Rep. Rush statement below:

 WASHINGTON, DC—On Thursday, May 24, 2007 the House voted on two amendments to the Senate-passed version of HR 2206, U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act. The two amendments were the result of contentious negotiations between Democratic congressional leaders and the administration following the president's veto of the earlier Iraq funding bill.

The previous bill, HR 1591, would have required the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from Iraq by April 2008. The two amendments brought to the Floor of the House on Thursday, May 24th would provide $120 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and would also fund other domestic priorities that were important to Democrats.

The first House amendment, which I supported, appropriated $22.15 billion for domestic priorities including military base closure expenses, veterans' health care, SCHIP, hurricane relief, homeland security and agriculture disaster aid. This amendment also increased the minimum wage by $2.10 an hour to $7.25 an hour, and included several tax breaks for small businesses. I supported this amendment because I believe it is past time that we stop sending our resources overseas but instead began to take care of the priorities here at home which affect millions of Americans.

The second House amendment, which I did not support, provided $94.7 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The measure did not address the issue of troop withdrawals from Iraq, and it did not place conditions on funding depending on improvements made on the ground by the Iraqi military and government. Instead, this measure established 18 "benchmarks" for the Iraqi government, and required the president to report on progress towards meeting the benchmarks. The measure permitted — but did not require — the president to withhold reconstruction funds if the benchmarks were not met. I voted against this measure because we cannot continue to give this President carte blanche in conducting this ill-conceived war without holding the administration or the Iraqi government accountable.

In the previous supplemental bill I voted for Representative McGovern’s (MA/03) amendment, which required the President to begin redeploying our troops home within 3 months. I believe that it is time to bring an end to this misguided war, and Congress must send a message to the Iraqis, that our sons and daughters will not continue to shed blood to defend their country indefinitely. After years of having a free reign, with no accountability, consultation, or oversight from Congress, it is imperative that the President be compelled to listen to the will of Congress, and therefore the will of the American people.

Winning the war in Iraq will require a political and diplomatic offensive, not sending more of our men and women into harm’s way to facilitate a civil war. I am disappointed that both spending measures passed the House and the Senate and the President will be given the funding to continue the war unchecked. However, this is not the end of the battle to begin redeploying our troops from Iraq. I will continue to push my colleagues to force the administration to change course in Iraq and to bring our troops home when we begin deliberations on war funding in the fall.