[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H7435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TIME TO ACT IS NOW ON CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM

  (Mrs. CHENOWETH asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHENOWETH. Mr. Speaker, the liberals tell us that we should 
trust our national security to a piece of paper: the ABM treaty. It is 
a treaty with a country that no longer exists.
  The liberals are convinced that America will be safe with this piece 
of paper, but what will they say when a missile attack occurs when a 
rogue Nation or a group of dangerous terrorists threaten our Nation 
with a missile attack? Then what will they say? Will they continue to 
point to this piece of paper and say, but we have a treaty.
  Mr. Speaker, Iran does not care that we signed a treaty. Saddam 
Hussein does not care that we signed a treaty. Osama bin Laden and all 
of his many sympathizers across the globe certainly do not care.
  I ask the other side again, just what will you do when we discover to 
our peril that a piece of paper will not protect America from a 
ballistic missile attack?
  Men of prudence, on the other hand, look to the construction of a 
national missile defense system to protect America from a ballistic 
missile attack. It is time to act now.

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