Lynn Woolsey

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, together with my colleague, Mr. Thompson from California, I rise today to recognize the outstanding career of Robin Schaef of Petaluma, California. Ms. Schaef is retiring after 21 years of service with the County of Sonoma. Robin began her career of service in Sonoma County as the Executive Director of Petaluma People Services Center where she increased the budget from $255,000 to $600,000 in less than five years. She then accepted the position of Director of the Sonoma County Multipurpose Senior Services Program. This newly formed county case management program served a caseload of 200 clients. Ms. Schaef's strong leadership and management skills were a determining factor in her promotion to Director of the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging in 1987. When the County reorganized eight years later, her vision and skills made her the natural choice to become the Department Head of the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging. In this capacity she oversaw five programs with a staff of 60: the Area Agency on Aging and its 21 member Advisory Council, In-Home Support Services, Adult Protective Services, the Multipurpose Senior Services Program and the Veterans Services Office. In addition to her work for the County of Sonoma, Ms. Schaef has served in leadership positions in professional organizations at the local, state and national level. These include the California Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and C4A. Madam Speaker, Robin has dedicated herself to developing and delivering essential social services to the elders of our county and persons with disabilities. She has set an example of visionary leadership that has been invaluable to Sonoma County. Mr. Thompson and I wish to thank her for all she has meant to so many, and wish her much happiness and fulfillment as she retires.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, last week British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that more than 1,600 British soldiers would be sent home from Iraq. By recalling troops from Iraq, the British government has sent a very clear message that increasing the number of troops is not the right strategy. In fact, the British government has come to the same conclusion that many Americans have reached almost 4 years ago. We should be ending the military occupation of Iraq, not expanding it. We should be supporting the men and women who have served bravely in Iraq by sending them home, not sending them back for their fourth or their fifth tour of duty after only a very few months of spending time with their families. The British government's decision to scale back its military commitment in Iraq should have been another important wake up call to President Bush. However, the President has continued his course to go it alone, regardless of the staggering costs to our Nation. President Bush has drained America's reservoir of goodwill by ignoring the facts on the ground, the advice of his generals, and the will of the American public. By stubbornly pursuing the same misguided policies over and over again, he has left it to Congress to stop him. Two weeks ago, the House took an important first step by overwhelmingly passing a bipartisan resolution condemning the President's decision to send more than 20,000 additional American soldiers to the front lines. I commend the Democratic leadership, and I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for having the courage to stand up to the President and to oppose his escalation. This vote, however, is only the first step. Now that the House has stood up to disagree with the President, we must use this consensus to take on the urgent job of bringing our troops safely home. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a co founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus, I have introduced a comprehensive and detailed plan to end the occupation while ensuring that we achieve security and stability in Iraq. My bill, H.R. 508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act, now has 47 cosponsors. H.R. 508 will provide for a fully funded withdrawal of U.S. troops and contractors from Iraq within a 6-month period. During the time of that 6-month passage, our troops will return home to receive the full health care benefits they deserve because we owe them, we owe them no less for their sacrifices. And while they are coming home, we will be putting those laws into place, ensuring they get their benefits. Also during that 6-month withdrawal period, our government will accelerate the training and equipping of Iraqi security forces, and if requested by the Iraqi government, we will work with the international community to provide a stabilization force to enhance Iraq's security. Additionally, my bill would prohibit the establishment of permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, and we would return control of Iraq's oil resources to the Iraqi people. The only way to restore stability to Iraq is to return the country to the Iraqis, and we must work with our allies to achieve this. But when the Bush administration, in spite of all the advice to the contrary, decides to escalate the occupation, and the British government takes the sensible path of withdrawal, they both can't be right. Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to wait for the President to realize his mistake. Too many brave men and brave women have died and suffered to continue this occupation. We must stand up, we must demand, we must bring our troops home. That is how we can protect our troops.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an organization that has been at the forefront of the fight for civil and political liberty. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, our Nation's oldest civil rights organization, has been on the right side of history for 98 years. Doing the right thing wasn't an easy task, especially given the entrenched discrimination black Americans faced. When African Americans were victims of lynching; when hostile government policies forced black Americans into substandard, segregated schools; when black voters were disenfranchised by poll taxes and other unfair barriers, the NAACP stepped up to help end discrimination and do what was right. I feel privileged to represent a district with a strong branch of the NAACP. The Sonoma County NAACP was co-founded by my friends Gilbert and Alice Gray and other local activists. Alice was a dedicated volunteer and fearless leader. Almost 1 year ago, I rose to honor Alice after her passing. Some of her accomplishments bear mentioning again, for the scope and depth of her activism. In 1954, she led protests against segregated local business; she helped establish the National Association of Negro Busness and Professional Women's Club in Sonoma; and she helped at-risk kids in the community achieve their fullest potential by mentoring them. She also launched the Gray Foundation with her husband to help students pursue their educational goals and serve their community--``to listen and learn from the traditions of self-help and self-reliance that once gave our people strength.'' She was an amazing woman who honored us with her presence and the NAACP with her service. To appreciate more fully the immense importance of the NAACP over the last century, a quick look at some of their political victories on a national scale is in order. The NAACP was instrumental in the signing of President Harry Truman's Executive order banning discrimination in 1948. The NAACP helped pass the Equal Employment Opportunity Act; the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964; the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and last year's reauthorization. The NAACP led sit-ins to protest segregated lunch counters, which led to many stores officially desegregating their counters. They also educated the public about the legacies of slavery and the importance of coming to terms with the past--for example, by protesting the racist film Birth of a Nation, or by taking out ads in major U.S. newspapers to give readers the facts about lynching. Thanks to the NAACP's courage, we all live in a fairer and more just Nation today. We owe this group a trmendous debt. I am honored to be an original cosponsor of this bill to honor the NAACP and I thank Congressman Al Green for introducing it. It is important for every American to realize the great impact this institution has had on our Nation.