[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1425-S1429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. THOMAS (for himself, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Helms, Mr. Murkowski, 
        Mr. Coverdell, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Smith of Oregon, Mr. Smith of New 
        Hampshire, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Nickles, and Mr. Sessions):
  S. 404. A bill to prohibit the return of veterans memorial objects to 
foreign nations without specific authorization in law; to the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs.


            Veterans Memorial Physical Integrity Act of 1999

 Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to 
introduce S. 404, a bill to prohibit the return to a foreign country of 
any portion of a memorial to American veterans without the express 
authorization of Congress. The bill is identical to S. 1903 which I 
introduced at the end of the last Congress.
  I would not have thought that a bill like this was necessary, Mr. 
President. It would never have occurred to me that an Administration 
would even briefly consider dismantling part of a memorial to American 
soldiers who died in the line of duty in order to send a piece of that 
memorial to a foreign country; but a real possibility of just that 
happening exists in my state of Wyoming involving what are known as the 
``Bells of Balangiga.''
  In 1898, the Treaty of Paris brought to a close the Spanish-American 
War. As part of the treaty, Spain ceded possession of the Philippines 
to the United States. At about the same time, the Filipino people began 
an insurrection in their country. In August 1901, as part of the 
American effort to stem the insurrection, a company of 74 officers and 
men from the 9th Infantry, Company G, occupied the town of Balangiga

[[Page S1426]]

on the island of Samar. These men came from Ft. Russell in Cheyenne, 
Wyoming--today's F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
  On September 28 of that year, taking advantage of the preoccupation 
of the American troops with a church service for the just-assassinated 
President McKinley, a group of Filipino insurgents infiltrated the 
town. Only three American sentries were on duty that day. As described 
in an article in the November 19, 1997 edition of the Wall Street 
Journal:

       Officers slept in, and enlisted men didn't bother to carry 
     their rifles as they ambled out of their quarters for 
     breakfast. Balangiga had been a boringly peaceful site since 
     the infantry company arrived a month earlier, according to 
     military accounts and soldiers' statements. The quiet ended 
     abruptly when a 23-year-old U.S. sentry named Adolph Gamlin 
     walked past the local police chief. In one swift move, the 
     Filipino grabbed the slightly built Iowan's rifle and smashed 
     the butt across [Gamlin's] head. As PFC Gamlin crumpled, the 
     bells of Balangiga began to peal.
       With the signal, hundreds of Filipino fighters swarmed out 
     of the surrounding forest, armed with clubs, picks and 
     machete-like bolo knives. Other poured out of the church; 
     they had arrived the night before, disguised as women 
     mourners and carrying coffins filled with bolos. A sergeant 
     was beheaded in the mess tent and dumped into a vat of 
     steaming wash water. A young bugler was cut down in a nearby 
     stream. The company commander was hacked to death after 
     jumping out a window. Besieged infantrymen defended 
     themselves with kitchen forks, mess kits and baseball bats. 
     Others threw rocks and cans of beans.
       Though he was also slashed across the back, PFC Gamlin came 
     to and found a rifle. By the time he and the other survivors 
     fought their way to the beach, 38 U.S. soldiers were dead and 
     all but six of the remaining men had been wounded.

