[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 24, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




FLOYD D. SPENCE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001

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                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 2000

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4205) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     fiscal year 2001, and for other purposes.

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, for many years my colleagues and 
I have expressed opposition to the U.S. School of Americas. This year's 
defense authorization measure includes provisions that close the U.S. 
Army School of Americas and establish the Defense Institute for 
Hemispheric Security Cooperation. This supposedly new school for 
international military education will still train most of the third 
world's military tyrants.
  Mr. Chairman this is only a cosmetic change. A name change with no 
attempt to address the growing public outcry and congressional concern 
over the SOA's link to human rights atrocities in Latin America.
  The people in my district are well aware of the brutal inhuman 
products of this school. The members of the death school have horribly 
executed human rights activists in El Salvador, Guatemala, and 
Pakistan.
  Mr. Chairman there is no reason to continue funding this macabre 
institution. That is why I support the Moakley amendment. The Moakley 
amendment will evaluate the effect of United States military training 
on the human rights performance of Latin American soldiers. Commando 
and combat courses have long been core curricula at the SOA and I 
believe that the training contributes to human rights atrocities.
  Therefore, Mr. Chairman I strongly urge all Members to vote against 
any legislation supporting the School of Americas and urge all Members 
to vote for the Moakley amendment.

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