Congresswoman Doris Matsui Calls For Responsible End to the War in Iraq
Votes for Legislation to Bring the War to a Close
November 15, 2007
Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-05) announced that the Orderly and Responsible Iraq Redeployment Appropriations Act (H.R. 4156) passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Matsui spoke on the House Floor in support of the bill, which aims to end the war, bring American troops home, and restore the standing of the United States in the international community.
"This bill is not about public appearances or approval ratings. It is about taking this country in a new direction and bringing the President’s misguided war to a responsible close. The war in Iraq has dragged on for five long years, its monetary cost reaching astronomical heights. We cannot wait any longer to act; we must act to end this war now," said Rep. Matsui.
"The vote for this legislation underscores our commitment to our troops, diplomacy, and the Iraqi people. It will begin an orderly redeployment of our troops, and stands in line with the American people’s demand for a swift and responsible conclusion to our military engagement in Iraq," said Rep. Matsui.
H.R. 4156 makes significant progress toward ending the war in Iraq, including:
requiring the redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin within 30 days of enactment, with a target of completion by Dec. 15, 2008
requiring a transition of the U.S. forces in Iraq to force and diplomatic protection, limited support of Iraqi forces, and targeted counterterrorism operations
prohibiting the deployment of any troops that are not fully-equipped and trained
applying the Army Field Manual prohibitions on torture to all U.S. agencies and personnel, creating a national policy against torture
"For too long, the President has ignored this war’s skyrocketing costs, the loss of our standing in the international community, and the burden that future generations of Americans will bear because of this war. The bill we passed today in the House takes a strong step forward in ending this long and costly war, and I am proud to support it," said Rep. Matsui.