  The remaining soldiers escaped in five dug-out canoes. Only three 
boats made it to safety on Leyte. Seven men died of exposure at sea, 
and another eight died of their wounds; only 20 of the company's 74 
members survived.
  A detachment of 54 volunteers from 9th infantry units stationed at 
Leyte returned to Balangiga and recaptured the village. They were 
reinforced a few days later from Companies K and L of the 11th Infantry 
Regiment. When the 11th Infantry was relieved on October 18 by Marines, 
the 9th Infantry took two of the church bells and an old cannon with 
them back to Wyoming as memorials to the fallen soldiers.
  The bells and cannon have been displayed in front of the base 
flagpole on the central parade grounds since that time. The cannon was 
restored by local volunteers and placed under a glass display case in 
1985 to protect it from the elements. The bells were placed in openings 
in a large specially constructed masonry wall with a plaque dedicating 
the memorial to the memory of the fallen soldiers.
  Off and on since 1981, there have been some discussions in various 
circles in Cheyenne, Washington, and Manila about the future of the 
bells, including the possibility of returning them to the Philippines. 
Most recently, the Philippine government--having run into broad 
opposition to their request to have both bells returned to them--has 
proposed making a copy of both bells, and having both sides keep one 
copy and one original.
  Opposition to the proposal from local and national civic and veterans 
groups has been very strong. Mr. President, I will include in the 
Record the text of a letter from the national office of the American 
Legion dated April 8, 1998; from the national office of the VFW Dated 
January 6, 1998 from the American Legion's Department of Wyoming dated 
December 5, 1997; and from the United Veterans Council of Wyoming dated 
March 13, 1998.
  To head off any move by the Administration to dispose of the bells, I 
and Senator Enzi introduced S. 1903 on April 1. The bill had 18 
cosponsors, including the distinguished Chairmen of the Committees on 
Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Finance, Energy and Natural 
Resources, Rules, Ethics, and Banking; the Chairmen of five 
Subcommittees of the Foreign Relations Committee; and five members of 
the Armed Services Committee.
  Mr. President, at this point let me dispose of a canard that was 
forwarded shortly after the time I introduced S. 1903 by those seeking 
the return of the bells. They asserted that the bill was actually in 
contravention of the wishes of the people of the State of Wyoming 
because the Wyoming Legislature, quoting a letter from the Ambassador 
of the Philippines dated April 3, 1998, ``supports the sharing of the 
bells.'' That statement, however, glosses over the real facts.
  Wyoming's legislature is not a ``professional'' one--that is, the 
legislators have other, full-time jobs and the Legislature only sits 
for forty days at the beginning of each year and twenty days in the 
fall. When the Legislature meets, it is often to process an entire 
year's worth of legislation in just a few weeks.
  Like Congress, the Wyoming Legislature has a formal process of 
introducing, considering, and then voting on bills which become law 
upon the signature of the chief executive--in this case the governor. 
Also like Congress, the Legislature has a system for expressing its 
non-binding viewpoint on certain issues through resolutions. But unlike 
Congress, the Legislature also has an informal resolution process to 
express the viewpoint of only a given number of legislators, as opposed 
to the entire legislative body, on a given topic; the vehicle for such 
a process is called a ``joint resolution.''
  In this process, a legislator circulates the equivalent of a petition 
among his or her colleagues. Support for the subject matter is 
signified simply by signing one's name to the petition. Once the 
sponsor has acquired all the signatures he or she can--or wishes to--
acquire, the joint resolution is simply deposited for the record with 
the Office of the Governor; it is never--I repeat never--voted on in 
either House of the Legislature, nor is it signed by the governor. As a 
consequence, it is not considered to be the position of, or the 
expression of the will of, the Legislature as a whole, but only of 
those legislators who signed it.
  Although the Bells are an issue of interest among some circles state-
wide, the issue is not well-known all over Wyoming. I have heard from 
several of the signatories of the joint resolution on the bells that 
they were not aware of the circumstances surrounding the bells at the 
time they signed the joint resolution. In this regard, it is important 
to note that the sponsor of the joint resolution did not enlighten them 
about the role of the bells in the unprovoked killing of 54 American 
soldiers in Balangiga before they signed the document. Moreover, that 
fact was completely and purposefully left out of the wording of the 
joint resolution itself; the death of these American soldiers was 
completely glossed over. The closest the joint resolution gets to 
mentioning the surprise attack and resulting deaths is this, which I 
quote verbatim:

       Whereas, at a point in the relationship, nearly one hundred 
     (100) years ago following the Spanish-American War, armed 
     conflict occurred between the United States and the 
     Philippines; and
       Whereas, a particularly noteworthy incident occurred on the 
     island of Samar in 1901 during the course of that conflict; 
     and
       Whereas, that incident involved the ringing of the Church 
     Bells of Balangiga on Samar to signal the outbreak of 
     fighting.

