“Mr. Speaker, Time is running out to send our troops the funds and resources they need to continue their critical mission in Iraq. It is time to pass a clean supplemental bill aimed at victory rather than defeat.

The National Intelligence Estimate released in January warned of the perils of an early troop withdrawal stating, “If Coalition forces were withdrawn rapidly during the term of this Estimate, we judge that this almost certainly would lead to a significant increase in the scale and scope of sectarian conflict in Iraq.”

Many on the other side of the aisle urge Congress to heed the warnings in this document, yet they willfully ignore this particular warning. They want a strategy that would tie the hands of military commanders on the ground, removing our troops, and continuing a defeatist policy of cut and run.

It is obvious to me that Washington Democrats would exploit our troops to make a political statement rather than work in a bipartisan fashion to provide our brave men and women in uniform with the funding they need.

Mr. Speaker, it is time we vote on a clean supplemental to give our troops the support they must have. I yield back the balance of my time.”