WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman George Miller (D-CA) voted against a bill that provides continued funding for the Iraq war without timetables for the redeployment of American troops from Iraq. He issued the following statement today.

“The Congress has now approved additional funding for the next four months of the war in Iraq, including a limited set of benchmarks that the Iraqi government must meet to continue to receive American reconstruction aid. While this short-term funding bill is a small step in the right direction because it sets benchmarks that President Bush had previously opposed, I voted against it because it did not do more to begin to end the war.

“There are many people in the Bay Area and throughout the country who are frustrated and greatly disappointed that Congress has not yet been able to establish clear timetables to begin to redeploy American forces out of Iraq, a step that is necessary to reduce the fighting in Iraq and remove American forces from what is clearly a civil war among Iraqi factions. I share your frustration.

“The President remains defiant despite the desires and hopes of the majority of Americans, the majority of the Congress, and expert opinion inside and outside of the United States military. And while the President is morally and strategically wrong on the war in Iraq, the political facts are clear, if unpleasant: the President prevailed in this latest round with Congress because with Democrats holding only a one-vote margin in the Senate and a small majority in the House, he has enough votes in Congress to sustain a veto of any bill that would force a responsible and substantial change in the war in Iraq.

“Without a responsible plan to exit Iraq, our troops will need funding to protect themselves and carry out their mission. There is not a member of Congress who doubts that our troops have done everything asked of them and must be fully protected. But we must have a plan to exit Iraq.

“The majority of congressional Democrats, along with a small group of Republicans, have tried repeatedly and voted repeatedly to stop this war, and we are not done. We will continue to pursue a substantial change in policy so that we can end this war. We will continue to try to persuade additional Members of the House and Senate to pay closer attention to the Americans’ views and the opinions of the experts on this war.

“I will continue to oppose this war. And I believe that in the end we will prevail. It will certainly not have occurred as soon as I or many others would have liked. But we will prevail. For now, there clearly are still not enough votes to override President Bush's veto and overcome his refusal to change course in Iraq. That difficult fact will not change without ever greater pressure on those who continue to support the president’s failed policy.”

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