Ron Paul Quotes.com
Home Page Contents Congressional Record (Page H283) Cached
2 February 1999
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Ron Paul Quotes.com Home Page Contents Congressional Record (Page H283) Cached 2 February 1999 |
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The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker’s announced policy of January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. PAUL) is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes. 1999 Ron Paul 3:1 Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask my fellow colleagues, how long will the war go on before Congress notices? We have been bombing and occupying Iraq since 1991, longer the occupation of Japan after World War II. Iraq has never committed aggression against the United States. 1999 Ron Paul 3:2 The recent escalation of bombing in Iraq has caused civilian casualties to mount. The Clinton administration claims U.N. resolution 687, passed in 1991, gives him the legal authority to continue this war. We have perpetuated hostilities and sanctions for more than 8 years on a country that has never threatened our security, and the legal justification comes from not the U.S. Congress, as the Constitution demands, but from a clearly unconstitutional authority, the United Nations. 1999 Ron Paul 3:3 In the past several months the airways have been filled with Members of Congress relating or restating their fidelity to their oath of office to uphold the Constitution. That is good, and I am sure it is done with the best of intentions. But when it comes to explaining our constitutional responsibility to make sure unconstitutional sexual harassment laws are thoroughly enforced, while disregarding most people’s instincts towards protecting privacy, it seems to be overstating a point, compared to our apathy toward the usurping of congressional power to declare and wage war. That is something we ought to be concerned about. 1999 Ron Paul 3:4 A major reason for the American Revolution was to abolish the King’s power to wage war, tax, and invade personal privacy without representation and due process of law. For most of our history our presidents and our Congresses understood that war was a prerogative of the congressional authority alone. Even minimal military interventions by our early presidents were for the most part done only with constitutional approval. 1999 Ron Paul 3:5 This all changed after World War II with our membership in the United Nations. As bad as it is to allow our presidents to usurp congressional authority to wage war, it is much worse for the President to share this sovereign right with an international organization that requires us to pay more than our fair share while we get a vote no greater than the rest. 1999 Ron Paul 3:6 The constitution has been blatantly ignored by the President while Congress has acquiesced in endorsing the 1999 Ron Paul 3:7 The continual ranting about stopping Hussein, who is totally defenseless against our attacks, from developing weapons of mass destruction ignores the fact that more than 30,000 very real nuclear warheads are floating around the old Soviet empire. 1999 Ron Paul 3:8 Our foolish policy in Iraq invites terrorist attacks against U.S. territory and incites the Islamic fundamentalists against us. As a consequence, our efforts to develop 1999 Ron Paul 3:9 It is time for Congress to declare its interest in the Constitution and take responsibility on issues that matter, like the war powers. Notes: 1999 Ron Paul 3:1 longer the occupation of Japan probably should be longer than the occupation of Japan. 1999 Ron Paul 3:3 the airways have been filled probably should be the airwaves have been filled. 1999 Ron Paul 3:3 constitutional responsibility probably should be capitalized: Constitutional responsibility. 1999 Ron Paul 3:3 congressional power probably should be capitalized: Congressional power. 1999 Ron Paul 3:4 congressional authority probably should be capitalized: Congressional authority. 1999 Ron Paul 3:4 constitutional approval probably should be capitalized: Constitutional approval. 1999 Ron Paul 3:6 The constitution probably should be capitalized: The Constitution. |