Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, yesterday's decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act threatens a woman's right to make her own choices about abortion and consequently choices pertaining to her own body. By upholding the first ever federal abortion ban the Supreme Court has brought us dangerously close to allowing politicians to make decisions regarding the control a woman is allowed over her own body. The Court has, for the first time since its original ruling in 1973 establishing a woman's right to an abortion, showed no consideration for the health and safety of a woman. The decision is contrary to that of six other federal courts throughout the country. This decision disallows exceptions to be made in instances where a woman's health is at risk. In circumstances where the banned procedure is the safest for the health of the female patient, doctors will be powerless, except under threat of a two year criminal penalty, to do the right thing for their patient. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, representing ninety percent of these medical officials, agrees that the ban causes interference in medical decision making and is detrimental to women's health. The Court's decision forces us to look at where our society really is in respect to the rights and equality of women. How can we, in good conscience, tell the young women of today that they are equal and able to accomplish their dreams if at the same time society is seeking to control their actions and make decisions with regard to their own bodies? I empathize with the frustration that women around the country are feeling today; I realize the greater restrictive implications implied by the Court's ruling. I imagine that a woman's decision to have an abortion, under any circumstances, must be one of the most difficult she will make in her life. It is a very private, very personal decision that is to be made by her and may include the support of family, friends and medical professionals. It is not a decision that is made lightly or without consequence. Today's decision has perilously hindered a woman's privacy and safety by allowing politics to interfere in medical decisions. We must end the divisiveness that surrounds the issue of abortion so that we may begin the long overdue healing process. We must work to limit the need for abortions while at the same time ensuring safety. Access to prenatal and postnatal care through expanded Medicare coverage will be an important component as well as a living wage. I will maintain my support for social programs, and maternal and child nutrition programs to strengthen vulnerable families. I will continue to stand behind programs that teach sex education, domestic family planning and promote the use of contraception.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the American people want the war in Iraq to end and the troops to be brought home. Why then is this House preparing to capitulate to the Bush White House and let the war continue? We have learned that the Democratic compromise with the President is to make withdrawal timetables nonbinding. We have the power to end the war now. We should not give the President another dime for the war. We should not permit this war to continue to go on. Yet this House passed a $97 billion supplemental which gives the President money to keep the war going through September of 2008, and then a week later approved the President's budget for another $195 billion for Iraq to keep the war going into 2009. And now we are talking about a nonbinding timetable for withdrawal. What is the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans on the war? Well, the Republicans do not want any timetables for withdrawal at all, and the Democrats, well, the Democrats want nonbinding timetables for withdrawal.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, when you listen to the debate, you can understand that we could be in Iraq for many, many years to come and could expand the war beyond Iraq unless we take a new approach which places diplomacy as the path to peace. Mr. Speaker, our soldiers didn't lose the war. I maintain the war was lost the minute the White House fabricated a cause for war. The Bible says that which is crooked cannot be made straight, and our adventure in Iraq will prove the Bible was right. On the one hand, some of my friends do not believe in any timetable to withdraw from Iraq, which means we could stay in Iraq indefinitely; on the other hand, some of my friends believe in timetables, even nonbinding timetables, which means we could stay in Iraq indefinitely. I believe we are being presented with an insufficient choice. Congress is under no obligation to appropriate any more money for this war, yet we give the President $100 billion. We are under no obligation to give him any money to continue the war. We can best support the troops by using money that is in the pipeline to bring the troops home. I believe that is what the American people want. Congress recently approved $97 billion in the supplemental. That could keep the war going well into next summer. Congress approved a budget a week later that would keep the war going into 2009. Nearly 200 people died in the carnage in Baghdad yesterday. We understand that the occupation is fueling the insurgency. Our troop casualties are mounting towards 3,300. Last night, I spoke to the sister of one of those casualties who was a young Marine from my district. She raised the plea, what can we do to end this war? Innocent civilian casualties are rising. The conservative estimate in June 2006 of the Lancet Report set at 650,000 the number of innocent civilian casualties. It is quite possible that at this time those casualties could be approaching 1 million. The cost of the war is upwards of $800 billion into 2008. We are borrowing money from China to wage a war in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Murtha's account of the disaster to our military does not need to be added to. But what should be said right now is that we are facing limited choices, and that is why, Mr. Speaker, I have proposed H.R. 1234, a plan to end the war, which begins with Congress not funding the war, pulling the plug on funding and moving forward with a plan that reaches out to the international community to get out of Iraq.