House Passes Iraq Resolution With 17 Votes From G.O.P., Kerry Says “We Owe Our Brave Men and Women an Honest Debate”
February 16th, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
As the House was winding down “four days of emotional debate over the extent of presidential powers in wartime and the proper role of Congress,” Senator John Kerry spoke from the Senate floor today on the need for a debate on the way forward in Iraq and a “yes or no” vote on whether Congress opposes President Bush’s troop escalation.
The House voted 246 to 182 “in favor of the non-binding but nevertheless important measure” which now sets “the stage for a crucial Senate debate on Saturday on how to debate the administration’s Iraq policy, or indeed whether it should be debated at all.”
Democratic aides noted that Republican Senators seeking to block tomorrow’s debate “will only mean another round of newspaper headlines proclaiming that Republicans are blocking a debate on the war.” Kerry said, “We owe the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day an honest debate.”
Kerry’s remarks on the Senate floor, as prepared for delivery, are below:
Mr. President, this new Congress comes here with a mandate, as well as a moral obligation, not just to find a new way forward in Iraq but to find the right way forward. The mistakes of the past do not change the fact that Congress bears some responsibility for getting us into this war and must take responsibility for getting us out.
That starts with a real bipartisan dialogue about where we go from here. The American people have spoken clearly: they want a real change of direction in Iraq – not more of the same failed strategy that has gotten us into the mess we are in today. And now we here in the Senate need to speak up as well—to let our voices be heard and our votes be counted.
Our troops have done their duty – now we have a moral and constitutional obligation to do ours. We owe the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day an honest debate. We owe them a vote on the President’s senseless decision to escalate the war in Iraq by sending over 20,000 more of them into the middle of a raging civil war. And most importantly, we owe them a policy that is worthy of their sacrifice. Anything less would be a complete abdication of our most basic responsibilities as Senators.
It is incredible to me that some here would seek to obstruct debate over the most fundamental issue facing our country today. I know many on the other side of the aisle oppose this escalation – they say so every day. And the Majority Leader has given every opportunity for those who support the escalation to vote in favor of it. And yet many on the other side of the aisle voted against holding a real debate — and having a real vote – on Iraq. History will judge that decision, but there is still time for the Senate to get this right. There is still time for this body to serve as the voice of reason and good judgment, of cooperation and common sense, that this country so desperately needs right now.
But since the end of last month when we started debating this escalation, over 60 American troops have died in Iraq. The American people aren’t interested in hearing Senators bicker while their sons and daughters are being killed in Iraq. Not while young men and women are suffering permanent disabilities. Not while more families are having their futures taken away.
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http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5316 
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