Political Quotes

“Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the motion to instruct conferees. It is absolutely critical that U.S. and international pressure be maintained and increased on the Government of Indonesia and the Indonesian military. Instructing the conferees on the foreign aid bill to retain the House restrictions on IMET and expand the IMET is one modest but concrete action this House can take. The U.S. has provided an estimated $148 million in weapons, ammunition, spare parts, and technical support to Indonesia since 1993. However, Indonesia and the U.S. have continued to maintain military training and officer exchange programs. Those programs, costing about a half a million dollars per year, are now frozen as a result of the suspension of military relations announced last week by President Clinton. Eighteen Indonesian military officers currently are studying at U.S. military facilities as part of the IMET program. Eleven are in a training program at the Center for Military Relations in Monterey, California. Six are studying English. And one officer is at an American war college. This House has taken the lead in restricting IMET funding to Indonesia because of the brutal human rights records of its military. Today, more than ever, those restrictions must be extended and expanded.”