Barbara Boxer: “Mr. President, I am very proud to stand with the senior Democratic Senator on the Appropriations Committee, Senator…”

“Mr. President, I am very proud to stand with the senior Democratic Senator on the Appropriations Committee, Senator Byrd, and support his amendment to require the administration to develop a plan for Iraq, to share the burden of Iraqi reconstruction and security, and provide Congress with the information it deserves to have, not only as a coequal branch of Government but in behalf of our constituents. I view this amendment as a very strong alternative to the underlying bill, an alternative that is better for our troops, that is better for our taxpayers, and will finally give us a plan and an exit strategy we should have had a long time ago. The Byrd amendment withholds half of the money requested for reconstruction until the President certifies and reports to Congress that the U.N. Security Council has adopted a new resolution authorizing a multinational force under U.S. leadership. That would result in more funding and more troops from other nations to relieve our heavy burden. And the burden is, indeed, heavy. I am very happy the U.N. Security Council just passed a resolution. But, if I might say, what that resolution does--and I am glad they passed it--is it essentially puts them on record as recognizing the United States as the transition power in Iraq. But it does not give one dollar toward the effort of reconstruction.”