“The committee will now turn to consideration of H.R. 3087, a bill to require the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior military leaders, to develop and transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces in Iraq.

    “I support this excellent legislation, which seeks to accomplish two primary goals.  First, it affirms the critical need for comprehensive, well thought out planning for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.  The kind of planning that frankly was not done for the post war period in Iraq, the so-called Phase 4 of the war, before we invaded.  Second, it requires that the planning the Pentagon is doing for a withdrawal from Iraq be shared with Congress. 

    “My colleague and dear friend Neil Abercrombie, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, who is an original co-sponsor of the bill, will offer shortly a full substitute amendment to the bill along with our colleague Mike Turner from Ohio.  Their amendment represents a true bi-partisan compromise on the bill that they have put together in accordance with all the best traditions of this committee.

    “Their amendment will lay out a clear statement on appropriate, detailed contingency planning for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, including consideration of force protection for military and civilian personnel, and the need to continue to protect our vital national security interests.  Their amendment requires by statute that the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff provide us with a report and a briefing on withdrawal planning from Iraq within 60 days of enactment, and that updated reports and briefings from senior DOD officials continue to be provided on a quarterly basis thereafter.  It will allow this committee to perform the oversight function which is central to our purpose.

    “Under the time table of the bill, if the House and Senate move quickly to pass this legislation, we could receive an initial report on withdrawal planning as early as the beginning of October with an initial briefing from the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in mid-October.  And as DOD’s planning evolves, the committee will provide continuous oversight as long as there are still troops in Iraq involved in combat.

    “I will recognize Mr. Abercrombie for an opening statement in a minute but let me turn now to my friend and colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Saxton, for his opening remarks.”