{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-1998-12-17-pt1-PgH11736-2", "1998-12-17", 105, 2, null, null, "ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE", "HOUSE", "HOUSE", "HANNOUNCEMENT", "H11736", "H11748", "[{\"name\": \"Floyd Spence\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Wayne T. Gilchrest\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Ike Skelton\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Sam Farr\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Bob Etheridge\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Sam Gejdenson\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Lincoln Diaz-Balart\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Heather Wilson\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Patrick J. Kennedy\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Jerry Lewis\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Corrine Brown\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Curt Weldon\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Carrie P. Meek\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Dana Rohrabacher\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Mrs. CAPPS\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Kay Granger\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Richard A. Gephardt\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Jack Kingston\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"John Shimkus\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"John Linder\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Jerry Weller\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Robert A. Borski\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Carolyn C. Kilpatrick\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Fortney Pete Stark\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Robert A. Underwood\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Jack Quinn\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Elton Gallegly\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Eni F. H. Faleomavaega\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Tim Roemer\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Edward J. Markey\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Thomas W. Ewing\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Robert A. Weygand\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Juanita Millender-McDonald\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Jerry F. Costello\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Rosa L. DeLauro\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Barbara B. Kennelly\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Earl Pomeroy\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Nick Smith\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Glenn Poshard\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Karen McCarthy\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Joe Scarborough\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Jim Ramstad\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Sherwood Boehlert\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Solomon P. Ortiz\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Gerald D. Kleczka\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Ray LaHood\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Ellen O. Tauscher\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Ron Packard\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Loretta Sanchez\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Michael N. Castle\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"Robert B. Aderholt\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", "[{\"congress\": \"105\", \"type\": \"HRES\", \"number\": \"612\"}]", "144 Cong. Rec. H11736", "Congressional Record, Volume 144 Issue 153 (Thursday, December 17, 1998)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 153 (Thursday, December 17, 1998)]\n[House]\n[Pages H11736-H11748]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\n ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE\n\n The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind all Members that they\nshould not make reference to Senators' comments.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from\nMaryland (Mr. Gilchrest), a Vietnam veteran.\n Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the\ntime.\n I want to make two quick points on the floor this morning. The first\npoint is that this is a representative body, based on constitutional\nprovisions that provide for differences of opinion. The strength of\nthis country is that we, as Representatives, critically analyze the\ndecisions of other elected officials and even the President. So for us\nto discuss the issue of an invasion of Iraq is totally proper.\n The other issue I want to bring up is that all of us, regardless of\nour party\n\n[[Page H11737]]\n\nand regardless of our perspective on this issue, have total and\nabsolute support when we focus on those troops in the Persian Gulf.\nThose troops in the Persian Gulf have our heartfelt, secure support\nthat what they are doing is just. And we wish them an absolute\nsuccessful mission and we await their arrival back home.\n We wish them all a happy holiday.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the\ngentleman from California (Mr. Farr).\n (Mr. Farr of California asked and was given permission to revise and\nextend his remarks.)\n Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the troops\nand in support of the Commander in Chief of the troops, the President\nof the United States.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the\ngentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).\n (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to revise and extend\nhis remarks.)\n Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of our Commander in\nChief, the President, and our soldiers who are on the front line today\nin the Gulf and in Saudi Arabia.\n Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the military strike by\nAmerican and allied forces against the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq.\n For far too long, Saddam Hussein has felt free to defy the\ninternational community. For far too long, he has menaced his own\npeople and threatened his neighbors in the region. For far too long, he\nhas failed to live up to his obligations under the terms that ended the\nPersian Gulf War. For far too long, he has sought to develop weapons of\nmass destruction and the means to deliver them. Our exertion of\nmilitary strength against his regime is an appropriate step to\ncommunicate to Saddam that he cannot continue his outlaw ways with\nimpunity.\n All Americans should pray for the safe return of our men and women in\nuniform as they embark on this inherently dangerous but necessary,\nmission. Let me state clearly that no one bears any ill will toward the\nIraqi people. In fact, the actions of Saddam Hussein and his regime\nhave long constituted the greatest threat to the security of the Iraqi\npeople. In the spirit of the holidays, let us all hope that today's\naction may advance the day when Peace on Earth can become reality.\n As a veteran of the United States Army, I know that our military\npersonnel will perform their duties with professionalism, diligence and\nbravery. I am also confident that the leadership of my fellow North\nCarolinian, General Hugh Shelton, will help bring this action to\nsuccessful conclusion. I call on all Americans to support this mission\nand our men and women in uniform.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from\nConnecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), distinguished ranking member on the\nCommittee on International Relations.\n Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend particularly the\ngentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spence) and a number of my\ncolleagues on the other side for their actions here today. There is a\ndifference in the timing of the use of force. I think there is no\nquestion that many of the colleagues on the Republican side of the\naisle and some on the Democratic side of the aisle would have acted\nearlier. We will never know whether that would have been a better\npolicy or a worst policy policy.\n One of the reasons I trust this President's use of force is that he\nhas consistently been reluctant to use it and with the post-Soviet era,\nwhere we no longer can intimidate our friends and allies that if you do\nnot go along with us, you will be overrun by the Communist hoards, it\nhas been his reluctance to use force that has given him wide public and\ninternational support when he used it.\n This President was elected and spent years trying to solve the\nYugoslavian situation without force. Not until 1995 did he begin\nsubstantial air strikes that finally brought people to the table and\nthe Dayton agreement of 1995.\n\n {time} 1200\n\n In Haiti the deadline for force was September 18. General Colin\nPowell, Sam Nunn and former President Carter called the President up\nand said, give us 24 hours more. It is a hard thing to do. The whole\nworld is watching. Is he blinking? Does he really hope to get an\nagreement without bloodshed?\n The President took that political risk, and 24 hours later American\nforces could land without any fire, without the loss of life on our\nside or theirs. And the same is here. The President could have said,\ngee, the letter had not reached me and therefore the strikes occurred\non November 15. But I think what the President did again is recognize\nthe world's concern about the one superpower and so he sent a very\nclear message, I will take every possible step not to use force.\n When Saddam Hussein acted again, I met with the President, and I said\nthis and I think every member of this House ought to understand it, the\nonly considerations in this decision were and ought to be American\nnational security and the security of our forces in the region. We have\na Secretary of Defense who is a Republican. We have a Secretary of\nState who has an outstanding record unmatched. They understood and they\nspoke to us, telling us this decision was made on the facts. The\nmilitary individuals, our top foreign policy and defense advisors said\ntake this action now, the President has done the right thing. And I\napplaud again my friends on the other side of the aisle for their\nsupport of the Commander in Chief and our troops in the field.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the\ngentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).\n (Mr. DIAZ-BALART asked and was given permission to revise and extend\nhis remarks.)\n Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the armed forces\nof the United States of America and specifically House Resolution 612.\n Mr. Speaker, At this extraordinary time in our nation's history, no\none should doubt for a moment that Americans are a people of strong\nresolve and a people who take our country's international\nresponsibilities seriously. Last night, like every other time in the\npast, the men and women of our Armed Services answered to call to duty\nand risked their own lives to preserve our freedoms.\n We owe them a debt of gratitude. It is fitting, therefore, that we\ngather today to express the support of the American people for their\nservice and for their mission. And we do this unreservedly.\n Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, has continued his provocation and\nintransigence in the face of international condemnation and warnings.\nIt is imperative that he not be allowed to manufacture weapons of mass\ndestruction. He has, since 1980 demonstrated his willingness to attack\nhis neighbors and threaten the peace and stability of the Middle East.\nThis in turn is a direct threat to the national interests of the United\nStates.\n From all reports, our military forces have acted with bravery and\nprofessionalism to minimize injury to Iraqi civilians. We are all aware\nthat taking such care often places our own pilots at greater threat to\nthemselves. They are to be commended for their actions that are above\nand beyond the call of duty.\n Mr. Speaker, especially at this time of year we pray for peace on\nearth and goodwill for all mankind. However, so long as tyrants\ncontinue to oppress their own people and threaten the peace of the\nworld, we must not rest.\n Our thoughts and prayers are also with the families of the men and\nwomen of our Armed Forces who are separated during this holiday season.\nWe thank them for their sacrifices.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New\nMexico (Mrs. Wilson).\n Mrs. WILSON. Mr. Speaker, our thoughts and prayers today are with\nother sailors, airmen, and soldiers in the Persian Gulf and their\nfamilies. Our support of them is unconditional. We wish them success in\ntheir missions and pray that every one of them will return home safely\nto their families, friends and loved ones.\n We cannot allow Saddam Hussein to have nuclear, chemical, or\nbiological weapons or the means to deliver them. He has shown himself\nwilling to use them, including against his own people.\n I would also like to say a word about the family who await anxiously\nat home today wondering if their loved ones will survive, wishing that\nthey were home out of harm's way preparing for the holidays. Operations\nlike this are often hardest on the families, and as a nation we must\nrally around them. We have an obligation to keep them informed as much\nas we can and supported by their nation and by their neighbors.\n As a veteran myself and the only woman veteran to ever serve in the\nUnited States Congress, I also want to remind everyone that our\nobligation does not end when the guns fall silent.\n\n[[Page H11738]]\n\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from\nRhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).\n (Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island asked and was given permission to revise\nand extend his remarks.)