  Imagine. The author of the joint resolution reduced the surprise 
attack and horrible deaths of fifty-four soldiers to a seemingly 
innocent, benign ``noteworthy incident.'' So while some may rely the 
joint resolution as though it were the ``voice of Wyoming'' in support 
of their position, an examination of the actual facts surrounding it 
proves that reliance to be very misplaced.
  While time has passed since this issue came to a head last April, Mr. 
President, my deep concern that the Administration might still dispose 
of the bells has not. The Administration has not disavowed its earlier 
intent to seek to return the bells--an intent derailed by the 
introduction of S. 1903 last year. In addition, despite Article IV, 
section 3, clause 2 of the Constitution, which states that the 
``Congress shall have the power to dispose of . . . Property belonging 
to the United States,'' the Justice Department has issued an informal 
memorandum stating that the Bells could possibly be disposed of by the 
President pursuant to the provisions of 10 U.S.C. Sec. 2572.
  I continue to be amazed, even in these days of political correctness 
and revisionist history, that a U.S. President--our Commander-in-
Chief--would appear to be ready to ignore the wishes of our veterans 
and tear down a memorial to U.S. soldiers who died in the

[[Page S1427]]

line of duty in order to send part of it back to the country in which 
they were killed. Amazed, that is, until I recall this President's 
fondness for sweeping apologies and what some might view as flashy P.R. 
gestures. Consequently, Senator Enzi and I have decided to reintroduce 
the bill in the 106th Congress.
  Mr. President, to the veterans of Wyoming, and the United States as a 
whole, the bells represent a lasting memorial to those fifty-four 
American soldiers killed as a result of an unprovoked insurgent attack 
in Balangiga on September 28, 1901. In their view, which I share, any 
attempt to remove either or both of the bells--and in doing so actually 
physically dismantling a war memorial--is a desecration of that memory.
  S. 404 will protect the bells and similar veterans memorials from 
such an ignoble fate. The bill is quite simple; it prohibits the 
transfer of a veterans memorial or any portion thereof to a foreign 
country or government unless specifically authorized by law; 
Representative Barbara Cubin is introducing similar legislation this 
week in the House. I am pleased to be joined by Senators Enzi, Helms, 
Hagel, Smith of Oregon, Murkowski, Smith of New Hampshire, Roberts, 
Sessions, Nickles, and Coverdell as original cosponsors. I trust that 
my colleagues will support its swift passage.
  Last year, developments indicated to me that the White House was 
seriously contemplating returning one or both of the bells to the 
Philippines. The year 1998 marked the 100th anniversary of the Treaty 
of Paris, and a state visit by then-President Fidel Ramos--his last as 
President--to the United States. The disposition of the bells was high 
on President Ramos' agenda; he has spoken personally to President 
Clinton and several Members of Congress about it over the last three 
years, and made it one of only three agenda items the Filipino 
delegation brought to the table. Since January 1998, the Filipino press 
has included almost weekly articles on the bells' supposed return, 
including several in the Manila Times in April and May which reported 
that a new tower to house the bells was being constructed in Borongon, 
Samar, to receive them in May. In addition, there have been a variety 
of reports vilifying me and the veterans in Wyoming for our position on 
the issue, and others threatening economic boycotts of U.S. products or 
other unspecified acts of retaliation to force capitulation on the 
issue.
  Moreover, inquiries to me from various agencies of the Administration 
soliciting the opinion of the Wyoming congressional delegation on the 
issue increased in frequency in the first four months of 1998. I also 
learned that the Defense Department, perhaps in conjunction with the 
Justice Department, prepared a legal memorandum outlining its opinion 
of who actually controls the disposition of the bells.
  In response, the Wyoming congressional delegation wrote a letter to 
President Clinton on January 9, 1998 to make clear our opposition to 
removing the bells. In response to that letter, on May 26 I received a 
letter from Sandy Berger of the National Security Council which I think 
is perhaps one of the best indicators of the direction the White House 
was headed on this issue.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill and additional 
material be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the materials were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 404

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON THE RETURN OF VETERANS MEMORIAL 
                   OBJECTS TO FOREIGN NATIONS WITHOUT SPECIFIC 
                   AUTHORIZATION IN LAW.

