Salem, Oregon - Jun 27, 2005 Representative Chip Shields (D-N/NE Portland) was joined by members of the Oregon Senate and House today as he introduced a memorial urging Congress to create a plan for withdrawing American troops from Iraq. The Memorial, HJM 38 "The Oregon Homeward Bound Act," calls for Congress to pass a resolution that declares that it is the policy of the United States to announce a plan for withdrawal from Iraq that would begin by October 1, 2006.

The memorial introduced by Shields mirrors a bi- partisan resolution that has been introduced in Congress by Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Walter Jones (R-NC) and Ron Paul (R-TX). The federal Resolution, "The Homeward Bound Act" (HJR 55) is a binding Resolution calling for President Bush to announce by the end of 2005 a plan for withdrawal from Iraq that would begin by October 1, 2006. The Oregon Resolution urges Congress to pass the federal resolution.

Shields said he hopes to send a message to Washington with the legislation. "If legislatures across this country join us in passing similar Homeward Bound Acts, I believe we can send a strong message to the President that we need a sea- change in strategy and a way to get our troops home. We cannot ask Oregon's sons and daughters, husbands and wives, to spill their blood for Iraq's security forever."

Shields was joined by chief co-sponsors of the memorial Rep. Paul Holvey (D-Eugene), whose son Justin is a member of the U.S. Army and has served in Iraq, and Sen. Avel Gordly (D-Portland), whose legislative aide has a son serving with the military in the Middle-East. Co-sponsors of the resolution attending the press conference included Representatives Phil Barnhart (D-Eugene), Vice-Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee Peter Buckley (D- Ashland), and Mitch Greenlick (D- Portland/Washington County).

Shields said that U.S. troops have completed an important task. "They have overthrown a despicable dictator. They have ushered in Iraq's first elections. They have secured a victory. And now, we're here to say that the Homeward Bound Act is a way to bring our troops home."