[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 24, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H4309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1740

  Mr. WYNN changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote announced as above recorded.


                          personal explanation

  Mr. BRADY. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 234, I was inadvertently 
detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''


                          personal explanation

  Mr. BRYANT. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 234, I was inadvertently 
detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to thank Chairman Spence and 
the committee for adding language to the Defense Authorization Act that 
would help resolve United States commercial disputes against the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  As many of my colleagues are aware, in the late 1970's and early 
1980's, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia refused to pay hundreds of millions 
of dollars owed to American firms. After years of inaction on the 
claims filed on behalf of these companies, language was included in the 
fiscal year 1993 defense appropriations bill establishing a claims 
resolution process for these cases. It charged the Secretaries of 
Defense, State, and Commerce with issuing periodic reports on the 
status of pending claims.
  While many of these claims were resolved under this process, there 
are still debts outstanding. The directive language included in this 
bill is intended to re-open the claims process set up in 1993 and 
require the Department of Defense to conduct a broad and comprehensive 
search into any remaining claims.
  With Saudi Arabia now seeking admission into the World Trade 
Organization, I believe it unconscionable that they refuse to settle 
their debts with private businesses. over the years, at least 50 
Members of Congress have urged the Saudis to pay their debt, but 
nothing has happened. Mr. Chairman, I am hopeful this directive and the 
ensuing report will illustrate to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the 
importance of honoring debts. I am also prepared to offer this language 
every year if necessary until each claim outstanding is resolved.
  I want to thank Chairman Spence again for his time.
  Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore [Mr. 
Jones] having assumed the chair, Mr. Young of Florida, Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1119) to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for military 
activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for other 
purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.

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