[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5440-H5443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          EXPRESSING NEED FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN BOSNIA

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 171) expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives on the need for constitutional reform in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina and the importance of sustained United States engagement in 
partnership with the European Union (EU), as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 171

       Whereas a brutal conflict marked by aggression and ethnic 
     cleansing, including the commission of war crimes, crimes 
     against humanity, and genocide, was brought to an end by the 
     General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina (commonly referred to as the ``Dayton Peace 
     Accords''), which was agreed to at Wright-Patterson Air Force 
     Base near Dayton, Ohio, on November 21, 1995, and signed in 
     Paris, France, on December 14, 1995;
       Whereas in the 13 years since the signing of the Dayton 
     Peace Accords, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have 
     worked in partnership with the international community to 
     achieve considerable progress in building a peaceful and 
     democratic society based on the rule of law, respect for 
     human rights, and a free market economy;
       Whereas political leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina have 
     agreed to significant reforms of public administration and 
     broadcasting, the creation of state-level law enforcement and 
     judicial institutions, the establishment of a unified armed 
     services and Ministry of Defense, and the creation of an 
     Indirect Taxation Authority;
       Whereas the United States has continued to support the 
     sovereignty, legal continuity, and territorial integrity of 
     Bosnia and Herzegovina within its internationally recognized 
     borders as well as the equality of the three constituent 
     peoples and others within a united, multi-ethnic country in 
     accordance with the Dayton Peace Accords;
       Whereas the full incorporation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 
     into the Euro-Atlantic community is in the national interest 
     of the United States and important for the stabilization of 
     southeastern Europe;
       Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to the shared 
     values of democracy, security, and stability by joining the 
     Partnership for Peace program of the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) in December 2006;
       Whereas NATO recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress 
     in achieving political and defense reforms by inviting the 
     country to begin an Intensified Dialogue at the Bucharest 
     Summit in April 2008;
       Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina took the first step on the 
     road toward European Union (EU) membership by signing a 
     Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) in June 2008;
       Whereas NATO successfully preserved peace and stability in 
     Bosnia and Herzegovina after the signing of the Dayton Peace 
     Accords through its Stabilization Force (SFOR), which was 
     succeeded by a European Union Force (EUFOR) in December 2004;
       Whereas the Office of the High Representative (OHR) has 
     similarly promoted peace and stability by facilitating 
     implementation of the civilian aspects of the Dayton Peace 
     Accords, including through use of the extensive powers given 
     it by the international Peace Implementation Council (PIC), 
     with the goal of transitioning to a European Union Special 
     Representative (EUSR) at the appropriate time;
       Whereas, these notable accomplishments notwithstanding, the 
     citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to face 
     significant challenges in their efforts to progress toward 
     Euro-Atlantic integration;
       Whereas the Dayton Peace Accords included many compromises 
     imposed by the need for quick action to preserve human life 
     that have hindered efforts to develop efficient and effective 
     political institutions;
       Whereas the Council of Europe's Venice Commission has 
     concluded that the current constitutional arrangements of 
     Bosnia and Herzegovina are neither efficient nor rational, 
     and that the state-level institutions need to become more 
     effective and democratic if the country is to move toward EU 
     membership;
       Whereas the ``April package'' of reforms, agreed upon by 
     five major political parties in 2006, failed to achieve the 
     requisite two-thirds majority in parliament;
       Whereas in February 2008, the PIC stipulated five 
     objectives (resolution of state property, resolution of 
     defense property,

[[Page H5441]]

