Kay Bailey Hutchison: “amendment No. 3413 is to condition the use of appropriated funds for the purpose of an orderly and honorable reduction…”

“amendment No. 3413 is to condition the use of appropriated funds for the purpose of an orderly and honorable reduction of U.S. ground forces in Bosnia. It is a fact that the U.S. Armed Forces have accomplished the military mission assigned to them as a component of the implementation and stabilization forces. The continuing and open-ended commitment of U.S. ground forces in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is subject to the oversight authority of Congress. Mr. President, this is the first time that Congress will vote on any kind of resolution that would establish some kind of policy on Bosnia since the President decided that it would be an unending mission. On November 27, 1995, the President said that America would be part of a multinational military implementation force that would terminate in about a year. The President declared the expiration of the mandate to be December 20, 1996. The Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time expressed the critical importance of establishing a firm deadline in the absence of which there is a potential for expansion of the mission of U.S. forces. That was a forceful statement by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He said it is a recipe for mission creep not to have a termination date.”