Martin Frost

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 29) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 23) and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Democratic Caucus, I have been directed to report to the House that the Democratic Members have selected as minority whip the gentleman from Michigan, the Honorable David E. Bonior.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment to the resolution, but before offering the amendment, I request that there be a division of the question on the resolution so that we may have a separate vote on the Chaplain.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the remainder of the resolution.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Democratic Caucus, I have been directed to report to the House that the Democratic Members have selected as minority leader the gentleman from Missouri, the Honorable Richard A. Gephardt.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 7) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 8) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Clerk, as Chairman of the Democratic Caucus, I am directed by the unanimous vote of that caucus to present for election to the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 106th Congress the name of one of most articulate and thoughtful Members of this Congress, the Honorable Richard A. Gephardt, a Representative-elect from the State of Missouri. The Clerk. The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, a Representative-elect from the State of Illinois, and the Honorable Richard A. Gephardt, a Representative-elect from the State of Missouri, have been placed in nomination. Are there further nominations? There being no further nominations, the Clerk will appoint tellers. The Clerk appoints the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema), and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur). The tellers will come forward and take their seats at the desk in front of the Speaker's rostrum. The roll will now be called, and those responding to their names will indicate by surname the nominee of their choice. The reading clerk will now call the roll. The tellers having taken their places, the House proceeded to vote for the Speaker. Parliamentary Inquiry Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO (during the vote). Have we been eliminated already? Have we been eliminated from the voting procedure? The Clerk. Delegates and the Resident Commissioners are not qualified to vote.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, the decision we are faced with today is of singular importance. We are being asked to overturn the results of a presidential election under a procedure that is fundamentally unfair, and at a time that is contrary to the strategic national interests of the United States. There are three issues involved here today: the unfairness of this proceeding, the timing of this action, and the merits of whether or not to impeach the President. Let us start with the fundamental unfairness of this proceeding. The Republicans have denied the House the opportunity to vote on censuring the President, even though a clear majority of the American public believes the President should be censured for his conduct but not removed from office. Leading members of the Republican Party, former President Gerald Ford, former Senator Bob Dole, have urged the censure option, but we are being denied the opportunity to even consider it today. There is no fairness on this floor today. Second, the Republican majority, by starting this proceeding today, while we are engaged in military action against Saddam Hussein, sends entirely the wrong message to Saddam and to the rest of the world. We have a great bipartisan tradition of supporting the Commander in Chief and supporting our soldiers, sailors, and airmen in the time of war. That tradition is being shattered today by a partisan majority. Seven years ago I joined 86 of our colleagues, of our Democratic colleagues, in supporting a Republican President, George Bush, when he initiated military action against Saddam Hussein. I disagreed with President Bush on a variety of matters, but I felt it was important to show national unity against Saddam. By starting this proceeding against President Clinton today, we are sending the ultimate mixed message to Saddam about our national resolve. We may be encouraging him to resist longer by our actions in the midst of war. Starting this proceeding today may wind up costing American lives. The majority may well have blood on its hands by starting this proceeding today. We certainly could have waited until Monday to pursue this proceeding, giving our military time to pursue its mission. That brings me to the question of the merits. The Republican majority is trivializing the U.S. Constitution and setting a terrible precedent by pressing for impeachment on these particular grounds. What Clinton did was wrong, but it does not rise to the level of an impeachable offense. If we make every Member of this House rumored to have been involved in an affair subject to a $40 million special prosecutor, and then hold them accountable for any misstatement of fact, we may be faced with a number of empty seats in this Chamber. We should reserve impeachment for those rare instances that undermine our form of government and threaten the essence of democracy. It should not be used as a club by a partisan majority that dislikes the particular president.