[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 137 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S11437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 KOSOVO

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I will take just a couple of minutes. I 
want to comment on the administration's discussions with us regarding 
Kosovo and just make one statement that I feel compelled to make on the 
Senate floor, which I have made to the administration and to a number 
of Senators.
  First of all, from this Senator's standpoint, it will be extremely 
difficult to support any kind of military action in Kosovo unless the 
President of the United States requests of us significant increases to 
the defense budget to address the shortfalls in military readiness, 
personnel, and modernization recently acknowledged by the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff.
  From my standpoint, we ought not be supporting additional military 
action and putting our men and our equipment in harm's way unless and 
until we have a game plan to put adequate resources into our Defense 
Department for the readiness shortfalls that already exist.
  The crisis in military preparedness that has only belatedly been 
acknowledged by the President and his administration is very grave.
  To support ongoing operations around the world, our men and women in 
uniform are deployed far away from their homes and their families for 
unprecedented lengths of time. Morale among many of our troops is 
suffering, and recruiting and retention statistics are dangerously low. 
Modernization of our force is seriously underfunded across the 
services. Training in many of the combatant commands must halt well 
before the end of the fiscal year due to funding and supply shortfalls. 
Nearly 12,000 military families are once again on food stamps. And 
failing to provide additional funding for potential costly military 
operations in Kosovo while United States forces are about to complete 3 
years in Bosnia at a cost of nearly $10 billion will, in my opinion, 
severely and perhaps irreparably exacerbate the critical readiness 
crisis that exists.
  In summary, if the President expects this Senator to support Kosovo 
action--and I am not sure the administration seeks a resolution--I have 
just stated succinctly what I believe is an absolute necessity on the 
part of the President and his administration; that is, tell us how you 
are going to make our military ready again before you send them into 
harm's way again, when we already know that we are short of much of the 
equipment and parts and our military is in many respects lacking and 
deficient in readiness.
  I think it is a simple proposition. I think they have time to do it. 
I think it is serious. I think when many Senators find out about the 
readiness issues, they are going to be saying the same thing: Let's see 
how we are going to fix that before we engage in another battle.
  I yield the floor. I thank the Senator.
  Mr. D'AMATO addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York.

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