[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18607]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            INTRODUCTION OF KOSOVO BURDENSHARING RESOLUTION

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member is today introducing a House 
Resolution titled the Kosovo Burdensharing Resolution. Since the United 
States bore the disproportionately large share of the cost of the air 
war against Yugoslavia, my resolution expresses the sense of the House 
that the United States should pay no more than 18 percent of the 
aggregate total costs associated with the military air operations, 
reconstruction in Kosovo, and in Yugoslavia when Milosevic no longer 
controls the governments of Serbia or Yugoslavia or the Socialist 
Party, except there is no limitation against Montenegro. This 
limitation on burdensharing is consistent with the earlier statements 
by the President, but we need to remind him and reinforce his 
bargaining power on burdensharing when he negotiates with the European 
and other allied countries.
  This resolution is particularly timely as President Clinton leaves 
today for the Balkans Reconstruction Conference on Friday in Sarajevo. 
The resolution also recognizes that Macedonia and Albania bore a 
significant economic and refugee burden and that these roles should 
make them priority recipients of aid.
  Members should contact my office today if they wish to be an original 
cosponsor.

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