Stupak speaks: Dem congressman reviews variety of subjects
Stupak speaks: Dem congressman reviews variety of subjects
By KURT HAUGLIE, DMG Writer
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak supported the invasion of Afghanistan because members of al-Qaida were there, he now believes the situation there is spiraling out of control.
Stupak, D-Menominee, conducted his second Phone, Pen & Pad telephone interview with Michigan reporters Thursday and touched on several subjects including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, pollution in the St. Mary’s River near Sault Ste. Marie and online child pornography.
There are three or four bills pending in the House and the Senate that Stupak said outline certain criteria which must be achieved in Iraq after which a withdrawal of United States troops must begin.
Stupak said it’s important for those bills get to the floor of both chambers as soon as possible.
“There is no debate on the Iraq War coming up,” he said.
Although most members of Congress and the Senate voted for original legislation which funded the invasion of Iraq, Stupak said most of them thought that was to fight terrorism.
“It was not about Iraq,” he said.
Stupak said Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld recently claimed the U.S. military presence can’t end yet because the country would slip into civil war.
“I think it’s a civil war now,” Stupak said.
Stupak said he recently wrote a letter to President George W. Bush asking him exactly what he wants to see happen in Iraq before he will begin to withdraw troops, but he hasn’t gotten a reply, yet.
Although two bills by Democratic senators Carl Levin of Michigan and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin calling for definite withdrawal dates were defeated, Stupak said no such bill has been presented in the House.
“We, in the House, have never had a vote,” he said.
Stupak said he’s concerned that the situation in Afghanistan is getting worse, also.
“As we discuss Iraq, we lose sight of Afghanistan, which I think is spinning out of control,” he said.
The Taliban has regained control in much of the country, Stupak said, and President Hamid Karzai is basically trapped in the capitol city of Kabul. The opium poppy trade is flourishing in the country, also.
“The warlords are still in charge,” he said.
Back in Michigan, Stupak said he’s concerned about spills of raw sewage from a Canadian treatment plant which have been entering the St. Mary’s River between Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Sault St. Marie, Ont., and washing up on the beaches of Sugar Island which is in the river.
“We’ve had this trouble in the past,” he said.
Although Canadian authorities made assurances there would be no more spills, they are continuing, Stupak said.
“This has really got to stop,” he said.
There are discussions on the issue being conducted by United States and Canadian government officials and the International Joint Commission, which is comprised of representatives from the Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces.
In another matter, as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Stupak said he has been involved in hearings on online child pornography and Internet predators.
Stupak claimed that while Republicans, who control the committee and subcommittee are trying to introduce a bill to force public and school libraries which receive federal funds to monitor what kinds of Internet sites children look at, he doesn’t think that’s necessary.
“There’s already a law in the books which says libraries have to monitor (Internet use),” he said.
Stupak said what is needed is stronger legislation which will give law enforcement personnel weapons to fight child pornography providers and people who prey on children using the Internet.
Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com
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