TANNER LEADS BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON IRAQ

28 House Members Sign Compact

WASHINGTON – Congressman John Tanner helped lead a bipartisan group of 28 U.S. House Members -- 14 Democrats and 14 Republicans -- in writing a “Bipartisan Compact on Iraq Debate,” which was unveiled Tuesday.

“We agree that the U.S. Congress must end the political in-fighting over the conflict in Iraq and commit immediately to a truly bipartisan dialogue on the issues we are facing,” is the first of eight points declared in the document.

“Our men and women in uniform are fighting – and in some cases, dying – as Americans, not Democrats or Republicans,” Tanner said after sending copies of the compact to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner. “We have to approach this debate as a Congress, not as Democrats or Republicans, so we can find a reasonable, responsible solution toward defining our involvement in Iraq.”

Tanner sponsors H.R. 3087, a bipartisan bill requesting that the White House report to Congress on the status of its Iraq planning.

Rep. Tanner represents Tennessee’s 8^th Congressional district in west and middle Tennessee. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Tennessee Army National Guard, Tanner serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and is chairman of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Members signing the compact are:

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Contact: Randy Ford, 202.225.4714