Joseph Knollenberg: “I am losing my patience with our present administration. On April 26, I forwarded a letter to Secretary of State Warren…”

“I am losing my patience with our present administration. On April 26, I forwarded a letter to Secretary of State Warren Christopher, asking him to specifically answer four questions on the administration's policy shift in Bosnia--the proposed lifting of the arms embargo. That same afternoon I delivered a 1-minute statement on this very spot outlining the principal points in my letter to the State Department. Four weeks later, my staff followed up with a call to the State Department Congressional Liaison's Office, and they were assured that a response was a mere day or two away. But, to date, neither I nor my staff have received any answer--not even a postcard of acknowledgement. This is outrageous. Why no response? Am I to assume that this is yet another example of President Clinton's foreign policy wavering? Or is this merely his lack of political common sense? Mr. Speaker, we need to have an open discussion and free debate on an issue of this magnitude This is not about whether or not I believe that this proposed policy shift is right or wrong--its about open communications. I urge all my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats alike, to join me in calling on President Clinton and the administration to not only answer my questions, but all our questions.”