University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Mike Mansfield Speeches Mike Mansfield Papers 1-12-1967 Congressional Record S.J. Res. 18 - Voting: Lowering Age to 18 Mike Mansfield 1903-2001 Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mansfield_speeches Recommended Citation Mansfield, Mike 1903-2001, "Congressional Record S.J. Res. 18 - Voting: Lowering Age to 18" (1967). Mike Mansfield Speeches. 641. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mansfield_speeches/641 This Speech is brought to you for free and open access by the Mike Mansfield Papers at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mike Mansfield Speeches by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. S586 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- SENATE January 19, 1967 REDUCTION OF US. FORCES IN that the total number of sponsors ls 41 The request that our forces be with­ EUROPE at this point. drawn from France seemed to provide an Mr MANSFIELD. Mr. President. I I ask unanimous consent that the res­ excellent opportunity to bring home ap­ send lo the desk a resolution and ask olution be referred both to the Commit­ proximately 70,000 of the 900,000 or more that It be read, along wL. lhe names of tee on Armed Services and the Commit­ American defense personnel and depend­ the cosponsors. tee on Forei<Yn Relations. ents now stationed throughout Western s. n~,. 40 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Europe. Instead, the Defense Depart­ Whereas tho foreign policy and milito,ry objection? The Chair hears none, and ment is In the process of moving at least gtrength of the Untted States are dedicated It Is so ordered. two-thirds of these forces along with to the protection or our national security, Mr. MANSFIELD. Mr. President, I their dependents who have been in the prest'rvatlon of the liberties or the Amen­ ask unanimous consent that both these France, not back to the United States, can people, and the m:untcnance or world committees may have authority to ap­ but on to the United Kingdom, West Ger­ peace: and Whereas the United States In Implementing point subcommittees which will act many, and the Low Countries. Thus, the these principles hns maintained hu-ge con­ jointly. reduction in overall U.S. personnel levels tingents of American Armed Forces in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there in Ew·ope will be insignificant. I must Europe, together with air and naval units, objection? The Chair hears none, and confess, Mr. President, that It is most for twenty years; and i.t is so ordered. difficult to understand why some air units Whereas the security or the United States The resolution CS. Res. 49) was re­ can be moved from France back to the and Its citizens remains Interwoven with the ferred to the Committee on Armed Serv­ States, under a dual-basing concept-­ security or other nations signatory to the and a few are being moved-but the bal­ North Atl.lntic Treaty as It was when the ices and the Commitlce on Foreign treaty was signed, but the condition or our Relations. ance must be assigned elsewhere in European allies, both economically o,nd mili­ Mr. MANSFIELD. Mr. President, I Europe. tarily. has appreciably Improved since large ask unanimous consent that the resolu­ It is also difficult to understand why contingents or forces were deployed; a.nd tion which I have offered today lie at the we will not face up to the fact that the Whereas the means and capacity of all desk for 1 week for cosponsors. Western European allies are uninter­ members of the North AWmtic Treaty Or­ The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ested in stocking supplies and organizing ganization to provide forces to resist aggres­ objection, the resolut,on will be held at lines of communications to sustain forces sion bas significantly Improved since the for a hypothetical 90-day conventional original United States deployment: and the desk, as requested by the Senator Whereas the commitment by all members from Montana. war on the Continent. Indeed, their o! the North Atlantic Treaty Is based upon Mr. MANSFIELD. Mr. President, Sen­ outlays in this connection are hardlY the full cooperation of all treaty partners ate Resolution 300 in the 89th Congress sufficient to sustain their NATO forces In contributing materials and men on a !air was intended to express the sense of the for 30 days or even, In some instances, and equitable basis, but such contributions Senate that a substantial reduction of for 10 days. Nevertheless, the Defense have not been forthcoming !rom all other U.S. forces permanently stationed in Eu­ Department still clings to the 90-day members