     completion of Brcko Final Award, fiscal sustainability, and 
     entrenchment of rule of law) and two conditions (signing of 
     SAA with the EU and a ``positive assessment'' by the PIC) 
     that must be met before the OHR is closed; and
       Whereas in March 2009, the PIC determined that Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina has not yet met the five objectives and two 
     conditions that will determine when the OHR should be closed 
     and oversight power transferred to the EUSR: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) it is increasingly urgent that Bosnia and Herzegovina 
     work toward the creation of an efficient and effective state 
     able to meet its domestic and international obligations with 
     more functional institutions, including a state government 
     capable of making self-sustaining reforms and fulfilling 
     European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     (NATO) requirements;
       (2) any agreement on constitutional reform in Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina should take as its basis the Dayton Peace 
     Accords, advance the principles of democracy and tolerance, 
     rectify provisions that conflict with the European Charter of 
     Human Rights, include the general public in the process, 
     provide the conditions to enable economic development and the 
     creation of a single economic space, and be consistent with 
     the goal of EU membership;
       (3) continued efforts should be made domestically and at 
     the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) to 
     achieve justice for victims of war crimes, crimes against 
     humanity, and genocide, as well as to promote reconciliation 
     among ethnic groups;
       (4) the United States should continue to provide assistance 
     to Bosnia and Herzegovina to build effective state-level law 
     enforcement and judicial institutions that can combat and 
     investigate international terrorism, organized crime, and 
     corruption;
       (5) the United States should appoint a Special Envoy to the 
     Balkans who can work in partnership with the EU and political 
     leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to facilitate reforms at 
     all levels of government and society, while also assisting 
     the political development of other countries in the region;
       (6) the Office of the High Representative (OHR) should not 
     be closed until the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) can 
     definitively determine that Bosnia and Herzegovina has met 
     the five objectives and two conditions;
       (7) the EU should carefully consider any future plans for 
     the reduction or redeployment of the European Union Force 
     (EUFOR) given the psychological reassurance of security and 
     deterrence of violence provided by its continued presence in 
     Bosnia and Herzegovina; and
       (8) the United States should work closely with and support 
     the EU in the transition to a European Union Special 
     Representative (EUSR) to ensure that the EUSR has the 
     authority and tools to manage effectively post-OHR Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina, including a clear set of EU candidacy and 
     membership conditions with explicit and objective yardsticks 
     and a precise list of benchmarks to increase the 
     functionality of the Bosnian state to be achieved by 
     constitutional reform.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H. Res. 171, which calls for 
constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as sustained 
American engagement in partnership with the European Union.
  In the 13 years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords brought 
an end to a brutal conflict, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have 
worked closely with the international community to make considerable 
progress in building a peaceful and democratic society that is built 
upon the rule of law, respect for human rights, and a free market 
economy.
  Within the last year, the country has taken important steps along the 
path to Euro-Atlantic integration, beginning an intensified dialogue 
with NATO and signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with 
the European Union.
  Notwithstanding these notable milestones, there are troubling signs 
of backsliding as political rhetoric grows confrontational, reforms 
unravel, and ethnic tensions increase. Bosnia seemingly faces the 
prospect of stagnation at best, and a return to violent conflict at 
worst.
  While Bosnia's future clearly lies in the Euro-Atlantic community, 
the country must first develop an efficient and effective state with 
functioning institutions that are capable of making self-sustaining 
reforms and managing the responsibilities of EU and NATO membership. H. 
Res. 171 does not prescribe the types of constitutional reforms that 
are required. Indeed, such decisions can only be made by the people of 
Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the United States and the European 
Union can help create conditions that are conducive to efforts by 
Bosnian citizens to develop a functional political system.
  First, the Peace Implementation Council should remain firm in its 
commitment to maintain the Office of the High Representative until 
Bosnia has definitively met the five conditions and two principles. 
Only then should the office be closed and responsibility transitioned 
to the EU Special Representative. The recent dialogue among some 
political leaders that led to the adoption of an agreement on the 
status of Brcko District was a helpful development. Hopefully, similar 
progress can be made on state property and other issues.
  Second, the European Union should provide Bosnia with a clear set of 
EU candidacy and membership conditions. These should include explicit 
and objective benchmarks regarding constitutional reforms that will 
increase the functionality of the Bosnian state. The EU should also 
carefully reconsider its plans for the drawdown or redeployment of its 
2,500 European Union force, as the continued presence of those troops 
deters violence and provides citizens with a psychological reassurance 
of security.
  And, finally, there is a need for sustained, high-level U.S. 
engagement with the EU on the development and implementation of common 
policies that will stabilize and strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina. H. 
Res. 171 advocates the appointment of a Special Envoy for the Balkans 
which would signal American commitment to the region. In addition to 
working directly with political leaders on the ground, this official 
could seek to develop a consensus among the EU and its member states 
about the way forward in southeastern Europe.
  The visit by Vice President Biden to Bosnia, Serbia, and Kosovo next 
week is an encouraging sign of renewed American interest in the 
Balkans. As he and other senior officials in the Obama administration 
were personally involved in efforts to establish peace in the Balkans 
13 years ago, they know firsthand the importance of preserving this 
hard-won stability and the considerable cost of letting it slip away.
  Although the United States and the European Union are consumed by 
other foreign policy priorities, we must not lose sight of our 
unfinished business in the Balkans or waiver from our commitment to 
consolidating peaceful progress across Europe.
  I strongly support this resolution. I urge my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for 
bringing House Resolution 171 to the floor. This resolution expresses 
support for the progress made by the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina 
toward stability and greater international cohesion.
  Bosnia has come a long way in the 14 years since the signing of the 
so-called ``Dayton Accords'' that ended the terrible ethnic-based 
conflict there.
  While this short resolution speaks to much that has been accomplished 
in Bosnia, much work needs to still be done. Some would suggest, for 
example, that greater constitutional reform within Bosnia is necessary 
for its future growth and its stability for the progress of democracy 
and tolerance in that country.
  Another important issue confronting the state of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina is the burden placed on its economic progress by its 
extensive bureaucracy that is now in place in that country. That 
bureaucracy reportedly consumes

