Charles Skelton: “first let me say I appreciate and applaud the persistence of the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) in behalf of…”

“first let me say I appreciate and applaud the persistence of the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) in behalf of this legislation. It is the right thing to do. I appreciate the work of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hostettler) and the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson) on this issue. There was a phrase that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hostettler) used that is part of our Constitution. Mr. Speaker, the United States Constitution requires the Congress to raise and maintain the military and also to establish the rules and regulations thereof. Through my years in Congress, I have had the opportunity to do both and particularly, in writing rules and regulations insofar as military education is concerned and insofar as the structure of the military is concerned, which resulted in what we now call Goldwater-Nickles. Mr. Speaker, this is the right thing to do. The Americans are in Saudi Arabia, have been in Saudi Arabia, were there to make sure that Saddam Hussein's troops did not come down south and into that country. They are there for the protection of that country. This is a very appropriate thing to do, to not make the American women of the military abide by anything but the American rules.”