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, environmental awareness has created an awareness of the urgency of collective action to save our planet. We need a similar commitment to dealing with violence in America. Would that the tragic events in Blacksburg, Virginia, which took 33 lives, be an isolated example of the effects of gun violence in America. In fact, about 32 people perish each and every day in America in handgun-related incidents. The level of violence in our society constitutes a national emergency. I am offering the following approach to change America's direction, away from death and disintegration and towards life and social cohesiveness. First, passage of legislation to create a Cabinet level Department of Peace and Nonviolence, H.R. 808; second, passage of H.R. 676 to create Medicare for all, not-for-profit health care system focusing on mental health care issues; and, third, a ban on handguns, legislation which I am currently drafting. America is being engulfed in violence every day. Let's show that we have the wisdom and the courage to come from our hearts to meet this challenge.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. I thank my friend, Mr. Lantos. I rise as a proud cosponsor of this bill emphasizing the importance of water. Despite the availability of advanced and inexpensive water treatment technologies and despite an aggregate level of wealth that should preclude injustice, one in six people in the world still lack access to safe drinking water. Global warming is expected to worsen the situation. At the same time, privatization of our scarce water supplies is also proliferating. It drives up the price of a life-giving resource under the guise of making it cheaper. In its most egregious form, bottled water companies overpump a valuable water supply, restricting access to only those who can afford to pay more for water than for gas. I represent an area of Cleveland that, like many nearby cities, relies on Lake Erie for drinking water. During negotiations by Great Lakes States over the conditions under which water could be withdrawn from Lake Erie and the surrounding Great Lakes, the bottled water industry slipped in their own language; it allowed exclusive, unlimited access to Great Lakes water by their industry. By weakening the agreement in this way, it also paved the way for any corporation to have full access to the lakes, even at the expense of the public water supply. This is happening at a time when both water quality and quantity are expected to decline as a result of global warming. In Nottingham and Barrington, two small New Hampshire towns, a company called USA Springs is attempting to pump 310,000 gallons a day in an area populated with homes that get their water from small, private, household wells. The community is concerned about loss of their water supply, loss of water quality, degradation of nearby wetlands, but USA Springs is using their substantial resources to overwhelm the community. The result is that this company, USA Springs, is now dangerously close to winning this battle it started in 2001. Similar battles are being fought in communities all over the country. The basic building blocks of life, like water, must be accessible by people before corporations and must be managed as a public trust, not reduced to a commodity.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, in the aftermath of the tragedy at Blacksburg, Virginia, it is becoming painfully obvious that the easy availability of handguns constitutes a growing national crisis of public health and safety, one that calls for a powerful, wide-ranging response from this Congress. I am urging Members to support H.R. 676, the Conyers-Kucinich bill, which establishes a universal, not-for-profit health care system, which provides full and comprehensive mental health care. Second, support H.R. 808, a bill establishing a Department of Peace and Nonviolence, which directly addresses the issues of domestic violence, gang violence, and violence in the schools which is reflected in our current homicide rates. And third, the 33 deaths at Blacksburg constitute a national tragedy. So, too, does the fact that an average of 32 people each and every day in the United States perish in handgun-related incidents. Accordingly, I am drafting a bill to ban the purchase, sale, transfer or possession of handguns by civilians. A gun buy-back provision will be provided in the bill. It's time for us to rescue this Nation from the violence which is engulfing it, and I have just articulated a three-point plan to do so.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and accomplishments of Cornel ``Connie'' Tereck, whose fierce dedication to family, friends and country serves as a model for all who have been blessed by his presence. As a member of the Greatest Generation, Connie served in the United States Navy during World War II, where he protected our country with great pride and courage. After retiring from the service, Connie carried this commitment to the security of our country into his professional life, as he went to work for the Department of Defense. He proudly worked at the Defense Contract Administration Service Region until his retirement in 1987. Connie was known as a man of honesty, intelligence and wit, not only to friends and family but to the whole community. He took interest in and care of the people surrounding him, and his deep devotion to, and commitment for his family and friends stands as a shining example to us all. He was a beloved husband of 57 years to his wife, Laura, and his legacy will continue through three children and five grandchildren. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Cornel ``Connie'' Tereck as a true example of the spirit upon which this great Nation is built. We have lost a loving father, a faithful husband, a courageous serviceman and a wonderful neighbor, but his caring personality and loving devotion continue to inspire everyone that has crossed paths with him.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember Marine Sergeant Alessandro Carbonaro. He served his country tirelessly until his death on May 10, 2006. The loss of this young, dedicated hero is felt by not only those who knew him, but also those who have been touched by the life that he led. Sgt. Carbonaro was raised in Bethesda, Maryland, the only child of Fulvio and Gilda Carbonaro. He was a private, headstrong, and independent child who held his family dear. Over the years, Sgt. Carbonaro developed a passion for music, history, and writing. After graduating from Sandy Spring Friends School, Sgt. Carbonaro shocked his family and friends by volunteering to join the United States Marine Corps. He told his parents that he felt a strong sense of duty to his country and wanted to live the life that he envisioned. Sgt. Carbonaro enlisted in the Marine Corps during the summer of 1998. He initially committed himself to five years of active duty. After September 11, 2001, however, his resolve strengthened and he felt an obligation to reenlist. Sgt. Carbonaro set his sights on the elite Marines Reconnaissance Unit, a status obtained by fewer than one in five who attempts it. By September 2004, he had been deployed to Iraq with the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion. Sgt. Carbonaro was eventually awarded the Purple Heart. Upon completion of his first deployment, Sgt. Carbonaro returned to Maryland and married Gilda Maria Arroyo on May 28, 2005. In March 2006, he returned to Iraq and was chosen to lead a unit of younger Marines. Sgt. Carbonaro did not regard these men as soldiers, but as brothers. His moral and physical strength made him the backbone of the unit. On May 1, 2006, when his unit's vehicles hit an explosive device, his first concerns were for his fellow Marines. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring and remembering Marine Sergeant Alessandro Carbonaro, who exemplified the ideals put forth by the Reconnaissance Creed--Honor, Perseverance, Spirit, and Heart. Please also join me in expressing my deepest condolences to his parents, his young wife, Gilda, and his extended family and friends. Although Sgt. Carbonaro will be profoundly missed, his unwavering devotion to his family and country will live on in the hearts of those who were touched by the life of this fallen hero.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the American Hungarian Federation of Cleveland, and Mr. John Juhasz, for their many years of service to the Hungarian-American community. The Federation, since its founding in 1906, has been a symbol of the strong relationship between America and Hungary, a relationship that has existed since the birth of the American nation. Before former Hussar Officer Colonel Commandant Mihaly Kovats died fighting for a free America in the Battle of Charleston, South Carolina in 1779, he sent a letter to Benjamin Franklin with the words: ``Fidelissimus ad Mortem'', which means Faithful Unto Death. This expression has become the motto of this great organization. For more than one hundred years the American Hungarian Federation has worked to unite and to support Americans of Hungarian origin in the United States, regardless of political, religious, or other affiliation. It has also been a strong supporter of freedom both at home and abroad. They played an integral role in providing aid for a Hungarian people in need after World War II, as well as efforts to aid refugees of The Revolution of 1956. Under the faithful stewardship of President John Juhasz, The American Hungarian Federation continues to fulfill their mission by advocating for Hungarian causes and providing information to second and third generation Hungarian Americans. Additionally, the Federation sets an example for all Americans, who have a love for their heritage and a desire to help their people. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring John Juhasz and the American Hungarian Federation of Cleveland for their contribution to the rich cultural heritage of Northeast Ohio. May the Hungarian community continue to thrive under their leadership.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Thurman R. Payne, a man who worked tirelessly at Brookpark Ford for 50 years and served diligently as the President of Local 1250 for two terms, as the Building Chairman of the Cleveland Casting Plant, and as President of the Foundry Council. Thurman R. Payne is an advocate of worker's rights, supporting equality for all of his fellow brothers and sisters. Thurman's advocacy garnered enough national attention that the great civil rights leader Rosa Parks visited the Union Hall. During Thurman's first term as President of Local 1250, challenging economic conditions caused layoffs and a decrease in morale. During these tough times, Thurman rallied his co-workers to take a stance against layoffs and to advocate for quality products in order to assure job security in the future. Thurman R. Payne was an innovator in many ways. As President of Local 1250, Thurman began a program to help further the education of all of his brothers and sisters. He made educational opportunities accessible to these men and women of Local 1250 by placing a trailer on the Union's lot, where any member could go for various educational opportunities. Thurman R. Payne retired on September 1, 2006 after 50 years of advocating for labor rights. Thurman is currently battling cancer. Though this is a different sort of challenge, we know that he will battle this disease with the same amount of energy and optimism as he had during his years at Ford. