Patrick Leahy: “on March 20 of this year, the Senate passed S. Res. 95, a resolution commending the President and the men and women of…”

“on March 20 of this year, the Senate passed S. Res. 95, a resolution commending the President and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, and the civilian personnel supporting them, for their efforts in the war in Iraq. I cosponsored that resolution. While there was some language in that resolution I would have changed or deleted, I felt it was appropriate and drafted in a relatively non-political, balanced way such that even those of us who had opposed the resolution authorizing the use of unilateral, pre-emptive force could support. Today, the Republican leadership has put forward another resolution, which again commends the President and the men and women of the Armed Forces, as well as the civilian personnel who have supported them. I will also vote for this resolution. Of course we commend the troops, their families, and the Defense Department's civilian personnel, for their courage and sacrifice for their country. I have commended the extraordinary efforts of our troops in virtually every statement I have made about Iraq. But this resolution goes further than S. Res. 95, in ways that I disagree with. It commends the contribution of defense contractors, for example.”