[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25850]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              WELCOMING THE ROMANIAN PRESIDENT TO AMERICA

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome 
Romanian President Ion Iliescu to Washington, and I look forward to 
personally meeting him tonight. He is meeting with President Bush, 
Secretary of State Colin Powell, and other American officials during 
his trip.
  President Iliescu's Romania has become one of America's greatest 
allies on the war on terrorism, standing side by side with the United 
States in Afghanistan and now in Iraq. In what is a truly multinational 
effort, at least 600 Romanian troops are in Iraq working with American 
forces and military from at least 27 other nations.
  The Romanian people have a clear understanding of what is at risk in 
the war on terrorism, as they have a fresh perspective on freedom and 
liberty. They also know the importance of redevelopment in Iraq, as 
they have rebuilt their own country over top of the rubble of the 
former dictator Ceausescu's regime, emerging from communist 
totalitarianism into new candidacy for NATO membership.
  I join all my colleagues in welcoming a true friend, Romanian 
President Ion Iliescu, to America.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops.

                          ____________________