No Regrets

Today, as President Bush comes to Capitol Hill, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced the release of a new web video on Iraq. The video, entitled “No Regrets,” shows that although the Bush administration is content to stay the course in Iraq, the burdens faced by soldiers deployed and millions of American families at home, it’s time for a change. The video shows that 2,674 Americans have been killed in Iraq, nearly 20,000 have been wounded and $314 billion has been spent, all while Bush and Cheney say that “It was the right thing to do and if we had to do over again we’d do exactly the same thing.”

The Republican Congress has been complicit in the poor administration of the war – in fact -- they have supported President Bush 100% on the Iraq war. Not only did the Republican Rubber Stamps vote with Bush every time, but they were silent when troops were deployed without the body armor they need, they were silent when it became clear that the Bush administration has no strategy for success and they were silent when it became clear that the White House and the Pentagon had “lost” $9 billion spent in Iraq. They have consistently refused to ask the tough questions of President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Rumsfeld and it’s time for a new direction.

The Republican Record on Iraq

Republicans Voted Against Accounting For Billions Of Taxpayer Dollars Spent On Iraq.

The vote was against an amendment to provide $5 million to establish a select committee to investigate reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, including contracting procedures, protection against money laundering, and the allocation of contracts to foreign companies and small businesses. In October 2004, the International Advisory and Monitoring Board released an audit of the Bush Administration’s management of Iraqi oil proceeds and other funds in the Development Fund for Iraq. Problems found involved hundreds of millions of dollars, numerous sole source contracts and missing and nonexistent contract files. The amendment was rejected, 191-236.

Republicans Opposed Setting Benchmarks for Success in Iraq.

The vote was against an effort to require President Bush to submit a plan for success in Iraq, supply the military with adequate equipment and other resources to complete their mission, and provide veterans with adequate health care services. The proposal was debated during consideration of the State Department authorization bill. Had the plan passed, it would have required the president to outline benchmarks for success in Iraq – including the adoption of a constitution, free and fair elections, and a plan for economic development – that could be used to determine when Iraq is sufficiently stable to allow for the return home of American soldiers. The motion also noted that the lack of a clear strategy for success in Iraq could undermine the morale of U.S. troops. The proposal was rejected, 203-227. [Rep. Menendez Press Release, 7/20/05; Vote #398; H.R.2601; 07/20/2005; motion failed 203-227]

Republicans Voted To Continue Awarding Contracts to Halliburton.

The vote was against an amendment that would prohibit the awarding of a contract by the secretary of the Army to any contractor if the Defense Contract Audit Agency has determined that more than $100 million of a contractor's costs involving work in Iraq were unreasonable. Currently, the only company that this could potentially apply to is Halliburton. [Vote #60; H.R.4939; 03/16/2006; amendment failed 193-225]

Republicans Opposed $100 Million Increase for Military Personnel.

The vote was against a proposal to the budget to increase funding for military health care by $100 million and transitional job training for military personnel by $50 million. The proposed increase failed, 200-229. [Vote #76; H.R.1268; 03/16/2005; motion failed 200-229]