[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 25, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H1304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT BUSH AND WORLD LEADERS IN CONFRONTING SADDAM 
                                HUSSEIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, we will confront many issues in the 108th 
Congress. They will have to do with the economy; our own budget; a 
debate over cloning, which will come to the House floor this week and 
to this very Chamber moments from now; reforming Medicare; but nothing 
can be compared to the issues of war and peace.
  In the midst of an incessant barrage of media alerts, Mr. Speaker, 
and new resolutions being debated before the United Nations, as a 
member of the Committee on International Relations I rise tonight to 
stand with the President of the United States and the strong and 
unwavering leadership in confronting tyranny which he and the Prime 
Minister of England and the leaders of some 43 other nations have 
consistently and courageously provided to the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I am not a combat veteran; it was not part of my 
generation. But my father was, having seen conflict and bloodshed in 
the Korean War. I do not welcome war. I do not hope for it. As near as 
I can tell, from my late father and veterans with whom I have close 
enough relationships to hear the truth, war is a wicked and a violent 
enterprise that can consume our children in a conflagration, 
unthinkable in ordinary life.
  But nevertheless it has come from time to time upon the free nations 
of the world, and it seems most especially on the United States of 
America, to be willing to employ the arsenal of democracy to confront 
force with force as a last resort. We may well be come upon such a time 
again, Mr. Speaker.
  We are hearing a great deal in the national media about what the 
facts are or are not, what has been proven and what has not been 
proven. Mr. Speaker, I felt compelled tonight simply to rise and talk 
about the facts for what they are, for what we as policymakers in the 
107th Congress knew them to be, and for what every member of the 
Security Council of the United Nations knows them to be today.
  Mr. Speaker, it is said that facts are stubborn things. I offer 
tonight a few stubborn things.
  For instance, this Congress on this floor and our colleagues in the 
Senate overwhelmingly gave this President the authority to use 
America's military power to disarm Iraq. The national legislature of 
the United States spoke in overwhelming fashion that the need was real 
and urgent and the President should be empowered under our 
constitutional authority.
  The United States Security Council adopted Resolution 1441. We hear a 
great deal about new resolutions. I applaud the President's effort to 
try and exhaust all diplomatic means this week.
  But let us be clear what 1441 said. Mr. Speaker, number one, it said 
that Iraq is guilty. No objective observer doubts that Iraq has 
violated 17 U.N. resolutions.
  Number two, it said that Iraq could remedy its guilt through 
disarmament and disclosure.
  Number 3, if it refused to remedy, it would be a material breach, and 
serious consequences should flow.
  Mr. Speaker, Baghdad is guilty. Baghdad refuses to remedy. Serious 
consequences are in order. I stand with the President of the United 
States. I pray with millions of Americans as we will ask, perhaps 
within the week, our finest to go forward on behalf of liberty again.
  Let us focus on the facts and on the true challenges before us.

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