[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE

  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, last night Senator Dan Inouye was honored by 
the Jewish Institute of National Security Affairs with the Henry M. 
Jackson Distinguished Service Award. In recognition of this 
achievement, I want to take a moment of the Senate's time to salute our 
colleague, the senior Senator from Hawaii, for his truly distinguished 
service to the Senate and to the American people.
  Senator Dan Inouye so richly deserves this honor. Not only has he 
dedicated his life to public service, but he embodies the values and 
commitment to justice and our national security that were the hallmark 
of Senator Henry Jackson's tenure in the Senate.
  Dan Inouye is a true military hero in our midst. He fought with 
distinction in Europe during World War II and was recognized for his 
bravery with the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star, and the 
Purple Heart among other honors. He returned home unable to pursue his 
dream of becoming a surgeon because his right arm was shattered by a 
rifle grenade in combat, so he decided to embark on a career in 
politics.
  In the Senate, where he has served for the last 32 years, he is held 
in the highest of esteem. He represents a tradition of bipartisan 
respect for the institution and loyalty to his colleagues which has 
become all too rare in the partisan gridlock of recent times.
  It has been an honor for me to work with this able legislator, most 
closely on the Appropriations Committee, where his judicious manner and 
his leadership have earned the respect of his colleagues. He has made 
his mark as the chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee 
with his cautious approach to our declining defense budget. Although he 
and I have not always agreed on Defense, I respect his sense of history 
which recognizes the danger of cutting too deep, too fast.
  Chairman Inouye previously chaired the Foreign Operations 
Appropriations Subcommittee, where he also demonstrated his commitment 
to our national security, as a staunch supporter of our ally in the 
Middle East, Israel.
  Dan Inouye has never shied away from championing unpopular causes at 
the expense of betraying the values he holds dear. I am proud to submit 
for the Record, for our colleagues and others, Senator Inouye's remarks 
upon his acceptance of the Henry M. Jackson Distinguished Service 
Award.
  The remarks follow:
  There being no objection, the remarks were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                      The United States and Israel

       I am most honored by this extraordinary award which brings 
     back many memories of the great contributions made by the 
     late Senator Henry Jackson, my friend and my mentor.
       I would like to take a moment this evening to discuss with 
     you an important issue which our country will face in the 
     1990's. It is an issue which I know Scoop Jackson would have 
     recognized as an important national security interest for the 
     United States.
       On September 13, 1993 Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin 
     and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands before a beaming 
     President Clinton. The Declaration of Principles--really, a 
     peace agreement--signed that day was a historic document.
       The response to that historic handshake was electrifying. 
     The audience--as one--stood in instantaneous applause. I 
     could see many, many eyes filled with tears of joy and, yes, 
     tears of remembered sadness and losses brought by so many 
     years of conflict. And, amid that joy and exuberance, which 
     was so uplifting and inspiring, I began to hear the whispers 
     which have come to trouble me so deeply.
       You may have heard them as well--``Perhaps, now Israel will 
     not need so much of our assistance,'' they said. ``Perhaps, 
     now Israel will not object, if we cut the $3 billion in 
     annual assistance we provide to Israel,'' they said. They 
     said, ``Perhaps, now we can set aside the endless quest for 
     peace in the Middle East and turn our attention and our 
     resources elsewhere.'' The voices said, ``With this signing, 
     Israel won't need as much military and economic aid.''
       On that day--in July--the President of the United States 
     was quoted as saying that aid would not be cut. He was said 
     to have assured the Government of Israel that there would be 
     no changes in the aid package . . . for fiscal year 1995.
       Instead of reassurances, I'm afraid he left uncertainty 
     about what could be anticipated for fiscal year 1996, and 
     thereafter.
       Let us remember that the events of last September, the 
     signing of a peace agreement became a reality because Israel 
     was militarily strong. Her neighbors were well aware of that, 
     and those who had been threatening her over the years were 
     not about to test the strength and resolve of this small 
     country.
       And yet, now, as much as all of us dream about and want to 
     believe that peace has come and that peace will finally 
     prevail in that part of the world, we must remember that this 
     day came about not because of good wishes or intentions, not 
     because of dreams, but because Israel was strong and 
     because the United States commitment had been demonstrated 
     over the years in words, in deeds, and in money--we had 
     demonstrated our commitment to Israel's existence, 
     viability, and strength.
       The $3 billion which the United States provides to Israel 
     in support of our partnership has a larger significance than 
     the transfer of resources. It is the transfer of confidence 
     and trust which is vastly more important. The $3 billion--
     which is a combination of $1.2 billion in economic aid 
     through the economic support fund and $1.8 billion in 
     military aid in the Foreign Military Financing Program--has a 
     significant symbolic value.
       This amount was first proposed in 1985 in the Foreign 
     Operations Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate, which I was 
     privileged to chair. Since that time, the total has not 
     changed. The $3 billion became the measure of commitment.
       To be sure, with inflation, the real value of that $3 
     billion has declined, but the measure of commitment--the 
     symbolic value has not changed. It has become symbolic of our 
     commitment and support of democracy and security in Israel 
     and, I would argue, democracy and security in the Middle 
     East. Ask yourself, if it were not for United States 
     involvement in Israel, would Jordan be a free country today 
     or would it have been swallowed by Iraq or Syria?
       I am convinced that, if we truly desire the establishment 
     of peace in the Middle East then now is, most assuredly, not 
     the time to weaken the symbol of the ties between the United 
     States and Israel. Were we to do so, it would have an impact 
     of Israel and on Jordan and on Egypt and on Saudi Arabia. I 
     am convinced that evidence of a weakening bond between Israel 
     and the United States would erode the foundation of this 
     peace and most certainly cause it to crumble in ruins.
       It is, therefore, in our national interest and in the 
     interest of world peace that we continue our assistance to 
     Israel. You have my pledge and Senator Henry Jackson has my 
     pledge, that I will stand firm in my support for a strong and 
     viable Israel.

                          ____________________