Gene Taylor

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be modified in the form at the desk.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel).

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I am not going to debate the exact type of horror that was perpetrated on the people of Kosovo. But I would daresay that using the analogy that some of my colleagues have used, that World War II was a failure because we did not prevent Hitler from killing over 4 million Jews, I do not think World War II was a failure. We stopped the horror. I do not think what we did in Kosovo was a failure. We stopped the horror. We did it with absolute minimum loss of American life. Are we somehow disappointed there was not a big body count? Are we somehow disappointed there will not be another wall on the Mall with 50,000 American names? I am not. I am happy. We did not lose one kid. The gentleman from California (Mr. Duncan Hunter) is exactly right, we need to get them new weapons, we need to get them the right ammunition, we need to pay them like a free society ought to pay volunteers. He is exactly right. And none of us are in disagreement on that. We also need to protect the peace that they have won. We, as the Congress of the United States, ought to set the rules for the Army and the Navy, and that is what I am asking the Congress of the United States to do right now. And we ought to bring those people who have done horrible things to justice. They should be held accountable for what they have done. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, let me return the compliment to the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell). I thought it was of the utmost importance that this body, which has the constitutional duty to declare a war, had to vote on that issue. It was the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell) that forced that to happen on the House floor. Although I regret the outcome of that vote, we did at least what the Constitution says that we were supposed to do, which was to vote on that. I have no intention of trying to do anything legislatively that affects the outcome of the gentleman's lawsuit or any other lawsuit. As the gentleman knows, as Members of Congress, things I have to remind my constituents on on a regular basis, that we are barred by law from getting involved in anything that involves another person's litigation as Congresspeople. So, therefore, I certainly do not want to adversely affect the gentleman's suit in any way. If this helps the gentleman to accomplish his goals, which is to clarify the War Powers Act, and reestablishes Congress' constitutionally mandated duty to declare a war that is our decision, then I want to see to it that that happens.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri for granting me this time and particularly since he has given me time to speak in support of the DeLay amendment. I think the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) is right on this. I think between the revelations of the two 40-foot container loads of automatic weapons being shipped to our West Coast, the now control of two ports on the Panama Canal by a company called Hutchinson, which is owned by the Chinese, the things that have come out as a result of the Cox report as far as the Chinese either being given in some instances by dumb Americans, in some instances being sold technology and some instances stealing technology. But I would like to ask the sponsor of this bill to let us take this a step further. See, next month this body is going to vote on something called most-favored-nation status for China. Technology is one thing. But in order to build the weapons that threaten America, China needs money. They get that money from America. They get that money from trade with America where they sell their goods to America with 2 percent or less tariff as a result of the most-favored-nation status. Yet, our country, our goods, when sold in China, have to pay anywhere from 20 to 40 percent. I find it strange that the gentleman who is so right on this issue, 1 year ago, on July 22, when we voted to disapprove most-favored-nation status voted with the Chinese. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) voted to grant the Chinese unlimited access to the American market and to continue this $60 billion trade surplus on behalf of China. In fact, I think I have gone so far as to break the code. See, MFN does not really stand for most favored nation. It stands for money for nukes. When some people very cleverly changed the name of it to NTR, thinking it would stand for normal trade relations, I think the truth of the matter is it stands for nuclear tipped rockets that they are going to buy with American money. So I am going to vote with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) today, but a month from now when we vote on MFN, money for nukes, I hope he will be voting with me to vote no.