OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

Hoyer: Misleading Claims Must Stop, President Should Work with Congress on Iraq Bill

WASHINGTON - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today following the release of a non-partisan report that showed the Army could maintain its wartime operations well into July 2007 with funds the Army has already been provided.

"The report released today by the Congressional Research Service concludes that our troops in Iraq are sufficiently funded through July 2007.  This conclusion by the nonpartisan budget experts at CRS clearly contradicts the erroneous, repeated claims by President Bush and Republicans in Congress that our troops in the field will very soon run out of funding for combat operations.

"Make no mistake: Congressional Democrats are absolutely committed to providing our men and women in harm’s way with all the resources they need – and that is exactly what the emergency war-time bills that have passed both the House and Senate would do.  In fact, a key component of our bill demands that our troops be properly trained, equipped and rested.

"As the Congress continues to work on this legislation,  I would hope that President Bush would refrain from making the misleading claims that the bill cuts off funding to our troops and seeks to micro-manage the war.  Instead, it is time to join with the House and Senate leadership, which are working together to advance this legislation as quickly as possible.

"The fact that a new poll shows that 68 percent of Americans now support Congress’s approach demonstrates that the time has come for the President to join Congressional Democrats in a search for common ground.  The days of blank checks and rubber stamps are over – and the sooner we begin to work together, the better."

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