       (a) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding section 2572 of title 10, 
     United States Code, or any other provision of law, the 
     President may not transfer a veterans memorial object to a 
     foreign country or entity controlled by a foreign government, 
     or otherwise transfer or convey such object to a person or 
     entity for purposes of the ultimate transfer or conveyance of 
     such object to a foreign country or entity controlled by a 
     foreign government, unless specifically authorized by law.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Entity controlled by a foreign government.--The term 
     ``entity controlled by a foreign government'' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 2536(c)(1) of title 10, United 
     States Code.
       (2) Veterans memorial object.--The term ``veterans memorial 
     object'' means any object, including a physical structure or 
     portion thereof, that--
       (A) is located at a cemetery of the National Cemetery 
     System, war memorial, or military installation in the United 
     States;
       (B) is dedicated to, or otherwise memorializes, the death 
     in combat or combat-related duties of members of the United 
     States Armed Forces; and
       (C) was brought to the United States from abroad as a 
     memorial of combat abroad.
                                  ____



                                          The American Legion,

                                    Washington, DC, April 8, 1998.
     Hon. Craig Thomas,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Thomas: The American Legion supports S. 1903, 
     legislation that would prohibit the return of veterans 
     memorial objects without specific authorization in law by the 
     United States Congress.
       Article IV, Section III of the United States Constitution 
     specifically grants Congress the authority to dispose of 
     property belonging to the United States. The Preamble to the 
     Constitution of The American Legion specifically calls for 
     The American Legion to ``uphold and defend the Constitution 
     of the United States of America'' and ``to preserve the 
     memories and incidents of our associations in the Great 
     Wars.'' The American Legion believes your legislation would 
     help achieve these two important democratic tasks.
       Once again. The American Legion supports S. 1903, 
     legislation that would prohibit the return of veterans 
     memorial objects without specific authorization in law by the 
     United States Congress. The American Legion appreciates your 
     continued leadership on issues important to veterans, their 
     families and the United States of America.
           Sincerely,

                                           Steve A. Robertson,

                                                Director, National
     Legislative Commission.
                                  ____

                                       Veterans of Foreign Wars of


                                            the United States,

                                                  January 6, 1998.
     Re Bells of Balangiga.

     Hon. Douglas K. Bereuter,
     Chairman, East Asia Subcommittee, Committee on International 
         Relations, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Recently, we learned that Mr. Robert 
     Underwood, U.S. Representative from Guam, has introduced 
     House Resolution 312 urging the President to authorize the 
     transfer of ownership of one of the Bells of Balangiga to the 
     Philippines. In brief, the Bells of Balangiga, which serve as 
     a war memorial to U.S. Army soldiers killed by insurgents in 
     the Philippines in 1901, are located at E.E. Warren Air Force 
     Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The proposal of the Philippine 
     Ambassador to return one of the bells to the Philippines is 
     opposed by veterans and the supporting community in Wyoming.
       Although the 98th National Convention of the Veterans of 
     Foreign Wars of the United States did not adopt a Resolution 
     on this issue, the VFW does have a position on the Bells of 
     Balangiga. After carefully reviewing the history and 
     background of the issue involving the Bells of Balangiga, the 
     VFW opposes and rejects any compromise or agreement with the 
     government of the Philippines which would result in the 
     return of any of the Bells of Balangiga to the Philippines. 
     The church bells were paid for with American blood in 1901 
     when they were used to signal an unprovoked attack by 
     insurrectionists against an American Army garrison which 
     resulted in the massacre of 45 American soldiers. The Bells 
     serve is a permanent memorial to the sacrifice of the 
     American soldiers from Fort D.A. Russell (Wyoming) who gave 
     their lives for their country while doing their duty. We do 
     not think any of the bells should be given back to the 
     Philippines. To return the bells sends the wrong message to 
     the world. In addition, local Wyoming veterans and other 
     citizens are opposed to dismantling the sacred monument and 
     returning any part of it to the Philippines.
       In the past, several years, the Philippine Government has 
     made several attempts to get the Bells of Balangiga returned 
     to their country. To date, they have not been successful in 
     any of their attempts to get the bells returned. For the past 
     95 years, two of the bells have been enshrined at Fort 
     Russell/Warren AFB in Wyoming. The third is with the U.S. 
     Army's 9th Infantry in the Republic of Korea.
       Recently, Philippine President Fidel Ramos ordered his 
     United States Ambassador, Paul Rabe, to step up his effort on 
     the bells hoping to have them returned in time for next 
     summer's celebration of 100 years of Philippine independence. 
     In October 1997, Ambassador Paul Rabe suggested a compromise 
     solution. He suggested returning one of the bells to the 
     Philippines thereby giving both nations an original and the 
     opportunity to make a replica. In fact, the justification for 
     the latest proposal of the Philippine government is fatally 
     flawed. The Bells of Balangiga played no part at all in 
     Admiral Dewey's defeat of the Spanish Navy at Manila Bay in 
     1898. Subsequently, that naval defeat forced the Spanish to 
     relinquish control of the Philippine Islands to the U.S. The 
     soldiers killed were from Fort D.A. Russell and were ordered 
     to the Philippine Islands because a savage guerrilla war had 
     broken

