For Immediate Release
October 18, 2007

Congressman Pitts Condemns Rep. Stark’s Irresponsible Remarks

Stark claims death of U.S. soldiers in Iraq for President’s “amusement”

Washington– Congressman Joe Pitts (PA-16), a Vietnam combat veteran, today condemned, in the strongest terms comments by Representative Fortney Pete Stark (CA-13) asserting soldiers in Iraq are sent to their deaths for the amusement of the President.  During debate on the House floor regarding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, Stark said “you're going to spend [money] to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement.”

Congressman Pitts’ statement follows:

“I am outraged and disgusted by Representative Stark’s comments on the House floor today.  His comments are a disgrace and an insult to our men and women in uniform who are fighting a war against terrorists.

“His suggestion that our Commander in Chief is sending American soldiers to their death for his own amusement makes me sick to my stomach.  This is not political rhetoric; this is a Member of Congress on the floor of the House of Representatives saying our President enjoys watching U.S. soldiers die.

“I refute this suggestion in the strongest possible terms and I call on Rep. Stark to apologize to all the men and women who have patriotically entered the battlefield to serve their country.”     

Background:

Full transcript of Rep. Stark’s comments follow: “I yield myself two minutes. Madam speaker, I, first of all, I’m just amazed that they can't figure out -- the Republicans are worried that they can't pay for insuring an additional 10 million children. They sure don't care about finding $200 billion to fight the illegal war in Iraq. Where are you going to get that money? Are you going to tell us lies like you're telling us today? Is that how you're going to fund the war? You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement.”

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