Following Snowe's Protest Senate Set to Debate Iraq Resolution
Following Snowe's Protest Senate Set to Debate Iraq Resolution
A letter sent by Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) last night to Democratic and Republican Senate leadership has resulted in the postponement of the Senate's recess to hold a vote on a resolution on the troop surge in Iraq Saturday. H.R. 63, the Iraq War Policy Resolution - a nonbinding resolution expressing support for U.S. forces and opposing President Bush's proposed troops surge in Iraq - is expected to be passed in the House of Representatives Friday and taken up by the Senate Saturday February 17th.
"The decision to postpone the scheduled recess is appropriate and necessary to fulfilling the Senate's obligation to our troops and the American people whose voice and will the Senate reflects. We must not allow ourselves to forget our responsibility to the American people, and remember that the troop surge will not take a recess and our brave servicemen and women can not take a recess," Snowe said. "It is regrettable that the intractable positions of both parties' leadership and the Senate's failure to act on the monumental issue of our time have brought us to this crossroad; I welcome the opportunity to finally initiate debate on this critical question."
Speaking on the floor today, Senator Snowe urged Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to bring a motion to adjourn the Senate to a roll call vote, saying that "historically the Senate has risen to the occasion, but today we stand deadlocked and stalemated. I am deeply disturbed that the Senate has come to this historic juncture without having established a record for the people of this country on this critical question."
The following is text of the letter sent to Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) by Senators Snowe and Hagel Wednesday evening:
February 14, 2007
The Honorable Harry Reid The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader Republican Leader
S-221 United States Capitol S-230 United States Capitol
Washington, DC 20510 Washington DC 20510
Dear Harry and Mitch:
Nearly one month ago, we joined two Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution expressing the Senate's disapproval of the President's plan to increase the U.S. troop presence in Iraq. We subsequently joined forces with another bipartisan group of senators, led by Senator Warner, in introducing a second resolution disapproving of this "troop surge" strategy. In both instances we worked across the aisle, putting partisanship aside in the interest of the nation. Our resolve stems both from our strong support for our troops in the field and our strong belief that deepening the U.S. military involvement in Iraq will not help solve the fundamental causes of the sectarian violence now engulfing Iraq. We believe the strategy is wrong, and that the Senate has a constitutional and moral obligation to make its views known.
Despite the fact that a clear majority of the Senate opposes this troop increase, senators have been unable to voice their opinions on this matter because Senate leadership has failed to bring the Warner resolution (S. Con. Res. 7) to a vote in a manner that satisfactorily accommodates both majority and minority viewpoints on the conduct of the war. This runs counter to the traditions and practices of the Senate. Given that additional US troops have already deployed to Baghdad and have already begun security operations, we believe time is of the essence, and that it is unconscionable for the Senate to recess at the end of this week without an agreement to debate the war in Iraq.
We understand you have resumed discussions to reach a mutually agreeable solution to bring the Warner resolution to a vote. We sincerely hope you succeed in these efforts, and we stand ready to work with you and your staffs to bring this matter to a swift resolution. Until such an agreement is reached, however, we hereby notify you of our intent to object to the adoption of any adjournment resolution for the Presidents' Day recess, and further request a roll call vote on any motion to adjourn that may be made.
Sincerely,
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE CHUCK HAGEL
United States Senator United States Senator
http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=e11039eb-802a-23ad-48f6-b3616de088c7&Region_id=&Issue_id=