[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16122-16123]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT BUSH

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the President on his 
reaching out to Congress to seek our assent over any Iraq action. The 
President will also meet with Prime Minister Blair and communicate with 
the

[[Page 16123]]

U.N. Our leaders here in Congress were also briefed yesterday. We all 
know that Saddam is developing nuclear weapons. The President is 
reaching out to Putin of Russia, Jemin of China, and Chirac of France. 
He is doing the right thing.
  There may be a vote here on the House floor in about 4 to 5 weeks on 
this action. Congress will be consulted and the President is building a 
consensus. We will debate the question, the simple question: Is 
inaction an option or not? Should we force weapons inspections as a 
means of building this international coalition to act against Iraq? 
Saddam has had 11 long years in which he has sidestepped and crawfished 
on allowing us to inspect. Should there be a consensus first before we 
inspect?
  Mr. Speaker, all of these questions are healthy in the debate here in 
Congress, and I congratulate the President in reaching out to the 
public and to Congress and to have this important debate.

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