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I am a member of the Progressive Caucus and the Out of Iraq Caucus, and I have been working to bring our troops home since before we sent them there. Mr. Speaker, the decision to send more brave Americans into the Iraq grinder is an act of staggering arrogance for the President. Nearly two-thirds of our people think this is a deeply flawed, tragically misguided policy. They get it, Mr. Speaker. They can see that more troops won't stop the sectarian violence, because it is our very military presence that ignited this sectarian violence in the first place. The human cost in Iraq has been devastating. By some estimates, several hundred thousand Iraq citizens have died, died for the cause of their own so-called liberation. No wonder a majority of Iraqis want the occupation to end. As the late columnist Molly Ivins put it, ``Iraq is clearly hubris carried to the point of insanity. It is damn hard to convince people you're killing them for their own good.'' I hope that an overwhelming vote in favor of this resolution will compel the President to rethink his Iraq policy. But, if not, this body will have no choice but to take further steps. Ultimately we must do more than send a message. We must send a convoy of military planes to bring our troops home. Together with my colleagues, Congresswomen Lee and Waters, I have offered a plan to end the war once and for all. Our bill is H.R. 508, the Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act. H.R. 508 would complete a fully funded military withdrawal from Iraq within 6 months of enactment, because our military and their families have given enough for this policy that is only increasing the terrorist threat and doing damage to our national security. The bill would accelerate the training of Iraqi Security Forces during that 6-month period. And because Iraq is not yet ready to defend its people against thugs, insurgents and militias, our bill calls for an international stabilization force to help keep the peace in Iraq. But it would stay only for 2 more years and would deploy only at the request of the Iraqi Government. Because we have already poured enough of the people's money down this sinkhole, H.R. 508 would prohibit any further funding to deploy U.S. troops, but would provide the resources for a safe withdrawal of all of our U.S. military personnel and contractors. The proposal would also provide for humanitarian aid and major investments to rebuild Iraq's physical and economic infrastructure, because taking our troops out of Iraq doesn't mean abandoning Iraq. We can and we must go from military occupier to reconstruction partner. Our proposal expressly prohibits the construction of U.S. military bases in Iraq because it is that kind of permanent occupation that fuels the rage and anti-American jihadists in the Middle East. Iraq should belong to the Iraqis, and that includes Iraq's resources. So under the terms of our bill, the United States would forfeit any proprietary claim to Iraqi oil. Finally, H.R. 508 guarantees full health care funding, including mental health benefits, for U.S. veterans in military operations in Iraq and other conflicts. It is the least, the very least, we can do to express our gratitude and repay their sacrifices. Mr. Speaker, we must never, ever forget what war does to bodies, to minds, to families, to communities and to the human soul. The victims of war are not pieces to be moved around on a chess board. They are our fellow citizens in a global village that gets smaller every day. They are our brothers. They are our sisters. They are God's children and have as much right to human dignity as you or I. The one thing I desperately hope we have learned from the Iraq nightmare is that we must find more sensible, humane ways to keep America safe and resolve global conflict because, if we do not, given the kinds of weapons that are available today, I fear that we are putting the entire planet on a path toward destruction. I fear most of all for our children. ``War,'' said Martin Luther King, Jr., ``is a poor chisel to carve out tomorrow.'' Mr. Speaker, tomorrow belongs to our children. So, for their sake, we must find alternatives to war. We must protect America by relying not on our basest impulses, but on the most honorable and humane of American values, our love of freedom, our desire for peace, our capacity for global leadership, and our compassion for the people of the world.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow this House will begin a debate on Iraq. This is the first of a series of debates that we must have on the House floor. It is a resolution. It reflects President Bush's plan to escalate the occupation of Iraq, and it will be a clean up or down vote. I commend the Democratic leadership for providing a time for every single Member of this body to come to the floor and have their say. If you support escalation, you vote ``yes.'' If not, you vote ``no.'' I will support the legislation as a very important first step in this debate. But after that, Congress must go on record in opposition of the war in general. First we have to go on record in opposition of escalation, and then we must change our course and lay out a plan to bring our troops home. There have been many, many ideas, both inside and outside of Congress, to plan for an end to this occupation of Iraq. Few are as comprehensive as H.R. 508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Act. I introduced this bill last month and have 34, 35 cosponsors today, with more interest expressed every single day. H.R. 508 will end the occupation of Iraq within 6 months of passage. It will accelerate the training and equipping of Iraqi military and security forces while preparing to bring our troops and contractors out of Iraq safely. It will commit to working with the international community to assist the Iraqis in rebuilding and in reconciliation if they agree and want us to be there. H.R. 508 will fully fund the health care commitment to our returning veterans. Additionally, the bill revokes the President's Iraq war powers, prevents the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq, and returns the oil rights to the Iraqi people. We owe it to our brave men and brave women in uniform and to the Iraqi people to bring our troops home now. Let us be honest, the Iraqis don't want us there. They view us as an occupying force. They want to be strengthening their security forces, and they want to establish a reliable and dependable infrastructure and provide for their most basic needs like sanitation, health care, and education. We can assist them; but in the end, Iraq must belong to the Iraqi people. Having learned from our past, we will never turn our backs on the returning troops, those who have been put in an unimaginable position. They have seen death; they have seen destruction up close, in a way many of us will never understand. They are returning with scars, both visible and invisible. The least we can do is fulfill our commitment to them by fully funding the medical services they have been promised. This is not a gift we are giving them. This is a right, this is an entitlement. So I rise tonight, and I will rise again during the three days of debate to signal my support for the upcoming resolution as a very important first step: my support for the troops and their promised benefits, my support for the American people, who want our troops home.