[[Page H5442]]

a great deal of that small country's revenues, confronting its economy 
with serious obstacles to growth.
  This measure, as considered on the floor today, does include a short 
statement that was added after agreement by the majority and the 
minority that I believe makes an important point. Among its resolved 
clauses, H. Res. 171 now specifically calls for continued assistance to 
Bosnia to help it investigate al Qaeda activities and those of related 
networks. That is an important point when we consider the reported 
increase of Islamic militant extremism in the broader Balkan region. 
Such reports should serve as a warning that Islamic extremists may be 
looking at the Balkan region as a potential launching platform for 
future attacks somewhere else.
  I am pleased that the Bosnian Government is working to address 
important issues such as the reports of the use of Bosnian passports by 
Islamic militants. I am also pleased by reports that some leaders 
within the Bosnian Muslim community are combating Islamic extremism and 
have been strong advocates for peace and reconciliation.
  The call for continued support for Bosnia and such important efforts 
enhances the other important statements this resolution makes with 
regard to our policy toward Bosnia.
  Mr. Speaker, many of us would like to ensure that Bosnia becomes a 
greater anchor for stability in the Balkans region. This resolution is 
an important message of encouragement and support for all the people of 
Bosnia as they seek to promote stability, peace, and prosperity. I 
support its adoption by the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) will control the time of the gentleman from 
California.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 171. I, too, want to thank 
Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen and their staffs for 
their time and efforts in bringing this bill to the floor.
  I have advocated for increased attention in the Balkans, and 
especially to the needs of Bosnia Herzegovina, a country with a long, 
rich tradition of multiethnic communities living and working together. 
I asked Secretary Clinton about this just a few weeks ago when she 
appeared before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and I think 
she, too, agrees that there needs to be renewed attention to this 
country. I hope this resolution is another step toward U.S. 
reengagement in the region and offering Bosnia the support that it 
needs.
  This resolution recognizes the need for constitutional reform in 
Bosnia and Herzegovina and highlights the importance of sustained U.S. 
engagement in partnership with the European Union.
  As a founding member and co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on 
Bosnia with my colleague, Chris Smith from New Jersey, and having the 
distinct pleasure of representing a growing, vibrant community of 
Bosnian-Americans in the St. Louis, Missouri, region, one of the 
largest communities of Bosnian-Americans in the country, I am pleased 
to support this resolution.
  I especially want to highlight two clauses in this resolution that I 
think are of particular importance. First, we need to continue our 
efforts, both here and at the ICTY, to achieve justice for victims of 
war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, as well as to promote 
reconciliation among ethnic groups.
  Secondly, that the appointment of a Special Envoy to the Balkans who 
can work in partnership with the EU, Bosnia, and other leaders will 
help redirect the U.S. commitment to the region.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health of the Helsinki Commission and 
co-Chair of the House Bosnia Caucus.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 171, a powerful 
statement calling for meaningful constitutional reform and strengthened 
U.S. engagement in Bosnia. I want to thank Chairman Berman for 
authoring this legislation, and I am very proud to be one of the 
cosponsors.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution makes all the important points on the 
need for real constitutional reform. It notes that the Dayton Accords, 
notwithstanding their merits in stopping the war and the genocide, 
``included many compromises imposed by the need for quick action to 
preserve human life that have hindered efforts to develop efficient and 
effective political institutions.''
  Everyone involved in the Dayton Accords understood that they were not 
intended to be more than a tourniquet designed to halt the genocide and 
to act as a bridge towards good governance and a workable constitution. 
And the time for meaningful, sustainable and just reform has come.
  Importantly the resolution notes the progress Bosnia has made since 
1995. And by almost all accounts, that progress is truly remarkable. I 
visited Bosnia again in July of 2007 and was deeply impressed by the 
economic and social recovery that has taken place within the past 12 
years.

