker for her leadership,

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Lloyd Doggett: for the leadership of the democratic party and the chairman and what they brought forward. the first woman ever elected speaker in this country's house, the first african-american elected clerk.

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Lloyd Doggett: history is being made. the issues coming forth for middle america, people in need, for the future of this planet. i want to thank the speaker. america is going in the right direction. i yield the

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Lloyd Doggett: balance of my time. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose the gentleman from texas rise. mr. poe: request permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore:

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Lloyd Doggett: without objection. mr. poe: mr. speaker, the band continues to play today while congress argues the resolution of retreat from iraq. this illness of defeatism is spreading. self-proclaimed

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Lloyd Doggett: military experts are saying the war cannot be won, even with more troops. wars have always had homegrown critics and doom sayers even in the military. those who say we cannot win should

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Lloyd Doggett: never be placed in a position to allow us to lose. they are thorns in the battlefield of hope. this resolution, this policy, no more troops for the troops leaves our volunteers in iraq in a

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Lloyd Doggett: precarious vulnerable situation. since no hetch is coming to our aid what shall our troops in iraq do? fight a containment war? fight not to lose? or win not fight, retreat to the hills? this

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Shelley Berkley: resolution is good news to the terrorists, bad news for the troops. we should find the moral will to finish or mission in iraq and protect american interests with whatever number of troops is

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Speech By: Shelley Berkley

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Shelley Berkley: necessary. duty requires such and safety and honor demand it. and that's just the way it is. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose the gentlewoman from new hampshire

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Shelley Berkley: rise? >> to seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. shea-porter: mr. speaker, as we continue today to debate a resolution

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Shelley Berkley: on the floor voicing this congress' opposition to the president's plan to send 21,500 more troops to iraq, i think it is important that we stress that congress is not alone in opposing the president's

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Shelley Berkley: escalation. first of all, it's critical that we remember that the people of iraq do not wish us to be in their country. they wish to sort this out themselves and we need to honor that.

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Shelley Berkley: but retired military leaders in our country have also expressed their opposition to this plan. retired general barry mcafterry described the president's plan as a fool's errand. retired general

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Shelley Berkley: wesley clark said without such fundamental change in washington's approach there is little hope that the troop surge, iraqi promises and accompanying rhetoric will amount to anything other than

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Shelley Berkley: stay the course more. this from lieutenant genere monday odeono, the commander of the multinational corps in iraq. it is clear you cannot solve this problem militarily. you have to have the

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Shelley Berkley: combination of military, economic and diplomatic things that we need to do. thank you. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired.

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Shelley Berkley: for what purpose the gentleman from missouri rise? >> to address the house for one minute, mr. speaker. swouks. >> i rise to discussion the resolution before the house. it is a resolution in two parts.

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Shelley Berkley: the first part says we support the troops. the second part says we're not going to reinforce the troops. that is kind of curious, in a way, i suppose, isn't it? we would support them with uparmored

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Shelley Berkley: humvees, tanks, but, oh, no, we are not going to let the troops help the other troops that are there. you can't have it both ways. you picture davy crocket at the alamo. he is there and he he has

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Shelley Berkley: the other army's back to the wall. he checks with the congress sand and says, yeah, davy crocket, we support you but we are not going to send anybody to lep. when i was a legislator in the

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Shelley Berkley: state of missouri i kept track of the silliest legislation i had seen. one of them was this lady that got so enthused about volunteering that she created a bill called man terry volunteerism.

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Shelley Berkley: -- mandatory volunteerism. that was odd. here we are saying support but don't support. this is curious and it undermines feel like my son who has served in fallujah. thank you. the speaker pro

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Shelley Berkley: tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose the gentlewoman from california rise? ms. lee: to address the house for one minute. stwouks. ms. lee: for four years president bush

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Shelley Berkley: has been able to run the war in iraq any way he wanted to without oversight from congress. that changed with the november elections when the american people said they wanted a check on the president's

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Shelley Berkley: power. the house is debating a simple resolution that sends the president the message that this house does not agree with his plan to send more troops to iraq. i hope this debate serves as

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Shelley Berkley: a wnbaup call to the president and that the status quo in iraq is not acceptable to this new congress and the new plan is not a change in direction, but an escalation of his same failed and

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Shelley Berkley: dane rouse policy. the president heard from the bipartisan iraq stuy group that a military slugse is no longer -- solution is not longer possible. this week democrats and republicans will

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Shelley Berkley: send the president a strong message that we must change course in iraq and it's time for the president to listen. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan

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rise? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to honor america's brave men and women currently serving in the name of

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Paul E. Gillmor: freedom and to oppose this resolution of retreat. as abraham lincoln said famously in his second inaugural address, fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.

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Speech By: Paul E. Gillmor

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Paul E. Gillmor: as americans we are reluctant warriors, but throughout our rich history whenever our troops have been in harm's way america has supported the men and women in uniform and made certain our troops

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Paul E. Gillmor: had the necessary resources to accomplish their mission. without a doubt mistakes have been made. and these mistakes are important to acknowledge. but we must go forward with a new strategy in

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Paul E. Gillmor: iraq based on quantifiable goals and measurable results. we must not retreat. at this critical time the american people long for true leadership and resolve. and i urge my colleagues to put

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Paul E. Gillmor: aside political posturing and partisanship and ensure our troops have the resources and support needed to complete this mission. victory is the only option. i yield back my time. the speaker

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Paul E. Gillmor: pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio rise? mr. kucinich: mr. speaker, i request permission to address the house. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection.

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Paul E. Gillmor: mr. kucinich: rather than announce a diplomatic initiative similar to north korea to resolve the stalemate over iran's nuclear ambitions, yesterday the president said that the iranian government is

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Paul E. Gillmor: supplying deadly weapons to fighters in iraq even though he can't prove the orders came from the highest levels in tehran. why is he maintaining this? i believe he's maintaining it to satisfy

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Paul E. Gillmor: section 2-c of the 1973 war powers resolution which reads in part, the constitutional powers of the president's commander in chief to introduce united states armed forces into hostilities

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Paul E. Gillmor: is clearly indicated by the circumstances and our exercise pursuant to a national emergency created by the attack upon the united states, its territories, or possessions, or its armed forces.

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Paul E. Gillmor: so what's going on here is that the administration is seeking a justification for a military conflict with iran. that's why the administration is changing its emphasis. it's justification now

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Paul E. Gillmor: is to protect u.s. troops in iraq. and very significantly this justification could relieve the president of needing congressional authorization. yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's

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Paul E. Gillmor: time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from north carolina rise? ms. foxx: permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. foxx: