Ron Kind: “Mr. Chairman, last week I had the opportunity to travel to Iraq visiting our troops in the field, and they are doing an…”

“Mr. Chairman, last week I had the opportunity to travel to Iraq visiting our troops in the field, and they are doing an incredible job under difficult and dangerous circumstances. Clearly, our Nation is paying a very high price in both lives and money due to the unilateral action that was taken in Iraq. Their high level of sacrifice, quite frankly, has not been met by the high level of planning that is required for this mission. I believe we have been derelict in our duty in Congress in demanding more accountability and more justification in regards to the expenditure and the use of the funds that are before us today and have been appropriated earlier this year. That is why the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) and I are offering this amendment which could be titled The Enhanced Accountability and Detailed Accounting Amendment, which would slash the reconstruction funds by one-half, not because we do not believe in the mission, but because we believe the administration should come before Congress to justify in a detailed fashion what current funds are being used for and what future funds are being requested and for what purpose.”