Schakowsky Urges President to Sign Legislation to Withdraw U.s. Troops From Iraq

SCHAKOWSKY URGES PRESIDENT TO SIGN LEGISLATION TO WITHDRAW U.S. TROOPS FROM IRAQ

WASHINGTON, DC–U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement today after the House and Senate passed the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veteran's Health and Iraq Accountability Act Conference Report. Congresswoman Schakowsky voted for the conference report, which passed the House yesterday evening by a vote of 218 to 208. The measure passed the Senate today by a vote of 51 to 46.

"Today the U.S. Senate joined the House of Representatives in sending a unified message to the President that the American people want to put an end to the bloodshed in Iraq. Regrettably, the President continues to ignore the realities on the ground in Iraq and the majority of Americans who are demanding an end to this disastrous war.

After four years of war, we are giving the President what he has failed to deliver since this war began-a clear exit strategy. The bill begins the redeployment of our troops by October 2007 with a goal of being completed by March 2008.

If the President vetoes this bill, which he has repeatedly said he will do, then he is admitting that it is not even a goal of his to end this war.

As the casualties continue to rise and carnage increases, it is completely inexplicable that the President still believes that we are winning the war in Iraq.

What is it going to take for this President to acknowledge that this war is a failure and that it is time to bring our brave men and women in uniform home?

In the last election, the American people overwhelmingly rejected the President's leadership and elected a new Congress to bring an end to this war.

We did our job, now it is up to the President to do his.

The choice is clear. The President can either begin the safe redeployment of our troops or continue an endless war....