                              {time}  1700

  On the constitutional arrangements, Mr. Speaker, the resolution 
points to the history of strong U.S. support for the ``legal continuity 
and territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina'' and notes that the 
current Dayton-based constitutional arrangements are ``neither 
efficient nor rational.'' The resolution praises the value of a 
``united multiethnic country'' and ``full incorporation into the Euro-
Atlantic community'' in stabilizing the Balkans.
  Mr. Speaker, efficient and rational arrangements to unite the 
multiethnic country and enable it to be fully incorporated into NATO 
and the EU can only mean a major reform that abolishes the ``entity'' 
voting system so that the vote of every Bosnian citizen will be of 
equal weight. Under the current Dayton-based system, only 22 percent of 
the deputies can block any proposed legislation. And, in fact, this 
happens all the time. In the past 13 years such a ``super-minority'' 
has blocked over 260 bills. To put this number in context, in the same 
period, the national legislature passed less than 150 laws. Mr. 
Speaker, this is a serious problem. It is the reason that we are here 
today talking about constitutional reform in Bosnia.
  Mr. Speaker, as chairman or co-chairman for 12 years of the 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, known around here as 
the Helsinki Commission, and co-chairman of the Bosnia Caucus with my 
friend and colleague from Missouri, and chairman of the House Human 
Rights Committee for 8 years, I've had the opportunity to chair 
numerous Bosnia hearings and author congressional resolutions on 
Bosnia, including H. Res. 199 on the Srebrenica genocide.
  My most recent trip to Bosnia was in July of 2007, and I joined 
relatives of those killed, murdered--massacred--in the Srebrenica 
genocide in a ceremony interring hundreds of the approximately 8,000 
Bosnian Muslims who were killed in what the U.N. euphemistically 
designated to be a ``safe haven.'' It wasn't. The ceremony was solemn, 
it was holy, and it was numbing. Reis Ceric, the Grand Mufti, gave a 
very powerful talk, a sermon, to all of those who had gathered. Reis 
Ceric is a great man of peace and faith, and, I'm honored to say, a 
good friend. Dr. Haris Silajdzic, the President of Bosnia, is likewise 
a good friend, and spoke very eloquently about the huge loss of life, 
the importance of justice as well as about the future. Seeing hundreds 
of caskets with exhumed victims left an indelible impression on me.
  During that visit and after meeting here as well as in Europe with 
members of the Bosnian community, it has become abundantly clear that 
while Bosnia needs to move forward, that there needs to be an 
accounting for the atrocities committed. And to move ahead they need 
constitutional reform.
  Sometimes we get reports or hear that ethnic tensions are rising in 
Bosnia and that, therefore, the constitutional reform process has to be 
slowed for a while--put on the back burner. That would be a big 
mistake. Bosnia is in a position similar to that of Poland,

[[Page H5443]]