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the previous speaker, who I do have the greatest respect for, who was elected by just as many people as I was elected by and represents just as many people. But I would encourage her to support the bill. Particularly, I would encourage her to support the bill because I think it is important that the minority Members of this body support an Armed Forces that has a more than fair share of minorities on board. We have a strange situation in our country where folks are willing to spend their money but not ask their children to serve. We have another group of people whose children serve but who say, you cannot have our money. We need to correct that. We need to treat those young people who are serving our country with respect. We need to fund the G.I. bill. We need to give them a good barracks. We need to see to it that they are well fed. We need to see to it that there are enough of them that they do not have to be gone from their families all the time. To my colleagues who are saying, you can have my money but not my son, I would encourage their children to enlist. The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and I have visited a corporate board last summer, a company that does 99 percent of its work with the United States Navy; and we asked that board, ``How many of you have a young son or young daughter in the Armed Forces?'' Not one hand went up. So I do think that what we are doing today is a step in the right direction. I want to compliment the chairman and the ranking member on that. I would encourage us to go on to fulfill our promise of lifetime health care to our military retirees. I do see that as a readiness problem. I want to see to it that our young people are able to have their ailments treated and their children born on a base hospital rather than to have to go out and put up with the hassle of Tricare. And above all, we need to start replacing these ancient weapon systems, like the HUEYs, like the CH-46s and 47s, that endanger the very young people that all of us care about, and see to it that they are given weapons worthy of them.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule. I would like to remind my colleagues that they have but one chance a year to define defense policy for the United States of America, and that is the defense authorization bill. But I also like to remind my colleagues that Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution provides that Congress shall have the power to provide for the common defense, to declare war, to raise and support armies, to provide and maintain a Navy, to make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces. For over 60 days American airmen have been at war in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and for 60 days neither the President of the United States, nor the Congress of the United States, has said what we hope to accomplish. I had offered an amendment that would state America's goals in this conflict. I realize many of my colleagues wish it had not happened. I think for the sake of the people who are fighting this war we need to do one or the other. Either let those who are opposed to it prevail and get the troops out or establish a clearly definable set of goals so that we know what we are aiming for as a Nation in Yugoslavia.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to honor Miss Afton Stanford of Poplarville, MS. Miss Stanford is the Mississippi winner of the 1999 Voice of Democracy broadcast script- writing contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. As reward for her script, she received a VFW scholarship and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to compete with other national finalists. The VFW's Voice of Democracy Program is a national essay competition that allows high school students the opportunity to share their opinions on service, sacrifice and responsibility to their country. The 1998-99 competition theme was ``My Service to America,'' in which students reflected on their individual involvement in local communities. Out of the 80,000 participants, Miss Stanford was one of fifty-four finalists, and it gives me great pride to share her winning essay with you. My Service to America (By Afton Stanford) As I stand looking through the thick glass protecting the faded blue uniform, and the yellowed photograph I wonder how old this boy was. If it were not for the fact that he was in the military, I'd say he were my age. He looks like a boy in my chemistry class, you know the silent type that grins a lot but really never says much. I'm not sure if that is what he really was like, but I'd like to think so. Who would ever believe that this young kid would ever have the chance to save others. When I look into his eyes, I don't see a kid who wants to be a hero, I see a kid ready to experience life. Maybe he was a little uncertain about his future, or even wondering if he made the right decision in joining the military, whatever it was I can imagine a mixture of emotions swirling through his dark eyes. At 18, many people might think a kid knows nothing about sacrifice. But this boy, this young boy, made the ultimate sacrifice. A few summers ago, I volunteered for a women's crisis shelter. At the time I thought it was fun, meeting new people, helping others in the process. But, only after it was all over did I grasp the concept of ``service.'' Service to my God, service to my country. When I got home I found other places to volunteer; I help Red Cross, if any disasters happen and they need help collecting food or handing out blankets, I'll be there. I also help at the food bank, sorting cans that people donate so the families less fortunate can eat. Giving up Saturdays and spending a week helping others seems trivial, in comparison to this boy who gave his life to save others, but it's a beginning. I got a great start at home. My parents have instilled in me the desire to help other people improve their lives. My parents stressed the need for helping others, because in helping others everyone lives better. They also taught