Mr. Speaker, I rise to give my 288th Special Order on the subject of the occupation of Iraq. The first 287 cited the terrible death and destruction that the occupation was causing and the damage that it was doing to America's moral standing in the world. But this Special Order, number 288, is different from all the rest. That's because we woke up this morning with new leadership in the White House, President Obama.

President Obama is meeting with his military advisors today. He is planning for the withdrawal of our troops from Iraq, something that the American people have been demanding for many years. And today, the Senate is meeting to confirm the nomination of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who firmly believes that America should emphasize peace and diplomacy over war.

President Obama has pledged to withdraw our troops within 16 months. He must not hesitate for a moment to make good on that pledge. He must make sure that the withdrawal is complete, that it is safe, and it is meaningful. There must be no residual forces, no military contractors left behind. And if his advisors urge him to change his mind about withdrawal, he must not waiver or go wobbly. I don't think President Obama will. Just listen to yesterday's inaugural address.

President Obama said that it is time to ``leave Iraq to its people.'' I've said for years that Iraq must have its national sovereignty and must have it back soon, so those words were very welcome to this Member of Congress.

He said, ``To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward based on mutual interest and respect.'' After showing the Muslim world nothing but shock and awe for nearly 6 years in Iraq, those were very healing words.

He said that ``earlier generations faced down fascism and communism with sturdy alliances,'' and he called for ``greater cooperation and understanding between neighbors,'' a clear repudiation of the previous administration's disastrous decision to go it alone in Iraq and elsewhere in the world.

He also said that America must choose ``hope over fear,'' and that we must reject the false choice ``between our safety and our ideals.'' This was another clear repudiation of the previous administration, which used fear to get us into Iraq in the first place and then used it to tear the Constitution to shreds.

President Obama also said that ``power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please.'' He said our security comes from ``the justness of our cause'' and the qualities of ``humility and restraint.'' President Obama understands that the true source of America's power is our moral authority.

The President also said that ``we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat.'' And he promised to work with the poor people of the world ``to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.'' These are good words. They echo some of the most important parts of my national security plan known as SMART. SMART calls for ending nuclear proliferation, and it calls for giving poor people a better life because it's the best way to stop terrorists from recruiting absolute new followers. It's just the right thing to do.

In the most dramatic moment of his speech yesterday, President Obama promised that America will ``lead once more.'' That pledge has already inspired millions of people around the world. But now the challenge is to put the President's words into practice. It won't be easy. We know that there will be powerful forces that will try to push him in the wrong direction. That's why he will need the support of the American people, he will need the support of the Congress to put our country back on the right track.

He must get that support, the support in the House, and I hope that it comes from both sides of the aisle. By working together, we can build a more peaceful, more congruent world, and we can show that America can lead once more.