[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 9, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E333-E334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. THADDEUS G. McCOTTER

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 9, 2004

  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, between Sunday February 29 and Wednesday 
March 3, 2004, I traveled to Libya as part of a Congressional 
Delegation led by Representative Weldon and as Member of the House 
International Relations Committee and the Middle East Subcommittee.

[[Page E334]]

  While there, we had the opportunity to meet with Col. Mohammar 
Qaddafi and members of the Libyan People's Congress to discuss Libya's 
recent renouncement of state sponsored terror and their development of 
weapons of mass destruction.
  Mr. Speaker, this prospective opening to the West is not a mystical 
revision, but a practical decision by the Libyan Government. It must be 
met with an equally practical policy of one very wary step at a time.
  While there, it became clear the Libyan possibility for peaceful 
regime conversion and rehabilitation gravely underscores the inherent 
stakes of succeeding in the Iraqi regime change and reconstruction. If 
the latter fails, the former fades, and we are all worse than we were 
at square one.
  Unfortunately, my participation in this trip forced me to miss a few 
votes.
  During this time I missed six recorded votes. If I was present I 
would have voted the following way:
  On H.R. 3769, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 137 East Young High Pike in Knoxville, Tennessee, as 
the ``Ben Atchley Post Office Building''. Roll Number 32, I would have 
voted ``yes.''
  On H. Res. 526, expressing the sympathy of the House of 
Representatives for the victims of the devastating earthquake that 
occurred on December 26, 2003, in Bam, Iran. Roll Number 33, I would 
have voted ``yes.''
  On H. Res 530, urging the appropriate representative of the United 
States to the 60th session of the United Nations Commission on Human 
Rights to introduce a resolution calling upon the Government of the 
People's Republic of China to end its human rights violations in China, 
and for other purposes. Roll Number 34, I would have voted ``yes.''
  On H.R. 912, Charles ``Pete'' Conrad Astronomy Awards Act. Roll 
Number 35, I would have voted ``yes.''
  On H.R. 3389, to amend the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act 
of 1980 to permit Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards to be made 
to nonprofit organizations. Roll Number 36, I would have voted ``yes.''
  On H.R. 1417, Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2003 
Roll Number 37, I would have voted ``yes.''

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