or the Organization: and af­ concept, and we pay heavily In terms of Whereas relations between Eastern Europe rope can be made without adversely and Western Europe were tense when the fecting our resolve or ability to meet our the number of supporting troops and de­ large contingents of United States forces were commitment under the North Atlantic pots which are required to maintain lt. deployed In Europe but this situation has Treaty. It will be recalled that the reso­ Most disturbing, in my view, has been now undergone substantial change and rela· lution had acquired a total of 32 spon­ the revelation of the rigidity of our pol­ t!ons between the two parts o! Europe are sors by the end of the 89th Congress. icy with respect to NATO, as it emerged now characterized by an Increasing two-way In spite of this substantial interest, the in the recent United States-United tlow or trade, people and other peaceful ex­ leadership decided not to press the mat­ Kingdom-West German talks on troop change: and deployment, strategy, and offset arms Whereas the present pol!cy or maintaining ter to a decision during the closing days large contingents or United States forces and of the last session. Notice was served, purchases. These tripartite talks seem their dependents on the European Continent however, that the matter would be re­ to have led, as I have already noted, at also contributes further to the fiscal a.nd opened in January. best, only to interim decisions on our monetary problems or the United States: Just prior to the convening of the 90th part to maintain the status quo and post­ Now, therefore, be It Congress, the original sponsors of the pone the hard decisions. Indeed, these Resolved, That- resolution met to consider a course in the talks have taken us, if anything, further (I) It Is the sense of the Senate that, with matter. After a thorough discussion, It toward a un!lateral U.S. underwriting o! changes and Improvements In the techniques was decided once again, with 12 of the the burdens of NATO. of modern warfare a.nd because of the vast 13 Members assenting, that the resolu­ What was heralded months ago by un­ increase In capacity or the United States to tion on U.S. troop deployment in Europe named sources in this QQvernment as a wage war a.nd to move rnil!tary forces a.nd It equlpment by air, a substantial reduction or should be reintroduced without delay. move to get the Europeans to take a United States forces prcmenently stationed was also agreed that the President should greater share of NATO's burdens, has In Europe can be made without adversely be advised of the intention to do so and produced precisely the opposite results. affecting either our resolve or ab!l!ty to meet that, on this occasion, all Members of Indeed, It Is ironic that the principal de­ our commitment under the North Atlantic Senate should be invited to cosponsor cision of the receTJt tripartite Conference Treaty; the resolution if they so desired. involves a new U.S. commitment to buy (2) s. Res. 99, adopted In the Senate I find it regrettable, Mr. President, $35 m1111on worth or arms and services April 4, 1951, Is amended to contain the pro­ that nothing has happened since the from Great Britain In order to stave off visions or this resolution a.nd, where the close of the last session to Indicate that the reductions in the British Army o! resolutions may conflict. the present resolu­ this resolution is any less necessary to­ tion Is contro!Ung as to the sense or the the Rhine which London had previously Senate. day than 1t was several months ago. At announced It felt compelled to make. To that time, I expressed the hope that the put it bluntly, this Conference reveals The list of cosponsors is as follows: introduction of the resolution, of itself, a disconcerting tendency to beg or to bug Senators YOUNG of Ohio, MORSE, RAN­ might prove to be helpful in,bringing all1es Into a certain view of NATO's cur­ DOLPH, Ml.TCALF, PEARSON, JORDAN of about adjustments in U.S. troop num· rent needs which is based on a conviction Idaho, YOUNG of North Dakota, BOGGS, bers in Europe. However, what looked of urgency that they do not necessarily INOUYE, DOMINICK, LoNG Of Missouri, like a hopeful move in that direction share. HATFIELD, ERVIN, LONG Of Louisiana, BYRD last fall has apparently turned out to be It has been said before, Mr. President, of West Virginia, HILL, RUSSELL, MAGNU­ merely another exercise in marking time. but it bears repeating: the United States SON, PASTORE, SYMINGTON, MUSKIE, HART, It is my personal belief, therefore, that Is the only member of the North Atlantic BREWSTER, TALMADGE, YARBOROUGH, Mc­ the resolution on U.S.