Today, the four-year anniversary of the war in Iraq, is a very sad day for our country.

As we begin the fifth year of this war, we confront the tragic fact that the Bush Administration’s preparation, planning, and execution of the war in Iraq has not kept faith with the enormous sacrifices our men and women in uniform, and their families, have made.

More than 3,200 American soldiers have died in Iraq and close to 25,000 more have been seriously injured. Iraq is mired in a civil war, with tens of thousands of civilians killed and even more internally displaced. Hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars have been squandered in this war. America's military readiness is in jeopardy, the all-volunteer Army is at the breaking point, and the world's faith in America's world leadership has been gravely shaken.

The American people recognize President Bush's approach in Iraq for what it is -- a failure. That's why they sent a message to Washington this past November to change course.

Americans do not support a war in Iraq that has no end in sight and continues the tragic and unnecessary loss of life. Given the President's unwillingness to change course, it is time for Congress to act. And this week, that is what we will begin to do.

On Thursday, the House will vote on a plan to protect our troops on the battlefield and at home, require accountability from the Bush Administration and the Iraqi government, and set a responsible timeline for a phased redeployment of U.S. troops – with a date certain, by September 2008 at the latest, for U.S. combat troops to be redeployed from Iraq.

Adoption of the Democrats' plan is the answer to America's plea to bring this war to an end and turn away from the President's bottomless commitment to U.S. participation in the Iraqi civil war. Our responsible phased plan requires the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future.

The President has run out of excuses for his failures in Iraq. The American people have correctly run out of patience waiting for him to change course. And America's soldiers have done everything that could be expected of them. It is time for a new direction and the bill before the House is the only way to achieve that.