[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 29, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H8972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IT IS TIME TO PROTECT AMERICANS FROM THE THREAT OF A BALLISTIC MISSILE 
                                 ATTACK

  (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, we are very busy here trying to make 
sure that we have enough money to continue to shore up our military 
defense system. Some are tempted in thinking that free trade, 
diplomatic goodwill, and more international communication will remove 
the threat of war. All of human history really suggests that such 
thinking is a fantasy. It is not only a fantasy, Mr. Speaker, but it is 
a very dangerous illusion. It was a dangerous illusion in 1914, and it 
was a dangerous illusion in 1939 and it is a dangerous illusion today.
  In fact, it is because of the existence of nuclear weapons that this 
illusion, this fantasy, is even more dangerous today than ever. It is, 
therefore, imperative that we reconsider our foolish policy of 
remaining vulnerable to a foreign ballistic missile attack. Many 
Americans will be surprised to learn that this is so, but America does 
not have a national missile defense system. It is time to protect 
Americans from the threat of a ballistic missile attack because the 
world is still a dangerous place out there.

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