Pelosi Condemns Stark's Controversial Remarks

His words will live on as part of the congressional record, but Rep. Pete Stark's comments about President Bush gaining "amusement" over deaths in Iraq have been condemned by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In a statement released Friday evening, Pelosi called the comments of her fellow California Democrat "inappropriate."

"While members of Congres are passionate about their views, what Congressman Stark said during the debate was inappropriate and distracted from the seriousness of the subject at hand _ providing health care for American children," Pelosi said.

Stark, who has a reputation for colorful commentary, has been harshly criticized by Republicans, who at first demanded his some of his other words be "taken down," a move that essentially deletes comments from the official congressional record. When that effort failed, Republicans called on Stark to apologize. The remarks made the rounds on cable TV shows and talk radio Thursday and Friday.

Here's exactly what Stark said Thursday during the debate over the SCHIP bill, as Democrats criticized the president for funding the war in Iraq while opposing the $35 billion expansion of the children's health care program.

"You don't have money to fund the war or children,'' Stark said. "But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement."

Responding promptly and harshly to Stark, the National Republican Congressional Committee declared he had "trampled on the sacrifice of our troops."

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) issued a press release, calling on Stark to apologize for his remarks or resign.

At this point, an apology has not been issued and a resignation is highly unlikely, but Pelosi has obviously expressed her displeasure.