Bill Delahunt

Mr. DELAHUNT

Mr. DELAHUNT. I think it is an excellent idea.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, if I could interrupt my friend for a moment, the gentleman indicated the total amount that we have already expended in terms of our intervention in Iraq. Obviously, that includes supporting our troops, and, at the same time, beginning the reconstruction of Iraq. Does the gentleman remember the debate that occurred months ago when the supplemental came to this floor?

Mr. DELAHUNT. The $87 billion. Does the gentleman remember that many of us on this side actually voted against authorizing the President to launch this intervention because we did not believe the evidence for a variety of different reasons that he presented to us and to the American people, but we did understand an obligation to help Iraq get back on its feet? Does the gentleman remember the debate about whether it would be loans, or whether we would just simply give the money away, give the taxpayer dollars away?

Mr. DELAHUNT. If I can continue to interrupt the gentleman, I made a point of examining the record in terms of other international donors. There was a conference in the capital of Spain, in Madrid, where other international donors came together. Among them, they were willing to contribute some $15 to $16 billion. By the way, very little of which has been seen yet. I can only find one other Nation that did not insist on the money being paid back. That was Japan, for $1.5 billion. The gentleman mentioned a word that really made me seek to interrupt, and that was ``debt.'' We are never going to see that money.

Mr. DELAHUNT. That is gone. I dare say there have been about other speakers on the floor here this evening that have talked about the failure in this budget to be forthright and honest, and we all know, and the American people should know that the money we have already spent is a down payment, and it is not much of a down payment as to what it is going to cost the taxpayers far into the future.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Before the gentleman goes any further, he mentioned, I think, an interesting point that those who are watching here this evening and are listening really should take note of. The gentleman mentioned the figure $50 billion. I do not think there is any Member in this House on either side of the aisle that would deny that $50 billion. But it is not part of this budget. When will that $50 billion be revealed to the American people?

Mr. DELAHUNT. When will we get that? When will that come before us?

Mr. DELAHUNT. Can I just put out here, I want to submit, because maybe we can make this a friendly wager. I bet that that $50 billion will come to the floor of this House in November or December, sometime after the election because, clearly, that $50 billion is going to exacerbate the deficit. It is a debt. But maybe I am wrong. Maybe the White House will insist on doing the right thing and being honest and forthcoming with the American people and tell us the true cost of where we are.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Can I just ask a question?

Mr. DELAHUNT. I think the gentleman mentioned two budgets.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Two values and two budgets, a budget for the United States of America and a budget for Iraq. But the truth is, the reality is that it is the American taxpayer.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Is paying for the budget for the United States of America, with all our responsibilities, all of the issues that we are concerned about here domestically and internationally, and then the American taxpayer is also paying the budget for Iraq. I really hope that we do not find ourselves in a situation where we will be coming to the floor with a third budget. The gentleman from Michigan earlier talked about what transpired these past several weeks in Haiti. I can imagine that we will have to provide humanitarian assistance, but are we also going to be picking up additional budgets as we go?

Mr. DELAHUNT. We could recommend that somehow they contact the Department of State or the Department of Commerce and maybe there are jobs in Baghdad or Kirkuk or Basra. There are certainly none in Ohio.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, if I could interrupt very briefly, it sounds like an economic stimulus package.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Maybe, just maybe we can find the secret so that we can avoid a jobless recovery for Iraq and learn those lessons so that we can replicate them here in the United States.

Mr. DELAHUNT. In Iraq.

Mr. DELAHUNT. So if you are looking for a job and you want the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), who was the last speaker before we took the floor, if you are one of his constituents in Ohio.

Mr. DELAHUNT. I guess maybe one would call it socialized medicine is good for Iraq, but universal health care here in the United States is, if the gentleman would help me with the word; it escapes my mind.

Mr. DELAHUNT. A government-controlled program.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, while here in this country, and I am sure this has impacted just about every Member's district throughout the entire United States, while in this country, community hospitals that tend to be the hospital of the first response for that sudden heart attack, for that emergency room treatment, they are being closed; and yet the American taxpayers are building how many hospitals?

Mr. DELAHUNT. That is a pretty good record, for Iraq.

Mr. DELAHUNT. I have none.

Mr. DELAHUNT

Mr. DELAHUNT. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, everybody knows, we all know, on both sides of the aisle, that we will receive a so-called supplemental budget. And those that are watching us this evening should understand that that is in addition to the budget that we pass. And it is going to come in absolutely with hundreds of billions of dollars, not just for Iraq and Afghanistan, but for other needs, right after November 2.

Mr. DELAHUNT

Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, I just want to applaud the gentleman for his leadership over the years in terms of issues surrounding Haiti. Let me just conclude by asking a question. I know the gentleman does not have time to respond. Presumably elections are going to be held in Haiti. Has Secretary of State Powell or the White House communicated to the gentleman when they anticipate those elections to be held? And if so, is there anything in the gentleman's knowledge that would impede President Aristide from returning from wherever he is and running once more for the President of that devastated, poor country with such a tragic history?