Speech by Rep. John Joseph Moakley (D-Massachusetts), March 29, 2000

Speech by Rep. John Joseph Moakley (D-Massachusetts), March 29, 2000
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, my dear friend, my colleague, the gentleman from California, said we should fund the Colombia military because there is peace in El Salvador today. I would remind my colleague that peace in El Salvador did not start until we cut off the military aid to El Salvador. After 12 years of brutal war and 75,000 innocent lives lost, the parties did not come anywhere near the negotiating table until we cut the military aid to El Salvador. As long as we were funding the war, it continued. As long as we fund the Colombian military and as long as we provide them weapons, they will use those weapons and the war will continue.

Mr. Speaker, I would hope the rule does not pass.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

As of March 30, 2000, this document was also available online at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r106:H29MR0-104: