[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 153 (Thursday, September 28, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            A ``YES'' VOTE ON BOSNIA MEANS TROOP DEPLOYMENT

  (Mr. NEUMANN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. NEUMANN. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will be addressing the 
Defense appropriations bill on the floor of the House. While the 
chairman, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], and the chairman, the 
gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], deserve praise for hitting 
the budget targets, we need to be aware of one other happening because 
of this bill. We need to be aware of the fact that this bill allows 
President Clinton by himself to deploy United States troops, young men 
and women, United States men and women, to Bosnia.
  Make no mistake, a ``yes'' vote on the Defense appropriations bill 
means United States troops will be deployed into Bosnia. If we deploy 
United States troops in Bosnia, we, the United States, must be prepared 
to accept the consequences. The Post this morning reports that the 
White House is now coming to ask for this deployment. If these troops 
are deployed, we must be prepared for our young men and women coming 
home in body bags, and we must be prepared for $3 billion price tag 
that goes with the deployment of United States troops in Bosnia.
  The Defense appropriations bill originally contained an amendment 
that would have required the President to come to Congress for a vote 
of confidence, for an acceptance of the expenditure of these funds 
prior to deploying troops into the Bosnian arena. If we vote yes on the 
Defense appropriations bill today, we must be prepared to accept the 
consequences.
  I do not even wish to advocate a yes or no vote but, rather, I would 
encourage my colleagues to be prepared for the consequences of the 
votes they make, and the consequences clearly are our young people 
being returned in body bags and a $3 billion expenditure.

                          ____________________