Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2012

Floor Speech

Ms. LEE. Madam Chair, I am pleased that my colleagues, Representatives NADLER and WOOLSEY, are joining me in offering an amendment that make it the policy of the United States to withdraw all members of the United States Armed Forces and military contractors from Iraq by the end of this year.

More importantly, this amendment also clarifies that this timeline cannot be changed unless it is in the form of a treaty requiring the advice and consent of the Senate or unless authorized by an act of Congress.

We must ensure that 45,000 United States troops who remain in Iraq, and our military contractors, leave Iraq at the end of this year, as is stated in our Nation's Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq.

This is of concern because this week the President and some of his advisers are considering just how many troops they can leave behind. Senators and others are publicizing their opinions. Senator McCain of Arizona has suggested 10,000 to 13,000 troops remain to serve for support in intelligence arenas, as air support, and as a peacekeeping force. Others may eventually call for even more to remain. At the same time, the Government of Iraq is feeling pressured on multiple sides to either ask us to stay or to ensure our departure. As one of the original founders of the Out of Iraq Caucus, along with Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, our position has been clear all along--we opposed the war and the occupation from the start, and we have worked day in and day out to end it.

We believe that ending the occupation of Iraq means withdrawing all troops--and we mean all troops--and all military contractors out of Iraq. It would be unacceptable to have troops remaining in Iraq after December 31, 2011, unless of course there was a treaty or an act of Congress. Leaving troops would hurt U.S. national security interests by adding credence to insurgents' narrative about the U.S. being a permanent occupying force. America's interests in Iraq and the region will be best served by eliminating our military presence and making greater use of our Nation's assets, including diplomacy, reconciliation, commerce, development assistance, and humanitarian aid. And we have already said in policy that there shall be no permanent military bases in Iraq.

Iraqis must be responsible for the security of Iraq, which they have demonstrated more and more as we have been pulling out of their country. The American people have no interest in extending our presence in Iraq, and they are looking to Congress to ensure that we bring our troops home and focus the savings on the challenges facing our Nation today.

Furthermore, we need to ensure that if any security commitment is required, that such commitment be established by a treaty or an act of Congress.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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