Water Resources Development Act of 2007

Floor Speech

WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2007 -- (Senate - May 16, 2007)

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today we face an awesome vote, a historic vote in the Senate. It is a vote about this war in Iraq. It is an issue which consumes this Senate and this Nation. We have lost 3,400 soldiers, over 30,000 returned home injured, some with serious, grievous disabilities and injuries they will battle for a lifetime. We have spent over $500 billion, and there is no end in sight.

This morning, the White House announced that the President has finally found a general who will accept the responsibility for the execution of this war. Why did four generals before him refuse this assignment? Because those four generals know, the American people know, and this Senate knows that the administration's policy in Iraq has failed.

Our soldiers have not failed. They have risen again to the challenge. They have exhibited such courage and bravery. They have shown the kind of sacrifice that wins over the hearts of generation after generation of American people. But the Iraqis failed to lead their own nation, and the situation in that country is in disarray.

Now is the time for the Senate to speak directly, honestly, decisively. This war must end. Our troops must come home. The Iraqis must accept responsibility for their future.

The Feingold-Reid amendment, which will be before us today, may not be adopted, but it will be adopted at another time on another day. At some future moment, after we have buried more of our fallen heroes, after we have cared for those thousands returning with injuries, after the Iraqis have broken our hearts again with their interminable fighting, their interminable civil war, and their lack of leadership in their nation, then we will act. But today is the day when we should act.

I respect very much my colleague from Virginia, Senator Warner. He is one of the few on that side of the aisle who have spoken out suggesting that these policies must change. I don't believe his amendment achieves all that we need to achieve today. It sets benchmarks but gives the President the power to waive those benchmarks and the requirements that come with them. Sadly, we know what this President will do. Just as with the sweep of a veto pen he swept away our bipartisan effort to start a timetable to end this war, he will sign a waiver and continue on for the next 18, 19 months with this war with no end in sight.

Mrs. BOXER. Will the Senator yield for a question?

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Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I thank my friend for his very articulate statement. I so agree with what he said. I want to make it clear to my colleagues, and I want to make sure my colleague agrees, that of all the options which will be before us, all well-intentioned, all worked on so diligently--some of my colleagues are here who did that--is it not a fact that the only one that will guarantee a change in the status quo is the Feingold amendment because all the others really lead right back to where we are today because the President is given total leeway to decide exactly what to do? Am I correct on that point, that if we want change, you have to vote for the Feingold amendment, if you want to end the war?

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, in response to my colleague from the State of California--and I thank her for her leadership--there is only one amendment today which will end this war, there is only one amendment today which will start to bring these troops home, there is only one amendment which will make it clear to the Iraqis that this is their country and their responsibility. The Feingold-Reid amendment is the amendment which will finally start bringing this war to an end.

How many more soldiers do we have to bury? How many more do we have to bring into our military and veterans hospitals? How many more thousands of innocent Iraqis have to die before we finally accept our responsibility to bring this war to an end? We can do it today. We should do it today. I urge my colleagues to support the Feingold-Reid amendment, and I urge all of them to understand the gravity of this decision. This is not about politics. This is about the life and death of great heroes in America who continue to step forward and risk their lives for this Nation.

I ask unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor to the Feingold-Reid amendment.

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, let me say at the outset how much I respect the gentleman from Virginia. I thank him for his leadership time and again thank him for all he has given to this county.

I rise in reluctant opposition to this amendment and I want my colleagues to know why. Within this amendment which establishes benchmarks is a provision giving the President of the United States the power to waive. What does it mean? The same pen the President used to veto our bipartisan timetable to start bringing the troops home will be used to make this proposal a nullity. It will not achieve the goals we want to achieve.

Unless and until the Congress convinces this President to change his policy and does it in forceful terms, this war will continue with no end in sight.

I urge my colleagues not to support this amendment that is before us, cloture on this amendment, because, frankly, giving the President a waiver is a guarantee nothing will change.

I yield the floor.

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I am pleased that the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO has added its name to the long list of supporters of this important legislation. I ask unanimous consent that their letter of support be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

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