I have been rather vocal over the last 4 years about speaking out against our own unilateral sanction imposition.

Not since the distinguished service of General George Marshall has a soldier-statesman come to this position with Secretary-designate Powell's degree of experience.

Operation Desert Storm prevented Iraq's dictator from spreading instability throughout the Middle East. Stopping that threat was an honorable cause of which Americans can be proud.

Thank you.

Ambassador Saito has made important contributions to bilateral negotiations aimed at opening Japan further to U.S. products through deregulation.

His Excellency Kunihko Saito, the Honorable Ambassador of Japan, is returning soon to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo upon completion of his assignment here.

It is frequently remarked that there is no more important relationship in the world today than the relationship between the United States and Japan.

During the three and a half years, he so ably represented his nation here, Ambassador Saito helped our two countries navigate a series of milestones that updated the terms of our security relationship for the post-cold war era.

We also have deepened our cooperation through the Common Agenda, including efforts to fight disease, control narcotics, protect endangered species, and preserve the environment.

Japan's contribution as host nation support for our armed forces stationed there remains the highest in the world.

this Member extends to Ambassador Saito and to the friendly, gracious and diplomatically astute Mrs. Saito, the recognition and appreciation of the United States Congress for an important job extremely well done.

I rise in opposition to this amendment.

This Member commends this editorial from the July 15, 1999, Norfolk Daily News to his colleagues regarding the need for development of the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in light of recent successful tests and North Korea's…

Unfortunately, the United States cannot make progress as long as the Clinton administration observes the restrictions of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty.

The fact that it took the Army seven tests to score the first THAAD 'hit' is not an argument against missile defense but an argument for investing more in anti-missile technologies.

Misplaced devotion for the ABM Treaty hampers the development, testing and deployment of certain kinds of missile defense, ensuring that any system will be less capable than it otherwise could be.

The challenge now is to build an effective defense against long-range missiles that builds on THAAD's success.

Any change in registration requirements and the cost associated with such a change would be unwelcome, particularly at a time of such stress in the agricultural economy.