me to take pride in what I do, the jobs I hold and what I believe. National pride is something sacred. All Americans have lost family and friends to have these rights, and the least I can do is maintain the life they fought for. Sometimes my life gets too hectic and chaotic to think about anyone but myself. That's why every day I try to make it a point to do something, however little for someone else. From sweeping leaves for an elderly neighbor to working at the food bank I try to pitch in. Helping is contagious. When I have volunteered, my friends have seen how much I loved the people I helped and the work and they have begun to volunteer too. If each American has this attitude it will make a big difference. Part of my service to America is encouraging others to help in any way they can and knowing that every kindness honors the people who've gone before us. I believe that being an American citizen means helping others in need. This is one of the strongest values of Americans. For a young man to throw himself on a land mine to save his platoon exemplifies the ideals of self-sacrifice and service that is the corner stone of America. While I'm standing here looking at this display of congressional honor, I wonder how his mother felt. The last time she ironed his uniform and picked off the little stray threads for this display, was she aware of how much I appreciate what her son gave up and what she gave up through him? I only hope that my little sacrifices and services will be able to honor his death and all deaths that make the quality of life that I enjoy possible. I can only hope that one day I'll be able to give a service of this magnitude to my country. ``Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.'' (John 15:13) As I walk away I hope to take a little inspiration from this boy who selflessly embodied these values.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, about 2,000 years ago, this time of year, an angry mob hauled a Jewish carpenter before a Roman governor, a man that he knew to be innocent. The Roman governor, though, let the mob have their way, and to wash away his dereliction of duty he symbolically washed his hands, thinking it would kind of absolve him from what happened. History has proven that it did not. ``On Wednesday, April 28, Congress proved itself unwilling to fulfill or incapable of discharging its own constitutional responsibilities. In two successive votes, the House of Representatives rejected resolutions that would have either declared war or have pulled U.S. troops out of the quagmire in Kosovo. The best the House could manage was a 249 to 180 vote on a nonbinding requirement that Mr. Clinton get their permission before committing U.S. ground troops to combat. Then late in the evening the House demonstrated its ultimate ambivalence in a 213- 213 vote whether air strikes should continue. ``But the votes on April 28 made it clear, Congress has now joined the Clinton administration in its failure to devise a clear strategy for ending what is undeniably an undeclared war in the Balkans.'' The latter part of my remarks were written by an unsuccessful Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. His name is Oliver North, and it appeared in today's Washington Times. If Members think this vote on the Istook amendment somehow absolves Members of their constitutional duty to declare war and to look out for the benefit of the Army and the Navy, it does not. Members had that vote last week. They had the opportunity to get the troops out of Kosovo last week. The majority of this body did not vote to do that. They had an opportunity to declare war and do it right. They did not do that, either. They in effect did nothing. They did what Pontius Pilate did. He was not absolved then, and Members are not absolved now. This is a funding bill for the United States military. It does not need this nonsensical language attached to it. We are at war. Who is kidding who? Ask the kid climbing into an F-16 tonight, ask the kid climbing into an F-15 tonight, ask the kids getting into the A-6s tonight, ask the families of two airmen who died 2 days ago. We cannot walk away from our job. Members were not anointed to it, they were not appointed to it, they begged people for it. They were elected to this job. I ask the Members to do their job, admit we are at war, fund the war, and let us do this right. And above all, let us be worthy of those kids over there who have sworn to defend our Nation.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt). (Mr. Spratt asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by commending the gentleman from California for forcing this Congress to do what it should have done long ago, and that is to exercise our constitutional responsibility to decide where and when young Americans will be called upon to place their lives at risk to defend this country. I would like to remind my colleagues that despite much of the rhetoric against the President of the United States, it was the United States Senate on March 23 that voted to authorize air strikes against the former Yugoslavia. I must admit that the President, following up on that, has put me in a very strange situation. After all, just in December I voted to impeach President Clinton, but the majority of the United States Senate decided otherwise. The question now is, do I face the reality that young Americans are at war, or do I do what is politically expedient and ignore that? When I was a young State Senator, I once questioned a former