Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield
3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. PAUL).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for a period of 3 minutes and the gentleman may proceed.
1998 Ron Paul 27:2
I rise in strong support of this resolution,
and I compliment the gentleman
from California for bringing it to this
floor.
1998 Ron Paul 27:3
This is an immensely important Constitutional
issue and one that we
should pay close attention to this and obviously
support it. I would like this same
principle, of course, to apply across the
board, especially when it comes to
bombing foreign countries, like Iraq,
because we should not be involved in
war efforts without the consent of the
Congress.
1998 Ron Paul 27:4
The Constitution is very, very clear
on this. Unfortunately, policy has
drifted away from a noninterventionist
Constitutional approach. Just in the
last 2 days we had five resolutions implied
that we have the economic
strength, we have the military power
and the wisdom to tell other people
what to do.
1998 Ron Paul 27:5
And usually it starts just with a little bit
of advice that leads next to then sending
troops in to follow up with the advice
that we’re giving. So I think this
is very, very important, to get this out
on the table, debate this, and for Congress
to reassume the responsibility
that they have given to an imperial
presidency.
1998 Ron Paul 27:6
Prior to World War II there were always
debates in the House of Representatives
any time we wanted to use
military force. Whether it was 150
years ago, when we decided to spread
our borders southward toward Mexico,
or whether 100 years ago we decided
to do something in Cuba, it came
here. They had the debates, they had
the arguments, but they came to the
floor and debated this.
1998 Ron Paul 27:7
Today, ever since World War II, we
have reneged on that responsibility. We
have turned it over to the President, allowed him to be involved. We have given him words of encouragement
that implied that we support his
position. We do so often and, as far as
I am concerned, too carelessly. But
when we do this, the President then assumes
this responsibility; and, unfortunately,
since World War II, it’s not
even been for national security reasons.
1998 Ron Paul 27:8
The Persian Gulf War was fought
with the assumption that the administration
got the authority from the
United Nations. If we are to express
ourselves and to defend our national
sovereignty, we will have the Congress
vote positive on this resolution
because it is so critical.
1998 Ron Paul 27:9
Today, we have been overextended. Our military is not as strong as some people believe. Our economy probably is
not nearly as strong as some believe. But we have troops that could be attacked
in Korea. We have the potentiality
of bombing Baghdad at the
same time we have troops in harm’s
way in Bosnia. So we have spread ourselves
too thinly, and we are vulnerable.
1998 Ron Paul 27:10
And we have a responsibility here. The
Congress has a responsibility to the
American people. We are here to defend
the national sovereignty and the protection
of the United States. Troops in
Bosnia threatens our national security
and threatens the lives of the American
citizen who’s protecting or fighting
in this region. So it is up to us to
assume this responsibility.
1998 Ron Paul 27:11
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman’s time is expired.
Notes:
1998 Ron Paul 27:1 Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Ron Paul refers to The Honorable Tom Campbell of California.
1998 Ron Paul 27:7 We have given him words of encouragement that implies that we support his position.
is grammatically correct if it is the encouragement, not the words, implying.
Other interpretations are, We have given him words of encouragement that imply that we support his position.
and We have given him words of encouragement. That implies that we support his position.
1998 Ron Paul 27:10
Ungrammatical Troops in Bosnia threatens our national security and threatens the lives of the American citizen who is protecting or fighting in this region.
perhaps should be Having troops in Bosnia threatens our national security and threatens the lives of the American citizen who is protecting or fighting in this region.
or perhaps Troops in Bosnia threaten our national security and threaten the lives of the American citizen who is protecting or fighting in this region.
