DATE=3/30/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CONGRESS / COLOMBIA - KOSOVO (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260781
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-S House of Representatives has approved
a controversial plan to help Colombia fight drug
trafficking. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson reports the aid
package is part of a 12-point-seven-billion dollar
emergency spending bill that passed the House
(Thursday) by a vote of 263 to 146.
TEXT: This bill covers a wide range of emergency
expenses. But to most House members, it is simply
"the Colombia bill."
The measure provides one-point-seven billion dollars
to train and equip the Colombian military for anti-
drug operations. It also gives extra aid to
neighboring countries in South America facing a
destabilizing spillover of drug violence.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert has long championed
increased U-S support for Colombia's anti-drug
efforts. In a rare move, he joined the debate and
delivered a personal appeal to his colleagues.
/// Hastert Act ///
We can't ignore this issue. We can't ignore it
in this Congress. We can't ignore it on our
street corners. We can't ignore the place this
stuff [EDS: illegal narcotics] comes from.
/// End Act ///
But there were many voices raised in dissent. New
York Democrat Jose Serrano was among them:
/// Serrano Act ///
This looks to me very much like something from
my younger years when we got involved in
Vietnam. Let's understand. This Colombia
situation is a civil war!
/// End Act ///
/// Begin Opt ///
The debate gave members a chance to voice their fears
and frustrations. There were tears in the eyes of
California Republican "Duke" Cunningham as he talked
about his only son, who has spent years in drug
treatment facilities and in prison. He said he would
vote for the Colombia plan, despite lingering doubts
about the operation.
/// Callahan Act ///
I would rather have my son or my daughters -- if
I knew they were going to get the mumps or the
measles -- I would rather prevent them from
getting the mumps or measles in the first place,
as I would like to stop our children from
getting drugs.
/// End Act // End Opt ///
The emergency spending bill also includes just over
two-billion dollars for peacekeeping operations in
Kosovo, and a similar amount for other national
security projects.
Ohio Republican John Kasich tried and failed to
persuade the House to link the Kosovo funding to
Europe's promise to provide humanitarian and
reconstruction assistance.
/// Kasich Act ///
This is not designed to increase their
commitment. This is not really designed to
increase burden-sharing. This amendment is only
designed to say to the Europeans: "you made a
pledge to us...keep it!"
/// End Act ///
All in all, the House produced a good bill for the
Pentagon. Lawmakers refused the Kosovo linkage. They
defeated an effort to cut spending to send military
trainers to Colombia, and they added on an extra four-
billion dollars to help the Defense Department meet
miscellaneous expenses.
/// Opt /// The current budget surplus will be tapped
to pay for the emergency spending bill. And that is
creating problems with Senate majority leader Trent
Lott. Although legislation is being prepared in the
Senate, Mr. Lott says he would rather wait and fund
these programs in the next fiscal year [EDS: which
begins October 1st]. /// End Opt /// (SIGNED)
NEB/PW/JP
30-Mar-2000 14:47 PM EDT (30-Mar-2000 1947 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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