[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 125 (Thursday, September 12, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H10347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    VIOLATING AN AMERICAN TRADITION

  (Mr. WILLIAMS asked and was given permission to address theHouse for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleagues and all 
elected Federal officials, as well as candidates for President and Vice 
President, that the United States has a long and valued tradition of 
ending politics at the water's edge.
  I have served in this body under a number of administrations, 
including those of former President Reagan and Bush. Under both 
Presidents, this country was involved in contentious controversial 
military matters, but always and without exception the leadership on 
both sides of the aisle supported those Republican Presidents' military 
actions overseas.
  Speaker Tip O'Neill supported Ronald Reagan's actions, even when he 
disagreed with them, for example in Lebanon. Speaker Jim Wright 
supported the actions of his President. Speaker Tom Foley supported the 
actions of his President.
  We are coming perilously close in this Congress and in the 
Presidential campaigns to violating that valued American tradition.

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