i thank my friend for yielding . 
mr. speaker , i rise in sorrow , not in anger , because this morning could be a morning of unity and celebration and congratulations . 
yesterday in unprecedented numbers the people of iraq rejected the threats and intimidation of the terrorists and chose a new permanent national parliament , the first fully sovereign , elected democratic assembly in the history of iraq . 
this should be cause for celebration for the iraqi people , for our troops , the troops of our allies and the iraqi security forces who bravely protected the iraqi people who came out to vote . 
unfortunately , the resolution before us does not do that , and that i deeply regret . 
mr. speaker , we all know that there is a spectrum of views on my side of the aisle on how to deal with the difficult situation in iraq in the weeks and months ahead . 
yesterday i was asked with a number of other democrats to go to the white house . 
i sat next to the president as we talked about the possibility of building a united approach to this difficult dilemma . 
but the leadership , in a rigid , unbending , almost ruthless fashion , refused to take one single word of change or modification in their resolution . 
it was a take-it-or-leave-it proposal , which is inappropriate in a democratic legislative body where some of us have been attempting to operate in a bipartisan fashion . 
i introduced a resolution and asked the rules committee to make it in order . 
my resolution congratulates the iraqi people on three democratic national elections , encourages all americans to support the iraqi people , and commends our troops and those of our allies and the iraqi forces for protecting their people at election time . 
that is the resolution which should be before us today . 
we would get a unanimous vote , and we would send a message to our troops and to the whole world that congress is united . 
instead , by rigidly demanding total adherence to the republican formula , there will be an ugly , divisive debate in this body this morning . 
this is not in our national interest . 
i wish to use the balance of my time to read the resolution that i believe ought to be before us , mr. speaker . 
the text of my resolution is as follows : h. res. 613 whereas the people of iraq have consistently and courageously demonstrated their commitment to democracy by participating in three elections in 2005 ; & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; whereas on january 30 , 2005 , the people of iraq participated in an election for a transitional national assembly ; & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; whereas all segments of iraqi society actively participated in the approval of a new iraqi constitution through a referendum held on october 15 , 2005 ; & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; whereas reports indicate that the people of iraq voted in unprecedented and overwhelming numbers in the most recent election , held on december 15 , 2005 , for a new , national parliament that will serve in accordance with the recently-approved iraqi constitution for a four-year term and that represents the first fully sovereign , elected democratic assembly in the history of iraq ; & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; whereas this remarkable level of participation by the people of iraq in the face of dire threats to their very lives has won the admiration of the world ; & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; whereas the iraqi elections could not have been conducted without the courage and dedication of the members of the united states armed forces and the armed forces of other nations in iraq , including the members of the security forces of iraq ; and & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; whereas the december 15 , 2005 , election in iraq inspires confidence that a robust , pluralistic democracy that will bring stability to iraqi society is emerging : now , therefore , be it & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; resolved , that the house of representatives -- & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; ( 1 ) congratulates the people of iraq on the three national elections conducted in iraq in 2005 ; & lt ; p & gt ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; & amp ; nbsp ; ( 2 ) encourages all americans to express support for the people of iraq in their efforts to achieve a free , open , and democratic society ; and ( 3 ) expresses its thanks and admiration to the members of the united states armed forces and the armed forces of other nations in iraq , including the members of the security forces of iraq , whose heroism permitted the iraqi people to vote safely. & lt ; p & gt ; there is n't a member in this body who could not subscribe to this . 
this is not the time for an ugly and divisive debate . 
and with its rigidity and total unwillingness to listen to half of this body , the majority has chosen to give us an ugly and divisive debate . 