[[Page S1428]]

     out after the conclusion of the Spanish-American War of 1896. 
     Therefore, we believe the bells have no significance or 
     connection to the celebration of Philippine independence.
       Kenneth Weber, Commander of the VFW Department of Wyoming, 
     expressed the feelings of local Wyoming veterans and 
     supporters when he said, ``The members of the Veterans of 
     Foreign Wars of the United States . . . will not stand idle 
     and allow a sacred memorial to those soldiers killed while 
     doing their duty to be dismantled.''
       We believe the Wyoming veterans are correct on this issue. 
     The bells should stay right where they are--in Wyoming and 
     with the 9th Regiment.
           Respectfully,
                                              Kenneth A. Steadman,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____

                                              The American Legion,


                                        Department of Wyoming,

                                   Cheyenne, WY, December 5, 1997.
     Hon. William Clinton,
     U.S. President, White House, Washington DC.
       Dear President Clinton: A copy of House Resolution 312 
     urging our President to transfer one of the Bells of 
     Balingiga from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 
     to the Philippines has been received by The American Legion, 
     Department of Wyoming Headquarters. On behalf of the Wyoming 
     Legionnaires and other veterans, I urge you to oppose this 
     resolution. Also attached is a Resolution from The American 
     Legion, Department of Wyoming, strongly advocating the 
     retention of both bells at F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne. We 
     still feel strongly that to dismantle a memorial to our 
     fallen comrades--even partially--that is almost a hundred 
     years old is a breach of faith with those who gave the 
     ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. The Preamble 
     to the Constitution of The American Legion states ``For God 
     and country, we associate ourselves for the following 
     purposes . . . to preserve the memories and incidents of our 
     association in the great wars: . . .'' We have seen some of 
     the emotions of living veterans at such memorials as the 
     Vietnam Wall and the Korean War Memorial in Washington DC. To 
     remove a memorial from the oldest active military 
     installation in our country would send a very adverse message 
     to those who are serving our country at the present time and 
     in the future.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Joseph G. Sestak,
     Department Commander.
                                  ____

