Floyd Spence: “Mr. Speaker, the motion by the gentleman from Missouri speaks to an uncontroversial provision offered by the gentleman…”

“Mr. Speaker, the motion by the gentleman from Missouri speaks to an uncontroversial provision offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) and adopted by a voice vote on June 10 during House consideration of H.R. 1401. Section 1207, the provision in question in the motion, has two parts. The first part restates the authorities of the Congress under the Constitution to declare war and provide for the common defense. The second part establishes eight policy goals for the NATO military operation against Yugoslavia which, at the time the provision was adopted, was winding down and, in fact, is now over. While I do not believe that section 1207 or its legislative history had, or has, anything to do with the assertions contained in this motion, I nonetheless support the motion of the gentleman from Missouri and specifically want to commend the United States military and our NATO allies who executed Operation Allied Force with skill and courage. Our Armed Forces, together with the military forces of NATO allies, conducted a military campaign involving over 35,000 aircraft sorties without a single casualty.”