[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 12, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     VOTE ON BOSNIA IS ESSENTIAL BEFORE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1995

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington [Mr. Metcalf] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I would like to discuss today why it is 
absolutely essential that we have a vote on Bosnia before Thursday. The 
President will initial and actually sign the peace agreement on 
Thursday, and I believe it is absolutely vital that we go through this 
one more time so that we are certain we have done everything that we 
can to be sure about such things as what is the vital U.S. interest. 
The President's discussion of that in his speech was absolutely 
inadequate. It would apply to any trouble spot in the world.
  I said during the campaign, and I would say now, I would only support 
U.S. ground troops anywhere in the world if clearly defined and easily 
understood vital U.S. issues are clearly threatened. In addition, the 
President promised specific detailed information on the mission, the 
objective, and the objective to be achieved so that we can leave in 1 
year. Specific detailed information. I have not seen that. It may have 
been given, but I have not seen it.

  Mr. Speaker, sad experiences have taught us it is very easy to move 
troops in; it is very difficult to accomplish the objective once they 
are there, and extremely more difficult to get out in a timely and 
honorable way.
  I believe we must do everything we can to prevent funding, to in 
every way tell the President this is not a good idea and that the 
American people are not thrilled about this Bosnia adventure. I think 
we must do this before the signing, before the decision is irrevocable.
  We know and the people know, Mr. Speaker, that the Bosnia adventure 
is folly. The President is ignoring the public, as he ignored the 315 
Members of this House that voted asking the President not to make our 
troops in Bosnia a part of the peace agreement. He went and did it 
anyway. I think ignoring the people and the Congress is a shocking 
thing, and I think that we do have to have the vote to either endorse 
the President's action, which may happen, or tell him clearly that it 
is not in the public interest.

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