[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 13, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  CONGRESS SHOULD VOTE BEFORE MILITARY ACTION IS TAKEN WITH REGARD TO 
                                 HAITI

  (Mr. MAZZOLI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MAZZOLI. Mr. Speaker, those of us who served in the House in 
1991, when we debated the issue of the gulf War, remember that 
remarkable 2-day period as one of the most elegant and eloquent periods 
in the history of the House. Every Member, virtually to a person, had 
an opportunity to talk about the issue from his or her perspective. The 
President won that vote, we prosecuted the war, it was quick, it was 
clean, and basically it had the support of the American people.
  What I very much fear from what I hear at least, that the White House 
seems to be devoted to going to war in Haiti without having had this 
elegant, and eloquent, and complete debate, is that the invasion of 
Haiti will not have the support of the American people, and we saw what 
happened during the Vietnam war, which was some years ago, but there we 
had a difference of opinion on the wisdom of that action which 
eventually wound up in national discord.
  I really believe, Mr. Speaker, that the interest of the White House, 
of the administration, of the Nation, of the Congress, of all of us 
together, would be very well served by having this debate and having a 
vote but not to take action toward Haiti before the vote.

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