Romania, and other countries of Eastern Europe in the 1990s. When we 
debated their admission to NATO, for example, some said that their 
admission would destabilize the region. They were flat wrong. What 
could have dangerously destabilized Eastern Europe was continuing 
uncertainty about whether these countries would join the West or 
whether they might remain in the Russian sphere of influence. We 
resolved that uncertainty and further stabilized Eastern Europe by 
welcoming them to the West.
  Likewise, with Bosnia, it's long past time to send a strong, 
unambiguous signal that Bosnia does not have to remain a country 
forever preserved in the amber of the Dayton Accords. With this 
resolution, we invite the Bosnians to reform their constitution, become 
a one-person, one-vote democracy, and join the Euro-Atlantic community.
  Mr. Speaker, our country has played a constructive role in Bosnia 
through both Democrat and Republican administrations, and I know the 
Bosnians appreciate that very much. The great majority of them will 
welcome strengthening our engagement to complete the American legacy of 
spreading democracy and security in Bosnia.
  This is a good resolution, and I urge its passage by all Members of 
the House.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to state my strong 
support for House Resolution 171, expressing our support for 
constitutional reform in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as for U.S. 
engagement in the Western Balkans region. I want to thank our colleague 
from California and the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee, Mr. Berman, for introducing this resolution, inviting me to 
be an original co-sponsor, and working the text through the committee.
  This resolution is timely and important. The international community, 
under U.S. leadership, has invested heavily in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We 
did so not just for that country's sake, nor just to end the tremendous 
suffering faced by its people. We did so because the threat it faced in 
the mid-1990s constituted war crimes, crimes against humanity and 
genocide. To have acquiesced to the realities presented on the ground 
in 1995 would have been to abandon the very principles on which the 
world is expected to operate. We had the ability to stop that from 
happening in the Balkans and to make a difference, so we did, through 
NATO intervention and the negotiation of the Dayton Agreement.
  Bosnia's considerable recovery a decade after the conflict has been 
stalled in recent years, as the additional reforms necessary for 
Bosnia's European integration are perceived to be a threat to the 
outdated notions of ethnic exclusivity which were resurrected during 
the war. It is also a threat to some who currently rely on these 
notions as the basis for their power and authority.
  I believe this resolution makes clear that all the people of Bosnia-
Herzegovina--Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats and others--must find a common 
agreement on how to move forward, but it opposes efforts to block a 
broad consensus in order to maintain the status quo. The reforms 
supported by this resolution are critical to making Bosnia a 
functional, modern, European state.
  This resolution also calls for greater U.S. engagement in Bosnia and 
throughout the Balkans. European integration is the goal for Bosnia and 
all the countries of the region. It is not enough, however, to say 
``here's your goal now find your own way to it.'' The European Union 
has done tremendous work in the Balkans, but its own lack of 
decisiveness leads to mixed signals in the region and undercuts more 
vigorous efforts to resolve outstanding issues. The United States has a 
high degree of credibility in the Balkans that can help influence 
developments in the region but we also must make sure the EU itself 
stays on course.
  This does not mean going back to the days of a heavy U.S. troop 
presence in the Balkans and significant aid to the countries of the 
region. The resolution does not call for going back to the 1990s. 
Instead, the resolution reflects what seems to be an obvious piece of 
wisdom--namely that a bit more attention now can actually preclude a 
situation where greater involvement might become a necessity later. 
This will allow the United States to maintain its strong focus on other 
regions of the world, as it should, while Europe and its full 
integration moves forward.
  I think the Vice President's current plans to visit Sarajevo, 
Pristina and Belgrade reflect this wisdom, and I wish his trip to be a 
successful one that will lead to additional efforts in the future.
  As the Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, I have continued 
to follow the situation in the Western Balkans closely. In early April, 
the Commission held a hearing on the challenges to the United States 
and Europe in the region. I would commend to my colleagues the 
transcript of that hearing, which can be found on the Commission's 
website, because it makes clear the challenges we face in the Balkans 
today. While there is little chance of going back to the days of 
horrific conflict in the Balkans that we saw in the 1990s, there 
continues to be a need for the peoples of the region to find a way to 
put the 1990s behind them. That's easier said than done, and we cannot 
expect people to erase what was obviously such a traumatic period in 
their lives just because we tell them to do so. With U.S. and European 
support, however, we can give them the confidence and hope that will 
enable them to move forward. That benefits everyone. For this reason, I 
support this resolution.
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution.
  Over 13 years ago, the U.S. brought an end to Bosnia's war through 
the Dayton Peace Agreement. This conflict lasted over three years, and 
was marked by brutal ethnic cleansing and genocide. As a result of this 
tragic conflict, at least 97,000 people perished, and over 2.3 million 
people were driven from their homes, creating the greatest flow of 
refugees in Europe since World War II.
  Since this time, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have 
painstakingly worked with the international community to make progress 
towards building a peaceful, democratic, and multi-ethnic society based 
on the rule of law and respect for human rights.
  I congratulate Bosnia for joining the Partnership for Peace program 
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in December 2006 and 
for taking the first step on the road toward European Union (EU) 
membership by signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) 
in June 2008.
  However, despite these important steps forward, challenges remain. 
The Dayton agreement did its job by ending the war, but left a 
governmental structure in place that is bloated with bureaucracy and 
multiple layers of government. To be a functioning state, Bosnia needs 
to build functional institutions, including state-level institutions 
that are capable of self-sustaining reforms and fulfilling European 
Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requirements.
  The success of Bosnia is essential to the stability of the region, 
and the United States cannot afford to ignore this strategically 
important country. This work must be done in concert with the 
international community, who should continue to play a role in Bosnia. 
To this end, the international body charged with implementing the 
Dayton Peace agreements, known as the Peace Implementation Council or 
the ``PIC'', should ensure that the Office of the High Representative 
(OHR) remains open until the objectives and the conditions set forth by 
the PIC are met.
  As in 1995, resolve and U.S. and European Union involvement are 
needed in Bosnia and Herzegovina if we are to ensure that we do not get 
involved in another crisis in the Balkans. I urge my colleagues to 
support this important resolution.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Holden). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 171, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________