Lucille Roybal-Allard: “I will be voting for the resolution today because I agree with its praise of our troops in Iraq, who under difficult…”

“I will be voting for the resolution today because I agree with its praise of our troops in Iraq, who under difficult circumstances continue to display high standards and professionalism during the occupation and rebuilding of Iraq. However, I am very disappointed in the resolution and will vote for it with reservations. The primary purpose of the resolution should have been to deplore any abuses which have occurred while prisoners are in U.S. custody, and to demand swift prosecution of those who committed illegal or unethical acts, including those responsible in the military chain of command. Atrocities in the Abu Ghraib prison, and anywhere else they may have been committed, must be thoroughly and openly addressed through congressional investigations. These investigations must also include the conduct of American contractors who had a role in overseeing prisoners. Irresponsibly, these important points are left out of the resolution the House is considering today. The recent abuse of prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison is not only disgraceful, it is damaging to the interests of the United States, and ultimately it endangers our men and women in uniform not just in Iraq but around the world. We must act quickly to convince the court of world opinion that the American people do not tolerate illegal or unethical conduct by Americans and will take the necessary steps to stop it and prevent it from happening again.”