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and the steps our President has taken in ordering military strikes against Iraq. Almost 8 years ago, on January 12, 1991, I, along with 86 other Democrats, supported President Bush in going to war against Iraq. I strongly believed then that it was important to support the President in a bipartisan spirit, and I strongly believe now that we need to support our President in the same manner. We need to express our full support of the President's decision and the American troops. We cannot tolerate Saddam Hussein's actions any further. Iraq refuses to live up to its promise to allow the United Nations to conduct on- site inspections for weapons of mass destruction. Iraq has repeatedly blocked Unscom from inspecting suspect sites. Saddam Hussein has continued to thumb his nose at the United Nations and has no intention in keeping his word, and the United States is right to strike. This military action serves to protect the interests of the United States and the interest of people throughout the Middle East. This was a difficult decision for the President. The United States is never eager to use force. But with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President acted appropriately. Our prayers go out to the men and women of the military. We need to show our utmost support of the troops during this difficult time. Their courageous acts will not be soon forgotten by the American people.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I voted with the President. I did not vote against him. I voted with the President on that matter.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, as we close the 2nd Session of the 105th Congress, our ability to come to an orderly close is due, in great part, to the tireless efforts of our friends in the U.S. Government Printing Office. The GPO recently performed a yeoman's task by printing all of the Kenneth Starr reports that were sent to them by the House Judiciary Committee. These massive reports were printed with great speed and professionalism. Now, as we draw our Session to a close, these dedicated government employees are called on to print an incredible-sized piece of legislation, in addition to reprinting it in the Congressional Record, plus putting it on-line--and all with around-the-clock work schedules. For over 137 years, the GPO has been a loyal, dedicated partner of the Congress. Its critics have taken easy pot-shots at this valuable agency, but they have never provided any reliable means of producing congressional products that are as dependable as those from GPO. As we leave Washington to return to our congressional districts, I would like to salute the men and women at the U.S. Government Printing Office for their steadfast efforts to make the operations of Congress run smoothly

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend and colleague, the Dean of the Texas Delegation, Henry B. Gonzalez of San Antonio. Henry is leaving Congress, but in doing so he is leaving behind a legacy of nearly four decades of service to this House and to the people of the 20th Congressional District of Texas. When Henry first came to Congress in 1961, he tacked a sign to the door of his office which said, ``This office belongs to the people of the 20th Congressional District of Texas.'' Throughout his career both here and in Washington and in Texas, Henry has been a man of the people and a tireless advocate for the less fortunate among us. He has stood tall for the people of the 20th District of Texas by championing affordable housing for all Americans, especially the poor, equal rights for every American regardless of their heritage, and above all decency and honesty in his actions as a public servant. Henry is, however, a man of great independence, and he has demonstrated time and again this willingness to take a stand regardless of which way the political winds might be blowing. He has never been afraid to stake out his own position and defend it regardless of how unpopular it might make him. He is a man of great integrity, and he will be missed. Henry B., as he is affectionately known to our delegation and to his constituents, has been in San Antonio for much of this Congress recovering from an illness that may have slowed him down but could not stop him. I am so grateful he has joined us again for these last days of the 105th Congress so that we can all pay tribute to a truly great American. Henry, I salute you and wish you well as you return to San Antonio. I know that just because you are not in Congress that your voice will not be silenced. I expect to hear that you have once more found a way to stand up and defend those who cannot do so for themselves. Via con Dios, mi amigo.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of the House the bravery and heroics of the members of the Marine Security Guard at our embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania following the horrific and tragic bombing there on August 8. I have the honor of submitting for the Congressional Record a report filed by Lt. Colonel Dennis Sabal which details the devotion to duty and courage under fire exhibited by the Marines who were charged with the responsibility of guarding those two embassies. It is a credit to our Nation that our Marines have and will continue to guard, in the words of Lt. Col. Sabal, ``Americans and America's interests abroad, as marines have done for over 222 years.'' Colonel Burgess: It has been almost 96 hours since the devastating blasts ripped through the American Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. With the situation at both embassies now somewhat stabilized, I want to take a few moments and attempt to paint a picture of the events leading up to the blasts as well as provide you with a commander's perspective of the actions of our Marines subsequent to the explosions. On Friday morning, 8 August 1998 at 10:30 am local Kenyan time (03:30 EST), Corporal Samuel Gonite was standing Post One in the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. At approximately 10:35, Marine Sergeant Jesse ``Nathan'' Aliganga walked into the embassy to cash a check. Corporal Gonite watched Sergeant Aliganga walk past Post One, get onto the elevator, and ascend to the bank. At the same time and unbeknownst to anyone in the embassy, two men pulled up to the rear guard shack of the embassy, which was manned by the local