[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22117]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BEN CHANDLER

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 15, 2006

  Mr. CHANDLER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
explain my absence from the House of Representatives on November 13 and 
14th.
  During that time, I was in Quebec City attending the NATO 
Parliamentary Assembly annual meeting. In the beginning of the 109th 
Congress, I was honored to receive your appointment to serve as a 
member of the assembly.
  The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is vital in fostering an open 
dialogue on security issues between member nations. A main 
responsibility of the assembly is to serve as Congress's check and 
oversight of NATO executive policy decisions. Our delegation was able 
to meet with representatives from other NATO countries to further our 
diplomatic relationships. As you know, our security, both economic and 
military, is increasingly dependent upon building these relationships. 
For this reason, I consider it prudent to participate as much as 
possible in NATO Parliamentary Assembly meetings.
  Please let the Record show that had I been present I would have voted 
in the following ways: rollcall vote 517, ``yes''; rollcall vote 518, 
``yes''; rollcall vote 519, ``no''; rollcall vote 520, ``yes''; 
rollcall vote 521, ``yes''; rollcall vote 522, ``yes''; rollcall vote 
523, ``yes.''

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