David Price: “I join the authors of this resolution in commending the Iraqi people for their courage in the face of oppression and in…”

“I join the authors of this resolution in commending the Iraqi people for their courage in the face of oppression and in praising the valiant service of the United States and coalition forces in Iraq. We are as proud as we could possibly be of our troops, their sacrifice and their service. But to put forth this partisan resolution in this way is both an affront to our troops and a disservice to our country, sowing division where there should be unity. This resolution is not necessarily objectionable because of what it says, but because of what it omits. There is no reference, for example, to the mid-course correction that is called for in terms of financial accountability, contracting practices, securing international cooperation, and repairing our relationship with long-standing allies whose support is integral to our ultimate success. The minority has been denied the opportunity to improve this bill, to give our troops the body armor they need, for example, to achieve pay equity for National Guard and Reserve personnel, to provide much needed health care and benefits for our wounded servicemen and -women, and to offer condolences to the families of those killed in Iraq. This resolution rightly affirms our support for the Iraqi people as they adopt an interim constitution that upholds the values of open debate and democracy. How ironic that this very bill is structured to shut down discussion and debate.”