Political Quotes

“I take this time to urge my colleagues to support S. 316. I congratulate and thank Senators Kaine and Young for their leadership on this issue. It will give us an opportunity to finally repeal the 1991 and the 2002 authorizations for the use of military force in regard to Iraq. We are not at war with Iraq, and we have seen--particularly with the use of the 2001 authorization for the use of military force, which was centered on Afghanistan--that it can be used by administrations well beyond the intent of Congress. So it is our congressional responsibility to remove these authorizations and to finally repeal them. I want to make it clear: I voted against both of the Iraq authorizations when I was in the House of Representatives in 1991 and 2002. The 2002, particularly, was passed by false pretenses. It was passed because of the belief that Iraq was involved in the attack on our country on September 11 when, in fact, they were not. It was based on the fact that they had weapons of mass destruction that could be used against U.S. interests, and that was also false. Today, the U.S. forces in Iraq are there by the invitation of the government. There is no need for Congress to authorize the use of military force in regard to Iraq. If there are any issues in regard to protecting U.S.…”