[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 20, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          REPUBLICANS' UNQUESTIONABLE SUPPORT FOR U.S. TROOPS

  (Mr. BAKER of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BAKER of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to express House 
Republicans' unquestionable support for the American troops now in 
Haiti.
  At the same time, I want to remind my colleagues that this does not 
mean that our view of the President's Haitian policy is unquestioning.
  Our committing young lives to Haiti appears to be more political than 
strategic. The United States still has no national interest in Haiti.
  In contrast to what some would say, the last 48 hours do not put an 
end to debate on this issue. In fact, if anything they raise more 
questions than it answers.
  How many troops will the President commit to this exercise?
  What exactly is their mission? How much will it cost and who will pay 
for it--will it come out of a defense budget that the White House has 
already slashed?
  What is the command structure for American troops, U.N. troops, and 
the Haitian personnel? And most important, when will our people be 
coming home?
  Haiti has no democratic institutions and our troops may be faced with 
a quicksand in time not unlike Somalia.
  I support the United States troops in Haiti. But I would support them 
being back in America even more.

                          ____________________