mr. speaker , i rise in support of this conference committee report . 
but , mr. speaker , the american people whose sons and daughters are fighting this war and the senior military officers who are directing this war deserve to know what the white house will consider to be success in iraq . 
now , this conference committee report includes language that would require the administration to fully evaluate the situation in iraq and provide the congress with measurable , achievable criteria , including the following : an assessment of the number of troops it will take to secure the peace and how those troops would be rotated ; key measures of political stability , such as ratification of a national constitution and permanent national elections now scheduled for next year ; the estimated strength of the iraqi insurgency and the extent to which it is composed of noniraqi fighters ; the operational readiness of iraqi military forces , including the type , number , size , and organizational structure of iraqi battalions that are capable of conducting counterinsurgency operations independently ; the fact is that our long-term presence in iraq will only give our enemies in the region a greater ability to recruit terrorists and build public support for violence . 
that is the opposite of our objective there . 
i do think it is past time to lay out for the american people what is our strategy for success . 
this language that is included in the report will require the secretary to report no later than 60 days after the enactment of the supplemental and every 90 days thereafter . 
that is progress . 
we support our troops . 
we have to complete this mission , but we also need to work together . 
the fact is , the american people whose sons and daughters are fighting this war do not have the ability to require this of the administration , nor do the senior military officers . 
it is our responsibility , and i am glad that this congress is committed to performing that responsibility . 
on balance , it is a good bill , and i support it . 