                                           United Veterans Council


                                                   of Wyoming,

                                     Cheyenne, WY, March 13, 1998.
     The President of the United States,
     William Jefferson Clinton,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear President Clinton: I am writing to you concerning an 
     issue which is of great importance to Wyoming's veterans and 
     other citizens of our great state. The United Veterans 
     Council of Wyoming, Inc. is a coalition of veteran's service 
     organizations located throughout Wyoming. Members of the 
     United Veterans Council include the American Legion, the 
     Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of 
     the United States, and eleven smaller, though no less 
     important, veteran's service organizations.
       As you may know, the Philippine government has attempted 
     since 1980 to have the Bells of Balangiga returned. In brief, 
     the bells serve as a permanent war memorial to U.S. Army 
     soldiers sent from Ft. D.A. Russell, Wyoming to the 
     Philippine Islands following the Spanish-American War of 
     1898. In 1901, soldiers garrisoned in the village of 
     Balangiga to protect the village from Muslim and rebel raids, 
     were killed by insurgents who used the church bells to signal 
     a surprise attack on a quite Sunday morning. The bells now 
     hang from an attractive brick memorial near the parade 
     grounds of Fort Russell, now F.E. Warren AFB, in Cheyenne. 
     Pentagon officials have determined that the United States 
     government has proper title to the bells under international 
     law.
       Since his posting to Washington in 1993, Philippine 
     Ambassador Paul Rabe has been quietly negotiating the return 
     of the bells with Wyoming church leaders, civic 
     organizations, local businessmen with economic ties to the 
     Philippines and state law-makers.
       However, after several trips to Wyoming, Ambassador Rabe 
     has yet to meet with veterans or veteran's organizations. It 
     is important to know, that for ninety-five years, U.S. 
     military personnel and Wyoming veterans have kept safe, 
     maintained, and preserved the bells. Veterans were 
     instrumental in establishing the permanent memorial as it now 
     stands, dedicated to the sacrifice of fallen comrades. The 
     memorial is adjacent to the base flag pole and part of the 
     daily retreat ceremony.
       Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos is visiting Washington 
     in April. I understand he intends to meet with you to 
     discuss, among other things, House Resolution 312 urging the 
     transfer of ownership of one of the bells to the Philippines 
     as a compromise offer. President Ramos is attempting to 
     justify the return of one or more bells for use during a 
     centennial celebration of Philippine independence from Spain.
       As the VFW and others have continually pointed out, the 
     Bells of Balangiga played no role in Admiral Dewey's defeat 
     of the Spanish Navy at Manila Bay in 1898, three years before 
     the bells were used to signal the massacre of the U.S. 
     soldiers at Balangiga. Following Admiral Dewey's victory, 
     Spain relinquished control of the islands to the United 
     States. The Philippines were granted their independence in 
     1946. We believe the bells have no significance or connection 
     to any celebration of Philippine independence from Spain.
       The Philippine government even compared the church bells to 
     our Liberty Bell, a comparison which is completely unfounded 
     and quite a stretch. The Liberty Bell was rung on July 8, 
     1776 following the first public reading of the Declaration of 
     Independence. The Bells of Balangiga, as used in 1901, 
     signaled the brutal massacre by Filipino insurrectionists 
     hiding in the church and in the jungle on unsuspecting and 
     unarmed soldiers of Company C, Ninth U.S. Infantry Regiment 
     garrisoned there. Surprised and outnumbered, the soldiers 
     were nearly wiped out in the first terrible minutes of 
     fighting. Of the company's original compliment of seventy-
     four soldiers, forty-eight were killed or unaccounted for, 
     twenty-two were wounded, and only four escaped unharmed to 
     the American garrison at Basey.
       After a careful review of the history surrounding the 
     bells, the United Veterans Council of Wyoming, Inc. on behalf 
     of our member veteran's organizations and supporting 
     citizens, opposes any compromise offer. The Council does so 
     without malice towards the people of the Philippines. We 
     simply hold dear, the feelings of mutual respect and a shared 
     memory of fallen comrades who paid the ultimate sacrifice 
     while serving their country.
       On his last visit to Cheyenne on February 18, 1998, 
     Ambassador Rabe was asked if the bells would be returned to 
     Catholic churches or to be used in a secular setting. The 
     Ambassador replied, ``That is something to be discussed.'' It 
     is an affront to the soldiers who died, and their survivors, 
     to suggest that a permanent memorial be dismantled for no 
     better reasons than are being provided by the Philippine 
     government.
       Over the years, the United States government has 
     repeatedly, and for all the right reasons, declined to return 
     the Bells of Balangiga to the Philippine government. The 
     church bells were paid for with American blood in 1901 when 
     they were used to signal an attack on U.S. soldiers. The 
     bells should stay right where they are--in Wyoming.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                        Jim Lloyd,
     President.
                                  ____



