Regarding his “no” vote on the House version of the Iraq War emergency supplemental funding bill, which tied county payments funding to a firm withdrawal date of U.S. troops regardless of the assessments of commanders on the ground in Iraq, Congressman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) issued the following statement:

“Until the majority Democrats in the House and the Senate work out language in the war supplemental that the presidentwill sign, this measure will not become law, and our timber-dependent counties and school districts will not receive the emergency assistance they need.

“Hopefully (by this week), we will have a revised measure before the House that does not include an arbitrary withdrawaldate of U.S. troops regardless of the assessments of commanders on the ground in Iraq; is not overloaded with nonemergency spending; and is one that I therefore can support.”

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) voted in favor of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health and Iraq Accountability Act, also known as the Emergency Supplemental bill.

The bill, H.R. 1591, passed the House last week 218-212.