Orderly and Responsible Iraq Redeployment Appropriations Act, 2008

ORDERLY AND RESPONSIBLE IRAQ REDEPLOYMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (Extensions of Remarks - November 15, 2007)

* Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4156, the ``Orderly and Responsible Iraq Redeployment Appropriations Act,'' and I want to commend Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leadership for bringing this bill to the Floor today.

* The American people want a new direction in Iraq. By every measure, this war has cost Americans far too much--whether it's lives lost, dollars spent, or our reputation tarnished around the world.

* H.R. 4156 would provide critical funding for the troops while also requiring that troops begin to redeploy from Iraq within 30 days of enactment with a goal of completion by December 15, 2008. The legislation would ensure that troops are not deployed to Iraq unless they have been fully trained and equipped. H.R. 4156 also would extend to all U.S. Government agencies and personnel the current prohibitions contained in the Army Field Manual against torture.

* Just this week the Joint Economic Committee, of which I am a vice chair, released a study to examine the broader impact of the war on the American economy. So far the full economic costs of the Iraq war are about double the immense Federal budget costs that have been reported to the American people.

* The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that Federal spending on the war could reach $2.4 trillion by 2017. Our JEC report finds that when you add in the ``hidden costs'' of the war, the total economic costs will rise by over $1 trillion to $3.5 trillion. The report reveals how we are all paying for this war one way or another--whether it's higher prices at the pump, lost business investment, rising interest payments on the debt, or fixing all the broken bodies and our stretched military.

* The President has asked Congress for an additional $200 billion for Iraq, bringing the total request to $607 billion in direct expenditures since the start of the war. This is well over 10 times more than the $50 to $60 billion cost estimated by the Administration prior to the start of the war, with no end in sight from this President.

* This legislation sends the President an important message: start bringing our troops home, now.

* I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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