Earl Blumenauer: “As a result of Republican obstructionism and the President's threats to veto our Democratic Congress' new investments in…”

“As a result of Republican obstructionism and the President's threats to veto our Democratic Congress' new investments in health, the environment and infrastructure, Congress is being forced to pass a resolution to keep the government operating beyond next week's end of the fiscal year. Unfortunately, this bill included money to continue funding the war in Iraq. I have pledged: ``not another dime for the war,'' and voted ``no.'' I will continue to vote against any appropriations bill that continues military operations in Iraq. At the same time, the motion to condemn Moveon.org was both irrelevant and hypocritical. It was irrelevant in that it had nothing to do with the underlying bill and hypocritical because the Republicans have tolerated, and in some cases encouraged, some of the most savage Swift-boating of candidates and individuals without ever raising a voice in protest. People have deep concerns about this administration and they have the right to question the testimony General Petraeus gave before Congress. The twisted factual basis for some of his statements, which charitably can only be deemed convoluted, has been made clear in numerous independent press accounts. I voted ``no,'' choosing not to be a part of the irrelevance and hypocrisy.”