House Proceeding on Feb 14th, 2007 :: 6:18:31 to 6:24:07
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6:11:54 to 6:18:31( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: David E. Price

6:18:19 to 6:18:31( Edit History Discussion )

David E. Price: to succeed in iraq. we need to redefine what success really is. for over a year now i have joined our great chairman, chairman skelton, in his call for solid benchmarks in iraq. we need a mechanism

6:18:31 to 6:18:46( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: to measure our progress toward an iraq that is responsible for its own security. it is in our interest, it's in iraq's interest and it is in the interest of the region to ensure that iraqi

6:18:31 to 6:24:07( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Jeff Miller

6:18:46 to 6:18:58( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: personnel are trained and ready to take control sooner rather than later. reallocating some more than 140,000 troops we already have in iraq to securing the iranian border would do more to

6:18:58 to 6:19:08( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: further our goals in iraq than sending more americans to baghdad. and that is a plan, my friends. at the end of the day, military command decisions rests with the commander in chief. this resolution

6:19:08 to 6:19:21( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: and this debate is not about micromanaging the war or forcing withdraw of the troops. public opinion polls should not dictate war strategies. the facts should. and the facts are that surges

6:19:21 to 6:19:34( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: haven't worked in the past. and experts agree it won't work this time. the president knows we are all in this together. that's why i was very disappointed to see the administration move forward

6:19:34 to 6:19:48( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: with such a dramatic escalation despite strong bipartisan opposition in congress. without a clear message -- without a clear mission or effective benchmarks, it's too big of a gamble to take so

6:19:48 to 6:20:03( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: many american lives. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. skelton: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri. mr. skelton:

6:20:03 to 6:20:14( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: i yield five minutes to the gentlelady from new york, ms. hill brand -- ms. hillenbrand. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. ms. hillenbrand: mr. speaker,

6:20:14 to 6:20:27( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: i rise in strong support for this resolution. last year, voters in upstate new york demanded a change in direction in iraq. and i will cast my vote in favor of this resolution, to fulfill

6:20:27 to 6:20:43( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: my duty to represent their will. as a freshman member of this new congress, i can think of no higher responsibility than to debate the merits of the president's plan to escalate american

6:20:43 to 6:20:54( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: involvement in this war in iraq. and i'm pleased to see that every member of congress has been given five minutes to voice their view and to speak on this measure. today's debate is not

6:20:54 to 6:21:08( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: about what's best for democrats or best for republicans. it's about what's best for our troops, for our national security and for all americans as it should be. i believe the sentiments

6:21:08 to 6:21:21( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: will be reflected in the bipartisan support this resolution will ultimately receive. as i've traveled throughout my district doing town hall meetings and congress on your corner to invite

6:21:21 to 6:21:37( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: comments from my constituents and listen to their issues, i hear a consistent message. people say to me, we need a new direction in iraq, we need a plan for success, we need to make sure we

6:21:37 to 6:21:47( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: bring stability to the region and when will our troops come home. all of these issues i couldn't agree with more strongly. unfortunately the president's plan is not a change in direction. it's rather

6:21:47 to 6:22:01( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: more of the same. as a member of the house armed services committee, i've had the unique opportunity to question both secretary gates and general pace, and to listen to their testimony on this proposed

6:22:01 to 6:22:14( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: escalation. at no point has anyone from the administration been able to articulate to me clearly that this is a strategy that will effectively undermine terrorism, promote lasting stability

6:22:14 to 6:22:28( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: and be successful in redeploying our troops. what is so clear to so many of our military advisors, former and current military generals, and a majority of this body and the american public

6:22:28 to 6:22:42( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: at large does not seem to be shared by this administration. that the answers in sustaining peace in iraq lie in the political, diplomatic and economic solutions not in the military ones. in

6:22:42 to 6:22:56( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: our hearings, i have worked hard to bring to light whether the president has a plan for iraqi oil revenues and contracts to proate progress in the economic and political arenas. both secretary

6:22:56 to 6:23:14( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: gates and general pace testified that the president's current plan has no chance of success unless there's significant progress in both of these arenas. i call upon the administration to produce

6:23:14 to 6:23:28( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: a real plan to ensure each of the sectarian groups receives a stake in the oil revenues and a plan for oversight and accountability to reduce fraud and corruption and to disrupt the black market

6:23:28 to 6:23:39( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: for oil. right now, only a small portion of the iraqi oil revenues has been used for reconstruction, yet billions of american dollars have been spent. we need accountability and real answers to ensure

6:23:39 to 6:23:54( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: the iraqis leverage the oil revenue effectively to bring all of the parties to the table. and where is the accountability with the war spending? we need a truman-style committee to investigate

6:23:54 to 6:24:07( Edit History Discussion )

Jeff Miller: these billions of dollars of no-bid contracts being awarded in iraq, and we should bring the war-funded process completely under the regular appropriations structures. we have also not seen

6:24:07 to 6:24:17( Edit History Discussion )

Brad Sherman: a plan to transfer the reconstruction contracts to the iraqis. the iraqi 20-year-olds should be the ones that are rebuilding the bridges and the roads and the schools and hospitals, not