Barbara Lee: “Let me just say we bombed the heck out of Iraq. We, unfortunately, were responsible for refugees and for the deaths of…”

“Let me just say we bombed the heck out of Iraq. We, unfortunately, were responsible for refugees and for the deaths of Iraqis. We at least should help the Iraqi people rebuild and move forward. Our assistance to Iraq mitigates extremism through programming that promotes mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding; provides support for the recovery of religious and ethnic minorities liberated from ISIS, including Christians and Yazidis; supports private-sector development; and increases work opportunities, especially for women and youth. Additionally, USG-supported stabilization programs have enabled the return of nearly 5 million internally displaced persons. They can return to their communities of origin, but nearly 1.2 million people remain displaced. USAID assistance is critical in restoring essential services and increasing stability among these vulnerable populations. Furthermore, our continued assistance in Iraq is vital to support the reintegration of Iraqis repatriated from northeast Syria, which meets the national security priority of the United States Government's action plan. It is in the security interests of the United States to continue supporting Iraq, as well as really our moral responsibility not to abandon our partnership and to help repair some of the damage of the past. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman has the only time remaining.”