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, you will recall that the hallmark of the President's so-called surge, the escalation of troops into Iraq, was that Iraqi forces would actually be on the front lines, while American troops would be providing support. In fact, a White House fact sheet from the day the President announced escalation, says that the primary element of the strategy is to let the Iraqis lead. Well, the escalation has begun, and not only are they not leading, we are lucky if they even show up. That is right. Reportedly, as many as 50 percent of the Iraqi troops expected and needed for the Baghdad operation aren't reporting to duty. This doesn't bode well, Madam Speaker. American troops will now bear the brunt of what promises to be deadly, violent, urban warfare. We are now finding out that the escalation will be twice as large as the President has said, requiring 48,000 additional troops, as opposed to 21,000, as originally announced by the President. Now, if Iraqis aren't prepared for the fight, it is easy to imagine still more U.S. soldiers being sent into the grinder. The surge has barely begun, and already, it is failing. It is clear, furthermore, that the Maliki government is powerless to live up to its promises. Maliki himself owes much of his political authority to one of Iraq's most powerful militia leaders. So how, exactly, is he going to keep Iraqi communities safe from the militias? On their way out the door, General Abizaid and General Casey warned that increasing force levels just absolves Iraqis of the responsibility for their own security, and they were absolutely right. In the State of the Union address, the President said, and I quote him, `` . . . it's time for [the Iraqi] government to act. They have promised to deploy more of their own troops to secure Baghdad . . . They pledged that they will confront violent radicals of any faction . . . and they need to follow through.'' If they don't, where is the ``or else'' in the President's words, and where are the consequences if they don't meet these benchmarks and honor these commitments? Madam Speaker, it is time for fewer carrots and more sticks. Edward Luttwak of the Center for Strategic and International Studies put it succinctly. He said, ``it's time for the Iraqis to make their own history.'' Or, in the words of Luttwak's New York Times op-ed piece yesterday, he said, ``To Help Iraq, Let It Fend for Itself. `` There is only one solution, a quick military withdrawal from Iraq. I have a bill that was sponsored by 33 other Members of Congress that will do precisely that. H.R. 508, the Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act will do exactly what we need. It will take our troops out of harm's way and force Iraqis to secure their own country. We won't leave them high and dry. The bill calls for an international stabilization force, but one that would come only at the request of the Iraqi government for no more than 2 years, and with other nations taking on the burden as well. H.R. 508 will have our troops home in 6 months, leaving behind no permanent military bases and turning over control of the Iraqi oil to the Iraqi people. We will not abandon Iraq. We will continue to be a partner in the reconciliation and reconstruction, but it is time for us to end the military occupation that has failed so tragically. There are no good answers here, but one thing is for sure: There is nothing more our soldiers can do to bring peace to the streets of Baghdad or any other part of Iraq. If anything, our continued presence is aggravating an already combustible situation, which, in fact, we created. We created this situation with our invasion in the first place. Madam Speaker, it is time for Iraqis to defend Iraq, and it is time for American troops to come home.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Israel ``Izzie'' Barlas who passed away on January 23, 2007. Izzie led a long and full life, married for 59 years to Helene, raising his son Lance, and cherishing his two grandsons. The youngest of six children born to Russian immigrants Max and Esther Barlas, Izzie was raised in Petaluma, California and attended Santa Rosa Junior College. He was a world traveler, but always came home to Petaluma the ``best place to live, work and raise a family''. Izzie and his two brothers co-owned Barlas Feeds, founded by their father. The feed and livestock store began by supplying to local farmers, but the business grew to include shipments as far away as the South Pacific. Those business interests developed from Izzie's tour of duty as a U.S. Marine stationed in the South Pacific during World War II. The years spent with the Marine Corp held a sense of pride for Izzie. He took part in four major battles: Guam, Bougainville, Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima. He was present at the flag raising on Iwo Jima, a defining moment of the Pacific battles, captured on film and made into a Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, DC. Izzie became active in politics in the 1950s when the state legislature considered a bill requiring all chickens be sold with the head and feet off and eviscerated. The Jewish farmers in Petaluma, many of whom were customers of Barlas Feeds, were selling their chickens ``New York dressed'' (with the head and feet on and not eviscerated). To oppose the bill, Izzie drove carloads of farmers to meet with committee members. Each member was given a roaster and asked to cook and eat it before deciding it was not healthy. An amendment passed to allow ``New York Dressed'' chickens. Thus began his career as a poultry industry lobbyist. Not satisfied with only meeting with elected officials, Izzie decided to make change from within. He ran and was successfully elected to the local Democratic Central Committee, founded the Petaluma Democratic Club, and became a delegate to the California Democratic Council. In 2004, the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee honored him as the Democrat of the Year. He also became active with the Congress of Democratic Farmers, which led to his relationship with President John Kennedy and an appointment to the National Agricultural Advisory Committee. He fondly recalled visits to the White House pressroom denying reporters his identity, leaving them wondering who he was and his importance. Madam Speaker, it is with sadness that I honor Israel ``Izzie'' Barlas, who fought and worked for his country. He touched many lives in his 84 years as a role model and inspiration as a mover and shaker.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, the devastating blast in the Baghdad market over the weekend was the worst suicide bombing since the American occupation began nearly 4 years ago, 121 killed and 226 wounded. The Iraqi Interior Ministry says approximately 1,000 people have been killed over the last week alone. This so-called ``surge'' that the President is force feeding us is getting off to quite a start, isn't it? Indeed, The New York Times reported on Sunday that Iraqis are saying that the security situation has gotten worse, not better, with the escalation of American troops. The National Intelligence Estimate released last week offers little hope that sectarian violence will abate or that Iraq can repair its political rifts between Sunni and Shi'a. Under these circumstances, with American soldiers thrown into this unwinnable occupation with no hope of turning the situation around, there is only one solution, bring our troops home. I have introduced a bill, H.R. 508, with Congresswoman Lee and Congresswoman Waters and 30 others, which will do just that. H.R. 508 will end the occupation within 6 months of enactment. H.R. 508 will prohibit the construction of permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq. It will restore the sovereignty of the Iraqi people, even as we continue to provide nonmilitary assistance and to support a short-term international stabilization force will be available, if requested by the Iraqi government. What a difference from the White House approach. Staring at the colossal, tragic failure of his Iraq policy, what did the President do today? He submitted a budget that asked Congress to sign off on $145 billion to continue waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, he wants us to make his tax cuts permanent, and he says the budget will be balanced by 2012. So where is the money going to come from? Why, of course, it is going to come from the most vulnerable members of society, that is where. Actually, over time, the very troops and their families, who are sacrificing life and limb in Iraq today, will be paying for this debt. The President's budget seeks deep Medicare and Medicaid cuts at just the moment when we need to be expanding access to affordable health care. Actually, it is simple, Madam Speaker. The money is there for the folly of occupying Iraq. The money is there for wealthy people to get tax breaks; but when old and when poor people need nursing home care, or kids need immunizations, suddenly it is time to tighten the belt. It is a disgrace, Madam Speaker, this ongoing occupation of Iraq. It is not only morally indefensible; it is fiscally irresponsible. So many of our own communities need investment. So many of our own poor and middle-class families are taking on more and more risk, struggling to get by, getting squeezed economically. But we are spending our grandchildren's money on a fantasy that is getting young soldiers killed, igniting a civil war, inciting jihadists, inspiring hatred of the United States around the world, harming national security and making Americans less safe. There is a solution: One, end the occupation; two, return Iraq to the Iraqis; three, spend our foreign affairs budget on humanitarian endeavors, not on war and conquest. Spend it on economic development, on democracy promotion, on building schools and hospitals. In addition, bring our troops home. Bring our soldiers home. Bring our tax dollars home where they can be put to work meeting the needs of Americans, strengthening American communities.