\n Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, as a\nmember of the Committee on National Security, I rise today in firm\nsupport of our soldiers and sailors in the Gulf. The American people\nhave asked these men and women to put their lives on the line to defend\nfreedom all over the world, and it is entirely fitting that today in\nthis House we dedicate ourselves to support their cause.\n My colleagues, in the post Cold War theater of our country, we are\nfaced with new threats of all kinds. Rogue nations that have the\ncapability of creating biological, nuclear and chemical weapons\ncomprise the next generation of challenges that our Armed Services\nface.\n Saddam Hussein has found out last night why he should never take our\nnational commitment and dedication to the preservation of peace for\ngranted. Time and time again we warned him that if he persisted on this\ncourse, that if he prevented the agreement of inspections, and that if\nhe continued to snub the wishes of the international community, then\nthe United States would let loose the awesome power of its military to\nforce Iraq's compliance with U.N. resolutions.\n Our nation has sent a clear signal to the international community\nthat Saddam's kind of terrorism will not be tolerated. The careless\nmanufacture of these weapons of mass destruction is an affront to all\ncivilized societies. While the people of Iraq search for food, Saddam\nHussein searches for a new palace to build for himself once again.\n These weeks are going to take another important step to changing that\nsituation. Saddam Hussein's days should be numbered and we must commit\nourselves to the installation of a fair and democratic government in\nIraq.\n In conclusion, the President has acted with leadership, he has taken\nthe appropriate action; and it is clear by today's action that the\nCongress stands by our men and women in uniform and the President of\nthe United States. I want to thank the leadership for setting aside our\nother business so that we can tend to this important issue of life and\ndeath.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from\nCalifornia (Mr. Lewis), the chairman elect of our appropriations\nSubcommittee on National Security.\n Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my\nappreciation to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spence) and to\nthe gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) for their marvelous\nleadership insofar as our national security is concerned.\n Today, I simply want to rise and say to my colleagues that today we\nare seeing the Congress of the United States at its finest. We come\ntogether in support of the Commander in Chief and in support of our\ntroops when their lives are put in danger. In defense of freedom, we\nare the leader of the world.\n In these days ahead of us, we are going to have more difficult times\nin which we will see some division in the House. But at this moment,\nDemocrats and Republicans alike are standing hand in hand in support of\nthis resolution, which is an expression of bipartisan and nonpartisan\nsupport of our troops facing danger overseas and defense of freedom.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire at this moment just how much\ntime remains, please.\n The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The gentleman from Missouri\n(Mr. Skelton) has 11 minutes remaining, and the gentleman from South\nCarolina (Mr. Spence) has 12\\1/2\\ minutes remaining.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from\nFlorida (Ms. Brown).\n Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the\nPresident's decision to take action in Iraq and in strong support of\nthe troops who have once again shown that we have the finest military\nin the world.\n I want to recognize the units from my area of Jacksonville, Florida,\nincluding two bomber units from Cecil Field Naval Air Station; Viking,\nShadow, and Seahawk units from Naval Air Station Jacksonville; and the\nmissile cruisers U.S.S. Philippine Sea and U.S.S. Gettysburg based at\nNaval Station Mayport. I salute their service and offer a prayer of\nsupport for their families here and at home.\n Mr. Speaker, it is very important that we put political rhetoric and\nfighting aside as we once again face down the enemy of peace, stability\nand democracy. We must be a strong and unified nation during this time,\nand I urge my colleagues to support our President and support our\ntroops.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from\nPennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), the chairman of our Subcommittee on Research\nand Development.\n (Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to revise\nand extend his remarks.)\n Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank our distinguished\nchairman for allowing me this opportunity to speak, and I thank our\nranking member for his leadership on defense issues.\n I rise in full and strong support of this measure. But I want to\nremind our colleagues that while we are here to state our support for\nthe troops in words, we need much more than words in the current\nenvironment in this city.\n We are going through massive problems right now, Mr. Speaker, as the\ngentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and the gentleman from South\nCarolina (Mr. Spence) have said over and over again. This is in fact\nour 27th deployment of our troops in 6 years. Each of these deployments\nhas not been planned for, has not been budgeted for; and, therefore, we\nhave had to take money out of modernization and quality of life to pay\nto put the troops in harm's way. And when our colleagues vote in favor\nof this amendment today, this measure, I would ask our colleagues to\nunderstand, this is not just a cheerleading session where we stand up\nand go, rah-rah, yeah for the troops. We need the funding to support\nthese troops. We need to put the dollars on the table. Because when we\nsend these bombers into Iraq, when we send these troops overseas, there\nare added costs that we do not have the money for.\n And while I stand here fully unequivocally supporting the deployment\nthat is taking place today, I ask my colleagues to understand that they\nneed to provide the support for the funding shortfalls that will\ncontinue in the next year.\n I also rise to say that, Mr. Speaker, this action I support today but\nit should have taken place a year ago. In fact, I would like to insert\ninto the Record an article from the Washington Times where it was cited\nthat at least on 6 occasions, beginning in November of 1997, the\nSecretary of State or other top administration officials sought to stop\nthe U.N. inspector from moving on surprise inspections in Iraq. We\nactually over the past year have stopped the inspection teams. And now\nwe are saying we must proceed forward very quickly.\n Mr. Speaker, I include the following articles:\n\n The interventions included at least six occasions,\n beginning in November 1997, in which Secretary of State\n Madeleine K. Albright or other top administration officials\n sought--with success in each case but one--to persuade chief\n U.N. inspector Richard Butler to rescind orders for surprise\n searches for weapons of mass destruction or to remove a\n controversial inspector from Iraq.\n\n [From the Washington Times, Aug. 31, 1998]\n\n Ritter Gives Reason for Unscom's Plight--Says U.S. Has No Support vs.\n Saddam\n\n (By Joyce Howard Price)\n\n U.S. officials are afraid of a confrontation, with Saddam\n Hussein because they don't have international support to\n enforce access to suspected sites of weapons of mass\n destruction, says former U.N. weapons inspector William Scott\n Ritter.\n ``Since April . . . the United States has placed\n considerable pressure'' on the U.N. inspection team ``to hold\n off from carrying out inspections that could cause a\n confrontation with Iraq,'' he said yesterday on ABC's ``This\n Week.''\n ``They are afraid of confrontation because of the\n ramifications,'' said the 37-year-old former Marine, who\n resigned last week as a weapons inspector.\n ``Confrontation with Iraq over inspections requires the\n United States and the Security Council to live up to their\n promise of enforcement . . . in [U.N.] Resolution 1154,'' he\n\n[[Page H11739]]\n\n said, which calls for the ``severest consequences'' if Iraq\n does not allow access to suspected sites of nuclear,\n biological or chemical weapons.\n ``Right now I believe that the United States does not want\n such confrontation because it believes it cannot muster the\n support for such confrontation,'' Mr. Ritter said.\n Saddam broke off cooperation Aug. 5 with weapons inspectors\n of the U.N. Special Commission, or Unscom.\n U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson,\n interviewed on TV talk shows yesterday, rejected Mr. Ritter's\n charges that Washington has gone soft.\n ``There's been no change of policy. . . . The record shows\n that the Clinton administration support for Unscom, the\n weapons inspectors, has been unparalleled,'' Mr. Richardson\n said on NBC's ``Meet the Press.''\n ``There have been times where timing and tactics had to be\n discussed with [chief U.N. weapons inspector Richard] Butler.\n But the record shows . . . that because of U.S. action,\n inspectors like Scott Ritter were able to conduct their\n inspections,'' he said.\n On CNN's ``Late Edition,'' Mr. Richardson said ``timing and\n tactics'' were discussed as part of efforts to build\n international support in the Security Council for the U.S.\n position toward Iraq.\n ``At no time did we go to Butler and say, `Don't inspect,\n don't do this,' '' said Mr. Richardson. ``This is a U.N.\n decision. This is Butler's decision. He is very\n independent.''\n Mr. Ritter said U.S. threats of military force earlier this\n year, when Iraq denied entrance to some sites and sent\n weapons inspectors packing, were not convincing--certainly\n not to Saddam.\n ``There are indications that this saber-rattling was\n nothing but a bluff to begin with, an effort to force Saddam\n to back down in the face of force,'' Mr. Ritter said on ABC.\n ``One of the problems is it has to be credible force in\n order for Saddam to flinch, and I think the Iraqis just\n called the bluff. I don't think there was ever the credible\n use of force or threat of use of force.''\n Mr. Ritter said last week that at least six intrusive\n inspections had been stopped since November under pressure\n from Washington. Yesterday, he detailed two instances.\n ``There was a case in July when we actually deployed a team\n of 45 inspectors in the country to carry out inspections . .\n . to uncover how Iraq hides these weapons from the Special\n Commission, and the United States together with the United\n Kingdom intervened and conferred with Richard Butler to put\n pressure on him to cancel this inspection, despite the fact\n that we had a team in country, ready to go,'' Mr. Ritter\n said.\n ``In August, we had another team deployed, ready to go. We\n had very, very good sites, based upon sound intelligence, and\n once again . . . the United States, through intervention from\n both [Secretary of State] Madeleine Albright and [National\n Security Adviser] Sandy Berger, had the inspection first\n postponed for a matter of days and then canceled outright.''\n\n Mr. Speaker, we must have a clear and consistent policy with Iraq and\nthat policy means when Saddam does not comply we move in military, and\nI support this. But this action should have taken place months ago and\nthis action requires our financial support as well as our verbal\nsupport.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from\nFlorida (Mrs. Meek).\n Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this\nresolution. I rise in strong support of our President. I rise in strong\nsupport of our troops.\n I have always been a supporter of our military troops. I came through\nWorld War II. I know exactly what it means to protect our country. I\nknow exactly what it means to be ready. And sometimes I am taken aback\non this floor when I hear many of our well-meaning people on this floor\nquestion things which they have very little background to know about.\n We have many experts in this Congress. We need more people who are\nwilling to say, let's see what the score is, let's look at this thing\nand find out what it is all about.\n Our President is the Commander in Chief. It is his job to make these\ndecisions. I am not here to question his decision. I am here to say I\nstand behind him and I stand behind those troops. Timing, we are no\nexperts on timing. We have heard the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We have\nheard Secretary Cohen. They are experts. We are merely generalists, Mr.\nSpeaker.\n I stand to support this wonderful resolution brought by the majority\nparty.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from\nCalifornia (Mr. Rohrabacher).\n Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the\nresolution and strong support of our troops who are in action in the\nPersian Gulf.\n Today, even amidst a political crisis at home, our military personnel\nare engaged in a major operation against the regime of Iraqi dictator\nSaddam Hussein. Over the last year, Saddam Hussein has violated the\nagreements that he made to end the Gulf War. And I would agree with my\ncolleague who just stated, the actions taking place today should have\nstarted long ago, because Saddam Hussein was committing these same\nviolations 6 months ago and 6 weeks ago that he is violating today and\nwas violating today which precipitated the President's decision to call\nin military actions.\n Saddam Hussein agreed to give up the right to possess weapons of mass\ndestruction in order to end the Gulf War 8 years ago. By violating his\npledges that ensured that he gave up those weapons of mass destruction,\nhe is the one who has called this military action upon his people.\n Let us resolve today that we are not the enemies of the people of\nIraq. The people of Iraq are our friends. The Members of Congress have\nstated we should, in fact we passed a resolution here and allocated\nmoney to support those people who believe in democracy in Iraq and who\nwould wish to overthrow Saddam Hussein's vicious regime.