Democrats Are Ready to Work With the President to Wind Down This War

The Democratic leadership of Congress will work with President Bush and our Republican colleagues to build consensus that provides for our veterans, protects our troops, rebuilds our military, holds the Iraqi government accountable, and responsibly winds down this war. Both the House and Senate have passed bills that call for accountability in the President's Iraq policy for the first time since this war began more than four years ago.

We are ready to work with the President to change the direction in Iraq, but the President must accept the facts and put aside partisan attacks and heated rhetoric. The fact is that the non-partisan Congressional Research Service has found that the Army could maintain its wartime operations well into July with the funding that Congress has already appropriated. The fact is that when Republicans were in control of Congress, they took four months to send the President an Iraq supplemental without any attacks from the White House. Democrats will send a bill to the President in far less time.

The President continues to push for a war without end, while the American people believe it is time for a new direction. Democrats want to work together with the President to responsibly bring this war to an end.