Rep. Andrews Backs Plan to Redeploy U.S. Troops in Iraq

This week, I will vote for the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act. Having recently returned from a trip to Iraq, I believe that the President’s plan to send more young men and women into a growing Iraqi civil war is exactly the wrong policy, and this bill sets us on the right course.  It is time to end the Administration’s open-ended commitment in Iraq and to require real accountability for the war.  This bill is an important step in that process by requiring the Iraqis to take control of their own country and establishing a plan to redeploy U.S. troops. It also provides the funding our soldiers need to protect themselves in Iraq and to fight the growing terrorist threat in Afghanistan. I have laid out a plan for troop redeployment in Iraq, which I believe is consistent with this legislation. 

Click here to read about more about my plan for Iraq.

The President proposed insufficient funds to properly support our troops in this year’s budget.  The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act provides $3.4 billion more for healthcare for our active duty troops and veterans than was allocated by the President.  It includes $2.5 billion more to ensure that our troops are better trained and equipped and provides our forces in Afghanistan a $1.2 billion increase in funding over the President’s budget to fight al Qaeda and the Taliban in that country.  Our troops will finally have the resources they need and deserve.

This bill also includes readiness standards and benchmarks for the Iraqi government, and includes consequences for failure to meet these benchmarks.  The Administration has not held the Iraqi government accountable for its failures. During my recent trip to Iraq, I saw how this lack of accountability has resulted in a failure to sufficiently train Iraqi forces or to secure regions, cities or even neighborhoods. Our troops have borne the brunt of these failures and that is why this bill calls for a phased redeployment.

When the Iraq war supplemental comes to a vote on the House floor, I will vote ‘Yea’ because it is far past time to honor our troops with a responsible exit strategy in Iraq.  This bill supports our troops, holds the Iraqi government accountable, refocuses our efforts in fighting terrorism, and implements a plan to redeploy our troops from Iraq.  It is time to end the Administration’s open-ended commitment in Iraq.

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