[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 44 (Friday, March 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2994-S2995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONSULTATION WITH CONGRESS ON KOSOVO

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, Senator Byrd and I, as a matter of fact, 
just came from an extended meeting with the President of the United 
States, where the joy of our grandchildren and great grandchildren was 
also uppermost in our minds, because we are

[[Page S2995]]

talking about actions by our country, our Government, that affect the 
young people--a military action. While I always try to have that smile 
on my face, sometimes it is very serious, what we have to attend to. 
But I appreciate Senator Byrd's comments this morning to the President. 
I appreciate the President of the United States meeting with the 
leaders of Congress as we talk about the situation regarding Serbia and 
Kosovo. I thought it was a positive step.
  The Senate, the Congress, must be involved and consulted if a 
decision is made to take military action, certainly if it is an action 
that could lead to being an act of war. And we will consider this very 
carefully. I think it is important this afternoon, and on Monday, the 
Senate be heard on this issue; that we have the time to discuss and 
debate, as a matter of fact, the merits and demerits of the plans in 
Kosovo, what risks are involved. I don't believe the American people 
now are properly informed about the situation as it now exists. The 
dynamics have definitely changed in the last few days.
  We have gone from considering whether or not ground troops from the 
United States as a part of a NATO mission would be placed in a 
peaceable situation in Kosovo--to a situation where it appears that an 
agreed settlement is not going to be achieved and that the Serbian 
officials will not agree to have a NATO force come in a peaceful 
arrangement--to the possibility of airstrikes involving Serbian troops 
and Serbian sites. This is a very serious step. I think the Senate 
should have an opportunity to be briefed as we were on Thursday, as we 
meet with the President as we did today, and to continue to be involved 
in the dialog.

  I believe the President needed to hear some of the things that he 
heard today. That is why these meetings are not one-way, they are two-
way streets--to make sure that we as the people's representatives are 
being heard. We made the point, the Speaker and others made the point, 
that the President needs to address this issue with the American 
people, explain what the present circumstances are. The President will 
have a press conference this afternoon. I hope he will address it, and 
I hope there will be appropriate questions about exactly what the plans 
are for our military in the near term.
  Does Senator Byrd wish me to yield on that point?
  Mr. BYRD. Yes, if the distinguished majority leader would.
  I am glad he has spoken as he has. I don't know how much the American 
people know about, really, what we face. And I am not sure I know, by 
any means. I am sure that Congress has certain constitutional 
responsibilities and that when it comes to sending American men and 
women into war, into conflict, into danger, Congress also bears part of 
the responsibility. I am fearful that in recent years especially, 
American Presidents in both parties have not recognized that fact, and 
they have, sent men and women into areas of peril without taking the 
Congress along with them.
  I think we learned in Vietnam that unless the American people are 
behind an effort such as that, it cannot succeed. I believe that 
Congress ought to fulfill its duties. But I also believe that Congress 
has to take a stand and demand that its constitutional prerogatives be 
recognized. No President can carry on a war without the support of 
Congress or without the support of the American people. I am sure the 
distinguished majority leader feels the same way about it. We are on 
the edge of a great precipice here of national danger. And what is 
happening in the Balkans is something that should be of great concern 
to all of us and to the people of the world. It was from that area, may 
I say to my friend, that the Roman legions procured their fiercest 
fighters. There has been turmoil and fighting in that area of the world 
for hundreds and hundreds of years. We are seeing there today an 
individual, Mr. Milosevic, who has a strong will and who is absolutely 
ruthless in his determination to subjugate and to massacre and to 
exterminate other peoples.

  The President needs to get out front and tell the American people why 
it is, if we are going to send our men and women into conflict there. 
If we are going to send planes in there, some of those planes may be 
shot down. Americans may be held hostage. Americans may be killed. The 
American people need to know what we are about to do and why and what 
the end game is and what the exit strategy is, what the motivations 
are, what the costs are going to be, before we get out there on a limb 
and have a lot of people killed.
  I hope the President will take the lead. Sandy Berger or the 
Secretary of State or even the Vice President cannot speak for the one 
man in the country who is the President of the United States, whether 
he is a Democrat or Republican. The President has the responsibility to 
get out front, tell the American people what we face and if we are 
about to send men and women into war, and when this will end, if we 
ever go there, ever begin bombing. We need to know this. The President 
needs the Congress behind him. He can't do this alone. He needs the 
Congress behind him. He needs Republicans and Democrats. We can only be 
behind him if we understand what we are being asked to do. We don't 
really understand.
  I compliment the majority leader and the minority leader for 
requesting--they should not have to request this--this hearing in the 
presence of the President of the United States. That is the man we need 
to hear from. He is the man who has to put his name on the line. He has 
to get out front. He has to tell the American people the truth, and he 
has to tell Congress. He has to keep Congress informed. He must not get 
out too far in front of Congress, because, otherwise, he will look 
behind him and wonder where the troops are one day, meaning the 
congressional battalions.
  I thank the distinguished majority leader.

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