Chris Van Hollen: “I rise to support H.R. 2237 with certain reservations. Very few bills that pass this House are written exactly as each…”

“I rise to support H.R. 2237 with certain reservations. Very few bills that pass this House are written exactly as each of us would like. My own plan for the redeployment of U.S. forces would not take this exact form. However, the general thrust of this plan is in the right direction. It establishes a timetable to extricate U.S. forces from a bloody, sectarian civil war while providing the flexibility to carry out other missions both inside and outside Iraq for the purpose of going after al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations with global reach. It also provides for U.S. forces to train and equip the Iraqi Security Forces, and to protect the U.S. Embassy and diplomatic missions. Mr. Speaker, I preferred the approach taken by the House in the Supplemental Appropriations bill we recently passed. Unfortunately, the President vetoed that measure. He wants the funds without any accountability. We cannot give the President a blank check. While I do not agree with every provision in this bill, it sends the right message--it is time to end the President's failed policies in Iraq and change direction.”