Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Van Hollen Calls on President Bush to Change Direction on Iraq Click Here to Watch the Speech Mr. Speaker, the President says send him the money.  Let's be clear.  This bill provides every penny the President asked for to fund the troops in Iraq.  It also provides for something the President did not ask for: funds to help improve the treatment of our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed and other places around this country.   It also provides something that the American people have now insisted on but the White House doesn't ask for, and that is accountability with respect to the war in Iraq.  That is why the President doesn't like the bill before us. We know the White House has become an accountability-free zone.  The White House got used to a Congress, the old Republican Congress, that gave the President a blank check, money without accountability.  And this provides funding with accountability.  That is why they don't like it.   Let us be very clear.  If the President vetoes this bill, he will be saying "no" to ensuring that our troops have the training and equipment that they need.  If he vetoes this bill, he will saying "no" to ensuring that we hold the Iraqi Government accountable to the benchmarks which the Bush administration and the Iraqi Government have said are absolutely necessary to achieve political stability in Iraq.  If he vetoes this bill, he will be saying "no" to those additional funds for our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed and for our veterans health care system.   He will also be saying "no" to the additional funds that we put in this bill to the fight against al Qaeda in Afghanistan.  Here we are so many years after the attacks of September 11, 2001.  Al Qaeda remains a vibrant organization and Osama bin Laden remains at large; we provide funds to go after Osama bin Laden, additional funds; the President will be saying "no" to that.   And the President, if he vetoes this bill, will be saying "no" to the overwhelming sentiment of the American people who understand the failed policy and say we need to change direction.   Let's change direction. Let's say "yes" to this conference committee report.