Nydia M. Velazquez: “I rise today, first and foremost, to praise the courage, performance, and commitment of our troops stationed in Iraq and…”

“I rise today, first and foremost, to praise the courage, performance, and commitment of our troops stationed in Iraq and elsewhere. We are immensely grateful for their sacrifices. Because of this war in Iraq, today the lives of the 135,000 military families are disrupted, and 125,000 civilian contractor families are divided. Nearly 4,000 U.S. soldiers and civilian contractors have already given their lives. We have lost over 140 young New York military men and women in Iraq. I voted against this war from day one. It was a mistake then, and it is a mistake today. This week, we have a chance to act. Escalation is wrong, and we must take it upon ourselves to make things right by seeking a political solution to this war. This administration's flawed foreign policy has damaged our relationship with our allies. The public opposes this war, Iraqis oppose this war, the world opposes this war, and this Congress should speak loudly against this war, too. Our military has been stretched to the brink of breakdown. Our actions in Iraq have set back the war on terror and made problems in the Middle East much worse. This war has distracted us from our responsibilities at home, too. Poverty is raging. Millions have lost their jobs and health insurance. Families struggle to pay for the cost of transportation, energy, and housing. Yet we choose to spend $8 billion of hard-earned money every month in Iraq, not at home.”