Steve's Thoughts

They loaded it up with "pork", and Pelosi just did this to make Bush look bad if he vetos the legislation, and Pelosi wants Code Pink to stop camping on her doorstep.
Steve

March 23, 2007 
 An Historic Day

"Benchmarks without deadlines are just words, and, after four years of this war,
words are not enough."
- Speaker Pelosi

Today, the House of Representatives passed the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act by a vote of 218 to 212.  We made a critical choice—a choice to hold the Bush Administration and the Iraqi government accountable, and to set a responsible timeline for the redeployment of U.S. troops.

Our legislation fully supports our troops and ensures they have the tools and resources they need to do they job they have been asked to do. It prohibits the deployment of troops who are not “fully mission capable” – fully trained, equipped, and protected.  It also honors the promises made to our veterans, funding our obligation to the new generation of veterans.

By requiring the Iraqi government to meet key security, political, and economic benchmarks that President Bush himself has laid out, we are holding the Iraqi government accountable.  Failure to meet these benchmarks will mean the beginning of U.S withdrawal from Iraq and will restrict economic aid to the Iraqis.

The redeployment of our troops will allow us to focus more fully on the real war on terror, which is in Afghanistan.  This bill takes giant steps toward putting resources into that war, which has been nearly forgotten by the Bush Administration.

President Bush continues to offer an open-ended commitment to a war that cannot be resolved militarily.  Today, the House of Representatives passed legislation that will, for the first time, set a date for the withdrawal of our troops from Iraq and begin to end the war.

Watch highlights from the debate on the Speaker's blog, The Gavel.

Watch Speaker Pelosi's speech.

Gulf Coast Recovery

This week, the House passed the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act, addressing the housing needs of the survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  This legislation is the first of several bills that the House will soon consider to address the unmet needs of Gulf Coast residents.

The bill will speed up the repair and rebuilding of homes and affordable rental housing in affected areas, ensure continued rental assistance for displaced families and those who have moved back home, and provide reimbursements to communities and landlords that generously assisted evacuees.

While increasing the availability of housing, House Democrats have also been working to strengthen oversight and repair the corruption and no-bid contracts that plagued the Gulf Coast following the hurricanes. Last week, the House passed the Accountability in Contracting Act, requiring federal agencies to limit the use of abuse-prone contracts and increase transparency and accountability in federal contracts. The Oversight Committee has proven that under the Bush Administration, the “shadow government” of private companies working under federal contract has exploded in size. Between 2000 and 2005, procurement spending increased by over $175 billion dollars, making federal contracts the fastest growing component of federal discretionary spending.

We will continue the work we have begun on behalf of the American people affected by the hurricanes. We will clean up the damage that has been done by Republican refusal to sufficiently fund the recovery of the Gulf Coast, and we will work to ensure those in the region have access to secure and affordable housing, quality health care, and safe communities to call home.

Learn more about the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act.

Global Warming

This week, former Vice President Al Gore testified on global warming at an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing.  As a global leader on combating climate change, Al Gore has been both an educator and an agitator – spurring so many to take real action.  He presented Congress with challenging and creative ideas, and made a compelling case for the urgency to act.

House Committees are already working hard on hearings and legislation that will take crucial steps to achieve energy independence and reduce activities that contribute to global warming.  The newly created Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will raise the visibility of these urgent issues and gather critical information to protect America’s security.  We are going to take bold action throughout this Congress to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, stop global warming, and ensure that America is in the forefront in developing innovative technologies.  These decisions are critical to our national security and to the creation of millions of jobs here in America.

The time to take that action is now.  We hold our children’s future in our hands – not our grandchildren, or great-grandchildren, but our own children.  As the most adaptable creatures on the planet, it is time for us to adapt.

Watch Vice President Gore's testimony.