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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 26, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak

Sen. Hutchison Co-Sponsors Senate Effort to Create Semi-Autonomous Regions to Ease Sectarian Violence in Iraq
Amendment to DOD Authorization Bill Passes Senate 75-23


WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) voted for a plan to create three semi-autonomous regions to help ease sectarian violence in Iraq. The plan allows the Iraqis to create a decentralized, federal style of government with separate, semi-autonomous states. Sen. Hutchison was an original cosponsor of the amendment to H.R. 1585, the U.S. Department of Defense Authorization Bill, by Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE). Additional cosponsors to the DoD Authorization bill amendment include Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Arlen Specter (R-PA), John Kerry (D-MA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). The amendment was adopted by a vote of 75-23.

“We must have an Iraq that has an economy and a political solution,” Sen. Hutchison said. “If people don’t have jobs, if they can’t start their small businesses and if they can’t take their children to school, you’re not going to be able to have a long term solution. That’s why I support this amendment and why I’m an original cosponsor.

“We’ve got a chance to push for leadership and to bring the others in the region together now so that the American troops who have done such a wonderful job will have two victories; one is that their mission will be accomplished in the right way, and two that their sacrifices that they have made will not be for naught. We can’t walk away from Iraq. We can’t say well it’s too tough, we’re going to surrender. We do have a potential solution that can save American lives in the future by cutting down the violence right now.”

Sen. Hutchison spoke in favor of the plan to create semi-autonomous regions in Iraq on the Senate floor today and on Sept. 21. She also stated her support for the idea in an op-ed published in the Dallas Morning News on Mar. 1.


09.26.07 Sen. Hutchison discusses her successful amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill to allow the creation of semi-autonomous regions in Iraq.




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