Lynn C. Woolsey

Mr. Speaker, on December 11, 2012, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to record my vote for Rollcall No. 620. Had I been present I would have voted:

Rollcall No. 620--``yes''--On approving the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, throughout my career in public life, and even before, nothing has motivated me more than a desire to end wars and violent conflicts. When I was a small girl saying bedtime prayers or making a birthday wish when blowing out the candles, I always asked for world peace. So it's no surprise that over a decade ago, I opposed the Iraq war before it even started. It was appalling that we would invade a nation that hadn't provoked us, had nothing to do with 9/11, and did not have weapons of mass destruction. It was a lonely fight at that time. But I didn't do it to be loved. It was a matter of principle.

Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, and I formed The Triad--Woolsey, Waters, and Lee--to organize our opposition. We held forums, we developed an Out of Iraq Caucus, we traveled around the country, and in January 2005, I offered the first amendment here on the House floor calling for our troops to be brought home. Some in my own party thought that it was a mistake, that we wouldn't get any votes--or enough votes--and that we would be embarrassed. Well, I told them that even if I were the only one voting to bring our troops home, I would not be embarrassed.

Well, as it happened, we got 128 bipartisan votes that very first time. So you see, Mr. Speaker, when you lead, people follow. Because of a handful of progressive leaders and progressives in our country that were vocal and fearless, eventually public opinion turned. It turned against the Iraq war and turned towards peace. If we and other outspoken advocates hadn't ignored conventional wisdom and hadn't pressed for peace, the war in Iraq could still be going on today.

In April, Mr. Speaker, of 2004, I started speaking from this very spot on the House floor about my strong anti-Iraq war convictions. Eventually, these speeches focused on Afghanistan, where we've now been waging war for more than 11 years, despite more than 2,000 Americans dead and nearly $600 billion wasted and even though we are undermining our own interests in failing to bring security and stability to Afghanistan.

Over the last 8-plus years, I've spoken here nearly every day that I could to drive home what a moral disaster and strategic failure these wars have been. When constituents and others call or come up to me or write and thank me, I say, But we're still there. I don't deserve thanks until all of our troops are home.

You know, Mr. Speaker, because you've been here for many of them, that my speeches haven't just been about bringing our troops home. They've offered a new vision for global engagement. From here I've outlined my SMART Security platform, which calls for development and diplomacy instead of invasions and occupations; civilian surges instead of military surges. SMART Security means helping other nations educate their children, care for their sick, and strengthen their democratic institutions. SMART Security says we can make America safe by building international good will and by empowering people with humanitarian assistance instead of sending troops or launching drone attacks. It's the right thing to do. It's the smart thing to do. And it costs pennies on the dollar compared to military force.

So, Mr. Speaker, today I'm delivering that message for the 444th and final time on the House floor to speak on a 5-minute Special Order. This is the last of my Special Order speeches on war and peace and SMART Security. I'm retiring from Congress at the end of this year, and I believe part of my legacy will be that I worked diligently for peace and a safer world.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to acknowledge that sometimes I've been accused of wanting a ``perfect world.'' But I consider that a compliment. Our Founders strove to form a ``more perfect Union.'' Why shouldn't we aim for a perfect world? You see, I'm absolutely certain that if we don't work toward a perfect world, we won't ever come close to providing a safe, healthy, and secure world for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.

I thank my wonderful staff who have helped me over the last 20 years to work for a perfect world, which means peace, health, and security for all.

Thank you, George, for doing this. Thank you for honoring those of us that have been here and now are leaving.

I arrived feeling very green and feeling very good 20 years ago. I had no idea how little I knew about how to get something done in the Congress. I knew where I had burned in my belly, I knew what issues were important to me, and those issues have stayed important to me for the last 20 years. But I had the advantage of working with some very wonderful senior Members who generously helped me along, and I had the privilege of having very talented staff who built the stage that I could dance on. You can't do that unless it's teamwork, and I thank everybody that has been a part of these last 20 years. It's been quite a ride, and I'm glad I did it. Thank you very much, George.