Charles W. Stenholm: “often when we Members come to the House floor to make our arguments about public policy, our rhetoric differs…”

“often when we Members come to the House floor to make our arguments about public policy, our rhetoric differs significantly because we have sharply different visions. Our policies are aimed towards different goals and priorities, and those various goals dictate various approaches. Today, I do not believe we have different goals or hopes. I am convinced that every Member of Congress and, in fact, virtually every American citizen shares a common goal: protecting the safety and security of our Nation. Everyone I know would prefer to avoid war. Everyone I know hopes that diplomatic measures will cause Saddam Hussein to disarm. Everyone I know agrees that multi-lateral action which brings international allies to the side of the United States is far more desirable and effective than unilateral action. These goals and preferences are shared by every Member of Congress who speaks on the floor this week. I spent a great deal of time over the past few weeks listening to the concerns and anxieties of my constituents, the arguments of this administration, and the whispers of my own heart. Following that time of listening, these are the things I now conclude: First, the message of September 11, 2001, was undeniable. The United States has enemies who will stop at nothing to harm us in the most insidious and destructive ways possible. Their disregard for their own lives means that they can and will take the lives of thousands of innocent Americans on our own land.”