\n So today, as we tip our hats and as we sing the praises of our\nmilitary personnel who are willing to put their lives on the line for\nstability and peace in the Gulf which ultimately tied to the security\nof the United States of America, let us also resolve that we are for\npeace and freedom and we are for the peace and freedom of the people of\nIraq as well and they can join with us and bring about a more peaceful\nworld and end these military operations by getting rid of the Saddam\nHussein dictatorship. It is that dictatorship that is the enemy of the\npeople of the United States, not the people of Iraq.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from\nCalifornia (Mrs. Capps).\n Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this joint\nresolution before us in the House of Representatives that we may speak\nas a unified body and give our support to our President, to our Joint\nChiefs of Staff, to our allies who have joined with us in this effort\nto curve totalitarianism and to make a strong statement on behalf of\npeace.\n It is important for us to get behind our troops now and to be unified\nas a country that our fighting men and women, and I am thinking\nparticularly today of those at Vandenburg Air Force Base in my district\nand the colonel with whom I spoke this morning, urging those troops\nwell, knowing that they are giving up their time with their families\nover this holiday season. We must be with them in spirit and offer our\nprayers. Speaking also for the people of Iraq, wanting to work with\nthem to find peace in their land and let us all be unified as we do\nthis together.\n\n {time} 1215\n\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from\nTexas (Ms. Granger).\n Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the men\nand women of our armed forces. I thank them for their sacrifice and\ntheir patriotism and I pray for their safe return home.\n Saddam Hussein is not in compliance with the terms and conditions of\nthe agreement that ended the Persian Gulf War. He has consistently\nviolated international law and he is insistent on development and\nproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. There is no question he\nneeds to be stopped.\n However, I want to remind my colleagues that real support of our\ntroops takes more than a resolution from Congress when they are sent\ninto combat. It takes a real and serious financial commitment from this\nbody. We need to increase the size of our annual defense budget. We\nneed to address the military retirement system. We need to make sure\nour troops have the best equipment available when they are sent into\nharm's way.\n During the Persian Gulf War there were 18 active Army divisions.\nToday there are 10. During the Persian Gulf War there were 24 active\nfighter wings. Today 13. There were 546 Navy ships. Today 333. I do not\nwant to belabor this point today, Mr. Speaker, but we need to address\nthose shortfalls next year.\n Again let us pray for our troops and offer them our heartfelt thanks\nfor their service to our country.\n\n[[Page H11740]]\n\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from\nMissouri (Mr. Gephardt) the minority leader.\n (Mr. GEPHARDT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his\nremarks.)\n Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the resolution that is before\nus and think it is the right thing for us to do on this important day.\nI fully support the mission of our armed forces currently carrying out\nthis military action in Iraq. These efforts are part of a long-standing\nbipartisan effort to degrade the Iraqi government's capacity to develop\nand deliver weapons of mass destruction and to diminish its ability to\nthreaten its neighbors in the region.\n Over the last 8 years Presidents Bush and Clinton have pursued a\npolicy to contain the threat that Saddam Hussein poses to the region,\nthe Mideast region and the international community. Today our troops\nbravely are continuing this effort. I believe that this Congress must\ngive them and is required to give them our undivided support and\nencouragement.\n The U.S. action is the latest chapter in our efforts. It came at the\nend of a long pattern of Iraqi games to thwart the work of weapons\ninspectors and frustrate implementation of United Nations Security\nCouncil resolutions.\n The most recent act of defiance was in October. The United States was\nready at that time to use military force with the support of the\ninternational community, including eight Arab nations, and the\nunanimous support of the United Nations Security Council to enforce\nimplementation of these U.N. resolutions. Saddam Hussein in October\nbacked down under these threats, and he pledged and his regime pledged\nto resume cooperation unconditionally with the weapons inspectors. At\nthat time our President made clear that if Saddam Hussein failed to\ncooperate fully, without equivocation, the United States would be\nprepared to act, and to act without delay, to act without going back to\nthe Security Council, to act without coming anywhere to get authority\nto do it.\n The President then said, and I quote, ``Until we see complete\ncompliance, we will remain vigilant, we will keep up the pressure, we\nwill be ready to act.'' As Members all know over the past 3 weeks,\nSaddam Hussein has engaged in new acts of defiance of the United\nNations Security Council resolutions and the weapons inspectors known\nas UNSCOM. These acts are a clear violation of the international\ncommunity's determination to ensure that Iraq no longer poses a threat\nto the region.\n The timetable for action was perfectly clear. We have known that\nRichard Butler would submit the report for several weeks. This is no\nsurprise to anyone in Iraq, in the region, across the world who is\ninvolved in these foreign policy issues. Congressional leaders were\nbriefed by the President's national security team on the evolving\nsituation and the military options which were being considered in\nresponse. Any suggestion that this action has been affected by the\nimpeachment debate one way or the other is blatantly false.\n I sincerely hope that we can temporarily put aside partisanship and\ndirect our efforts to fully supporting our troops, our young people, in\nthis critical mission. We should never let Saddam Hussein dictate the\nnature or the timing of our response. We must have the ability to carry\nout our mission effectively to ensure that Iraq cannot reconstitute its\narsenal of weapons of mass destruction, and most importantly we must\ngive our commanders in the field the flexibility they need to succeed\nin their mission with the least risk to the men and women who are\nputting their lives on the line right now to achieve these goals.\n This Congress must stand firmly and in a united way behind the\ndefense of our national interest. We must send a strong message, the\nstrongest possible message to Saddam Hussein that domestic politics\nwill never, ever affect our resolve, and we must send a clear and\nunequivocal message to the brave young men and women of the United\nStates armed forces that they have our unqualified support as they\nundertake this serious and dangerous mission.\n We must join together today as Republicans, as Democrats, as\nindependents, but as Americans. We must speak with one voice, one\ncrystal clear voice behind our men and women, behind our President and\nbehind our Nation at this time of critical emergency.\n If my son or daughter were in the field today, right now, I would\nwant nothing more than every American to stand behind and be proud of\ntheir effort on our behalf. By voting for this resolution, we do that\ntoday.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from\nSavannah, GA (Mr. Kingston).\n Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Spence for yielding me\nthis time and also Ranking Member Skelton for bringing this to the\nfloor along with Speaker Livingston. I think it is very timely and\nimportant that at this day we stop and pause in a bipartisan, united\nfashion and support our troops. For all Americans, we are united\nagainst Saddam Hussein but for those folks that I represent in\nHinesville, Georgia, many of their friends and neighbors will be\npacking and saying good-bye to loved ones as members of the Third\nInfantry Division start to deploy. We do not know how long they will be\nthere. We do not know how many. But we think it is very important that\nthey know, those of us in southeast Georgia who love Fort Stewart and\nGeneral Riley and all the fighting men and women that we support them\nand we want to get them home safely.\n Here in Congress we are going to do everything we can to protect them\nand America's interests. That is why we have fought so hard under\nChairman Spence's leadership for quality of life, equipment\nmodernization and readiness.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from\nIllinois (Mr. Shimkus).\n Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, as a West Point graduate, a former active\nduty officer and a current reservist, the time is right to tell our\nyoung men and women in the armed forces that we support them. That is\nour mission today, a united front. However, our mission tomorrow is to\nensure that our forces have the means at their disposal to conduct\nnecessary operations in the future. Talk is cheap. Rebuilding our\nmilitary strength is the clearest sign to our young men and women in\nuniform and their families that we support them, we care for them, and\nthat we are going to do everything with the means at our disposal to\nprotect them. Let us commit today as we talk on this resolution to do\nthe necessary work at hand to strengthen our military for the future.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from\nGeorgia (Mr. Bishop).\n Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for\nyielding me this time, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member\nfor bringing this resolution to the floor.\n Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for this\nresolution. I believe it is important that we demonstrate America's\nresounding and unequivocal commitment to our Nation's armed forces. We\nmust voice our support, not as Democrats, not as Republicans but as\nAmericans. We know our troops will give us 100 percent and we can\nafford to give them no less. The President in consultation with\nAmerica's top military leaders has given sound, rational support for\nhis decision to launch new attacks on Iraq at this time. Members of the\nMoody Air Force Base in the Second Congressional District of Georgia\nwill soon be called upon to support this endeavor. More than 200 Air\nForce personnel will be part of a combat search and rescue package that\nwill be deployed within the next few days. This is a very difficult\ntime to ask our service men and women to be separated from their\nfamilies. That is another reason why it is so important that we have\nthe morale of our troops uplifted by the solidarity to that mission.\n I would extend my prayers for all of the deployed men and women and\ntheir families for a safe and speedy return. God bless our troops. God\nbless their families. God bless America.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the\ngentleman from Georgia (Mr. Linder).\n (Mr. LINDER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his\nremarks.)\n Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to submit for the Record a statement\non\n\n[[Page H11741]]\n\nbehalf of our troops in this very difficult time in their lives as well\nas the life of our Nation.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from\nIllinois (Mr. Weller).\n (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his\nremarks.)\n Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking\nmember for the time and the opportunity to speak in support of our\nmilitary men and women. I rise in support of this resolution. I ask for\nbipartisan support in this House, a statement of support for our\nmilitary men and women. Not only must we support our military men and\nwomen who defend our freedoms but we must also stand in support of the\nregular folks, the people of Iraq, suffering under the yoke of the\ndictator Saddam Hussein.\n Iraq is now governed by a terrorist government driven under the iron\nhand of dictator Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein continues today to\nthreaten the security of his neighbors with efforts to develop weapons\nof mass destruction. Our military men and women stand ready to defend\nour freedoms. Today they are in action. Let us speak loudly, let us\nspeak clearly, let us speak with a united voice, with a bipartisan\nstatement of support today.\n\n {time} 1230\n\n We support our military men and women with this firm statement of\nsupport contained in our resolution. Let us keep our defenders of\nfreedoms and their families in our prayers today and tomorrow, and also\nlet us take time to thank those every day who defend our freedoms.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the\ngentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski).\n (Mr. BORSKI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his\nremarks.)\n Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.\n Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 612, which\nexpresses strong support for the men and women of our Armed Forces who\nare participating in Operation Desert Fox. I believe this is an\nappropriate expression of bipartisan support for a difficult but\nnecessary military strike against Saddam Hussein.\n At the conclusion of the Persian Gulf War, Saddam Hussein agreed to a\ncease-fire resolution which explicitly committed him to the destruction\nand termination of his nuclear, chemical and biological weapons\nprograms. To verify his compliance, Saddam agreed to full and\nunfettered access to United Nations weapons inspectors.\n Since then, Saddam has played a cat-and-mouse game with the United\nNations and the international community. The United States has\nrepeatedly threatened the use of force against Iraq if it failed to\ncooperate, and Iraq has backed down. President Clinton has gone out of\nhis way to resolve these disputes with diplomacy, but Saddam Hussein\nhas failed to reciprocate with a long-term compliance to his\ninternational obligations.