New 'Caught Red-Handed' Report: GOP Congressmen Waste Billions of Local Taxpayer Dollars on Iraq Fiasco

News Advisory:
U.S. Newswire
Aug. 29, 2006

A new report on the "Cost of Iraq" will be released on Wednesday, August 30, in twenty-five cities by members of MoveOn.org Political Action. The report will analyze the cost of the Iraq War by Congressional district.

Since the Iraq war began, the Republican-led Congress has spent more than $300 Billion on President Bush's failed policy. $18 billion has been awarded to Halliburton, much of which was in "no bid" contracts and $9 billion is missing.

"Most Americans agree President Bush's Iraq policy is a fiasco. But Congress keeps rubber-stamping Bush's wasteful spending," said Tom Matzzie, Washington Director of MoveOn Political Action. "By voting to spend $300 billion on the fiasco in Iraq, Republicans in Congress have short-changed education, health care, job creation, and tough homeland security," he added.

The estimate is based on two reports: the "Cost of War" by the National Priorities Project -- http://costofwar.com/numbers.html -- which looks at Congressional appropriations and Congressional Research Service (CRS) studies.

At the events, local MoveOn members holding giant red hands and signs accusing their representative of being "caught red- handed" will talk about money from their district that has been wasted.

"George Bush's war has cost the resident of Saratoga Springs, New York more than $962 million," said Roger Wyatt, a local MoveOn member. "It is outrageous that Representative Sweeney has continued to support wasting our hard-earned dollars on Bush's fiasco in Iraq instead of spending that money here at home where we really need it." Wyatt concluded.

The national report will be available on Wednesday at http://www.political.moveon.org/costofiraq.

For details of a local event, please contact [email protected].