Jim Kolbe: “Mr. Chairman, those of us who have served in the military know the meaning of the old term ``hurry up and wait.'' Well…”

“Mr. Chairman, those of us who have served in the military know the meaning of the old term ``hurry up and wait.'' Well, that is what we have got here, a hurry up and wait amendment. It says we are going to withhold 50 percent of the money that the President seeks on an urgent basis until we know how the first 50 percent worked out. If between $18 billion and $20 billion in reconstruction aid is needed to get our troops back from Iraq, to put Iraq on its feet, to be able to get our troops out of there, and I believe that a majority of this House is prepared to provide that much money, this amendment says to our troops over there in Iraq, do not plan on coming home for a while, because we are going to see how this first half works out. The return of our troops and the utilization of the urgently needed second $9 billion to $10 billion for reconstruction under this amendment would be put on hold until there is a democratically-elected government.”