\n Only a few weeks ago, Saddam Hussein once again defied the\ninternational community and blocked UNSCOM's access to important sites\nand documents pertaining to weapons of mass destruction. President\nClinton ordered a military strike, but, at the last minute, terminated\nthe operation when Saddam Hussein agreed to allow the inspectors back\nin to Iraq. The President gave Saddam one last chance, but very clearly\nwarned Saddam that future violations would be met with immediate and\ndecisive military action.\n Unfortunately, Saddam Hussein failed to heed these warnings. On\nDecember 15, UNSCOM Executive Chairman Richard Butler issued a report\nto the UN stating that Saddam Hussein was once again preventing UN\ninspectors from doing their job. In response, Chairman Butler removed\nhis inspectors and President Clinton launched Operation Desert Fox.\n Saddam Hussein thought he could exploit what he perceived as a\nweakness in our country caused by the domestic turmoil over\nimpeachment. But what Saddam once again miscalculated--and what we are\ndemonstrating here today with this resolution--is the strength of our\ncountry in times of international crises. Despite domestic problems,\nthe people of the United States of America will always rally behind our\nPresident and our troops when our national interests are threatened.\n Mr. Speaker, I support Operation Desert Fox, and I support our troops\nwho are doing a magnificent job protecting our national interests in\nthe Persian Gulf. These proud men and women would certainly rather be\nhome for the holidays, but they know their mission and how important it\nis that Saddam Hussein not be allowed to develop weapons of mass\ndestruction and once again threaten his neighbors in the region.\n Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.\n Mr. Speaker, this morning I had the rare opportunity to have\nbreakfast with three bright young United States Navy lieutenant\ncommanders, one a submariner, one a surface warfare officer and the\nother a pilot of F-14s. It was interesting in talking to them about\ntheir future, the future of the United States Navy, that they reflected\nto me what I know all the young officers must say and feel about their\nwork and about their contribution to national security. In relation to\nthe pilot, I heard about the dire need for spare parts, about the need\nfor more highly trained mechanics and the need of the help we should\ngive to the families.\n Mr. Speaker, these are the young men and young women who are flying\nmissions last night and tonight over Iraq. They are the ones of whom we\nare asking so very much, and yet we, who are constitutionally required\nto raise and maintain the military, have left some of them with spare\nparts problems and inadequate personnel, and yet we expect them to be\nletter perfect. Thus far they have.\n I say a thanks to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from South\nCarolina (Mr. Spence), the chairman of this committee, for he and I\nworked early this year in a letter to the President and other leaders\nmaking a strong case for additional funding for national security of\nthis country. It was good to see the additional dollars in the\nsupplemental this last year. But in order for us to come to this floor\nand praise the young men and young women for their courage and bravery,\nwe must do our part first, and that part is making secure those jobs,\nmaking sure that they have spare parts, making sure that their\nairplanes fly and that they have bright young people who are strongly\nmotivated to fix their airplanes and to sail the ships. That is our\njob.\n We are here today, and it has been almost overlooked, because of\nSaddam Hussein's recalcitrance in not allowing inspectors from the\nUnited Nations to look for and find the weapons of mass destruction.\nThat is our purpose, to make sure that he does not have those weapons;\nbiological, chemical, nuclear, that could wreck havoc not just on\nAmerica and Americans' interests and Americans across this globe, but\nour allies and our friends.\n I fully support the President's decision. I fully support him, and\nyesterday I had an early meeting with the Secretary and the Chairman of\nthe Joint Chiefs when they told me of this plan, and I told them I was\nfor them.\n We must, as a body, speak with one voice to support this decision and\nto support the young men and young women. But I must say more than\nanything we must support the young men and young women in uniform\nregardless of the branch in which they serve by doing our part, by\nadequately funding what they do, by giving them the message that we are\nwith them, more in words, more in resolution, but by adequate funding\nand resources so they can continue to do the job that we ask them to do\nand that the Commander in Chief asks them to do.\n So I fully support this resolution. I hope it will pass unanimously,\nthat the message will be sent to our friends and foes alike that we\nstand together as a Nation supporting the President's decision and\nsupporting those in uniform who are doing such a masterful job for us\nand for our country.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.\n Mr. Speaker, we are gathered here today to make comments in support\nof our troops who are presently deployed in the Persian Gulf carrying\non operations against certain targets in Iraq. I think it is worth\nnoting at this time, it is important to note, that we are prepared to\ncarry out this type operation and our men and women are equipped to do\nthis. But I have to point out that this is a limited type operation. It\nis not an all-out type war that we must be prepared to defend against.\nThere is serious question as to whether or not our military is\nsufficiently strong, with all the cutbacks we have been making, to\ncarry out our national strategy of being able to fight and win\n\n[[Page H11742]]\n\ntwo major regional contingencies. That is my concern.\n I reiterate we are here supporting our people today in this type of\noperation. We must, we must, do more to prepare our country to defend\nagainst the other threats we will be faced with in the future.\n Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, one of the most grave decisions that a\nMember of Congress must make is the decision to go to war. Fewer than\n24 hours ago, President William Jefferson Clinton launched missiles in\nresponse to continued intransigence by President Saddam Hussein of\nIraq. Over the past two months, President Clinton has judiciously and\nskillfully negotiated a truce with President Hussein, and even aborted\na launched air strike against military targets in Iraq. As President\nClinton clearly stated, that November 15, 1998 cease-fire was the last\neffort in the continued work to have Iraq comply with the terms that\nended the Gulf War over seven and one-half years ago.\n As a person of peace and prayer, I have grave reservations any time\nforce or violence is used to solve any problem, conflict or difference.\nIt is unfortunate that we have not yet progressed to the point where\nviolence is not an element of international problem-solving. Each and\nevery life on earth is too precious to be wasted as a result of the\ncollateral damage that inevitably happens as the result of war. The use\nof force should be used only as a last resort when all other options\nhave been thoroughly examined and exhausted.\n Along with 434 of my colleagues in the House of Representatives and\n100 of my colleagues in the Senate, I took an oath to protect and\ndefend the Constitution of the United States of America against all\nenemies, foreign and domestic. This recent action is in the defense of\nthe best interests of the United States. President William Jefferson\nClinton, acting upon the advice of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, the\nSecretary of Defense, and the Director of the Central Intelligence\nAgency, ordered the most recent air strike. There have been some\nMembers of Congress who have questioned the timing and necessity of\nthis air strike. Now is not the time for Members of Congress to\nquestion this joint and unanimous decision of the military leaders of\nour Nation, all of whom support this needed action. Now is the time to\noffer our prayers, our aid, and our support to men and women of our\nArmed Forces, their families and our President.\n I have long expressed my support for the ending of humanitarian\nsanctions on Iraq, and along with over 40 of my colleagues, sent a\nbipartisan letter to the President asking for a revisiting of the\neconomic sanctions against Iraq. While leveled at the Iraqi regime,\nthese sanctions have had the unintended effect of taking a deadly toll\non the innocent civilians of Iraq. History is proof that it is in the\nUnited States' best long-term interests to shape a policy that embraces\nhumanitarian concerns and allows new ways to address the legitimate\nsecurity concerns of the United States. Maintaining humanitarian\nprinciples and having a tough stance on Iraq are not mutually\nexclusive.\n\n On June 26 of this year, we celebrated the 50th year of the Berlin\nAirlift. After the Soviet Union banned all travel to and from East\nGermany shortly after the end of World War II, aircraft from U.S. Air\nForces in Europe delivered 156 tons of supplies during 64 sorties.\nDuring the Berlin Airlift, almost 18 million tons of coal, food,\nmedicine, heavy machinery, newsprint, construction equipment, vehicles,\nand household goods were flown in to the people, not the government, of\nEast Germany. The Berlin Airlift saved the lives of thousands of people\nyearning for freedom and justice from the shackles of oppression. The\nstrong, aggressive stance that the United States took against the\nregime of the Soviet Union complemented its compassion for the people\nof East Germany.\n Fifty years later, we live in the wake of the Berlin Airlift. Through\nthe skill and courage of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan,\nformer U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson, President\nClinton, and concerned citizens, were able to previously step back from\nthe brink of war. This is, unfortunately, no longer the case. There are\ncertainly many challenges against lasting peace and stability in Iraq,\nand it is vital that Iraq fully and completely comply with the\ninspection teams authorized by the United Nations Special Commission on\nIraq. The monitoring and dismantling of Iraqi weapons of mass\ndestruction must take place.\n In our letter to President Clinton, we urged the separation of\nhumanitarian sanction from military sanctions. We also asked for\nimproving the oversight and mechanisms for the oil-for-food trade, and\nthe expeditious reform of the federal regulations impeding the flow of\nhumanitarian goods to the people of Iraq. Like East Berlin before the\nairlift, we have heard several official and unofficial reports of the\nhorrible starvation of children, medical deprivation of senior\ncitizens, and general devastation faced by ordinary, everyday citizens\nin Iraq.\n It is unfortunate that the President of the United States was forced\nto use missiles in order to get Iraq to comply with reasonable U.N.\nrequirements. Along with Secretary General Kofi Annan, I am deeply\nsaddened and personally hurt that Saddam Hussein did not give peace a\nchance. Any coordinated policy regarding Iraq should not further punish\nthe women, children, and senior citizens already wincing beneath the\nthumb of a dictator. In the long run, Saddam Hussein, like any other\ndictator, will fade away. It is important and vital that the United\nStates forge a humanitarian pact with the people of Iraq and revisit\nthe effect of our economic sanctions and this recent missile strike on\nIraq. Fifty years ago, the people of East Germany hailed the collective\nwisdom and humanitarian courage of America. Fifty years from now, the\nIraqi people, and all citizens of the Middle East, will praise the\ncontinued fight for freedom, justice and liberty of the American\npeople.\n I support our troops. I support the families of our troops. Along\nwith my constituents, I pray that during this month of the most holy of\nholidays for so many citizens, the collective peace and love that we\nall so desperately need envelop our troops, their families, and the\npeople of Iraq.\n Rest assured that children, women, and senior citizens will die. Rest\nassured that some of our troops, who are someone's father or mother,\nbrother or sister, niece or nephew, will never return home. Military\naction of this, or any, scope requires deep prayer, temperance, and\npatriotism of our country's leaders. Along with the citizens of the\n15th Congressional District of Michigan, I hope that my colleagues in\nCongress will join me in prayer for our country, our troops, the\nPersian Gulf region, and the Iraqi people, who deserve a better leader\nthan Saddam Hussein.\n Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I support our troops in their mission to\neliminate Saddam Hussein's ability to use weapons of mass destruction.\n Althought I prefer a tight, multinational embargo around Iraq to\ndisable Saddam's regime, that path was not taken. At this juncture,\nwith repeated warnings to Iraq by the United States to comply with\nIraq's pledge to disarm and with repeated violations by Saddam, we have\nlittle choice but to proceed with military action.\n For these reasons, I will vote for the resolution before the House of\nRepresentatives today to support our troops and to reaffirm that the\npolicy of the United States to drive Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq.\n Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, December 16, 1998, the United\nStates and Great Britain responded to the litany of abuses long\npropagated by Saddam Hussein, the President of Iraq. Saddam Hussein has\nrepeatedly and consistently violated the terms of the cease-fire\nagreement that ended the Persian Gulf war in 1991. The terms of that\ntreaty, endorsed by the international community including a significant\nnumber of Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf states, called for, among\nother things, Iraq to dismantle its program for weapons of mass\ndestruction (WMD). Saddam Hussein agreed to these terms and agreed to\ninternational inspection, destruction and verification of Iraq's\nchemical, biological and nuclear weapons.\n The creation of the United Nations weapons inspection team, know as\nUNSCOM was heralded as proof that the international community was\nliving up to its part of the bargain with Saddam Hussein. But Mr.\nSpeaker in the seven years since UNSCOM's creation, Saddam Hussein has\nbeen duplicitious and callous by continuing to thwart international\nefforts to rid Iraq of its capability to produce these WMD. All the\nwhile, this Iraqi regime has explored every effort to exploit, cajole\nand employ chicanery to disrupt UNSCOM's important work. And after\nreviewing the record, one can only draw the conclusion that Saddam\nHussein was never serious about giving up his WMD program. He has\nviolated countless U.N. resolutions and obstructed weapons inspections\nad infinitum.\n Even after Iraq's defeat by coalition forces in 1991, Hussein was\nbiding his time to regain regional hegemony and hold hostage the world\ncommunity. Saddam Hussein has shown through out his time in power that\nhe is the archetypical rogue leader akin to a gangster of the 1920s. He\nhas gassed his own people, launched ballistic missiles at Israel and\nSaudi Arabia, invaded a sovereign nation, murdered scores of his\npolitical enemies, terrorized minority Shiites and kurdish civilians\nand embarked on a seven year campaign that is resulting in the mass\nstarvation of thousands of Iraqi citizens. In short, he has turned the\nIraqi nation, one with a proud people and ancient history, into an\ninternational pariah state.\n Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong support of House Resolution 612, our\nmen and women in uniform and our President. While this necessary action\nis being conducted as we speak, this is not a time to rejoice, or\nstrike up the bands, or begin to celebrate. This difficult decision was\none of last resort, precipitated by\n\n[[Page H11743]]\n\nthe violation of commitments made by Saddam Hussein. If anyone doubts\nthat this course of action is necessary, they have not been paying\nattention to the last seven years of broken promises.\n Moreover, the timing of the attack is being called into question by\nsome pundits and newspapers. But this too is accountable only to Saddam\nHussein. It is equally tragic and regrettable that some of our nation's\nleader (thankfully only a handful) have questioned the timing of this\nattack as well. This military action is serious business. The\nimpeachment proceedings are serious business. But both matters before\nus are governed by the nature of the constitutional process and the\nunfurling of international events. The only one capable of corrupting\nthese two matters into one, is Saddam Hussein. And his sense of timing\nshould not constrain our freedom of action nor inhibit us from pursuing\nour moral obligations. For this reason alone, we must remain vigilant\nto our purpose and unwavering in our task. I am confident that in this\ndistressing moment in our history, the true spirit of our nation will\nrise to carry out its appointed duty. In this regard, we are unified in\nour support for our brave servicemen and women. We are proud of the\nwork that they do each and everyday in their selfless sacrifice of\nprotecting our country and fighting for our ideals. May God bless each\nand everyone of them and their families. And may God bless the\nPresident, his advisors, and the United States of America.\n Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues\nin voicing my strong support for our men and women in our Armed Forces\nwho have answered their Nation's call to serve in the effort to rid the\nworld of the threat of Saddam Hussein to develop and use weapons of\nmass destruction.\n Mr. Speaker, our troops deserve our full support and our Commander in\nChief does as well. This was a courageous and necessary action by\nPresident Clinton and he deserves our unconditional support.\n My colleagues, I recall when our country first engaged Saddam Hussein\nand Iraqi at the start of the gulf war in 1991, my constituents and I\nwere saddened but proud when we learned that a Virgin Islander was\namong the first casualties. All Americans, no matter where they make\ntheir homes, proudly answer the call of their nation to serve when it\nis necessary for them to do so.\n And so I support this resolution today. I support our troops and pray\nfor their safe and speedy return home in this season of peace. And I\nsupport our Commander in Chief.\n Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution\n612, a resolution of support for our men and women of the armed forces\nduring the present engagement with Iraq.\n Following the gulf war, Iraq agreed with the Gulf War Alliance and\nthe United Nations requirements that it must cease production of\nweapons of mass destruction. Iraq has continuously reneged on this\nagreement and thwarted the efforts of United Nations' arms inspectors.\n The presence of chemical and biological weapons poses a serious\nthreat to our national security. In fact, these weapons pose a threat\nto every nation on earth. Saddam Hussein has proven to be a rogue and\nreckless tyrant who cannot be trusted. He has shown that he will use\nthese weapons, both on his enemies and his own people.\n After learning that our troops engaged Iraq, my thoughts and prayers\nwent out to them and their families. The men and women of our Armed\nForces have selflessly defended America's national security interest in\nthe Persian Gulf. We can all be proud of their commitment and loyalty\nto this country.\n During this grave time, our troops should know that Congress and the\nNation are unified in support of them.\n Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, the flu precludes me from taking part in\nthis important debate on the Floor today. Nevertheless, I support this\nresolution, which expresses our strong support for the men and women of\nour military forces in their current action against the brutal regime\nof Saddam Hussein. This resolution also reaffirms the policy of the\nUnited States to support efforts to remove Saddam Hussein from power in\nIraq.\n Over the past year, Saddam Hussein has been playing this cynical game\nof failing to fulfill the very inspection agreements which he, himself,\nsigned as part of the peace agreement following his ill-fated invasion\nof Kuwait. Several weeks ago when Saddam Hussein notified the United\nNations weapons inspectors that he was no longer going to cooperate\nwith them and was halting the inspections, the world knew that Saddam\nwas not serious about cooperation and that he was attempting to protect\na dangerous arsenal of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons which\nhe intended to use on his neighbors and enemies in the future.\n At that time, 6 weeks ago, the U.S. military leadership drafted a\nplan to resume military air strikes against Saddam's weapons of mass\ndestruction. The President ordered those plans to be executed and the\nair strikes were given the green light. We all know that at the last\nminute Saddam backed down and agreed to allow the U.N. inspectors to\nresume their work and the military strikes were called off.\n Many of us in the Congress, and in the country, were disappointed\nthat the President backed down because we all knew that Saddam would\nnot keep his word and that we would once again face down the road the\nneed to strike at his weapons arsenal. Many argued that the failure to\nrespond to Saddam at that time would create a greater threat to the\nregion and to the world and would further embolden Saddam to flaunt his\nword and create these crises over and over again, betting that no\naction would ever be taken.\n Saddam's refusal last week to again honor his commitments, thus\nforcing the withdrawal of the U.N. inspection team from Iraq, had to be\nthe last straw. The decision to bomb by the Commander in Chief, with\nthe full support of our Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the correct decision\nbecause Saddam through his lack of compliance presented a clear and\npresent danger to the stability of the region and the security of the\ninternational community. Last night's air raids despite their curious\ntiming, represented the kind of decisive action which has been\ninevitable and unavoidable as long as Saddam felt he could get away\nwith his acts of noncompliance.\n Mr. Speaker, Saddam Hussein has proven time and time again that he is\nintractable. If Saddam had felt he could continue to get away with his\nactions without incurring any penalty, he seriously miscalculated the\nwill of the people of the United States and that of the international\ncommunity. As a Member of the International Relations Committee, and as\none who has been a leader in support of decisive military action\nagainst Saddam Hussein as far back as 1991, I support the decision to\ntake these actions against the regime of what can only be called a\ntyranny and a menace to society. I support the courageous men and women\nour military forces in these critical times and I wish them and their\nfamilies Godspeed on this important mission.\n Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I join strongly with our colleagues in\nurging passage of this resolution of support for our men and women in\nthe U.S. Armed Forces now confronting Saddam Hussein in the Persian\nGulf.\n Mr. Speaker, the Iraqi Government has repeatedly shown contempt for\nthe diplomatic resolution of the crisis created by their nuclear,\nchemical and biological weapons programs. Over the last year, Saddam\nHussein has pushed the United States and the International community\nthree times to the brink of war, only to dance away under cover of\ndiplomatic ruses.\n With the UNSCOM report issued days ago and Ramadan to begin this\nweekend, it is clear that the time for diplomacy is over. The Iraqi\nGovernment has lied again and U.N. weapons inspectors have been stopped\nfrom doing their job.\n U.S. and British military forces in the Persian Gulf are now ensuring\nwhat diplomacy could not--that Iraq will not threaten the region nor\nthe world with weapons of mass destruction.\n I commend President Clinton for making this courageous decision at\nthis very difficult time--knowing opponents at home and overseas would\ncharge him with undercutting the impeachment proceedings.\n I don't buy into these charges, as we all know, as does the\nPresident, that the impeachment shall continue and the outcome will not\nchange. If anything, his action at this time will only harden the\nimpeachment vote against him.\n Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support the Commander-in-Chief\nand our Armed Forces in the Gulf that have placed their lives at risk\nto ensure that nuclear, chemical and biological weapons from Iraq or\nother rogue nations do not threaten our shores and that of our allies.\n Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution\nexpressing support for U.S. and British air strikes in the Persian Gulf\nregion. We offer our thoughts and prayers to our brave men and women in\nuniform who are fighting for our national security during our holiday\nseason. I support our troops to be successful and safe, and I support\nthe decision made by the President and our military commanders.\n President Clinton provided a targeted and calibrated military\nresponse to Iraq's reckless disregard for United Nations arms\ninspections and our policy to remove weapons of mass destruction from\ntyrants like Saddam Hussein. The timing of the air strikes was dictated\nstrictly by national security needs. This was confirmed by defense\nSecretary William Cohen, CIA Director George Tenet, and the Chairman of\nthe Joint Chiefs, General Hugh Shelton in a meeting last night. It was\nthe unanimous view of our military and national security advisors that\nthe air strikes were justified and that the timing this week was\ncritical to the success of the mission in the weeks ahead.\n\n[[Page H11744]]\n\n Saddam has repeatedly attempted to erode or violate international\nstandards concerning biological and chemical weapons. He has and is\nintent on building the most vile weapons in the history of man, weapons\noutlawed by nearly every country in the world. Saddam Hussein must not\ngo unchallenged. Therefore, I accept the judgment of the President's\nmilitary and national security advisors, and I will provide all the\nsupport I can for our troops while they are engaged in this military\nendeavor.\n The military action initiated yesterday by the United States sends a\ndirect and appropriate message: Iraq must fully comply with the terms\nof the weapons inspections. We must continue to protect our troops and\nvital interests in the Middle East and reduce the ability of Saddam\nHussein to threaten innocent civilians and his neighbors in the region.\nI support the intent of yesterday's air strikes and look forward to the\nsafe return of our troops after a successful mission.\n Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution,\nand of President Clinton's decision to order airstrikes against Iraq.\n In 1981, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin ordered the Israeli\nAir Force to destroy Saddam Hussein's Osirak nuclear reactor, because\nof growing evidence that this French-supplied ``research reactor'' was\nbeing transformed into a covert nuclear bomb factory. World reaction to\nthe attack was swift and harsh. The French, the Russians, and even the\nUN Security Council condemned the bombing. The Reagan Administration\ncriticized the raid and temporarily suspended arms shipments to Israel.\n But in reality, Israel had done the world an enormous favor. It has\nset back Saddam Hussein's efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction\nby several years.\n During the Gulf War, the U.S. and its Allies again targeted Iraq's\nefforts to acquire nuclear, chemical, biological, and ballistic missile\ncapabilities. In the aftermath of that struggle, international\ninspectors found clear and convincing evidence of a massive Iraqi\nprogram to acquire weapons of mass destruction.