The Iraq Resolution



President Bush's plan to escalate the war in Iraq will not bring success in Iraq or make America more secure. It faces significant bipartisan opposition in both chambers of Congress, and the plan is opposed by the vast majority of the country.



The House will begin debate today on a resolution regarding the President's plan to escalate the war. Recent polling shows that a majority of Americans are paying close attention to the unfolding debate in the Congress about the war in Iraq.


The vote on the resolution will likely take place on Friday. The House will hold more than three full days of debate on the resolution in which every member's voice will be heard.


The House resolution highlights our support for our troops, and our opposition to the President's troop increase. The language for the resolution can be found at: http://www.house.gov/hasc/ and http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/.


Pure and simple, the President's policy to escalate the war will be debated on the House floor. The resolution will provide every member of the House an opportunity to vote for or against the President's plan to send more troops to Iraq. House Republicans will have opportunities in the coming weeks and months to offer alternative resolutions regarding the war.


The majority of the country opposes escalation, and would like to see American troops home soon.


A number of members of the caucus have expressed interest in speaking in blocks, or at similar times to highlight some key issues - support of our troops, effectiveness of past surges, and accountability and oversight of the war. Veterans, Blue Dogs and members of relevant committees including the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs will speak on the floor in blocks of time to draw attention to these critical issues.


This resolution is just a beginning of our oversight and efforts to hold the President accountable for his mismanagement of the war in Iraq. We will continue to ask the tough questions about the President's new strategy and continue to insist on a new direction, while always putting our troops first.


Senate Republicans were wrong to block resolutions on the President's escalation of the war in Iraq. The American people want a clear, forceful statement from Congress on the President's plan to escalate the war. We will not allow Republicans to muddy the waters.