[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 51 (Monday, March 31, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E621]]
 EXPRESSING SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION FOR THE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF 
       THE ARMED FORCES PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 20, 2003

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, based on the misleading and erroneous 
statement made by the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Hoyer, I feel 
compelled to correct the record. In an effort to suggest 
inconsistencies in my historical support and commendation of the 
troops, Mr. Hoyer stated that on December 13, 1995, I voted against a 
resolution regarding Armed Forces deployment to Bosnia that resolved, 
``That the House of Representatives unequivocally supports the men and 
women of the United States Armed Forces who are carrying out their 
mission in support of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina with professional 
excellence, dedicated patriotism, and exemplary bravery.'' However, a 
simple examination of the record tells a different story.
  What the gentleman from Maryland failed to note, is that on December 
13, 1995, the House considered two competing resolutions on the 
deployment of the United States Armed Forces to Bosnia--House 
Resolution 302 sponsored by Mr. Buyer and House Resolution 306 
sponsored by Mr. Hamilton. If the Hamilton resolution had consisted of 
only the resolved clause, which my colleague quoted, I would have 
supported it. However, H. Res. 306 was compiled mostly of whereas 
clauses that justified the deployment of our Armed Forces to the former 
Yugoslavia. Had my colleague thoroughly researched this, he might have 
noticed that, also on December 13, 1995, I opposed this deployment by 
voting for Mr. Dornan's bill, H.R. 2770, which would have prohibited 
federal funds from being used for peacekeeping operations or any 
implementation force in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  I, instead, voted for the Buyer resolution, which expressed 
dissatisfaction with the President's policy of deployment and his 
disregard of the action taken by the House on two separate occasions to 
disallow the use of United States Armed Forces for these purposes. 
Nonetheless, this resolution also declared that the House of 
Representatives, ``. . . is confident that the members of the United 
States Armed Forces, in whom it has the greatest pride and admiration, 
will perform their responsibilities with professional excellence, 
dedicated patriotism, and exemplary courage. . . .''
  Incidentally, the Buyer resolution passed the House by a vote of 287 
to 141, with one voting present. The resolution Mr. Hoyer criticized me 
for voting against, the Hamilton resolution, failed by a vote of 190 to 
237, also with one voting present.
  It is truly unfortunate that Mr. Hoyer made such a misleading 
statement and questioned my unfailing dedication to the young men and 
women of our Armed Forces.

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