Madam Speaker, over recess, I held several public events, and Iraq was on everyone’s minds.  The overwhelming consensus was that we need a new strategy in Iraq, a view shared by national security experts and illustrated by continued violence in the region.  Today, we can chart a new path so that we can bring our troops home.

Americans know the Bush strategy isn’t working, and today’s Iraq status report confirms the lack of progress.  The Iraqi government has failed to promote political reconciliation, and our military is paying the price.  Our troops have done a superb job, but they were not sent to Iraq to referee a civil war. 

Today’s bill requires our military to start redeploying out of Iraq within 120 days, to be completed by April 1, 2008.  We will not abandon Iraq, but we must implement a new strategy based on political, economic and diplomatic initiatives.  I thank Chairman Skelton for his leadership on this measure and urge all my colleagues to support it.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.