McGovern's HR 508 Out of Iraq legislation is GOOD- get your rep to back it

[PuraVidaDreamin]

http://mcgovern.house.gov/pr013107iraqbill.htm



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U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern introduces bill to end funding for Iraq War
Contact: Michael Mershon
[phone]

January 31, 2007

U.S. Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) today introduced legislation to cut off funding for the War in Iraq. Rep. McGovern’s bill, the “Safe and Orderly Withdrawal From Iraq Act,” (H.R. 746) gives the Bush Administration 6 months to complete the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

“In blood and treasure, the costs of the war in Iraq have been high,” Rep. McGovern said today on the House floor. “I believe that we must change the dynamic in Iraq. We must end our occupation, engage the countries in the region to help the Iraqis negotiate an end to the sectarian violence tearing their country apart, and let the Iraqi people determine their own destiny.”

“I firmly believe there is no military victory to be had in Iraq,” Rep. McGovern said. “So, I am convinced that that we must focus our efforts on the uniformed men and women we have put in harm’s way and bring them safely home.”

“There are no easy answers for the many questions facing Iraq’s future,” Rep. McGovern said. “There is no ‘perfect’ legislative answer for the situation in Iraq. But I do know that our troops don’t belong in the crossfire of a violent, Iraqi, sectarian war. The American people understand this. They are far ahead of the politicians in Washington. They want us to do what’s right. They want us to bring our troops home. And they want that to happen in a safe, orderly and responsible manner.”

In the last Congress, Rep. McGovern was among the first members of Congress to advocate using the “power of the purse” to force the Bush Administration to end the war in Iraq. A summary of the “Safe and Orderly Withdrawal From Iraq Act” is attached.



SUMMARY: THE SAFE AND ORDERLY WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ ACT

Rep. James P. McGovern (MA-3)

110th Congress

(Introduced January 31, 2007)



1) 30 days after enactment, the U.S. shall begin the safe and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. Armed Forces from Iraq;

2) Withdrawal to be completed within 180 days;

3) Withdrawal will be paid for by already appropriated funds; and

4) Upon completion of the withdrawal, all funds for deployment of U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq shall be terminated.


Exceptions include:


1) Military personnel assigned to the security of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq and U.S. diplomatic personnel; and

2) At the request of the Government of Iraq, members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may remain in Iraq in order to complete reconstruction projects currently in process.


Other provisions of the legislation:


1) The number of troops may not be increased during the period of withdrawal;

2) Nothing in the bill restricts the locations outside of Iraq to which units and members of the Armed Forces may be redeployed, including nearby countries or Afghanistan/Operation Enduring Freedom;

3) U.S. facilities, bases, etc. will be transferred to the authority of the Government of Iraq as part of the orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq;

4) The bill does not prohibit the Department of Defense from providing financial assistance and equipment to the Iraqi armed forces and/or to a multinational force, at the request of the Government of Iraq; and

5) Nothing in this act prohibits non-Defense Department funding for social and economic reconstruction.


In addition, out of concern for those Iraqi civilians who have worked with our Armed Forces while in Iraq:


1) Nothing in this act shall prohibit or restrict the authority of the President to arrange asylum or other means of protection to Iraqi citizens who might be endangered by the withdrawal because of their associations with U.S. military personnel (e.g. drivers, translators, administrative personnel, etc.).






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an official website of the
United States House of Representatives.

[welshTerrier2]

1. McGovern will be a Senator someday

he is truly one of the bright lights in the party.

btw, my rep is already backing this bill ... my rep is Jim McGovern ...

(cross-posted in "dupe" thread)

[PuraVidaDreamin]

4. I'd work for that!

At lobby day on Monday I handed a draft of this legislation
to Delahunt's aides- (They weren't aware of it at that time)

I strongly urged them to call McGovern's office, look into it,
and get on board.

Delahunt signed on yesterday as an original co-sponsor!

certainly I don't have that kind of sway- but it sure felt good.

[goodhue]

2. you bet

That is a bill I can get behind!

[goodhue]

3. !

[PuraVidaDreamin]

5. !!!

without a doubt!

[ima_sinnic]

6. this is NOT HR 508, which was intro'd by Woolsey in mid-Jan

HR 508 is the "Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2007"
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.508.IH:
more info: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.00508:

It was introduced by Lynn Woolsey on 1/17 and has 29 co-sponsors, including McGovern.

746 must be too new; it is not yet up on Thomas. I don't understand these competing resolutions. If McGovern signed on to 508 as a co-sponsor, why would he intro a different, competing bill? I am not going to pressure my Rep to get behind two different bills but was ready to ask him to get behind 508.

I'm too tired right to try to compare these two--or did 508 somehow morph into 746? How are We The People supposed to be able to know which is the "best" bill to end war funding?