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, let me say you look wonderful up there in that chair. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to talk about the forgotten victims of this war: the children and the legacy we leave them. Today, I placed a pair of baby-sized shoes on my front office door. They were presented to me by the pro-peace organization Code Pink. These tiny shoes symbolize the passing of one of the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have been killed over the past 4 years. Her name is Aisha al Tarish, and she was 2 years old. But these shoes also symbolize the children here in the United States who will grow up without a parent because he or she died while fighting so bravely in our Armed Forces. What too many are ignoring in this debate is the toll that this occupation of Iraq is taking on children here at home, in Iraq, and around the world. In fact, my 7-year-old grandson recently asked his dad, he said, Daddy, what do the children in Iraq do when bombs are going off? How do you answer that? My son said, I think you ought to talk that over with your grandma, Teddy. Why are we ignoring the legacy of fear of death and of insecurity? So many children are growing up in a world that has been at war since they were born. They can't feel secure. In fact, just going to school for an Iraqi child every day is a risk. And that is the risk that Teddy pointed out to us. I know, as a grandmother, this is not the world I envisioned for my grandchildren and for their children to come. It seems like President Bush is pushing forth in Iraq absolutely despite opposition from every corner because he wants to protect his standing in the world. What legacy are we leaving for the world's children? Our presence in the region is leaving a legacy of occupation and hate. An administration that refuses to negotiate and refuses diplomacy gives rise to a legacy of war and the very terrorism we want to defeat, and one of the saddest legacies of all, a generation of veterans and their families without medical care, without mental health care, without jobs and businesses to return to, without homes. This is not the legacy this country was built upon. It is not the legacy I intend to leave for our children. The only answer to this is stop this misguided occupation. If we really want to offer a future of hope to the children of America and the children of Iraq, we must bring our troops home now. We must help the Iraqis. We must help them establish a working infrastructure, and we must help them establish a security force. We must fully fund our commitment to our veterans. This month I introduced H.R. 508, the Bring the Troops Home from Iraq and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act. This is a real and comprehensive plan to accomplish these goals, to provide a safe and secure future for the youngest victims of this war. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this bill, to send the message that we will stand up for the troops, we will stand up for those victims and those voices who have been ignored for too long: the children.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, this weekend there was an extraordinary event right outside these windows. I come to the floor this evening to celebrate the hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the Mall this Saturday because they have had enough of this immoral occupation in Iraq. Groups like Code Pink, United for Peace and Justice, Win Without War, and Peace Action did an exceptional job of organizing the march and rallying their members. We were fortunate to have many celebrity activists in attendance, as well as several Members of the Congress. But what made the event successful was the energy and the passion in the crowd. It was a testament to the power of the grassroots. Hundreds of thousands, from the stage as far as the eye could see, packed on the mall, standing together to send a powerful message that Americans want to bring our troops home from Iraq. Hundreds of thousands standing together to say that 4 years of bloodshed is enough, that over 3,050 lost American lives is over 3,050 too many for a war we never should have started in the first place. Hundreds of thousands standing together to register the disgust with the President's Iraq policy, the staggering civilian casualties, the billions upon billions of dollars wasted, human rights abused, our global credibility shattered, terrorists emboldened rather than defeated. Every objective measure we could possibly use leads to the conclusion that what we are doing in Iraq has been a tragic failure. And everyone can see that, Mr. Speaker, except the President, the President of the United States, who is asking us to sacrifice more of our tax dollars and more lives and limbs so he can win in Iraq. You know what they say: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Fortunately, we have an antidote to this insanity. It is not another Iraq study group. It is not another bipartisan committee to debate and deliberate while more people die. It is not a nonbinding resolution. It is comprehensive legislation that would have all of our troops home safely, out of Iraq, and contractors out of Iraq within 6 months. It is H.R. 508, the Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act, which I introduced with my colleagues, Congresswomen Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters, earlier this month. But the real authors of this bill, Mr. Speaker, were the hundreds of thousands of people marching on the Mall this Saturday and the millions more Americans who they represent. By offering H.R. 508, we are giving voice to their will. Many of the marchers came back to Congress today to share their views in person. They want their elected representatives to know how strongly they oppose the continuing occupation and how strongly they support H.R. 508, which would fully fund a safe military withdrawal. The President has challenged us to issue a plan. We have, and people gathered on the Mall this weekend showed their support. Enough is enough. In the name of national security, fiscal sanity and common decency, I ask my colleagues, sign on to H.R. 508 and bring our troops home.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, November 7, the American public sent a powerful, unmistakable message to their elected leaders in Washington. They want change. They are fed up with the corruption and sick of the infighting. But most importantly, voters, with a strong and decisive voice, demanded a change in our government's Iraq policy. Last Wednesday, when the President addressed the Nation, and again last night when he came to this Chamber and called for an increase in troops, without mentioning an exit plan or a plan to care for our returning veterans, he proved yet again that he isn't going to listen to the voters. He doesn't care about what the polls say about the ordinary person and not liking what he is doing in Iraq. He won't listen to his commanders. And, in fact, those who disagree with him are either fired or transferred. And his own Republican Party that is coming out against this occupation in Iraq are being ignored. In giving Democrats a majority, Mr. Speaker, Americans did not give my party a mandate simply to work with the President, or to wait for cues from any blue ribbon committee. No, the people told us to correct the President, challenge the President, and to confront the President on the moral challenge of our times. The message is clear. The American public has directed the Congress to be bold, to change course in Iraq and having our main goal be that of bringing our troops home. Yet there remains a debate within this Congress on what it means to oppose the war. There are some who claim to oppose it, even while arguing that we cannot bring our troops home right away, that to do so would be catastrophic. But how could it get more catastrophic than fueling a devastating, homegrown insurgency in Iraq? The catastrophe is continuing to foment a civil war, a war that is tearing a proud nation apart at the seams. This current policy is the catastrophe. Staying the course