Progressive Democrats promote Iraq withdrawal by end of year
 At a press conference this morning with fellow members of the Progressive and Out of Iraq Caucuses in the House of Representatives, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) unveiled a proposal to fully fund the withdraw of US troops from Iraq no later than the end of 2007. Her Progressive Caucus co-chair, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), also indirectly criticized the House Democratic leadership proposal, saying there was a need to "act boldly."
"This very simple proposal represents where the majority of Americans are with regard to Iraq," Lee said in a statement released to RAW STORY. "We are in discussion with our leadership to consider this proposal in formulating the supplemental."
Her colleague Rep. Woolsey spoke more forcefully.
"We have no other choice but to act boldly," she said. "It's certainly not enough to put restrictions on the President that he can easily waive."
She also emphasized the need for Democrats in Congress to speak for the voters who returned them to the majority.
"It's time Congress finally caught up to the people we represent, who recognized long ago that the Bush Iraq policy was a train wreck," she said. "The White House has shown nothing but contempt for public sentiment when it comes to Iraq; if we won't stand up for Americans on this issue, who will?"
Lee's proposal requires that funds to be used by the Department of Defense in Iraq meet two requirements.
First, the funds may guarantee the "continued protection" of troops and contractors "pending and during the withdrawal of such members."
Second, the Lee plan funds " safe and complete withdrawal from Iraq...pursuant to a plan that provides for completion of the withdrawal not later than December 31, 2007."
The Lee proposal varied from the budget legislation debuted by the House Democratic Leadership today. A release sent today by the office of House Appropriations Chairman Rep. David Obey (D-WI) outlined a timeline for the exit of US troops from Iraq. If President Bush is unable to certify that the Iraqi government is making progress toward political and military benchmarks by July 1, US troops must be withdrawn by Dec. 2007, as the Progressive Caucus seeks.
But if President Bush does certify that progress is being made, troops may stay in Iraq until March 2008, at which point they must begin redeployment, which must be completed by Aug. 2008.
Additionally, the Democratic leaders are offering President Bush the ability to waive these requirements.
"The bill grants the President the authority to depart from his own military's guidelines -- all he has to do is give himself a waiver and face the country with a report explaining why," the leadership statement says.
In a "Dear Colleague" letter sent to Members of Congress by Lee and other representatives Wednesday night, they challenged the idea that their proposal involves "cuts of funding" for US troops.
"Fully funding withdrawal is not cutting off funding -- we are going to fully fund a rational alternative to the administration's attempt to run out the clock on their failed policy," wrote Lee and her fellow caucus members.
Lee's full amendment is provided below.
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AMENDMENT TO H.R. _, AS REPORTED
(SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, 2007)
OFFERED BY MS. LEE OF CALIFORNIA
At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following:
SEC. _. (a) Funds appropriated for Operation Iraqi Freedom or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense under any provision of law may be obligated and expended within the Republic of Iraq only for the purpose of providing for-
(1) the continued protection of members of the Armed Forces who are in Iraq participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Department of Defense contractor personnel who are in Iraq performing contracts related to such Operation, pending and during the withdrawal of such members of the Armed Forces and such contractor personnel; and
(2) the safe and complete withdrawal from Iraq of all members of the Armed Forces and contractor personnel described in paragraph (1) pursuant to a plan that provides for completion of the withdrawal not later than December 31, 2007.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to prohibit or otherwise restrict the use of funds available to any department or agency of the United States to carry out diplomatic efforts or social and economic reconstruction activities in Iraq.
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