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Thurman R. Payne, a man that dedicated 50 years of his life to ensure that his fellow brothers and sisters were treated with equality, had opportunities to further their education, and had job security.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of President Emeritus Daniel Rupp, for his 28 years of service as an officer of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 40, where he devoted himself to the concerns and needs of the American worker. For 15 years, Mr. Rupp was the Administrative Vice President of the NALC. His continuous work and never-ending desire to support the labor community earned him the respect of his peers. Mr. Rupp served his position with dignity and honor. It was no surprise when he became the Executive Vice President, and then the President of the Cleveland Postal Employees Credit Union (CPECU). During the time Mr. Rupp was the President of the CPECU, he remained dedicated to addressing the concerns of the union while preserving the rights of the members. In addition to his tireless work with the CPECU he was a National Trustee delegate, and Branch 40 was well served by his leadership. Committed not only to the union, Mr. Rupp devoted himself to his family with the same intensity he had when representing the members of the NALC. He and Barb have been married for 45 years, and together they have raised four sons and a daughter. Now, they have the unending joy of doting upon their nine beautiful grandchildren. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring President Emeritus Daniel Rupp for his enthusiasm and devotion to the American worker. His integrity, commitment to his brothers and sisters, and tireless work with the community have made an indelible mark on northeast Ohio, and we are grateful for his dedication.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, today the House will pass a budget which will fund the war in Iraq far into 2009. The budget includes an extra $195 billion mostly for military operations in Iraq. Anyone who thinks this Congress is trying to end the war had better think again, because this budget signals we will be in Iraq for another 2 years or more, even though Congress has led the American people and the media to believe otherwise. Congress recently engaged in a dubious debate about a nonbinding surge resolution. Even though Congress had and still has the authority to end the war now, we instead give it new life with last week's vote. Now, $195 billion on top of last week's supplemental means close to $300 billion in a week approved to continue the war. This war has sacrificed the lives of our troops and innocent civilians. It has advanced the interests of oil companies and contractors in the manner of a criminal enterprise. It has besmirched our national honor and alienated America from friends around the world. When will Congress stand for truth and for peace and stop funding this war?

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Martin Virsis for his unwavering dedication and service to the veterans' community of Northeast Ohio. Martin began his path to success by earning a bachelor's degree at Kent State University and later by receiving his master's degree at Ohio University. As a licensed nursing home administrator, Martin used his talents and implemented his knowledge to manage several nursing facilities in Ohio. His devotion to help others in need continued as he began to offer transportation for those in the community who encountered challenges with mobility due to their disabilities. As an Army veteran, Martin is no stranger to the sacrifices and the hardships that face those who have courageously served our country, only to come home as unrecognized heroes. Because of Martin's desire to help those who have fought to protect us, it was no surprise when he, Joe Paul and Patricia Cicowicz established Mobil Martin. Since 1996, Mobil Martin has provided Northeast Ohio veterans with quality service and the recognition they deserve. Each year Mobil Martin makes donations to various charities that benefit the veterans' community and local businesses. Every June, Mobil Martin provides transportation to Founder's Day, a celebration of the Founder's Path Organization, which gives opportunities to disabled and less fortunate veterans without homes. He also ensures that the transportation needs for the VA Per Diem at 2100 Lakeside Avenue are met. In addition to the multitude of services Mobil Martin provides, Mobil Martin also employs a large percentage of U.S. veterans. