House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday she was surprised congressional Republicans have stood firmly by President Bush’s Iraq war policy, blocking Democratic efforts to begin withdrawing troops, and she now plans to shift the chamber’s focus next year to health care, the economy and global warming.
Pelosi told a group of reporters that she still aims to end the war, but rather than trying to force Bush to redeploy troops by threatening to cut off funds, Democrats will instead focus on passing Iraq war bills that deal with policy.
Specifically, Pelosi said, Democrats will underscore the lack of diplomatic progress in Iraq despite the well-publicized recent success of a U.S military surge in stabilizing the country.
“I think you are going to see a good deal of focus be on why it is that even when you have some military success to establish a secure time when the government can act politically, they still do not act in a way to bring reconciliation in Iraq,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi said House members were interested in shifting to Iraq policy legislation because it might have a better chance of clearing the Senate, in which Democrats rule by a one-vote margin.
“We will always have a fight about the funding of the war,” Pelosi said, referring to the spending bills the House must vote on. But House members, she added, “thought … that it would be important to document for the public even further what some of the challenges are that we have there.”
Pelosi made her remarks as the House concluded a bruising first session under Democratic control. The new majority touted many accomplishments, such as passing a minimum-wage increase and new fuel economy standards, but was unable to fulfill its campaign pledge to wind down the war in Iraq.
“Nobody is more disappointed in the fact that we couldn’t change that than I am,” Pelosi said.
The House passed a $473.5 billion spending bill Wednesday that will fund the government through fiscal 2008. The bill includes $70 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Pelosi said House priorities next year will include tackling health care issues such as universal insurance coverage and improved funding for research. She declined to talk about specific bills but said the House will be “kicking the door open” on health care and “legislation would hopefully spring from that.”
Pelosi also suggested there could be an economic stimulus package as well as legislation to address global warming.
