Lynn C. Woolsey: “Tomorrow this House will begin a debate on Iraq. This is the first of a series of debates that we must have on the House…”

“Tomorrow this House will begin a debate on Iraq. This is the first of a series of debates that we must have on the House floor. It is a resolution. It reflects President Bush's plan to escalate the occupation of Iraq, and it will be a clean up or down vote. I commend the Democratic leadership for providing a time for every single Member of this body to come to the floor and have their say. If you support escalation, you vote 'yes.' If not, you vote 'no.' I will support the legislation as a very important first step in this debate. But after that, Congress must go on record in opposition of the war in general. First we have to go on record in opposition of escalation, and then we must change our course and lay out a plan to bring our troops home. There have been many, many ideas, both inside and outside of Congress, to plan for an end to this occupation of Iraq. Few are as comprehensive as H.R. 508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Act.”