Kenyan security force. This parking lot, which was sandwiched in between a 60 story bank building and a smaller bank building, was also the entrance into the underground garage for the embassy. Reportedly, a man approached the local guard and demanded he open the gate (leading into the embassy's underground garage) to which the local guard refused. At this time, the man hurled what was believed to be a grenade in the direction of the guard. Inside the embassy, people heard the explosion and reportedly got up to look out of their windows when at 10:40 am, a truck filled with explosives crashed into the rear wall of the embassy adjacent to the underground garage, and exploded. Corporal Gonite was immediately knocked to the ground by the concussion of the blast. The glass surrounding Post One was shattered but remained in tact. The detachment commander, Gunnery Sergeant Cross, upon hearing the first blast, immediately went for the ladder well and was shielded from the main blast. The Chancery was in shambles. When the truck exploded, the small bank building behind the embassy collapsed onto the chancery's emergency generator, spilling thousands of gallons of diesel fuel into the basement of the embassy. The diesel fuel ignited and smoke and fire were billowing throughout the embassy. As injured and confused people were running out of the chancery screaming and choking, the Marines were running into the building looking for survivors. With no thought for their own lives, having no idea what else may happen, or whether or not the shattered structure would cave in on them, the Marines immediately reacted and began a sweep of the building. Sergeant Briehl, who was waiting outside the embassy in the car, immediately darted into the building looking for Sergeant Aliganga. He ran to the elevator shafts behind post one, which were completely destroyed, and fell two floors down into the shaft, breaking three ribs and sustaining multiple lacerations and bruises. Sergeant Briehl managed to climb out of the elevator shaft and continued his search for Sergeant Aliganga. Sergeant Outt, who was in Nairobi from Bujumbura for a dental appointment, as well as Sergeant Harper, who was on COT leave in Nairobi from Accra, immediately reached with the Marines and manned posts around the embassy. At this time, we had Gunnery Sergeant Cross, Sergeants Russel, Jiminez, Briehl, Outt, Harper, and Corporal Gonite on board. These Marines immediately made their way through the rubble, fire and smoke looking for survivors, fended off local looters who swarmed the embassy moments after the blast, secured classified material, and most importantly to them, began the search for their brother, Sergeant Aliganga. To provide a bit of situational awareness, the embassy in Nairobi is a seven floor concrete structure with five above ground and two below ground levels. It was situated on two major avenues of approach with minimal stand off distance between the road and the structure. When the bomb exploded, the force of the blast was so devastating that it blew out almost every closed window and frame on the building. 12 inch thick concrete walls on all floors of the embassy were shattered like thin plates of glass. Solid wooden doors mounted on steel frames were sent airborne landing throughout the structure. Windows on office buildings over a quarter of a mile away were shattered. There was not an office space that survived inside of the embassy. Bodies were spread all over, most of which were buried under up to eight feet of rubble. At the same time, the Regional Security Officer for the American Embassy in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, John DiCarlo, a former Marine Security Guard, had taken post one from Corporal Johnson in order for him to make a head call. At approximately 10:40 am, a truck bomb exploded outside the security gate, ripping through the embassy. Corporal Johnson was knocked to the deck. He stood up, and immediately ran to Post One where he found it intact, but inoperable. Corporal Johnson immediately reacted the Marines, which were all at the Marine BEQ during the explosion, and informed all mission personnel to evacuate the building. Corporal Johnson donned his react gear and took control of the Command Center. The detachment commander, Gunnery Sergeant Kimble, arrived at the Embassy approximately 4-5 minutes after the blast and began checking offices throughout the chancery to insure all personnel were safely out of the building. One of the casualties of the explosion was Gunnery Sergeant Kimble's wife Cynthia, who sustained bruises and eye injuries from flying glass. While Cynthia was flown to London to receive eye surgery. Gunnery Sergeant Kimble never lost focus on the mission at hand. Within eight minutes of the blast, Sergeant Sivason, and first post's Corporals Bohn, Hatfield, Johnson, and McCabe began working through the chancery clearing all rooms of personnel. No direction was required as each Marine knew exactly what had to be done. Due to the enormous amount of smoke and fire, the decision was made to evacuate Post One and the Marines fell back to their secondary positions. Corporal Johnson took security for the mission personnel at the rear of the Embassy, and all other Marines took up perimeter security around the building. The force of the blast blew out every window in the chancery, and all doors except post one. The hardline doors, which are located on the opposite side of the embassy, were forced open by the blast. Emergency fire exits on the opposite side of the building in which the blast occurred were blown off the hinges. Concrete walls within the Embassy were knocked down and safes were moved and in some cases knocked over. During the search of the building the Marines had to bust through walls in order to get to areas unattainable during their sweep. Within four hours of the truck bomb, which damaged diplomatic properties and houses up to 1000 meters away, the embassy was secure with MSGs maintaining 24 hour security on the building until the arrival of the FAST team. In Nairobi, Marines continued to work throughout the day cleaning the embassy, providing local security (as the local constabulary proved worthless), moving the injured and the dead from the rubble to safety. The condition of many of the dead was horrific, making the task of search and rescue that much more difficult for all concerned. By 03.00, I arrived on the scene with my XO, 1stSgt, and admin chief, all of whom had been stationed in the Nairobi embassy for over a year and knew the ground, and two MSGs from the Pretoria det, who quickly took up posts around the embassy. By 04:00, a number of Army special forces NCOs had volunteered to stand post to give the Marines a much needed break. 