                                              The White House,

                                       Washington, March 26, 1998.
     Hon. Craig Thomas,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Thomas: Thank you for your letter concerning 
     the bells of Balangiga and the proposed compromise solution 
     for addressing this issue. I am writing on behalf of the 
     President to request that you not oppose the compromise 
     solution. We believe it effectively takes into account the 
     interests and sensitivities of both American veterans and the 
     people of the Philippines.
       I understand American forces brought the two bells of 
     Balangiga to Wyoming following the Philippine insurrection of 
     1901, and that they currently are on display at F.E. Warren 
     Air Force Base in Cheyenne. As you may know, Philippine 
     President Fidel Ramos is eager to explore the possibility of 
     returning at least one of the bells during this centennial 
     year of the Philippines' declaration of independence from 
     Spain. President Ramos will be the President's guest at the 
     White House on April 10, 1998. The bells of Balangiga will be 
     one of the principal issues on the discussion agenda.
       I appreciate the importance of the bells to Wyoming 
     veterans who consider them to be symbols of the supreme 
     sacrifice American soldiers, sailors and airmen often have 
     had to make far from home. At the same time, Filipinos see 
     the bells as representative of a struggle for national 
     independence lasting more than five centuries.
       Our longstanding ties with the Philippines were forged in 
     the intense combat of World War II by tens of thousands of 
     Americans and Filipinos. Growing out of this experience is a 
     relationship, which is closer on a person-to-person level 
     than with any other country in East Asia. The Philippines is 
     a key ally in the Asia Pacific and shares our commitment to 
     democratic and free market principles. Presidential elections 
     in May of this year will re-enforce the democratic traditions 
     and institutions Filipinos have so eagerly embraced.
       I believe a compromise solution, by which the United States 
     and the Philippines would each retain custody of one of the 
     original bells, offers a unique opportunity to honor both the 
     American soldiers who gave their lives in the town of 
     Balangiga and the centennial celebration of the Philippines' 
     first step toward democracy. I understand the concerns of 
     those who are worried that any alteration of the existing 
     monument might cause present day Americans to forget the 
     sacrifices of past generations. But the historical 
     significance of Balangiga rests on the fact that today the 
     United States and the Philippines are united in a common 
     cause of promoting stability and prosperity throughout the 
     Asia Pacific region. I urge you and your colleagues from the 
     Wyoming Congressional Delegation to reevaluate the compromise 
     approach to resolving the bells of Balangiga question.
           Sincerely,

                                             Samuel R. Berger,

                                        Assistant to the President
                                    for National Security Affairs.


[[Page S1429]]


 Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleague, the 
senior Senator from my state of Wyoming, in the effort to safeguard the 
integrity of the nation's military memorials from the politically 
expedient demands of foreign governments--in this case the so-called 
``Bells of Balangiga'' war memorial located in Wyoming's capital city 
of Cheyenne. Though a similar bill was introduced during the last 
congress, it was not voted on before adjournment. Unfortunately, the 
issue this legislation hopes to address is alive and well.
  Many people contend that church bells are not a fitting subject for a 
war memorial. The circumstances surrounding these particular bells, 
however, are not normal. As the Senior Senator from Wyoming related, 
those bells were not used by Filipino insurgents to call the faithful 
to prayer that harrowing morning. They were used instead to signal the 
massacre of Wyoming troops as they sat down, unarmed, to breakfast. Of 
the 74 officers and men in the garrison, only twenty survived. Eye 
witness accounts had some of the attackers disguised as women, their 
weapons hidden beneath their dresses. Many others smuggled their 
weapons into the village hidden in the coffins of children. Under those 
circumstances, one must conclude that the bells in question were used 
to kill. Consequently I feel their use as the subject for a war 
memorial is wholly appropriate.
  This is especially true in light of the use for the bells originally 
intended by the Philippine government. As everyone conceded last year, 
the Philippine government desired the return of these bells in time for 
their 100th anniversary of independence. Apparently, these bells do not 
represent a religious symbol for the Philippine government either.
  Most significant of all, however, is the purpose they currently 
serve. Contrary to the assumptions of many, they do not memorialize 
American foreign policies of the time. Nor do they serve as a tribute 
to our political system, America's turn of the century notions of race 
relations, or the performance of the American troops who served there 
during that conflict. Rather, these bells memorialize one thing and one 
thing only: The tragic and premature deaths of 54 young men who 
volunteered to do the bidding of the American people. For this purpose 
I believe these bells serve as a most fitting memorial indeed and I am 
opposed to their dismantlement.
  It is time to honor our veterans, our war dead, and the principle 
that in this country, we do not submit to government by Presidential 
fiat. I ask the support of my colleagues for this legislation.
                                 ______