On the recordJuly 18, 2012
I'm proud to cosponsor the amendment offered by my friend from California. If approved, this amendment would accomplish two goals: One, to end this war, and two, to save the taxpayers $21 billion, something I think both sides of the aisle could agree on. Let's be clear about what this amendment really does. It fully funds a safe and responsible redeployment of our troops from Afghanistan. It's not cut and run; it's funding redeployment. The Afghan people do not want us there. The American people don't want us there. Yet, we are spending $10 billion a month for a decade- long war that's failing to advance our national security objectives. Why would we want to continue down this road, especially at such a great cost in blood and treasure? More than 2,000 servicemembers have been killed, and $548 billion in taxpayer money has been spent. This amendment provides sufficient funding to ensure that every man and woman in uniform leaves Afghanistan safely. At that point, we can look away from defense spending to a national security policy based on the other two Ds: diplomacy and development. We can turn away from military force and toward SMART Security, an agenda that keeps America safe by alleviating human need and investing in human capital in Afghanistan and around the developing world. Since 2004, Mr. Chairman, I have come to the House floor 437 times during Special Orders to call for an end to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.…
