Cole: "Certain Date for Surrender is Not an Option

Cole opposes Majority's Emergency Spending Bill that sets benchmarks for withdrawal

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Tom Cole, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, last night strongly opposed the House Majority's Iraq Supplemental Appropriations Bill. While the supplemental the House passed on March 23 called for a redeployment of our troops to begin no later than next March, this version of the bill calls for troop withdrawal to be mostly completed by that time.

"Our commanders on the ground in Iraq deserve to have the resources and flexibility they need to lead our troops during this critical phase of their mission," Congressman Cole said. "This bill is another legislative demonstration of the defeatist mentality that encompasses a new House Majority that has already voted twice to provide Al-Qaeda with a specific date for American draw down in Iraq. This will embolden our enemies, discourage our Iraqi allies and disappoint our own troops while they are in the middle of a tough fight. "

The Majority's supplemental appropriations bill emerged from a conference meeting between Majority leaders from the House and Senate. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the same version of the bill sometime today. Despite a bipartisan attempt to provide our brave men and women in uniform the funding they need to succeed in their mission, House Leadership refused to compromise with the President who has firmly stated he will veto any language that sets restrictive timelines on withdrawal from Iraq.

"This bill ties the hands of our Commander in Chief by micromanaging the war from Washington. Our troops don't need 535 Members of Congress calling the shots half a world away from the battlefield," Congressman Cole continued. "Congress unanimously entrusted that duty to General Petraeus and our commanders on the ground. General Petraeus is a man I know and trust. He deserves a chance to implement his strategy and successfully complete his mission."

The conference report came just hours after General Petraeus met with Washington lawmakers to give them a top-secret briefing on progress of the recent troop surge in Iraq. All members of Congress were invited to attend.

Cole, who attended the briefing, said, "I was impressed by what I heard and by General Petraeus' commitment to keep us fully aware of the situation on the ground."

The new Majority's failure to provide emergency troop funding in a timely fashion has already proven costly for our Armed Forces. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace stated at a Defense Subcommittee meeting that due to funding shortages, the Army will have to begin cutting back training for the Guard, Reserve and for units. This means that the baseline for those units will be reduced as far as capability which, over time, could delay their ability to go back into combat.

Unfortunately the Majority's supplemental conference report passed the House by a vote of 218 to 208. The earlier House version of the bill also passed with 218 votes, the bare minimum needed for passage. Once the bill passes through the Senate, it is expected to be vetoed by the President as soon as it reaches his desk.

"Once the President vetoes this badly flawed bill, I hope Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid will put aside their differences and provide General Petraeus and his forces with the funding they require to fulfill their mission," Cole continued. "Our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout our military deserve nothing less."

###