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Martin Virsis for his commitment to helpmg those less fortunate. His integrity and selflessness bring great pride to our community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor of Patricia Cichowicz for her unflagging dedication to serving Northeast Ohio veterans. Born to Emmett and Ann Holleran, Patricia excelled at school and developed a deep consideration for the most vulnerable in our midst. During her undergraduate and graduate studies, Patricia taught elementary school at St. Stanislaus and St. Vincent de Paul. After graduation, her devotion to our community's children continued as she taught special education at St. Thomas More. Eager to spread her generosity to other members of the community, Patricia sought opportunities to serve other vulnerable populations. Her search brought her to cross paths with Martin Virsis and Joe Paul, two men on similar journeys to serve the community. They began Mobil Martin, an ambulette business that transports disabled veterans around the community. Since 1996, when Mobil Martin comprised three vans and a dining room office, they have been a vital resource for Cleveland's veteran community. Despite the sacrifices that veterans make in service to their country, once they leave active duty their efforts can go unrecognized. Patricia and everyone at Mobil Martin recognized the injustice inherent in the treatment of veterans, and set to ensure they have the resources to meet their needs. Since Mobil Martin's inception, Patricia's dedication has been evident in everything she has done, from helping the organization in its infancy, to ensuring all the veterans had shoes or lap blankets. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Patricia Cichowicz for all her contributions to the Cleveland community. May her commitment to veterans serve as an example for us all, that we may repay their service with our own compassion.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, the President's fiscal year 2008 budget requests funding for the Iraq war through 2009. The Democratic budget accepts that timeline. It includes $145.2 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as requested by the President for fiscal year 2008. It requests $50 billion for fiscal year 2009. That is in addition to the $510 billion we have already spent on the war and another $97 billion pending in the supplemental, according to the CRS. The total, if approved, would be over $800 billion for war, while our schools, our health care and the quality of our environment are in decline. The budget should reflect the mandate Democrats were given in November, yet we are mirroring the President's plan for the war and his budget request to fund the war. The supplemental calls for withdrawal by August 2008. Why does the budget encourage the war to continue into 2009? If we were serious about trying to stop the war, the budget should not contradict the supplemental language. This budget does not end the war, it continues it through the end of President Bush's term. The American people want the war to end now, not in 2008, not in 2009, but the people want the war to end now.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. The President's threat of the use of military force against Iran is an impeachable offense. When our Commander in Chief says all options are on the table, it is unmistakable. That means a military strike, even the use of nuclear weapons. Instead of inviting calamity upon himself, our Nation and the world, President Bush should reopen serious diplomatic negotiations with Iran to de-escalate tensions and resolve all issues, including Iran's use of nuclear power. We must reject the idea that war is inevitable and that war is diplomacy by another means and work to remove the barriers of misunderstanding between Iran and the U.S. and Iran and the region. Instead of making statements or passing resolutions which sets the stage for conflict with Iran, Members of Congress should convene to seek a way to avert military conflict with Iran. I will be contacting my colleagues to discuss how we can create a course of action which creates peace through integrating Iran with the world community and addresses all issues which are at the core of the conflict.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 137, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007. It is hard to believe that an act as horrendous and brutal as animal fighting still takes place today. H.R. 137 would make engaging in animal fighting a felony. This legislation will ensure that those who choose to fight animals illegally will be met with the appropriate penalty when they disregard the law. Despite the fact that the vast majority of states have banned this atrocious and deplorable act, animal fighting continues to plague our communities. Animals such as dogs and chickens are fought to the death in the name of sport. This is unhealthy, violent behavior on the part of humans and is inhumane and merciless to the animals. I commend both local and state officials for stepping up raids on animal fighting rings. Now it is time for this body of Congress to do our part by making these offenses a felony under Federal law. I urge my colleagues to join me and vote in favor of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, H.R. 137.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I was not present for votes on Monday, March 19 and Tuesday, March 20, 2007 because I was meeting with British Members of Parliament in an effort to build an international coalition to end the Iraq War. If I was present, I would have voted: ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 157 (H.R. 138, Recognizing the importance of Hot Springs National Park on its 175th anniversary); ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 158 (H.R. 658, Natural Resource Protection Cooperative Agreement Act); ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 159 (H.R. 839, Arthur V. Watkins Dam Enlargement Act); ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 160 (H. Res. 254, Providing for consideration of the bill [H.R. 1227] to assist in the provision of affordable housing to low income families affected by Hurricane Katrina); ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 161 (H. Con. Res. 42, Honoring the heroic service and sacrifice of the 6,500 glider pilots of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II); ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 162 (H.R. 759, Redesignating the Ellis Island Library on Ellis Island, NY as the ``Bob Hope Memorial Library''); ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 163 (On approving the Journal); ``No'' on rollcall No. 164 (Hensarling Amendment to H.R. 1227, to require recipients of rental assistance under the bill to perform 20 hours per week of approved work activities); ``No'' on rollcall No. 165 (Biggert Amendment to H.R. 1227, to require that, instead of replacing all pre-Katrina public housing units, only the number of public housing units occupied pre-Katrina be replaced); and ``Aye'' on rollcall No. 166 (Al Green Amendment to H.R. 1227, to extend FEMA housing assistance for evacuees of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma until December 31, 2007 and provide tenant-based voucher assistance upon termination of FEMA housing assistance for eligible families)

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Four years ago, Congress was told we had no alternative but to go to war; that was wrong. Now Congress is telling the American people we have no alternative but to continue the war, and that by continuing the war for just another year or two we will then be able to end the war. War equals peace. I don't think so. This war has achieved a momentum that has swept up into its tragic hold people of otherwise good will who would vote to continue a war when they really want peace and when the American people want peace. I believe you cannot say you are for peace and vote to keep this war going. You cannot say you are for peace and facilitate the theft of Iraqi oil. You cannot say you are for peace and give the President enough money not just to keep this war going, but to attack Iran if he so chooses. If you want peace, vote for peace now. If you want peace, stop funding this war. If you want peace, stand for the truth. What America must do and what Congress has the power to do is to stop the war now, use the money in the pipeline to bring the troops home, set in motion a diplomatic process that would involve the world community in moving into Iraq as our troops move out. We need to stand for peace. H.R. 1234 is the vehicle to do that

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I rise in opposition to the bill. Four years ago, Congress was told we had no alternative but to go to war. That was wrong. Now Congress is telling the American people, we have no alternative but to continue the war for just another year or two, and then we will be able to end the war. So war equals peace. I don't think so. This war now has a momentum of its own, which has captured even people of good will who say they want peace but are going to vote to keep us at war. The same false logic that trapped Members into voting for the war is trapping Members into voting to continue the war. I believe you cannot say you are for peace and vote to keep this war going. You cannot say you are for peace and facilitate the theft of Iraqi oil. You cannot say you are for peace and give the President money not just to keep this war going but to attack Iran if he so chooses. If you want peace, vote for peace now. If you want peace, stop funding the war. If you want peace, stand for the truth. Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. KUCINICH. I want the gentleman to know that my office did make an attempt to get me time, that we were told that he didn't think there was any time, and that I came down here this morning seeking the opportunity.

Mr. KUCINICH. Actually, I was there until very late. I want to thank my friend from California for yielding 1 minute and thank the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Let's speak of the consequences of a ``yes'' vote on the Iraq supplemental. A ``yes'' vote would keep the war going through the end of President Bush's term. It would provide money to fuel an attack on Iran. It would force the privatization of Iraqi oil. It would escalate the insurgency. A ``yes'' vote would increase the number of troop casualties in the middle of a civil war. It would increase the number of civilian casualties. It would create a demand for more troops. It would force a cutback in the agenda of many in Congress because money that could be used for schools, health care, seniors and the environment would continue to be spent for war. It would force the destabilization of the Middle East and would erode the public's confidence in Congress. It is time to end the war; to bring the troops home; to use the money that is in the pipeline to bring the troops home; to set in place a parallel process to stabilize Iraq. That is what House Resolution 1234 is about. I urge its consideration and support of Members of Congress.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. D.C. residents shoulder the burden of a colossal injustice. They live within a system of governance that extracts the full range of taxes paid by all other U.S. citizens without the benefit of voting representation in the United States Congress. The history of D.C. is the history of democracy denied. Its citizens have given the full measure of their allegiance to the United States. They fought in wars for the United States. They have paid taxes. They have provided labor, resources, and space to the United States Government. Yet for 200 years District residents have been bystanders in the governance of their Nation and city. ``Taxation without representation'' is not just a good slogan. It is a plight that sparked revolution. We attempt to create democracies around the globe, but to deny democracy in the shadow of the U.S. capital, it is now time to end that. Voting rights, civil rights, human rights are all one. Support this resolution.