1stSgt Quzman took the post from the det commander and I ordered the Marines home to shower and sleep. At first light, all of the Marines were back to continue their Mission while looking for Sergeant Alganga. After hours of digging by hand through tons of rubble, behind Post One and in the elevator shafts, we moved to the area of the bank. This was one of the hardest hit areas as it was one floor up and only about 50 feet from the blast site. Twelve inch slabs of reinforced concrete were piled up to the ceiling, while desks, computers, and file cabinets were reduced to scrap. The Marines and Army S/F personnel, along with DOS personnel worked frantically against the clock. By this time, over thirty bodies had been recovered from the rubble, including ten Americans. Finally, at exactly 14:30 local time, after 27 hours and fifty minutes of relentless digging with their bare hands, the body of Sergeant Aliganga was recovered from the rubble. Once positively identified, the Marines then gently wrapped Sergeant Aliganga in the American flag, and very purposefully marched him through the rubble and out of the embassy to the waiting vehicle. Although there were no cameras present, nor was there any music playing, the crowds seemed to still, and people stood erect, with tears running down their faces, as the body of another United States Marine, who gave his life in defense of his country, was ushered away. By nightfall, the FAST team arrived and quickly took up the perimeter security of the embassy, freeing the MSGs to return to the still ongoing task of recovering classified material and equipment from the rubble. Sir, I apologize that my words are insufficient to more accurately describe the true essence of this horrific tragedy. What must not be missed is the incredible bravery and heroism displayed by our Marine Security Guards. Without any regard for their own lives or safety, they maintained incredible presence of mind in the face of tremendous devastation. Each marine continued to serve our country and our Department of State with distinction. Even through the chaos and the fog, our Marines never lost focus of their mission. They were models of strength to be emulated by all. As you finish reading this synopsis, the Marines from Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam, augmented by Sergeant Harper from Accra, Sergeant Lawlor from Bonn, Sergeant Outt from Bujumbura, Sergeant Boudah from Dublin, Corporal Graff and Sergeant Wolf from Frankfurt, Sergeant Salizar from the Hague, Sergeant Alberto and Corporal Durden from London, Sergeant Jackson from Paris, Sergeant Smith and Corporal Cornell from Pretoria, and Sergeant Reynolds from Rome, are manning makeshift embassies as our MSGs continue to support our Department of State. They have not missed a beat and will continue guarding Americans and America's interests abroad, as marines have done for over 222 years. Semper Fidelis and Very Respectfully, Dennis Sabal, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, to date, the major accomplishment of the 105th Congress has been to rename Washington National Airport for former President Ronald Reagan. Now, 5 or 6 days away from adjournment, after this trailblazing session, we have sent only 2 of the 13 necessary appropriations acts to the President. Yet today, Mr. Speaker, we are going to consider a bill which was not subjected to hearings and which has virtually no chance of passing the entire Congress, much less gaining the signature of the President. But, at the very least, Mr. Speaker, we will be able to consider this bill under an open rule. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4259 was opposed by the Democratic members of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and deserves to be opposed when it is considered by the full House. The bill mandates that the only two federally-owned, federally-funded, and federally-operated institutions of higher education in the country, Haskell and Southwestern Indian Universities, establish demonstration projects to develop new personnel procedures. The demonstration projects would be entitled to exempt Haskell and Southwestern Universities from civil service laws covering leave and benefits, and would reduce the role of the Office of Personnel Management in the development of these demonstration projects to that of a consultant. Mr. Speaker, because there were no hearings on this legislation, the proponents did not have the opportunity to establish a record to support the need for these special authorities. Nor was there an opportunity for the proponents to establish a record that might refute claims that this legislation would severely weaken the rights and protections currently available to the Federal employees of these two universities. Given the late date in our session, Mr. Speaker, I think the lack of a record on these points is reason enough to reject this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Lee Hamilton for his 34 years of service to the House of Representatives and our great Nation. Lee Hamilton is one of the greatest statesmen of our time and I am honored to be able to count Lee Hamilton