[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]

 
OUR PRESIDENT HAS THE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO COME TO CONGRESS 
                                 FIRST

  (Mr. DURBIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. Speaker, I have listened to the speeches this 
morning, and it is very clear that with few exceptions my Republican 
colleagues are expressing their opinions very strongly on the question 
of Haiti and the question of whether the President should take military 
action without the approval of Congress. Having served here a few 
years, Mr. Speaker, I find it curious that this same political party 
was largely silent when President Reagan invaded Grenada and President 
Bush invaded Panama, but I will say that some Members on both sides 
have been consistent when it comes to all of these conflicts.
  For those who argue that President Bush came to Congress to ask our 
approval before the Persian Gulf war, they are rewriting history. The 
Bush administration begrudgingly acknowledged the fact that they had to 
face congressional approval, and they put up the good fight, and they 
prevailed, but there was never any enthusiasm from the Bush 
administration to adhere to the very clear edicts of our Constitution.
  Now we face, I think, a similar challenge today with Haiti before us. 
There should be an argument on this House floor, and in the Senate as 
well, as to the wisdom of our policy in Haiti, but that argument, 
whether it is won or lost by the administration, must be made under the 
terms of the Constitution.
  I am happy to cosponsor the resolution with the gentleman from 
Colorado [Mr. Skaggs] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Boehlert] to 
remind the President of his constitutional responsibility to come to 
Congress first.

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