at this point will only plunge Iraq further into the abyss, costing thousands more American and Iraqi lives. There are others who claim that while they oppose the war, they support the troops, and, they say, supporting a withdrawal would dishonor them. But is it honoring these brave men and women, some of the best America has to offer, to leave them in a dangerous, unwinnable situation? No. Honoring them means bringing them home to their families and strengthening a Veterans Administration health care system that has been all but laid to waste by the Bush administration in recent years. Every day that we remain in Iraq is a day that we shortchange our priorities right here at home. This occupation has already cost over $300 billion, approximately $11 million every hour of every day, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The total cost is now projected to surpass the cost of the entire Vietnam war. This is an astronomical, irresponsible sum, a sum that would be better used here at home to improve our schools, provide quality health care, put Americans back to work and help Iraq rebuild its economy and its infrastructure. In January of 2005, I came down here to the floor of the United States House of Representatives and, as the first Member of Congress, demanded that the President put together a plan to bring our troops home. Since then I have followed up with public forums, resolutions, forced votes and these nightly speeches, which tonight makes 181, all designed to build support for a movement to end the occupation. Many times along the way, and going as far back as 2002, when we first debated the Iraq invasion, the right wing and their media mouthpieces greeted me and other antiwar leaders with the usual smears and jeers. But who will history judge as calling this one correctly? Everyone but the blindest Bush-Cheney loyalist recognizes that Iraq has been an unmitigated disaster, a strategic blunder and moral failing of historic proportions. Today, because of the pressure applied by the anti-war camp, I stand with the majority of the American public and with a growing number of elected leaders from both parties in opposing this occupation. We were right in 2002, and we are still right--withdrawing our troops is the only humane, sensible option we have left. Congress has the power to end this occupation. We must stand up to our responsibility and bring every pressure to bear on this administration. We must use every lever and pursue any avenue to hold them accountable for their immeasurable failures in Iraq. This is not just another priority for the new Congress. According to the voters who have elected us, this is the 110th Congress' most solemn duty. That is why last week, along with 25 of my colleagues, I introduced the ``Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act.'' This is the only comprehensive bill that will provide for a safe return of our troops, strengthen Iraqi institutions and provide for our veterans. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 508 today and to send a clear message to our President that--in absence of a real plan from him-- Congress is ready to bring our troops home.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, you have been doing a wonderful job up there today. Madam Speaker, I rise today for the 180th time in the last few years to challenge the Congress and the President to end the destructive, violent, senseless military occupation of Iraq. A generation ago, Madam Speaker, Democratic and Republican Presidents alike entangled the Nation in a foolish and unnecessary war. Even after a decade, and thousands upon thousands of American casualties in the jungles of Vietnam, our leaders could not bring themselves to publicly admit what most Americans knew; that the United States was asking its youngest and bravest to risk life and limb on an unwinnable mission. Today, our President is repeating this American tragedy. President Bush said that his goal is to win in Iraq. But he has offered no clear idea of what he means by this or how it is achieved. He just knows he doesn't want to lose. The bipartisan Iraq Study Group concluded that the United States cannot win in Iraq; that the only question is how best to exit. Iraq is mired in a civil war, and even though we helped ignite it, we have very little influence on its outcome. You can't expect American soldiers as brave, as intelligent, and honorable as they are to solve a religious and sectarian conflict that stretches back centuries. Whether we stay or leave, the Iraqis will be the ones to decide their own fate. Yet President Bush is sending 20,000 more American lives into mortal danger, and spending $100 million a day just to avoid the humiliation of admitting that his policy has been fundamentally flawed from the very beginning. I think most Americans would prefer the wounding of Presidential pride to the wounding of thousands more of their countrymen and women. That is why I joined my distinguished colleagues, Ms. Waters and Ms. Lee, yesterday in introducing the first comprehensive legislation that will quickly, within a 6-month time frame, end the occupation and bring our troops home. In addition to military withdrawal, the Bring Our Troops Home and Solvency of Iraq Restoration Act would accelerate training of a permanent Iraqi security force during the 6-month transition. It would authorize, only upon the Iraqi government's request, a 2-year U.S. support for an international stabilization force, which would be combined with economic and humanitarian assistance. Our bill would also prohibit the construction of permanent U.S. military bases in the country; ensure Iraqi control over its own oil supplies; and guarantee full health care funding, including mental health, for U.S. veterans of military operations in Iraq and other conflicts. It is not enough to stand up and speak out against the President's new escalation plan. I am concerned not just about the 21,000 soldiers that are already being deployed as an add-on to this occupation, I am losing sleep over the 130,000 who are already there. I want to see them returned, and I want to see them returned safely to their families. It is not just the President's escalation of this policy that is unconscionable, it is the policy itself. That is why our new bill is the answer. That is why it is time to end the occupation now. I fear that in 3 months he will ask for yet another chance to make his plan work and ask more American families to sacrifice. He will tell us once again that he must win. But, really, it will be about saving face, running out the clock until January 2009 when he can make this some other President's problem. Our more than capable young men and women in Iraq have shown great courage, and it is time that our leaders in Washington showed some courage of their own and stopped trying to defend the indefensible. It took a long time to muster that courage in Vietnam. It is time we have that courage here.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the College Student Relief Act, which over the next five years will cut the student loan interest rate in half for undergraduate students with subsidized loans. And, I take exception to this Republican rhetoric about what the Democrats could have done under Republican domination. Madam Speaker, Since 2001, tuition and fees have increased by 41 percent, after inflation, at four-year public colleges and by 17 percent (after inflation) at four-year private colleges. Now, we have a chance to act; otherwise financial barriers will prevent more than 4 million students from attending a four-year college and more than 2 million from attending any college in the coming decade. That would be a crisis for millions of hard-working families--but it also would be a crisis for our country's ability to compete in the 21st century economy. In his article, ``It's a Flat World, After All,'' Thomas Friedman argues that America's historical economic advantages have disappeared because ``the world is flat, and anyone with smarts; access to Google; and, a cheap wireless laptop can join the innovation fray.'' No matter where they live in the world. This means we must invest more in our most valuable resource--our people--and this bill would do just that. For example, this bill will save the average student borrower who starts at a four-year college in California next year nearly $2,500 over the life of a loan--and will save the same student who starts in 2011 nearly $5,000 over the life of a loan. Those savings are necessary to make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans and in the life of our country as to success over failure. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I joined with my good friends, distinguished colleagues and fellow Californians, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, in introducing landmark legislation that would bring our troops home from Iraq within a 6-month time frame. The Bring Our Troops Home and Sovereignty of Iraq Restoration Act is the first comprehensive legislative proposal to end the military occupation and provide a framework to help bring stability back to Iraq. One week ago, when he addressed the Nation, President Bush demonstrated to the world that he continues to remain blind to the realities on the ground in Iraq. Instead of putting forth a plan that will withdraw our troops, the President is increasing our military presence, escalating the number of troops by over 20,000. What President Bush fails to grasp is that our military presence is only fueling the insurgency, plunging Iraq further into chaos and civil war. Mr. Speaker, the November elections showed just exactly how fed up Americans are with the President's failed Iraq policy. It is time now to honor that mandate. It is now up to the Congress to catch up with the will of the people. During his weekly radio address on Saturday, President Bush challenged those of us who disagree with him to offer a plan of our own. Today, we have taken up his challenge. The Congress has already appropriated funding that will support our troops and keep this occupation going for at least another 6 months, possibly longer. That funding, instead, should be used to finance an aggressive withdrawal plan that brings our troops home to their families; and our bill would do exactly that. Our plan will also withdraw all U.S. troops and military contractors from Iraq within 6 months from date of enactment. It will prohibit any further funding to deploy or continue to deploy U.S. troops in Iraq. The bill does, however, allow for funding to be used as needed to ensure safe withdrawal of all U.S. military personnel and contractors. Funding may also be used for the increased training and equipping of Iraqi and international security forces. Thirdly, it accelerates during the 6-month transition training of a permanent Iraqi security force. And fourth, it authorizes, if requested by the Iraqi government, U.S. support for an international stabilization force. Such a force could be funded for no longer than 2 years and be combined with economic and humanitarian assistance. It guarantees full health care funding, including mental health for U.S. veterans and military operations in Iraq and other conflicts. In addition, Mr. Speaker, the bill would rescind the 2002 congressional authorization for the war in Iraq, prohibit the construction of permanent U.S. military bases in the country, and finally, ensure that the U.S. has no long-term control over Iraqi oil. We believe that the oil in Iraq belongs to the Iraqi people, and we believe that when this oil goes into the world marketplace, the international marketplace, the U.S. will certainly have access to our share. Mr. Speaker, excluding the veterans' benefits, our plan will cost the American people pennies on the dollar compared to continuing the occupation of 2 more years in Iraq. It will save lives, bodies and minds, and it will give Iraq back to the Iraqis. The Bring Our Troops Home and Sovereignty of Iraq Act is an important step in regaining our country's credibility in the region and throughout the world, and it provides the President and Congress with a comprehensive strategy for responding to the majority of Americans who want our troops to come home.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, the fabric of our lives and the lives of all Americans has been shaped indelibly by the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King had just 39 years to teach our country the way to achieve racial and economic justice through peace and nonviolence. Although his life was short, his legacy--the rich vision of social justice he inspired--is alive and well 40 years after his death. It is with great pride that I take part in this celebration today, to pay homage to his memory. Dr. King was a leader who focused his efforts on improving the lives of the disadvantaged in our society. He knew that we must be forever attentive to the least privileged, for they are the measure--the only measure that matters--of the depth of our compassion and the strength of our laws. We still have much to learn from Dr. King, as the dreams he envisioned for our grandchildren still resonate in today's America: equal opportunity, freedom from oppression, justice for all. The eloquent cadences of his ``I Have A Dream'' speech left a lasting impression on America, and we cannot afford to forget his words. For Dr. King's dream, his concrete vision for the future, has yet to be realized. I look forward to working with my colleagues in this Congress to further the realization of his goals and his strong vision.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, along with Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, I will be introducing the Bring the Troops Home and Iraqi Sovereignty Restoration Act. This bill fulfills the voters' November 7 mandate to the Congress. It ends the occupation of Iraq and, at the same time, it strengthens the Iraqi government, and it also meets the needs of our returning troops. It will, one, bring our troops home; two, it will expedite the training of Iraqi security forces; and three, if invited by the Iraqis, work with the international community to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure, while four, fully funding the commitment we have made to our returning soldiers for full health care benefits, physical and mental. The situation in Iraq, Mr. Speaker, gets worse every day, and it is clear that we cannot provide security to Iraqis in the middle of a civil war. We need to bring our brave and capable men and women home to safety and to their families, and we need to help the Iraqi people regain their sovereignty. President Bush does not have a plan to bring our troops home. In fact, if anything, he is escalating this occupation with absolutely no end in sight. Our standing in the region and our standing around the world is at an all time low, and this administration has all but given up on diplomacy. We can no longer wait for the Commander-in-Chief to come up with a plan. We are in the fourth year of this occupation. We have waited long enough. That is why I will introduce the Bring the Troops Home and Iraqi Sovereignty Restoration Act tomorrow. Whether my colleagues voted to support the invasion of Iraq or not, they can now unite behind a comprehensive plan, a plan to bring peace and stability to the region. One of the most important elements of this bill is to live up to the promises made to those who have put their lives on the line for this President's fiasco in Iraq. Our most solemn obligation is to the men and women who have been placed in harm's way. To fulfill our obligation, we must bring them home to their families, while, at the same time, guaranteeing physical and mental health care for all U.S. veterans of military operations in Iraq and other conflicts around the world. It is the least we can do. It is the least we can do to show the gratitude of a grateful Nation. I urge my colleagues to stand up for our troops, stand up for Iraqi sovereignty. Cosponsor the Bring the Troops Home and Iraqi Sovereignty Restoration Act.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, one learns the useful lesson of ``strength in numbers'' from an early age, but it seems some of us could use a refresher. The more people you have on your side, the better the chances of success. Well, there are approximately 43 million Medicare beneficiaries in this country--more than enough, I'm sure, to throw some considerable weight behind the drug price negotiations we're debating today. Now let's make one thing clear. The only real beneficiaries of the Medicare modernization act were the insurance companies and the drug companies whose profits continue to soar. Meanwhile, seniors who have worked a lifetime to earn the peace of mind our drug program should be have been sacrificed for handouts to these industries. Furthermore, they remain responsible for paying a majority of their often astronomical prescription drug costs. Well today the tides are turning. I'm proud to join my colleagues in support of this long-awaited, urgently needed measure that will finally bring seniors savings on their prescription drugs. On behalf of beneficiaries in Marin and Sonoma counties, I urge you to support the seniors in your districts, by voting for H.R. 4.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, last night we heard from a President who plans to continue in the wrong direction, believing that our military can solve a political quagmire; but every day that we are there, our military presence makes the situation worse. Mr. Speaker, sending more troops will only fuel the insurgency. We don't belong there, and our brave and capable troops need to come home. I ask you: How can we believe a President who had already sent troops to Baghdad before his speech and he didn't mention it? Unbelievably, he is sending troops, and of course he didn't mention this, that don't have the most advanced armor. But, Mr. Speaker, while the President was giving his remarks, the U.S. military was attacking the Iran consulate, the consulate in the Kurdish region of Iraq. As yet, their consul has not heard why from the United States. The President didn't tell us about that attack. It is troubling and it is sad that the President has misrepresented so many facts about Iraq. It seems he can't distinguish between what he wants to believe and what is real. What he is calling sectarian violence is really civil war. He supports the Iraq Government against the death squads when he knows full well that the death squads are embedded in the Iraqi Government. He claims that he is following the Iraq Study Group's recommendation to get a win when the study group has said there is no way to win and that the only question is how to best leave. The President wants a win. To that end he is sending 20,000 more Americans into harm's way and spending $100 million a day to get that win. In 3 months, don't kid yourself, he will be asking for more to get a win. This is immoral. What the President doesn't realize is that America wins when we follow our ideals, which means we fight for freedom when our freedom is at stake and we only ask American troops to lay down their lives when our country is in danger, not to give the President a win. Again, Mr. Speaker, let me repeat, there is no military solution to this political problem. The United States is not going to determine the fate of Iraq; only the Iraqis will determine their fate.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I'm so pleased to have another opportunity to support this stem cell research bill today. But let me say that we cannot allow this crucial legislation to once again come so close, only to--in the end--be kept so far from those who would benefit from its outcome on a daily basis. Change does not come easily. This is a big step in providing America's world-class researchers with the resources they need to make a difference in the lives of those with serious illnesses. But let us take a moment to weigh the kind of change in federal policy it would take to provide researchers with access to new embryonic stem cell lines, with the kind of change a person faces when he or she hears the words Parkinson's, or diabetes, or spinal cord injury. The debilitating symptoms of these diseases can alter the course of a person's life--not to mention their family's--and change their day-to- day lives in ways it is impossible for most of us to even imagine. I ask you to take a moment to think of the changes you would have to make to accommodate a chronic illness in your life. Our scientists and researchers need new cell lines so they can move beyond the contaminated, and often unusable, lines that were in existence before 2001. Let's transform the way we experience disease in this country and take the first step today by supporting H.R. 3.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. First, I would like to thank the Congresswoman from California for her leadership tonight with this special order and also her leadership of the Out of Iraq Caucus. I will echo, to save time, every single word that has come out of the mouths of my colleagues this evening. But there is one thing we have not talked about that, every single time I am interviewed, somebody says: But Congresswoman, what will happen to the Iraqi people if the United States leaves? My answer is asking them a question right back: Have you not paid attention to what is happening to the Iraqi people right now with our very presence? It is my opinion, and my belief, and I know that I am right, when the United States Army military leaves Iraq, the insurgency will calm down. The United States then is responsible to work internationally to help Iraq rebuild its country, invest in its infrastructure, invest in its economy, invest in its education and help their people with getting their feet back on the ground. And I will end by just saying this. The United States is not going to determine the fate of Iraq. Only the Iraqis will determine their fate.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor beloved teacher Paula Stonitsch of Petaluma, California, who passed away December 13 at the age of 90. Mrs. Stonitsch was that special kind of teacher who, like many wonderful educators across the country, is remembered for a lifetime by the children she inspired. For over 40 years, Paula taught at Petaluma High School where my four children--and many others--learned to care about their government and to understand how it works. Her own children were also in her classes, where she reminded them that they must earn their grades like everyone else. She also taught night classes at Santa Rosa Junior College, SRJC. Born in San Francisco in 1916 to German-speaking immigrants who had high ambitions for their children, Paula Girbony went on to attend UC Berkeley, majoring in German and history, graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana, and earned a teaching credential at UC Berkeley. In 1941 she married Gottfried Stonitsch of Petaluma, whom she had met through friends of relatives there. She moved to Petaluma to join him and began teaching German and American history at the high school in 1951 and German classes at SRJC in the 1960s. In 1962, Paula Stonitsch won a Fulbright Exchange Teaching Scholarship which enabled her to teach for a year in Germany where she conducted her classes in German. She retired from Petaluma High School in 1990 but continued teaching at the JC until shortly before her death. As the founder of a group called the Nut Ladies at St. John Lutheran Church in Petaluma, Paula was also known for her energies in supporting the church. Her group picked and sold walnuts, with the proceeds benefiting St. John. Paula is survived by daughters Elizabeth Ravenscroft, Adrienna Rodgers, and Erika Stonitsch and sister Gisela Krueger. Madam Speaker, teachers like Paula Stonitsch offer a rare gift to our young people, a gift that truly gives back to our country as these students grow up to become our citizens and our leaders. The generations of Petaluma children who were fortunate enough to study with her will never forget the lessons she taught and the pride they learned.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago, I was a single mother with three small children; and although I was employed, I was forced to go on welfare. I know what it is like to try to get by on a paycheck that is not enough to meet ends. Like my experience, today there are many, many Americans who are working so hard who are earning the minimum wage who are still coming up short. And, Mr. Speaker, the majority of these Americans are women and most of them have children. They put in a full 40-hour work week. They still live below the poverty line. This is absolutely unacceptable, because in a prosperous Nation like ours it should be a violation of a person's civil rights not to provide adequate compensation for their work. Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that working people earn enough to care for themselves and their families. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2 and support the millions of working Americans who so desperately need a raise in the minimum wage.