Charles Skelton

I wish to pay special commendation to my friend and my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), for introducing this resolution. Although it may not seem it, 25 years have elapsed since the United States military forces…

The message would be that raising the possibility of American troops withdrawing from Kosovo encourages extremist elements in Kosovo and Belgrade who are determined to see NATO's mission fail in the Balkans. This amendment would damage the…

I want to point out that the Kasich budget has not one cent in that budget for the military retirees and the Spratt budget does. We have got to think of our military retirees. They have given us so much.

To add a little to this, when the gentleman says there are young men and women, those who are married, on food stamps, that is absolutely correct. There was testimony in our Committee on Armed Services the other day wherein the former…

I believe that the conferees did not intend to and in fact did not take any action that would limit or supersede any existing agreement that the Department of Energy has entered into with any State, including the Federal facility…

Mr. Speaker, there is a popular television program entitled Jeopardy. Voting for the motion to recommit is entering into that game of Jeopardy because a motion to recommit that carries opens up the entire wonderfully written package for…

this year, at the urging of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior military leaders, Congress has taken some critically important steps to improve military pay and benefits. Both the House and the Senate have now approved versions of…

I move that the motion to instruct be adopted by this House. This is a motion to require or to urge the conferees to adopt section 1207 of the House amendment. The House will remember this is an amendment offered by the gentleman from…

Mr. Speaker, there is an old saying that a rose by any other name is still a rose, and I say, Mr. Speaker, today that victory by any other name is still a victory. We won this for a number of reasons; the troops. Representing the Fourth…

I first must say how very proud I am of the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), how proud I am of our ranking member, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) for the work that they did on the personnel…

a number of years ago the famous author Barbara Tuchman wrote a book, ``March of Folly,'' wherein she set forth a good number of examples where governments made actions and decisions contrary to their own best interests. It is my intent…

I think it is moot because the combat is over. That is in the past. Peacekeeping is the only thing in front of us. And I appreciate his support for that position.

yes, I will restate what the President told me just briefly a few moments ago. First is that he fully intends to ask for a supplemental from the Congress for peacekeeping. Second, after I raised the matter of timeliness with him, he said…

I must say, Mr. Chairman, in the words of Mark Twain, the literary giant from my State of Missouri, "The more you explain it to me, the more I don't understand it." I really have a difficult time in understanding this amendment. For if I…

Mr. Chairman, I find it rather ironic; no, I find it rather sad that in the wake of a military victory for America and for the NATO forces, we find ourselves in this excellent authorization bill discussing language that cuts off funding…

I think we are aiming at the same destination. The problem is that should a supplemental be 1 day, 1 week, 1 month or whatever late, whatever flows from this bill cannot be spent. They would be without food, without ammunition, without…

The Skelton amendment would allow a legitimate and proportionate role in peacekeeping, 7,000 troops. Earlier the gentleman from Indiana questioned whether that would stretch our forces too thin, whether they were overextended. I do not…

based on the gentleman's comments, I find that he and I are singing from the same sheet of music, and I thank him for that. My main purpose for rising, however, is to compliment the gentleman from Mississippi. I think it is important that…

Let us speak of Kosovo today. We have achieved, our country has achieved, NATO has achieved a victory in the field of battle in the Balkans. The issues we debate today and the votes taken today will tell whether we keep that victory or…

we are very, very blessed to have the number of planes that we have. As my colleague knows, 10 are currently at Whiteman Air Force Base and a good number of them are being used in this effort. It is interesting to note that only 3 percent…

Mr. Chairman, were it not for the Cox-Dicks amendment, this would be a different case. We not only are replowing the same ground, we find this amendment in conflict with that amendment which we have already passed unanimously in this body…

I would merely say it is a good amendment, and we examined it on this side. We have no problem with it and endorse it.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in very strong support of H.R. 1401, the National Defense Authorization Act. For some time now I have been saying that we must make this the year of the troops. This bill goes a long way towards showing the men and…

Mr. Chairman, let me take this opportunity to commend some very fine airmen and women, in particular those at Whiteman Air Force Base who are flying and working on and maintaining the B-2 stealth bomber. In this conflict over Yugoslavia…

Mr. Chairman, if the walls could talk, at least twice in this century these walls have heard those familiar strains of isolationism, of America should not get involved with serious problems elsewhere that do not have a direct interest on…