WASHINGTON –
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, D-MD, today expressed disappointment that the Republican leadership prevented an up-or-down vote on an amendment that called for redeployment of American troops in Iraq by April 1, 2008.

The Senate had a rare all-night session Tuesday night as the Republican leadership refused to allow an up-or-down vote on an amendment that called for limiting the U.S. mission in Iraq to infrastructure protection, border security, Iraqi troop training, and counter-terrorism.
 

“The Republican leadership exercised its ability to block legislation that would have redeployed our troops in Iraq and started the process of bringing our soldiers home.
 A bipartisan majority of Senators support a change of direction in Iraq and we had the votes to win.
  The American people want a change of direction and I believe the Republican leadership thwarted the will of the American people by not allowing a vote on Iraq.”

During the consideration of the Department of Defense authorization bill Tuesday night, Senator Cardin spoke on the Senate floor to urge President Bush to bring our troops home and to work with the international community in crafting a diplomatic strategy that will effectively counter the terrorist threat, prevent a regional war, and reduce the risk of genocide in Iraq.