\n Since that time, one of the fundamental goals of U.S. foreign policy\nhas been to assure that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities\nare dismantled, and to prevent Saddam Hussein from rebuilding the\ncapacity to hold the world hostage.\n That is what yesterday's air strikes against Iraq were all about.\nThis isn't Wag the Dog; its Enemy of the State. It's Target the Tyrant.\n Does anyone really want the President to give that madman even more\ntime to hide his weapons, fortify his military, and spawn terrorism?\n This is a cruel and savage dictator who has already used chemical\nweapons against both the Iranians and his own people. He fired Scud\nmissiles at innocent Israeli civilians, and he is hellbent on amassing\nan arsenal of nuclear, chemical, biological, and ballistic missiles so\nthat he can again threaten stability in the Persian Gulf region.\n Yes, the President should comply with the consultative provisions of\nthe War Powers Act as he proceeds with this military action. And he has\nin fact been consulting with the Congressional leadership, as provided\nfor under that Act. But he had no choice but to take a prompt decisive\naction in this matter.\n President Clinton deserves our nation's support in this decision, and\nthe heroic men and women in our armed services who are carrying out his\norder deserve our support and our prayers. They are engaged in a noble\nmission, whose objective is no less than to avert the threat of a\nnuclear holocaust and reaffirm the sanctity of international law.-\n Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our brave men and\nwomen in our armed forces who have answered their Nation's call, and\nwho are now standing tall for the United States of America. In the name\nof national unity and in the spirit of peace and freedom, I believe\nthis Congress must fully embrace and strongly support the mission\ncurrently underway in Iraq.\n It must be said that I am troubled by the Administration's failure to\nconsult with Congress before sending our troops into harm's way. A\nclose review of the War Powers Act clearly states that the President\nmust do this before engaging our military in armed action. The fact\nthat this was not done illuminates a subtle shift of power from the\nlegislative branch of government to the administrative branch. In\nmatters as serious as unleashing the might of our military on another\ncountry, this shift of power should trouble us all.\n It is my deepest hope that this military action has been well\nplanned, will be well executed, and will be brought to a quick and\ndecisive conclusion. The brave men and women who have taken an oath to\nprotect and preserve peace and freedom throughout the world deserve\nnothing less.\n Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, yesterday evening the United States\nlaunched an attack on Iraq. It is unfortunate that we were forced into\nsuch an action. I support the decision to use military force and offer\nmy unequivocal support to the men and women of our armed services. I\nalso offer my prayers for their speedy and safe return.\n Saddam Hussein has been given chance after chance to live up to the\nagreements he made at the end of the Gulf War and time after time\nrefused to comply with that agreement. Last week, Saddam Hussein\nannounced, once again, that he would not cooperate with the United\nNations Special Commission's (UNSCOM) attempts to find weapons of mass\ndestruction. The UNSCOM inspection teams are a critical tool in\nmonitoring and preventing Iraq from developing chemical, biological and\npotentially nuclear weapons. Iraq's refusal to allow those inspectors\nto do their jobs is a direct threat to the United States, and our\nallies. Therefore, we cannot sit by while Saddam continually defies the\ninternational community and continues to develop weapons of mass\ndestruction.\n By continually refusing to comply with agreements it made at the end\nof the Gulf War, and again after November's agreement, Iraq has proven\nitself to be a menace and threat to its neighbors and to the people of\nthe United States. Preventing Iraq's development of weapons of mass\ndestruction is crucial to preserving the safety and well being of all\nof our citizens and our national security.\n It has become crystal clear that Saddam Hussein will not abandon his\nefforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. We gave Saddam Hussein\nevery opportunity to end hostilities and economic sanctions. All he had\nto do was comply with the agreement and stop developing weapons of mass\ndestruction. I believe we had no choice but to use military force.\n Again, I offer my full and unequivocal support for our men and women\nin the armed service and pray for their quick return and a speedy end\nto this conflict.\n Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, we are at an interesting\njuncture in history. We are juxtaposed between great divisions on how\nto discipline our President and how to demonstrate unanimous support\nfor the men and women of our armed forces as they proceed into armed\nconflict miles away in Iraq. Make no mistake, that even during these\ntimes we live in the greatest country on earth. For even in the fell\nclutch of circumstance our resolve is clear and our vision is focused.\nWe will not allow Saddam Hussein to build and develop weapons of mass\ndestruction; we will not allow him to continue to circumvent\ninternational law; we will not allow him to continue to obstruct and\nmislead U.N. weapons inspectors as they attempt to locate and inspect\nweapons sites. We will not allow him to threaten his neighbors; and we\nwill not allow Saddam Hussein to threaten the future of American\nfamilies and children. We will not allow Saddam Hussein to threaten the\nnew peace in the Middle East and we will stand united against him, no\nmatter the domestic crisis, and mete out the severest punishment that\nour military resources will allow us. Just as we punish serial killers\nfor their crimes, we will punish this serial promise breaker for his!\n I rise to support the President's actions against Saddam Hussein and\nI rise in unwavering support of our brave and loyal troops who\nwillingly lay their lives on the line for our freedom. We owe it to\nthem to lay down our political differences and stand together in\nsupport of the President's decision to initiate military action against\nSaddam Hussein. These actions are both appropriate and necessary to\nprevent the rise of a tyrant who is determined to immortalize himself\nin the worlds history books. Saddam Hussein has a record of using\nchemical and biological weapons against his enemies, both, inside and\noutside of Iraq. He has launched SCUD missiles against Israel, Saudi\nArabia, and other Arab countries. He has used chemical weapons against\nhis Kurdish minority, and if given the opportunity and the means, he\nwould not hesitate to launch an attack against the United States.\n We have given the Iraqi leader every opportunity to comply with\nweapons inspectors. We have warned Saddam that his actions would be met\nwith the severest of consequences. The President's actions are in the\nbest interest of our country and our children, and he deserves the full\nsupport of this House and the American people. We owe this much and\nmore to Lt. Colonel Heidi Brown, the first woman to command an Army air\ndefense battalion, and the rest of our brave soldiers who are risking\ntheir lives for our national sovereignty.\n I would like to thank the Leadership of the House for setting aside\nother business to support our Commander in Chief and I yield back the\nbalance of my time.\n Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of carrying\nout the military mission in the Persian Gulf. I commend the U.S. troops\nand I commend the President for carrying out his responsibility as\nCommander in Chief.\n The decision to strike strategic defense locations in Iraq was not\nmade by the United\n\n[[Page H11745]]\n\nNations. It was not made by the President. The decision to take\nmilitary action was made by Saddam Hussein himself. On November 15,\nHussein was given final warning by the United Nations and the United\nStates that there would be no more discussion if he stood in the way of\nU.N. inspectors. When he in fact did so, as detailed in the U.N.\ninspector's report submitted on December 15, we had no choice but to\ncarry out the military mission in order to eliminate Iraq's weapons of\nmass destruction.\n Those Republicans in Congress who criticize the President by saying\nhe is attempting to delay the impeachment vote are the same Members of\nCongress who would have accused the President of delaying the vote of\nthe Judiciary Committee had this action been necessary last week. And\nthese are the same Members who would have said the President was trying\nto delay an impeachment trial if this military mission was ordered 30\ndays from now.\n The bottom line is that we must not allow Saddam Hussein the ability\nto manufacture and possess weapons of mass destruction. If we do, I\nhave no doubt he will use them on his neighbors and ultimately on the\nUnited States.\n I strongly support the President's actions and I support our U.S.\ntroops in the gulf.\n Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues to express\nmy support for the US troops in the Persian Gulf and the important work\nthey are doing to protect our national security. The President is our\nCommander in Chief, and he has my support.\n The President's military and foreign policy advisors, as well as our\nallies, unanimously concluded that Saddam Hussein must be stopped now.\nHis nuclear, chemical and biological weapons pose a serious and\nimmediate threat. We cannot sit back and watch while he rebuilds and\nstrengthens his arsenal.\n In times like these, the Congress and the leaders of both parties\nshould set aside our differences to support our Commander in Chief, the\nPresident, and our Armed Forces. Such ought to be our instincts at this\ncritical moment, and I applaud all those who have risen above partisan\ndebate to support this action by our country.\n It is unclear we did in the 1991 Gulf War.\n Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to speak. It is important\nfor Members from all across this country to lend their voices and\nsupport for our Nation's efforts to eliminate these weapons of mass\ndestruction. Thank God we have taken on this task.\n Mrs. KENNELLY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support\nof our men and women in the field, and pray for their safety and the\ncompletion of this mission. As a former member of the Intelligence\nCommittee, I speak from experience, and familiarity with the evolution\nof these matters. You are embarked on a mission vital to our national\nsecurity and the stability of the Middle East region, and you go with\nthe full support of the American people. This mission has been\ndeveloped and planned over the last several months, and is consistent\nwith the policy requirements set forth by the President and the United\nNations in November, keyed on the final notification of noncompliance\nfrom the international UNSCOM team.\n There are those here who have questioned the timing of this attack.\nTo those, I say we need look no farther than Saddam Hussein himself.\nBecause we live in a free society, our political schedule and debate is\nnot kept secret. There is no secret as to why our membership is\ngathered here today during this holiday season and able to vote on this\nresolution today. It is not hard to surmise that the enemies of our\nstate throughout the world, unfamiliar and unversed in the practice of\nfreedom and the expression of liberty, would mistake our spirited and\nphilosophical debate for a disintegration of our collective strength,\nand choose to capitalize on it. In unity, let us send a clear message\nof restraint to those who would seek to test our resolve. We do this\nwith this resolution.\n To the American people, your courage and support during this time is\na credit to your resolve and faith in democracy. There has been much\ndebate about our Constitution over the last several weeks, especially\naround the separation of our three branches of government. I submit to\nyou a living example of the wisdom of our founders, that while in the\nthrows of partisan and philosophical division gripping this House, the\nNation still has the ability to respond quickly and directly to crisis.\nThis is our strength, this is our Constitution, this is our Nation, and\nthe legacy I stand before you to support and protect. The President,\nour Commander in Chief, and our men and women in the armed services\nhave our complete and unwavering support in their mission.\n Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution\nand the heroic men and women who serve in our Nation's Armed Forces.\n Even in the midst of a critical domestic debate, we stand firmly\nunited in the face of threats to our interests abroad. Saddam Hussein\ncontinues to violate the terms of the agreement that ended the gulf\nwar, and we must contain the threat he poses to the security of the\nregion. Saddam Hussein's proliferation of weapons of mass destruction\ncontinues to threaten lives in the Persian Gulf and around the world.\n Mr. Speaker, our Armed Forces risk their lives every day to protect\nAmerican families against threats like that posed by Saddam Hussein. I\nwould like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude\nfor their loyal service. It is critical that our troops have a clear\nand unequivocal understanding that Congress and the American people are\none hundred percent behind them. They deserve nothing less than our\nfull and unwavering support in this and all their endeavors.\n Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, world peace has been jeopardized\nbecause of Saddam Hussein's continued reluctance to cooperate with UN\nweapons inspectors. In the past 13 months, the United Nations Special\nCommission on Iraq (UNSCOM) has evacuated from Baghdad, in full or in\npart, four times. These include an incident in November of 1997, when\nIraq refused to allow Americans to participate in UNSCOM, a second time\nwhen Iraq refused to grant unconditional access to sensitive sites in\nFebruary of 1998, and the beginning of the most recent crisis in\nNovember of 1998 when Iraq stopped cooperating with UNSCOM until\nyesterday when Ambassador Butler reports that Iraq was not cooperating\nwith UNSCOM.