[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 19, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H3300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IF WE HAVE THE POWER TO BOMB, THEN WE HAVE THE POWER TO SETTLE THIS WAR 
                             IN YUGOSLAVIA

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of finger 
pointing with the tragedy of Littleton, Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I 
announce a proposal for ``give a child a chance'' omnibus mental health 
services bill for our children, for there are many things that we can 
do, but I believe that it is important that we listen to young people 
and provide them with school counseling services and guidance services 
which will be available to intervene for children at risk and others.
  Mr. Speaker, as we talk about violence, let me move quickly to a 
subject and join my colleague in asking for a cessation in the bombing. 
I have asked the President for three days, 72 hours, in order to begin 
talks on a negotiated settlement over the Kosova conflict.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe we can win. I supported the air strike. I 
certainly did not support the bill yesterday that was throwing good 
money after bad, $15 billion, although I supported it before for the 
refugees and military pay increase. If one has the power, they need to 
use it right. We need to go to the negotiated settlement table right 
now and deal with the request or the needs of the NATO allies and begin 
to send refugees back home.
  When I went to the refugee camps in Macedonia, they said one thing to 
me: Promise to help us go back home. And that was my promise. If we 
have the power to bomb, then we have the power to settle this.
  We need to be at the table of settlement, the negotiated settlement 
with Mr. Milosevic. It has nothing to do with whether he is a war 
criminal. That is another matter. Let us get a negotiated settlement 
and stop this conflict now. It is time now to stop the bombing and 
begin to discuss the way to really get our refugees back home and bring 
our military personnel back home.

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