John Larson: “Well, let me first and foremost congratulate the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek), and Mr. Ryan and Mrs. Wasserman…”

“Well, let me first and foremost congratulate the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek), and Mr. Ryan and Mrs. Wasserman Schultz and Mr. Murphy for continuing to come to the floor, the 30-somethings, and talk about issues that are so important to this country. There is no more important issue before this Congress or this country, than the war in Iraq. There is no more important issue to the American public. But it is clear, and I think General Odom stated it best, because as the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) pointed out, this Congress, with its small Democratic majorities, has done what it can to end the war in Iraq and put a bill on the President's desk. The President opted to veto that bill. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle opted to stay the course with the President of the United States. As General Odom says, and I quote, "The end game will start when a senior senator from the President's party, or a senior Member from the House of Representatives, much as William Fulbright did to LBJ during Vietnam, stands up and says no, stands up and says let's end the war." Let's create the kind of strategic withdrawal that we need in order to preserve our troops, in order to maintain our military's readiness, in order to bring sanity back into the lives, especially the reservists and the National Guard who have put out so much for us.”