In October 2002, I voted against the resolution granting the President broad authority to invade Iraq, arguing that if the U.S. did not work with the United Nations and the world community, we could endanger our international coalition against terrorism and damage our moral authority. More than four years after our nation initiated military operations in Iraq, America demands a new approach to this open-ended conflict. Our operations in Iraq have endangered the ability of our armed forces to respond to other crises, distracted from efforts to fight al Qaeda and the Taliban, and damaged our international reputation. Our military now finds itself in the middle of a civil war, and it is time to bring our troops home.

I have been working with the Democratic leadership in Congress to promote a new direction for our mission in Iraq – one that recognizes that true security will not be achieved by U.S. military might, but through political reconciliation among the Iraqis, who must take responsibility for the future of their nation. We must ensure that our strategy includes non-military means, such as diplomacy and broad-based international foreign assistance, to promote political and economic stability.

To this end, I spoke on the House floor to express my strong support for legislation to provide for the redeployment of U.S. armed forces from Iraq. This measure would have allowed us to begin redeploying our combat forces in Iraq to pursue a new strategy for success. It provided for the continued training of the Iraqi Security forces, the continued support of political reconciliation and economic reconstruction, and the continued engagement of the international community to promote a lasting peace. I was disappointed that the measure failed by a vote of 171-255.

I have introduced the Iraq Troop Protection and Reduction Act. This legislation would require the President to start a phased redeployment of U.S. combat forces out of Iraq within 90 days of the bill’s passage into law. If redeployment is not initiated within that timeframe, the President’s authority to use military force in Iraq would expire. The measure would also condition U.S. security and reconstruction funds on certification that the Iraqi government is making progress in assuming greater control of its own security, ridding the Iraqi Security Forces of extremist elements, promoting political reconciliation and developing an equitable method for oil revenue distribution. We can no longer accept empty promises from the Iraqi government, and the U.S. must use its leverage to demand real changes in Iraq and bring an end to the sectarian violence. Finally, the Iraq Troop Protection and Reduction Act prohibits funds from being spent to send troops to Iraq unless the Secretary of Defense certifies to Congress that they are adequately equipped and trained for their mission. These provisions, if adopted, would protect our men and women in uniform, encourage the necessary political and economic changes in Iraq to end violence, and bring our troops home.

For more information about Iraq, you may visit Majority Leader Hoyer's website.

Related Materials

» Press Releases
» Statements