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)
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Source: Voice of America
.