C. W. Bill Young: “let me take just a few minutes to discuss chapter 4 of title II, which is the defense supplemental to pay for the Bosnia…”

“let me take just a few minutes to discuss chapter 4 of title II, which is the defense supplemental to pay for the Bosnia deployment. As all of us are aware, many Members in this House disagreed with the President and the administration when they decided to send United States troops to Bosnia. We voted several times on the House floor giving that indication to the White House, that we did not want American troops to go to Bosnia. Nevertheless, the President made the decision, the troops were deployed, and they are serving in Bosnia today, and they are serving with great distinction, as they always do. But now that the deployment has been made, we have to pay for it, and we are here with a strong commitment to make the necessary payments to provide our troops with whatever it is they need to do their mission and to give themselves some protection at the same time. In the beginning it was estimated the Bosnia deployment would cost the taxpayers about $1 rac{1}{2}illion. Now we are talking about $2 rac{1}{2}illion, and in the opinion of this Member it is even going to be higher than that, but nevertheless we are going to deal with those costs.”