\n When dealing with a dictator as ruthless and unpredictable as Saddam\nHussein, that has developed weapons of mass destruction, it is\nimperative that the United States take a firm stand and refuse to\ncontinue to give ground. The information available to us from the\nprevious inspections and intelligence reports show that Iraq is still\nworking diligently to build an arsenal of weapons. It is my firm belief\nthat the military strikes which were launched were necessary to show\nIraq that their behavior is unacceptable.\n I strongly favor this resolution of support for the men and women of\nour armed forces in and around the Persian Gulf. This Nation must stand\nas one, despite politics, when we confront terrorists such as Saddam\nHussein.\n Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the concurrent\nresolution and urge its adoption.\n Our moral authority and the military might enforcing that authority\nexist in large part thanks to the men and women wearing the uniform of\nthe United States of America.\n Their voluntary commitment to serving this country, its people and\nits principles is what makes us strong and capable of taking the action\nthat is currently underway.\n We work for peace and for resolution to conflict that puts our men\nand women in harm's way. And we are eternally thankful for their\ndevotion and sacrifice.\n Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support\nof this resolution and commend America's armed forces in Iraq. We must\ndestroy Saddam Hussein's ability to make and use weapons of mass\ndestruction and eliminate his ability to wage war against his\nneighbors.\n Inspectors began their mission to oversee the elimination of Iraq's\nweapons seven years ago. Since then, Saddam Hussein has repeatedly\nfailed to comply with UN inspection agreements. Iraq has continued to\nblock UNSCOM from inspecting sites, and has restricted UNSCOM's ability\nto obtain critical evidence. This defiance poses a clear and present\ndanger to countries in the Gulf and people across the world.\n In November, the President made it clear that if Saddam Hussein\nfailed to cooperate, we would strike without warning or delay. The\nPresident's advisors informed him that mid-December would be the\nappropriate time for this mission. Failure to act decisively at this\njuncture would provide Saddam Hussein with time to protect his weapons\nand prepare for potential action against him.\n The President's decision was based upon the unanimous recommendation\nof the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of\nStaff, the Secretary of State and the National Security Adviser. Tony\nBlair, Prime Minister of Great Britain, concurred that now is the time\nto strike. In the President's address to the American people yesterday,\nhe had ``no doubt that left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will use these\nterrible weapons again.'' I strongly support the President's decision\nand believe that we must stand united behind our troops. Our men and\nwomen in uniform are putting their lives in danger to protect the\ninterests of the people of the United States and our allies around the\nworld.\n Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H. Res. 612, a\nresolution supporting our troops in the Persian Gulf. Despite strong\nconcerns over the timing behind these air strikes, it is imperative\nthat we stand in support of our armed forces. Many troops from my\nnorthwest Florida district will be involved in\n\n[[Page H11746]]\n\nthis operation and they deserve the full support of Congress and the\nAmerican people.\n Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the men\nand women of the U.S. armed forces deployed in the Persian Gulf for\ntheir professionalism, patriotism, dedication and courage.\n As the new millennium approaches, the greatest threat to our national\nsecurity is the proliferation of biological and chemical weapons.\nSaddam Hussein's regime has demonstrated again and again its desire to\nmanufacture and use these weapons of mass destruction. We simply cannot\nallow Saddam the capability and the resources to complete this awful\ntask.\n Day in and day out, the men and women of our armed forces perform the\nvitally important job of protecting our national security. I'm proud of\ntheir work, and I am deeply grateful to those who have accepted this\nchallenge in the Persian Gulf. With over 24,000 U.S. troops in the\nPersian Gulf, we must give our brave soldiers our unequivocal support\nand encouragement at this difficult time.\n We applaud our brave troops and thank them for their service to our\ncountry. Our thoughts and prayers are with our troops and their\nfamilies.\n Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues in expressing\nmy unqualified support for our troops as they undertake this important\nmission. I cannot overstate my admiration for our troops as they put\ntheir lives on the line to make the world safer for all. Saddam Hussein\nis a threat to many nations, as the President made clear last night,\nand we must make sure that his ambitions are contained and his\ncapabilities limited.\n This is a time when Americans must come together. This mission is a\nlogical and justified step in an American policy that began during the\nBush Administration. Having been briefed on the incidents that led up\nto this mission, I have faith that our military and political leaders--\nthose with the best information--have made an appropriate and entirely\ndefensible decision. And I applaud the willingness of the British to\njoin us, which underscores the military and political credibility of\nthe mission.\n We must put aside partisan and other divisions now. I agree\nwholeheartedly with Speaker-Elect Livingston's decision to postpone the\nimpeachment debate. We need to pause, take in the magnitude of what has\nbeen happening, and support our troops. I believe that is what the\nHouse is now doing and I hope all Americans will follow suit.\n Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, anytime young Americans are carrying out our\nforeign policy with parts of our national security apparatus, Congress\nshould stand in support of them, of the Commander in Chief and of the\npolicy they propound. If anyone disagrees with the policy, it is their\nduty to speak up in this democracy.\n As a member of the National Security Committee, I know what sort of\nthreat is posed by Saddam Hussein's arsenal of terror of the\nbiological, chemical and nuclear sort. He has exploited our biggest\nweakness, a lack of committed, long-standing allies in the Gulf region.\nIt is important to note the recent diplomatic breakthrough in the\nMiddle East at Gaza, which no doubt reinforced in the minds of our Arab\nand Jewish friends the good will intended to Gulf states on the part of\nthe United States.\n Also, it is of tremendous importance to note that the uniformed\nservices, who have been openly critical of President Clinton and this\nAdministration from time to time, have spoken in unison and with\npassion about the timing and the need for the strikes at this time.\nJust as the United States took strong action against terrorism in the\nembassy bombings in the midst of Congress' impeachment activities, we\nagain move forward unaffected by a domestic partisan squabble in the\nCongress.\n I support the President, the troops and the policy of a long-term\ncommitment to the disarming of the terrorist nation that has been a\nthorn in the world's flesh for nearly a decade. I commend the President\nfor moving forward on U.S. policy around the world when military events\ndictate.\n Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the men and women of our\nmilitary participating in Operation Desert Fox. Their willingness to\nrisk their lives defending our Constitution and freedom is the highest\nform of patriotism.\n Saddam Hussein has stood in the way of allowing the United Nations\nSpecial Commission (UNSCOM) to conduct their inspections that were\nmandated in the 1991 cease-fire one-too-many times. He has continued to\nbreak promises and put the people of Iraq in harm's way. On November\n14, Saddam was given his last chance to resume full cooperation as a\ncondition of the 1991 cease-fire. Nonetheless, Iraq has blocked the\nUnited Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) from inspecting suspect\nsites and restricted its ability to obtain necessary evidence. Iraq has\nfailed to cooperate. His actions have jeopardized the security and\nstability of the Persian Gulf that our troops fought so hard for in\n1991. This is simply unacceptable. Saddam has now run out of chances.\n The President is completely justified in his use of force. The\nleaders he depends on to advise him on national security matters, the\nSecretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the\nSecretary of State, and the National Security Advisor, have unanimously\nendorsed not only the use of force, but the timing of the attack as\nwell. Furthermore, this attack was in coordination with the British\nmilitary. The credibility of the United Nations as a peace-keeping\norganization is predicated on the ability of its members to enforce its\nmandates.\n But let's not lose sight of the most important reason we are on the\nfloor today: to recognize the bravery of our soldiers. What our troops\nare doing is very dangerous and extremely important. It is not us who\nhonor them with this resolution, it is they who honor us with their\nservice. Their readiness, skill, and courage that they have\ndemonstrated and continue to demonstrate are a credit to the great\nmilitary tradition of this nation. It is that tradition that we are\nsupporting.\n I want to express my most heartfelt appreciation to the troops and\ntheir families for their tremendous sacrifice and my most sincere hope\nthat this conflict will be over soon so our men and women serving in\nthe Persian Gulf will celebrate safe and blessed holidays at home.\n Mr. LaHOOD. I rise in support of House Resolution 612, a resolution\nof support for the men and women in uniform. They have been called upon\nto once again ``check'' Saddam Hussein's refusal to comply with world\ndemands that he stop the mass production of chemical weapons.\n Mr. Speaker, after learning that the U.S. military forces had engaged\nenemy forces, my prayers and undeniable support went out to them and\ntheir families. For years, they have selflessly defended America's\nnational security interests in the Persian Gulf at great personal\nsacrifice. All Americans can be proud of the way our troops have\nperformed. They are a credit to our nation and an inspiration to us\nall. Regardless of the questions raised by the unique circumstances,\nMr. Speaker, it is important that our troops know that Congress and the\nnation are behind them.\n The challenges to U.S. security posed by Saddam's actions in Iraq is\nstark. Simply put, the United States cannot allow Saddam to continue to\nfrustrate the efforts of the international community and to rebuild his\nweapons capabilities. Doing so would again allow him to threaten his\nneighbors, U.S. friends and allies in the region, and direct U.S.\ninterest.\n Whatever one thinks of the timing of these latest U.S. military\nstrikes against Iraq, we are all unified in support of our service men\nand women. We are proud of each and every one of them. I urge all my\ncolleagues to support this resolution and urge all Americans to pray\nfor the safety of our sons and daughters, and husbands and wives who\nare currently in harm's way in the Gulf.\n Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues for their unanimous support.\n Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of President Clinton's\ndecision to order military strikes against Saddam Hussein and\nespecially in support of our troops in action.\n Since committing at the end of the Persian Gulf War to full and open\ninspections of his nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons\ncapabilities, Saddam Hussein has repeatedly blocked the work of the\nUnited Nations inspectors. Time and again he has refused to turn over\nkey documents and he has continually refused UNSCOM inspectors entry to\nsuspect facilities.\n On November 14, Saddam asked for one more chance, and we gave it to\nhim. Once again he reneged on his commitment. Military action is now\nnecessary to stop his efforts to produce weapons of mass destruction.\n Our troops engaged in Iraq are doing good, important, and dangerous\nwork. They deserve our prayers and support.\n As a member of the National Security Committee, I returned on Tuesday\nfrom a trip to visit our troops deployed in the Balkans. I had the\nopportunity to see first-hand the sacrifices our men and women in\nuniform make in service to our nation. Americans in the Gulf are now\nmaking the ultimate sacrifice and it is our responsibility to be\nsteadfast in our support.\n This is not a time for partisan bickering. This is a time when we\nmust come together as a nation in support of our men and women fighting\nfor a just cause.\n Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution and\nprovide their full backing to our fighting men and women in Iraq.\n Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today in support of\nour troops in the Persian Gulf. In my mind, there is no more honorable\nduty than that of our members of the armed services.\n Since the close of the Persian Gulf War, Iraq has repeatedly refused\nto comply with U.N. resolutions concerning its weapons of mass\ndestruction. Saddam Hussein continues\n\n[[Page H11747]]\n\nto thumb his nose at the United States. Iraq is a threat to both our\nallies and our troops currently stationed in the region. I have always\nand will always support military action to contain Iraq's dangerous\ndevelopment of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. It is time we\nput a stop to Saddam Hussein and his ludicrous ways.