Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy,
FY 2007 Department Of Defense Appropriations Conference Report
September 28, 2006

Mr. President, the Senate is poised to approve the FY 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations conference report.  Like past Defense Appropriations bills, there are things in this bill that I support and there are others that I disagree with. Without taking much of the Senate’s time today I want to mention one small but very important provision in this bill. 

Section 9012 of the conference report states that no funds shall be made available for the establishment of permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq or to exercise U.S. control over any oil resource of Iraq.  This language, which was sponsored by Senator Biden and which I strongly support, provides an important signal to the Iraqi people and to the sovereign government of Iraq that it is not the intent of the United States to control or maintain a permanent military presence in their country.  It is especially important in light of the recent surveys which indicate that a significant majority of Iraqis want United States military forces to withdraw from their country.

For many Vermonters and for people around the world who have concerns and suspicions about the Bush Administration’s intentions in Iraq, this makes clear that regardless of the disagreements among us over the continued deployment of U.S. troops in Iraq we agree that they are not there to establish permanent bases or to control Iraqi oil resources. 

I yield the floor. 

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