Congressman by the name of Charles Griffin, who served during the Vietnam War. I remember asking him how he could serve for those years while Americans were coming home every day and, in effect, pretending there was not a war going on? I want to apologize to Congressman Griffin because basically I am seeing the same thing today. But in deference to now deceased Congressman Griffin, I certainly will not do what I accused him of doing. I am going to vote to declare war. Americans are at war. I find myself at a horrible reluctance to do this, but the bottom line is Slobodan Milosevic has initiated four wars. As we speak, he is killing innocent men and women. And, yes, American credibility is at risk. The question we have to ask ourselves is what are the unintended consequences of this Congress failing to act? Do we signal to North Korea, who it is anticipated will drop 600,000 rounds on the American positions the very first day of that war, that as a Nation we say one thing and do another when it becomes slightly politically inconvenient for the 535 Members of Congress? I say this with great reluctance, because I know that in voting for war I share the responsibility for the lives of those young Americans who may die. But to do nothing is much worse. We are in this situation. We cannot choose to ignore it. And I think that the best course of action for this Nation is to use the overwhelming military might that we have at our disposal to end this war quickly, swiftly and with a decisive American victory.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, may we have a review of the time remaining.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind). (Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior).

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings).

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, of the many books that have been written about the failed American policy in Vietnam I think one of the most damning was a book called ``Dereliction of Duty.'' It talks about how the generals and admirals who comprised the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the early Vietnam years knew that President Johnson was intentionally lying to the American public about his plan, or lack of a plan, in Vietnam, that there was no plan to win the war, there was no plan as to how to win the war, and yet not one of these people who claimed to be looking out for their troops was willing to step forward and risk their career by saying, ``Mr. President, do it right, or do not do it at all. If you are not willing to do it right, I will resign my commission and go out and tell the American people the truth about what is going on.'' Mr. Speaker, this Congress is doing the exact same thing. This Congress is criticizing the American President for the way he is handling this conflict. Yet the American President says he will not introduce ground forces, and the Congress that is damning him today by 250 votes said, ``Do not introduce ground forces.'' We have a President who says, ``I am not going to stop the bombing.'' We have a Congress, 250-plus votes, said, ``Do not stop the bombing.'' We share in the responsibility for what is happening right now. Tonight, brave young Americans will get in F-15s, F-16s, A-6s, and they will put their lives on the line in what is for them a very real war. One cannot wish it away. We just voted not to end it. The choice we have is to do it right or to repeat the mistakes of the Congresses and the Presidents during Vietnam and to pretend that some half-hearted policy is going to achieve American objectives, and to look the other way as the casualties mount because we are not willing to put our necks out, we are not willing to risk our careers, but we are going to let those kids risk their lives. Think about it. This is our constitutional obligation. The vote to get the kids out failed. That leaves but one other alternative, and that is to do it right for the sake of those kids who are putting their lives on the line right now. Now, if we want to revoke the last vote, if we have changed our minds, then vote it. But if we are going to ask those kids to make the ultimate sacrifice, then we as a Nation ought to commit this Nation to the effort and not just a handful of pilots.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks). (Mr. DICKS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Speaker, I have heard on two or three occasions this morning that the operation in Kosovo will come at the expense of the Social Security trust fund. I find it ironic that many of the people who made that statement just a few weeks ago were advocates of massive tax cuts for hundreds of billions of dollars which they assured the American people would not come at the expense of the Social Security trust fund. Either it is or it is not. And we do have to set priorities. I do agree with the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) that equipping our troops, that we have as a Nation already sent into this combat, is a higher priority than anything else at the moment. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King).

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Today, April 28, I missed the vote on the Journal, the initial vote of the House. Although my pager was charged and turned on, it failed to function and I did not receive the announcement of the vote. My pager has been turned in for repair.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the ranking minority member of the committee.