Congresswoman Brown Comments on $25 Billion Supplemental Request

"With Mother's Day quickly approaching, I want to thank the American Gold Star Mothers for their sacrifice, and for the sacrifice of their children, by answering the call of duty to their country. Let me be clear: I support our troops 100 percent, and I would like to honor our brave troops, all the military families, and all that they have sacrificed for our nation. I want to emphasize that I do not want our troops to be the scapegoats for this Administration's failed policies. What is going on in Iraq right now is just another example of this administration's failed policies. And where is the leadership on this, where is the president? This administration is, once again, missing in Action. MIA. At this exact moment, with uprisings in Falluja and Najaf, our troops are being placed in a most dangerous position. And although I pledge to do everything within my power as an elected official to ensure that our servicemen and women have the equipment and resources they need to carry out their mission, I find it disturbing, in fact, misleading, that President Bush continues to hide the truth about Iraq from the American public. In fact, up until yesterday, the Administration was saying that another supplemental appropriation request would be unnecessary until after the November elections. To me however, it seems more than likely that the Administration knew all along that they were going to need this additional funding.

Unfortunately, this new request for $25 billion in supplemental spending for Iraq and Afghanistan is just another rather example of the Administration's pattern of covering up the facts and refusing to share information with the American people. Although the American public demands to know the true cost the war, time and time again the Administration has denied them the opportunity to get the full story. Moreover, the Republican leadership in Congress refuses to fulfill its constitutional obligation to act as a check and balance on the Executive Branch.

With this $25 billion, our country's taxpayers will now be forced to spend nearly $200 billion for this war. How much more will be needed in the future? No one knows, because the Administration doesn't tell us anything!! I would like to say, contrary to Administration's talk about how they pass measures like this to provide for the troops, that in the last $87 supplemental, the Bush administration never even requested sufficient body amour, up-armored humvees, and dozens of other badly needed supplies that the troops need over there for survival. These items were only included in this package because it was stuck in there by Congress, only later did the administration include this, after Congress' insistence.

In closing, we need an inclusive strategy. The President is asking us for another $25 billion, what I am requesting from them is some transparency! I am request a broader, inclusive strategy. We are 3 Equal branches of government, not a dictatorship. America needs a plan for Iraq, Mr. President, one that does not involve hundreds more American troops coming home in body bags.

In November, the American people will finally be able to weigh in on the dire situation in our country. Everything going on right now began from the stolen 2000 election in Florida, and yes, there are consequences for our actions. It matters WHO is in charge.

I close by saying that President Bush needs to come clean and explain the truth to the American public about how much longer our troops will remain in Iraq, how much more this mission will cost American taxpayers, how many more lives will be spent over there, and what is our strategy for an exit."