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House passed H.R. 1, a bill instituting the 9/11 Commission's recommendations. I am proud that the Speaker made this her first priority. It was an important first step. It was a step to strengthen America's security. Another step we can take to provide security to Americans at home and abroad is to bring our troops home from Iraq. It is what I have been saying for several years now. In fact, this is my 176th 5-minute special order on Iraq. And it is what the American people demanded on November 7. From the very beginning, our presence and continued occupation has brought strong opposition and violence to Iraq. The Vice President promised we would be greeted as liberators, that the troops would be hailed with cheers and flowers. Instead, the sad thing is our troops are being greeted with snipers, with rocket-propelled grenades and with roadside bombs. Tonight, the President will announce an escalation in the occupation. He wants to send over 20,000 more troops to Iraq. In fact, we have learned just today that those troops are already arriving in Baghdad. He wants to put over 20,000 more troops in harm's way. And for what? Tonight, the President will not announce an exit plan. Tonight, the President will not talk about benchmarks. Tonight, what the President will do is support more of the same. This is just ``stay the course.'' Let's call it what it is: an escalation. A majority of Americans support bringing the troops home. In fact, a recent poll showed that a majority of men and women in uniform support an end to this occupation. And yet the President wants more troops and refuses to put forth a plan to end our military presence there. Well, the American people and the Congress have waited long enough, Mr. Speaker, for the Commander in Chief to do his job. So, on Friday, the Progressive Caucus and the Out of Iraq Caucus will host a forum with former Senator George McGovern and Dr. William Polk on one such plan. This is a unique opportunity for Members to discuss available options. I encourage my colleagues to join us at this forum on Friday, day after tomorrow, at 9:30 in the Cannon caucus room. We know there is no quick solution to put Iraq and the region back together again. But until we start to seriously consider the plans out there, we are stuck with President Bush's escalation and status quo. And you know what? Because I respect the troops and I respect their families so very much, I refuse to ``stay the course.'' So I tell the President: No, no to escalation. I tell the President: No, no to the status quo. And I say: Yes, yes to strengthening our Nation by protecting those who have already given so very much and bringing them home to their families.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Elizabeth Terwilliger, one of Marin County's most beloved heroines, an environmentalist who instilled a love of nature in children of all ages. ``Mrs. T.,'' as she was known to all, died on November 27, 2006, at the age of 97. Her enthusiastic and interactive teaching style made learning about nature especially entertaining and instructive for children and adults alike. This included President Reagan who, along with an audience at a White House Volunteer Action Award ceremony, flapped his arms like ``Mr. Vulture'' under her guidance. Her irresistible style ranged from mimicking animal behaviors to demonstrations with taxidermied animals, some of which had come via her own freezer. In her trademark straw hat, she led field trips until she was 85, where her call of ``Something special!'' alerted eager participants to yet another marvel of the natural world. Mrs. T's long-time passion for the environment had burgeoned when she started hiking to avoid housework in the 1960s. From that, she became committed to inspire the people of the Bay Area to care for the natural world as she did. ``People take care of what they love,'' she claimed. This mission began with including other housewives, and then their children, on her hikes, as well as leading field trips for her children's schools and clubs. By the late 60s, she was leading volunteer trips 5 days a week for teachers and wildlife organizations and, in 1970, created Terwilliger Nature Guides with other volunteers. In 1975, the Elizabeth Terwilliger Nature Education Foundation was formed; it later merged with the California Center for Wildlife and became WildCare, an organization which today teaches 40,000 Bay Area school children annually. ``WildCare is honored to follow directly in Mrs. T's adventurous footsteps,'' said Executive Director Karen J. Wilson.'' We are all fortunate that her enthusiasm and energy will live on in the generations of children she has inspired. To underscore her Bay Area legacy, WildCare recently named our San Rafael facility in her honor-- we have become the Terwilliger WildCare Center.'' She was also a tireless advocate for the environment and open space. Her mark is everywhere in Marin County from the establishment of the Butterfly Grove at Muir Beach to creation of countywide bike paths to preservation of Angel Island and countless other conservation efforts. Born in Hawaii in 1909, Elizabeth Terwilliger attended the University of Hawaii, and then came to the mainland to earn a master's degree at Columbia University and a nursing degree at Stanford. She met her future husband Calvin, an orthopedic surgeon, at Stanford, and they married in 1939. They moved to Marin in 1946. Calvin passed away in 1990. She is survived by their daughter Lynn Ellen, their son John, and grandsons Dana, Ryan, and Sean. Elizabeth Terwilliger earned numerous well-deserved accolades and awards, but her true legacy is the contagious passion she inspired in children and adults. Everywhere we see people living her watchword, ``This is my country. Wherever I go, I will leave it more beautiful than I found it.'' Madam Speaker, Mrs. T. truly left this country beautiful, and we thank and honor her for her for it.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, first of all, congratulations for being up in that chair. I rise today to unwaveringly support the Speaker of the House, who has said that she opposes any escalation of the occupation of Iraq, that she opposes sending more combat troops into a situation in Iraq that is so, so messy. The Speaker represents an overwhelming majority viewpoint among the American people. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, she is Speaker today because the American people overwhelmingly rejected the Bush occupation policy, a policy that has already claimed over 3,000 American lives, cost us hundreds of billions of dollars, ignited a bloody civil war, and diminished our national security. But President Bush is stubbornly and desperately clinging onto an ideological vision that has been completely discredited. He is not listening to the new Congress. He is not listening to the American people. He is not listening to the Iraq Study Group. He is not even listening to his military commanders, who have advised against an escalation. Even the most hawkish observer imaginable, Oliver North, has come out against an escalation in a recent column entitled: ``More Troops Equals More Targets.'' This occupation takes a more disastrous turn with each passing week, but the Bush administration not only is sticking to its failed policy; it is investing even more in that policy. Our military presence, from the very beginning, hasn't brought peace and freedom to Iraq. It has been a catalyst for greater violence and disorder. It hasn't defeated the insurgency. It has been what has motivated the insurgency. It hasn't solved problems in Iraq. It has exacerbated them. So what is the White House's solution? Send more troops and put more Americans in harm's way, even though the American presence destabilized Iraq in the first place. Escalation defies common sense, Mr. Speaker. It is completely incomprehensible. The President of the United States has a unique take on an old proverb. He believes that if you find yourself in a hole, the solution is to keep on digging. Here in Congress, however, we want to stop digging. On Friday, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Out of Iraq Caucus will co- host a forum featuring former Senator George McGovern and Mideast expert Dr. William Polk. They will be discussing their plan for ending the occupation, as outlined in their recent book, ``Out of Iraq: A Practical Plan For Withdrawal Now.'' We will also be joined by leaders from the military, and from diplomatic and intelligence communities, who will offer their expertise and input in a dialogue with Senator McGovern and Dr. Polk. It is time for a 180-degree turn in the U.S. policy toward Iraq. It is time for the Congress to act out the mandate it received from the American people in November. It is time to get down to business and figure out how to extricate ourselves from Iraq, end the occupation and bring our troops home.