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With Economic Downturn, Iraq Money Can be Better Spent at Home

Date: April 17, 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Defense Employment and Affirmative Action Taxes Foreign Affairs Government Budget and Spending


WITH ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, IRAQ MONEY CAN BE BETTER SPENT AT HOME -- (House of Representatives - April 17, 2008)

(Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, as taxpayers filed their income tax this week, many were probably wondering just how much of their individual taxes would be invested in Iraq instead of here in the U.S. at home. Consider that every single second, the Bush administration is spending $4,000 in Iraq. That means that income taxes paid by the average taxpayer would not even cover the cost of one second of this war.

This country is already facing difficult economic times. We cannot afford to continue spending $339 million a day on a war that has no strategy for victory. If we invested one day of this sum in America instead, we could give 2.6 million American children access to medical and dental care, or we could hire more than 2,000 more border patrol agents to protect our borders. And we could send 18,000 more students to college.

Madam Speaker, at a time when Americans are getting squeezed at the pump and the supermarket and are suffering in the housing market, Washington Republicans need to realize that we should prioritize the needs of America over those of Iraq.


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