Kucinich: Congress Must Tell the President No to Additional War Funding

From the office of Congressman Dennis Kucinich

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 29, 2007) - Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) issued the following statement calling on Congress to not appropriate any more funds for the war in Iraq, in response to today's Washington Post report that President Bush plans on asking Congress for $197 billion in funding for the Iraq war for FY 2008:

"We do not have to fund the war. The Democratic leadership must tell the President NO to any additional funding. No legislation is required. No vote is required. We have the money to bring the troops home.  It does not require a vote. The only thing required is honesty, integrity and a willingness to end the war," Kucinich said.

"The President's request escalated by $50 billion to continue the surge-a surge that is failing.

"More than 3,700 Americans have died and an estimated one million innocent Iraqis have perished in an unjust and unnecessary war. It is commonly accepted that there is no military solution in Iraq, so why are we there?

"Each year this war is getting more and more costly-both in the amount of money spent and in the number of lives lost.  Now the Administration is asking for almost $200 billion for one year alone-just so we can continue down a path of destruction and chaos.

"If the $197 billion was spent on education instead of the war, the federal education budget would triple. 

"Congress needs to take a stand against this President and say they will not give him any more money. That is the only way to end this war and bring our troops home.

"The Administration is undermining the political process in Iraq. This money is fueling the occupation, which in turn, is fueling the insurgency. The Democratic leadership must act to end this war and end it now," Kucinich said. 

Kucinich introduced HR 1234 on February 28, 2007, which is a plan for the United States to use existing money to bring the troops and necessary equipment home and transition to an international security and peacekeeping force.