\n As a former member of the Navy I understand the commitment and love\nfor country which is needed to serve in our armed services. These\nsoldiers are giving the ultimate level of commitment by defending\nfreedom.\n Mr. Speaker, my thoughts and prayers go out to our troops and their\nfamilies.\n Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of this resolution that\nexpresses our strong and absolute support for the men and women of the\nU.S. armed forces deployed in the Persian Gulf for their\nprofessionalism, patriotism, dedication, and courage. I am deeply\ngrateful to the soldiers and the families of these troops for their\ncontribution to the cause of peace and the national security of the\nUnited States. When our troops are engaged in hostilities or are in\nharms way, we unconditionally support them in the dangerous work that\nthey do to protect the interests of the United States. While the\nPresident's timing of this attack is questionable, I leave that\nquestion to the best judgment of the American people.\n Saddam Hussein is a murderous dictator who cannot be permitted to\ncontinue to release his terror on his people and the world. He has\nrepeatedly proven that he cannot be trusted, and Iraq will remain a\nthreat to peace as long as this dictator remains in charge. The mission\nby our troops against Saddam Hussein is a just one and it is absolutely\nnecessary, but it should have come months ago.\n I am very proud of all the American men and women who currently serve\nour country in the Middle East. The presence of the greatest fighting\nforce in the world--the United States military--in the Middle East\nplays a vital role in keeping peace there. These troops have our\nunwavering support. May God be with each of them as they carry out\ntheir task with patriotism and courage.\n Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, as the representative for Vandenberg Air\nForce Base on the Central Coast of California, I have always supported\nour servicemen and women and their families. Today, I rise today in\nstrong support of our troops and of this critical mission to protect\nour national interest and safeguard our global stability.\n Yesterday, we entered a new phase in our multilateral campaign to\nrein in Saddam Hussein's ability to terrorize his people and his\nneighbors, and to destabilize the Middle East and the international\ncommunity. There can be no doubt that this action is justified and\nbrought on solely by Saddam's refusal to allow UNSCOM to complete its\ninspections in a thorough and timely manner. Decisive action was\nundertaken at precisely the right time to bring about the greatest\nimpact with the least cost.\n Hussein's attempts to manufacture chemical, biological and nuclear\nweapons of mass destruction is well known, and so is his willingness to\nuse them. He must be stopped--by diplomatic measures if possible, but\nby force if necessary. Only by confronting Saddam can we end his reign\nof terror which has inflicted untold human suffering on his own people.\n Mr. Speaker, this morning I spoke with the commander at Vandenberg to\nexpress my support for the selfless work that he and his troops do\neveryday in the service of this country. This dedication is always\nbrought into sharp focus during times like this, but make no mistake--\nour military men and women are on the job every day to safeguard our\nfreedom. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their devotion to duty and\ncountry which is present everyday and so particularly evident today.\n I urge my colleagues to support our troops and their important\nmission by passing this important resolution.\n Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to return to Washington, DC,\ntoday in time to cast my vote in favor of the House Resolution\nsupporting our military operations and personnel in the current action\nagainst Saddam Hussein. The Majority Leadership in the House failed to\ninform Members of the scheduling of a recorded vote until it was too\nlate for me to catch any flight last night from my district to\nWashington. I fully support our military service men and women as they\ncarry out their duties in support of President Clinton's order for an\nair and missile attack of Iraqi weapons-producing and military targets.\nNow is the time for our nation to support the Commander in Chief who\nwas forced into this decision after United Nations arms inspectors\nreported that Baghdad continues to obstruct the will and mandate of the\nU.N.\n Again, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on the\nresolution of support.\n Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of President\nClinton's decision to order U.S. naval and air forces to strike at\nmilitary and government targets in Iraq in response to Saddam Hussein's\nlatest refusal to allow international arms officials to inspect weapons\nfacilities for biological and chemical weapons.\n As long as weapons of mass destruction are in Hussein's possession,\nIraq poses a deadly threat to security in the already volatile Middle\nEast. In addition, he is capable of wreaking havoc anywhere in the\nworld--including the United States--using only a minimal amount of his\nchemical/biological stockpile. Let me be clear, allowing Hussein to\ncontinue gathering his weapons of mass destruction would have far\nreaching consequences for the safety of mankind beyond the physical\nboundaries of the middle east. One only has to see one of the well\npublicized photos of a field of Kurdish corpses to see an example of\nthe chemical genocide he inflicted on his own people.\n Hussein has tested the will of America and the world community one\ntoo many times, and now he bears full responsibility for his actions.\nThe terms of the agreement that averted a November air strike were\nclear: comply or face the consequences. However, Hussein continues to\nengage in a long pattern of games in hiding Iraq's nuclear and\nbiological warfare capabilities. As long as Iraq plans to continue to\ndefy the United Nations and the world community by attempting to\ncontinue to develop weapons of mass destruction in the face of\ninternational condemnation, the United States must remain vigilant and\nready to act. This strike sends a firm message to Hussein that the\nUnited States is not going to tolerate his failure to comply with\nrequired weapons inspection obligations any longer. The United States,\nas leader of the world community, must be prepared to act forcefully to\nend Iraq's defiance, and I firmly support the use of this force to\neliminate Iraq's ability to produce weapons that threaten its\nneighbors.\n Terrorism is the single greatest threat to the Untied States and its\nsecurity. We need to stand behind the President's decision when our\nnational security is threatened. The brave men and women of the U.S.\nArmed Forces deserve our unwavering support and gratitude, and I\ncommend each and everyone one of those brave soldiers carrying out this\nimportant mission.\n Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the\nU.S. troops who are bravely carrying out this current action against\nIraq. Being deployed and separated from one's country and family is\ndifficult at any time, but especially during the Christmas season. I\njoin millions of Americans and others around the world in praying for\ntheir safety during this time.\n I also pray the Iraqi people will find a way to create for themselves\na government headed by legitimate leaders who can bring them back into\nthe fold of law-abiding nations. Until such change takes place, I fear\nthat the military presence of the United States, Britain, and other\nnations will have to be maintained at great financial cost.\n For several years, President Clinton has submitted to Congress a\ndefense budget in which he refused to include funding for the expensive\npeacekeeping mission in Bosnia. This forces Congress to add so-called\nemergency funding beyond the budget agreement or else seriously damage\nthe readiness of our other military forces by transferring money from\ntheir budgets. With the almost certain end of the weapons inspection\nmission, we face yet another prolonged, expensive deployment of U.S.\ntroops and equipment.\n In light of his continued use of military forces for a wide range of\nmissions, I call upon the President to ensure a timely release of all\nfunds in the FY99 defense bills and the one billion dollars included in\nthe omnibus bill for national missile defense. I also ask that he\nrespond in a positive way to the many calls for a defense budget which\nwill meet the demands placed upon our military. We need to support our\ntroops not only in word, but also in deed, by providing the resources\nthey need to do their job.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.\n The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). All time for debate has\nexpired.\n The resolution is considered read for amendment.\n The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of today,\nthe previous question is ordered.\n The question is on the resolution.\n The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that\nthe ayes appeared to have it.\n Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.\n The yeas and nays were ordered.\n The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 417,\nnays 5, answered ``present'' 1, not voting 12, as follows:\n\n [Roll No. 539]\n\n YEAS--417\n\n Abercrombie\n Ackerman\n Aderholt\n Allen\n Andrews\n Archer\n Armey\n Bachus\n Baker\n Baldacci\n Ballenger\n Barcia\n Barr\n Barrett (NE)\n Barrett (WI)\n\n[[Page H11748]]\n\n Bartlett\n Barton\n Bass\n Bateman\n Becerra\n Bentsen\n Bereuter\n Berman\n Berry\n Bilbray\n Bilirakis\n Bishop\n Blagojevich\n Bliley\n Blumenauer\n Blunt\n Boehlert\n Boehner\n Bonilla\n Bonior\n Bono\n Borski\n Boswell\n Boucher\n Boyd\n Brady (PA)\n Brady (TX)\n Brown (CA)\n Brown (FL)\n Brown (OH)\n Bryant\n Bunning\n Burr\n Burton\n Buyer\n Callahan\n Calvert\n Camp\n Campbell\n Canady\n Cannon\n Capps\n Cardin\n Carson\n Castle\n Chabot\n Chambliss\n Chenoweth\n Christensen\n Clay\n Clayton\n Clement\n Clyburn\n Coble\n Coburn\n Collins\n Combest\n Condit\n Cook\n Cooksey\n Costello\n Cox\n Coyne\n Cramer\n Crane\n Crapo\n Cubin\n Cummings\n Cunningham\n Danner\n Davis (FL)\n Davis (IL)\n Davis (VA)\n Deal\n DeFazio\n Delahunt\n DeLauro\n DeLay\n Deutsch\n Diaz-Balart\n Dickey\n Dicks\n Dingell\n Dixon\n Doggett\n Dooley\n Doyle\n Dreier\n Duncan\n Dunn\n Edwards\n Ehlers\n Ehrlich\n Emerson\n Engel\n English\n Ensign\n Eshoo\n Etheridge\n Evans\n Everett\n Ewing\n Farr\n Fattah\n Fawell\n Fazio\n Filner\n Foley\n Forbes\n Ford\n Fossella\n Fowler\n Fox\n Frank (MA)\n Franks (NJ)\n Frelinghuysen\n Frost\n Ganske\n Gejdenson\n Gekas\n Gephardt\n Gibbons\n Gilchrest\n Gillmor\n Gilman\n Gingrich\n Gonzalez\n Goode\n Goodlatte\n Goodling\n Gordon\n Goss\n Graham\n Granger\n Green\n Greenwood\n Gutierrez\n Gutknecht\n Hall (OH)\n Hall (TX)\n Hamilton\n Hansen\n Harman\n Hastert\n Hastings (FL)\n Hastings (WA)\n Hayworth\n Hefley\n Hefner\n Herger\n Hill\n Hilleary\n Hilliard\n Hinchey\n Hinojosa\n Hobson\n Hoekstra\n Holden\n Hooley\n Horn\n Hostettler\n Houghton\n Hoyer\n Hulshof\n Hunter\n Hutchinson\n Hyde\n Inglis\n Istook\n Jackson (IL)\n Jackson-Lee (TX)\n Jefferson\n Jenkins\n John\n Johnson (CT)\n Johnson (WI)\n Johnson, E. B.\n Johnson, Sam\n Jones\n Kanjorski\n Kaptur\n Kasich\n Kelly\n Kennedy (MA)\n Kennedy (RI)\n Kennelly\n Kildee\n Kilpatrick\n Kim\n Kind (WI)\n King (NY)\n Kingston\n Kleczka\n Klink\n Klug\n Knollenberg\n Kolbe\n Kucinich\n LaFalce\n LaHood\n Lampson\n Lantos\n Largent\n Latham\n LaTourette\n Lazio\n Leach\n Levin\n Lewis (CA)\n Lewis (GA)\n Lewis (KY)\n Linder\n Lipinski\n Livingston\n LoBiondo\n Lofgren\n Lowey\n Lucas\n Luther\n Maloney (CT)\n Maloney (NY)\n Manzullo\n Markey\n Martinez\n Mascara\n Matsui\n McCarthy (MO)\n McCarthy (NY)\n McCollum\n McCrery\n McDade\n McDermott\n McGovern\n McHale\n McHugh\n McInnis\n McIntosh\n McIntyre\n McKeon\n McNulty\n Meehan\n Meek (FL)\n Meeks (NY)\n Menendez\n Metcalf\n Mica\n Millender-McDonald\n Miller (FL)\n Minge\n Mink\n Moakley\n Mollohan\n Moran (KS)\n Moran (VA)\n Morella\n Myrick\n Nadler\n Neal\n Nethercutt\n Neumann\n Ney\n Northup\n Norwood\n Nussle\n Oberstar\n Obey\n Olver\n Ortiz\n Owens\n Oxley\n Packard\n Pallone\n Pappas\n Parker\n Pascrell\n Pastor\n Paxon\n Payne\n Pease\n Pelosi\n Peterson (MN)\n Peterson (PA)\n Petri\n Pickering\n Pickett\n Pitts\n Pombo\n Pomeroy\n Porter\n Portman\n Poshard\n Price (NC)\n Pryce (OH)\n Quinn\n Radanovich\n Rahall\n Ramstad\n Rangel\n Redmond\n Regula\n Reyes\n Riggs\n Riley\n Rivers\n Rodriguez\n Roemer\n Rogan\n Rogers\n Rohrabacher\n Ros-Lehtinen\n Rothman\n Roukema\n Roybal-Allard\n Royce\n Ryun\n Sabo\n Salmon\n Sanders\n Sandlin\n Sawyer\n Saxton\n Schaefer, Dan\n Schaffer, Bob\n Schumer\n Scott\n Sensenbrenner\n Serrano\n Sessions\n Shadegg\n Shaw\n Shays\n Sherman\n Shimkus\n Shuster\n Sisisky\n Skaggs\n Skeen\n Skelton\n Slaughter\n Smith (MI)\n Smith (NJ)\n Smith (OR)\n Smith (TX)\n Smith, Adam\n Smith, Linda\n Snyder\n Solomon\n Souder\n Spence\n Spratt\n Stabenow\n Stark\n Stearns\n Stenholm\n Stokes\n Strickland\n Stump\n Stupak\n Sununu\n Talent\n Tanner\n Tauscher\n Tauzin\n Taylor (MS)\n Thomas\n Thompson\n Thornberry\n Thune\n Thurman\n Tiahrt\n Tierney\n Torres\n Towns\n Traficant\n Turner\n Upton\n Velazquez\n Vento\n Visclosky\n Walsh\n Wamp\n Waters\n Watkins\n Watt (NC)\n Watts (OK)\n Waxman\n Weldon (FL)\n Weldon (PA)\n Weller\n Wexler\n Weygand\n White\n Whitfield\n Wicker\n Wilson\n Wise\n Wolf\n Woolsey\n Wynn\n Yates\n Young (AK)\n Young (FL)\n\n NAYS--5\n\n Conyers\n Lee\n McKinney\n Paul\n Sanford\n\n ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--1\n\n Furse\n\n NOT VOTING--12\n\n Baesler\n DeGette\n Doolittle\n Gallegly\n Manton\n Miller (CA)\n Murtha\n Rush\n Sanchez\n Scarborough\n Snowbarger\n Taylor (NC)\n\n {time} 1300\n\n So the resolution was agreed to.\n The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.\n A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.\n\n ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-1998-12-17-pt1-PgH11736-2"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6403562147170305, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}