Iraq War Resolution
IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION -- (House of Representatives - February 15, 2007)
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Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution on behalf of the 32,000 men and women from my State of New Jersey, and all the other servicemen and women that have been deployed since 9/11. I am so proud of their sacrifice and service to our Nation, and I will continue and always support them. After all, I am standing in front of you as a product of the sacrifices our soldiers have made in the name of liberty and freedom throughout the history of this country.
I also rise on behalf of my constituents, the people of New Jersey, and the people of this Nation whose tax dollars are paying for this war in Iraq. Since the beginning of the war, $379 billion has been appropriated. Another $235 billion is slated for the upcoming supplemental appropriations. We are currently spending $8 billion a month in Iraq, and the American people are footing the bill.
All this money could have been used to declare war on some of our domestic problems here at home such as poverty, improving our schools, ensuring access to health care and investing in affordable housing. This money could have been used to invest in our children, our family, our veterans, and especially our elderly. But it wasn't.
Instead, American taxpayers have also committed more than $38 billion to Iraq reconstruction. About 33 percent of this money is targeted for infrastructure projects like roads, sanitation, water, electric power and oil production. However, I am concerned that only 25 percent of the Iraqi population has access to drinkable water.
I am concerned that of the 136 sanitation and water projects, only 49 are said to be completed. I am concerned that the residents of Baghdad only have 4 1/2 hours of electricity per day. And I am concerned that the current oil production in Iraq is half of what it was prior to the war.
Since the reconstruction project started, the Coalition Provisional Authority can't account for almost $9 billion of the taxpayers' money. Every year, $4 billion has been lost because of lack of oversight.
There have also been many problems with poor project and quality management. For example, the Baghdad Police College cost $75 million, and it was built without the proper plumbing for waste water. It has become a health and a structural hazard. The Basrah Children's Hospital is running $48 million over budget and is a year behind schedule. And after spending $186 million, Parsons has only 6 of the 150 planned health care centers completed and only 14 more will be finished. The list goes on and on.
Madam Speaker, the Iraqi Government says $100 billion is needed over the next 4 years to rebuild the country's infrastructure. Madam Speaker, the Iraqi Government seems to think they have open access to U.S. dollars. The Iraqi Government and the Iraqi people must take responsibility and help rebuild their country. Our support is not open-ended, and neither are our tax dollars.
Madam Speaker, I support this resolution and this debate because our troops and our constituents can no longer afford to have this Congress support the administration's failed Iraqi policies. They failed to give us the necessary oversight for Iraq reconstruction efforts, they failed to listen to the advice of the military commanders, they failed to listen to the American people, and, as a result, they failed to provide a plan to success in Iraq.
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