What's this about? (via buzzflash)

Shut out of briefing

Last week Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives were given a closed-door briefing by Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, about the Iraq war, the extension of duty for U.S. troops and the June 30 handover of Iraqi sovereignty. Democrats in Congress were not invited and not allowed to participate.

Together, Reps. Martin Sabo, James Oberstar, Collin Peterson and I represent almost 2.5 million Minnesotans, including U.S. troops, reservists and National Guardsmen and women serving in Iraq, as well as their families here at home. Our nation is at war, yet our Republican colleagues are privileged to national security briefings while Democrats are shut out. It appears the Bush administration and the Republicans in Congress don't want to inform us about the situation in Iraq.

Our troops and their families have my support, but my constituents and I deserve to know if President Bush has a plan for a war that is costing hundreds of American lives, thousands of Iraqi lives and $4.7 billion per month. Minnesotans should expect their members of Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, to be given equal, not separate and unequal, access to briefings on this vital national security issue.

Rep. Betty McCollum,

Washington, D.C.

You tell 'em.