Speech by Rep. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), March 29, 2000

Speech by Rep. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), March 29, 2000
URGING CAUTION ON FURTHER AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN COLOMBIA (House of Representatives - March 29, 2000)

[Page: H1484]
(Mr. WICKER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, this is the day! March 29, 2000, is the day that, unless something changes, this House of Representatives will decide to become involved in a lengthy and expensive military action in the country of Colombia.

There are a lot of questions that we do not know about plan Colombia, but we do know this, that at best it will take us 6 years to do the job, and probably twice that length. It will involve us in supporting a military action against guerillas on the left and narco terrorists on the right. Also, it will cost billions and billions of dollars, all without a full hearing and all without a full national debate.

This should not be a partisan issue, Mr. Speaker. Today I will vote for the Obey amendment which will say, at least let's put the brakes on $500 million of this appropriation until we know what we are doing. We ought to be fully informed, and the American people ought to be fully informed, before we embark on a course of action which will last for decades and cost billions of American dollars with doubtful results.

END

As of March 30, 2000, this document was also available online at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r106:H29MR0-64: