I stand before you today, one of three African American Members sent to the U.S. Congress 10 years ago, for the first time in 129 years, from Florida. And Florida was the scene of the crime in the 2000 presidential election, where thousands of African American votes were not counted. 27,000 were thrown out in my district! And, the Supreme Court SELECTED the president in a 5-4 decision. Many of my colleagues say the president is the ONLY person elected by all the people. Did I miss something? This president was selected by the Supreme Court. And that fateful decision, was over 600 days ago. And now, this president, who runs our country without a mandate, has pushed us to the brink of war.

The president is asking Congress to give him a blank check. And I say today Mr. President, that your account, has come back overdrawn. This blank check gives him too much power. A blank check that forces Congress to waive its constitutional duty to declare war. A blank check that lets the President declare war, and not consult Congress until 48 hours AFTER the attack has begun.

Not only has the president economically taken us to deficit, but there is deficit in his arguments. Why Iraq, and why today??

You know, in my 10 years of serving in Congress, this is the most serious vote I’ve taken. And I have to say, the Resolution on Iraq the White House drafted is intentionally misleading. It misleads the American public, the international community, and yes, even the United States Congress.

This is a sad day. Almost as sad as it was 627 days ago when the Supreme Court selected George W. Bush as the President. You know, the White House talks about dictators, but we haven’t done anything to correct what has happened right here in the United States. It amazes me that we question other governments, when in our own country, we did not have a fair election.

I recently traveled to Russia, China, and South Korea, and believe it would be most unfortunate to damage the good will our nation was receiving after September 11^th because of the Bush Administration’s reckless actions. We are on our own; NO ONE in the international community is behind us.

I have not seen any new information demonstrating that Iraq poses a threat to our country any more now than it did ten years ago, and certainly am without reason to believe we should attack unilaterally, without the support of the U.N.

In fact, recent poll numbers released suggest that many Americans do not support the way the President is handling the situation with Iraq either. Indeed, polls indicates what I imagined all along; namely, that a majority of Americans believe President Bush and Congress are spending too much time discussing Iraq, while neglecting domestic problems like health care and education. Many also said that they did not want the United States to act without support from allies and by a two to one margin, did not want the U.S. to act before U.N. weapons inspectors had an opportunity to enter Iraq and conduct further investigations.

Although the administration is attempting to convince the American public otherwise, they have shown me little evidence of a connection between Iraq and 9-11. And little evidence that Iraq poses an immediate threat to our country.

Iraq’s government is not democratic, but neither are many other countries listed on the State Department’s terrorist list: like Iran, Syria, Libya, North Korea, Cuba, and Sudan.

I reiterate my opposition to this Resolution, and to this war.

To my colleagues, it is in your hands. I do believe the world has good and evil, and what you are about to do here today, will tilt it in a negative direction. It will set us on a course, and I hope I’m wrong, but it could set us on a course, that our children’s children, will pay for. That the entire world will pay for. And that will put thousands of American soldiers in harms way.

Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.