Washington, DC - A Co-Founder of Congressional Out of Iraq Caucus, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) today voted against the Iraqi emergency supplemental bill, which will provide an additional $100 billion for the President to continue the U.S. military occupation of Iraq.  Woolsey, who opposed the U.S. military invasion of Iraq at the outset, was the first Member of Congress to call for a troop withdrawal from Iraq back in January 2005.  Over the past several weeks Woolsey helped organize the opposition to the supplemental, which forced the inclusion for the first time of a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq.  Woolsey, however, remained steadfast in arguing that the bill did not go far enough, and voted no on the bill’s final passage:

“There is no issue that is more important to me, and more important to the American public, than bringing our troops home from Iraq.  This is a vote of conscience, and I simply cannot vote to give this President another $100 billion to continue his occupation of Iraq.  The funding in this bill will continue our bloody occupation well into 2008, while more of our brave young men and women, and innocent Iraqi civilians are caught in the crossfire of an escalating civil war.

“The Democratic majority was elected in November because the American people want us, are expecting us, and are demanding of us, that we the Congress bring our troops home as soon as possible.  They do not trust the President to do the right thing, and want the Congress to hold him accountable.

“The American public also know a simple truth: you can’t be against this occupation, and vote for another $100 billion to continue it.  They didn’t elect Democrats to bring our troops home in 2008, however, they elected us to safely bring our troops home now!

“Let me make myself very clear - I will not stop, I will not rest, and I will not back down in my fight until every last American soldier is home safely to their families.”