U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release February 5, 2007		CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Comm. Director 303-455-5999
Sen. Salazar – “Congress Missed Opportunity to Debate Nation’s Biggest Issue Today: the War in Iraq” WASHINGTON, D.C. – “As the bipartisan Iraq Study Group led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton found, conditions in Iraq have deteriorated, and the United States needs a new plan and a new direction in Iraq. “Today, the United States Senate missed an opportunity to debate the war and its future direction. I am disappointed the Minority party used procedural maneuvers to block public debate on the war in Iraq. “Our men and women serving in uniform and the American public deserve far better. They deserve to know where their Senators stand on the President’s plan.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid offered the Minority Leader several options: A simple up or down vote on the McCain/Graham resolution supporting the President’s plan, and the Warner/Levin resolution in opposition. This offer was rejected. Up or down votes on a packet of four resolutions, including the Gregg resolution and a resolution stating simply that the Senate does not support the surge and demands that the troops deploying to Iraq receive the body armor and other equipment they need. This offer was rejected. Supermajority votes on the bipartisan Warner resolution and the McCain/Graham resolution that would each have required sixty votes. This offer was rejected. # # #