as a friend, fellow Democrat, role model, and inspiration. Through his hard work, dedication, sensitivity, and strong ethical underpinnings; Lee Hamilton has forged a path in the U.S. House that all politicians strive to duplicate. Lee is one of the most influential policy makers of this century, both domestically and internationally. This is not by accident--his hard work and determined spirit, coupled with his strong efforts to promote ethical behavior in those that govern, has distinguished him as an exemplary statesman and policy maker, a positive role model not only to those of us in Washington, but for our Nation and future generations. Lee has excelled as a U.S. leader at the forefront of world affairs by distinguishing himself as a thoughful policy maker, with a strong understanding of the difficult issues that effect the world political environment. To name but a few examples: His support of the Middle East peace process over the entirety of his career and his leadership in initiating and crafting U.S. aid to the former Soviet Union in the late 1980's and early 1990's has helped to craft the social, political, and economic environment of both of these regions. But probably the most important contribution Lee has made to this House is the contribution he has made to the foreign affairs debate over the last three decades. Lee has been instrumental in not only addressing the important issues; but in bringing the foreign policy debate to a new level. He has served to broaden Members' understanding of the issues through his careful review of these issues. Lee has impacted the foreign affairs agenda for an entire generation of Americans--for both Congressman, political leaders, and individual citizens. Lee Hamilton stands for all that is good about the American political system. It has been an honor to serve with him and follow his example of ethical behavior, dedication to the American people, the determination to bring and keep important issues at the forefront of the national American debate. Lee's contribution to this House will be sorely missed, but luckily in his new capacity as director of the Woodrow Wilson Center, we in Congress will be able to continue to rely on his valuable contributions to the foreign policy debate.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), for yielding me the customary half-hour. Mr. Speaker, the bill for which this rule provides consideration is just as bad as it was last November. In fact, besides a few little nips and tucks here and there, it is exactly the same bill. Last year that bill did not have enough votes to be brought to the floor, and today my Republican colleagues know that this bill will fail too. Since it is doomed from the start, Mr. Speaker, it is a fair question to ask, why it is on the floor today? Since it is not going anywhere, since it is going to fail, it is reasonable to ask, why we are spending precious legislative time doing this measure? Mr. Speaker, I suspect that the only reason that the Republican leadership is bringing this up today is because they want to try and embarrass the President. There is no other reason to bring it up. Let me say that President Clinton has not asked for fast track negotiating authority this year. He has said he will wait for it next year, but he does not want it brought up at this time. Even without this authority, the President has already negotiated some 200 new trade deals, so this is simply not something we need to be doing at this time. The common wisdom is that this bill will fail, and, with its failure, highlight some of the erosion of support for the President. Mr. Speaker, when, not if, this bill fails, it will mean absolutely nothing, other than it is a bad bill. It was a bad bill last November, and its appearance on the floor today is for nothing other than partisan show. It has no worker protections, no environmental protections, and no protections for human rights. It will open American markets to goods and services from countries with lax environmental and worker protections. In doing so, it will cost Americans their jobs, and, in far too many cases, it will cost Americans their health. There is a tragic aspect of what is happening today. Because of the cynicism of the Republican tactics, some Democrats who support the concept of fast track will vote ``no'' today. The result will be that fast track will fail by a larger margin than would have been true had the vote been taken last year, and the size of the defeat will make it more difficult for the two sides to come together with a compromise solution next spring. Let me be very clear on that point: The Republican majority is trading short-term political gain for long-term political loss. By their very act of forcing a vote today, they significantly lessen the chances that people of goodwill in both parties may be able to arrive at a satisfactory solution next year. Business community supporters of fast track should be furious that their supposed friends on the other side of the aisle have sold them down the river for short-term partisan gain. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. It is a sham. The bill is a sham, and the American people deserve some sincere legislation from their Congress. I also ask my colleagues to oppose the previous question. If the previous question is defeated, I will offer an amendment to make in order the McKinney amendment to establish a corporate code of conduct as a principal trade negotiating objective and the Peterson amendment expanding the Committee on Agriculture's jurisdiction with respect to trade agreements. Vote no on the previous question, vote no on the resolution, vote no on the bill. Let us put this partisan nonsense out of the way and get on with the business of the people. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin). (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield four minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders).