June 17, 1991 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 14965 SENATE-Monday, June 17, 1991 (Legislative day of Tuesday, June 11, 1991) The Senate met at 1 p.m., on the ex­ U.S. SENATE, sive American assistance. The Lebanese and piration of the recess, and was called to PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, their neighbors can quickly restore the vital­ order by the Honorable MAx BAucus, a Washington, DC, June 17,1991. ity and productivity of Lebanon's economy. To the Senate: But it will be important for the United Senator from the State of Montana. Under the provisions of rule I, section 3, of States, the United Nations, and Arab institu­ the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby tions to do their part in helping to set Leb­ PRAYER appoint the Honorable MAX BAucus, a Sen­ anon on the path of recovery. The Chaplain, the Reverend Richard ator from the State of Montana, to perform Equally important, Lebanon has yet tore­ the duties of the Chair. gain its sovereignty and independence. We C. Halverson, D.D., offered the follow­ RoBERT C. BYRD, support the Taif Accords as a necessary first ing prayer: President pro tempore. step toward lasting peace and stability in Let us pray: Let us have a moment of Lebanon. We welcome the reunification of silence for Senator BURNS and his staff. Mr. BAUCUS thereupon assumed the Beirut and the tentative steps toward a A young man on his staff was killed in chair as Acting President pro tempore. broader peace. At the same time, we regret a highway accident this weekend. the bloodshed which preceded the current fragile peace, and deplore the expansion of Beware that thou forget not the Lord RECOGNITION OF THE Syria's control of Lebanon. thy God * * *. Lest when thou hast eaten REPUBLICAN LEADER We are especially troubled that the expan­ and art full, and hast built goodly houses, sion of Syrian authority occurred following and dwelt therein; And when thy herds The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem­ Syria's decision to join the international co­ and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver pore. Under the standing order, theRe­ alition against Iraq and Secretary Baker's and thy gold is multiplied, and all that publican leader is recognized. meeting with Syrian President Assad. It thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I reserve would be a terrible tragedy if Syria per­ the leaders' time on each side. ceived that its cooperation in the war be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy against Saddam Hussein gained it a "green God * * *. And thou say in thine heart, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem­ pore. Without objection, it is so or­ light" for broader aggression in Lebanon. We My power and the might of mine hand believe it would be helpful for the Adminis­ hath gotten me this wealth * * * remem­ dered. tration to clarify its policy toward Syrian ber the Lord thy God: tor it is he that actions in Lebanon in order to avoid possible future misunderstandings. giveth thee power to get wealth * * *. HOPE FOR LEBANON And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the It would be short-sighted for the inter­ Lord Thy God * * * ye shall surely perish. Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, in early national community, as it focuses on Arab­ March, the distinguished majority Israeli relations and the questions of the Oc­ As the nations which the Lord destroyeth cupied Territories, to ignore the urgent need before your /ace, so shall ye perish leader, Senator MITCHELL, and I wrote to restore full Lebanese control over all of ***.-Deuteronomy 8:11-20. a letter to President Bush concerning its territory and secure the withdrawal of all Eternal God, full of grace and mercy, Lebanon. I ask unanimous consent to foreign forces from that country. this instruction of Moses which so in­ have printed in the RECORD at this We urge you to make Lebanon a central fluenced Abraham Lincoln reminds us point the text of that letter. concern of American policy in the post-war of Jesus' words, "No man can serve two There being no objection, the letter period. We cannot achieve a "new regional was ordered to be printed in the order" in the Middle East if we exclude Leb­ masters: for either he will hate the anon. one, and love the other; or else he will RECORD, as follows: Sincerely, hold to the one, and despise the other. U.S. SENATE, GEORGE D. MITCHELL. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Washington, DC, March 1, 1991. RoBERT DOLE. (Matthew 6:24). Awaken us to the de­ The PRESIDENT, Mr. DOLE. The essence of that letter structive force mammon, or money, The White House, Washington, DC. was our hope that the administration has when it is first in our lives. In the DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: The end of the war in give high priority to Lebanon in our past year we have witnessed its awful the Persian Gulf will not end the problems Middle East diplomacy; that we do ev­ power to destroy in business, industry, and challenges of the Middle East and Gulf erything possible to nurture the sov­ the professions, and government. region. You have expressed your intention ereignty and territorial integrity of Forgive us our naivete about the dev­ that the United States play a leading role in Lebanon; that we make it clear to astation wrought by money when we addressing the issues of the region. Sec­ Syria that we would not trade off that allow it to master us. Forgive us for retary Baker already has described our prin­ cipal concerns as regional security arrange­ goal in pursuit of other regional goals; the ease with which we dismiss God al­ ments; arms proliferation; economic recon­ and that we sympathetically consider together or rank Him low in our prior­ struction; promoting peace among Israel, the Lebanon's need for both relief and re­ ities. Give us grace to heed the law of Arab states and the Palestinians; and pro­ construction aid. Moses and the wisdom of Jesus. And moting U.S. energy independence. · Last week, we received a reply from take seriously the God of our fathers. As you continue the process of identifying the President, and I want to share that, To the glory of God and the welfare of American goals and priorities in the post­ too, with the Senate. To that end, I ask our Nation. Amen. war Middle East, we urge you to devote seri­ that the text of the President's letter ous attention to the nation of Lebanon, and the continuing need to do everything we can also be printed in the RECORD. to enhance its sovereignty, independence and There being no objection, the letter APPOINTMENT OF ACTING economic recovery. was ordered to be printed in the PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE The challenges are enormous. As a "front RECORD, as follows: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The line" state in the war, Lebanon's economy THE WHITE HOUSE, clerk will please read a communication has been severely disrupted by the inter­ Washington, June 6,1991. national sanctions policy and the war. That Hon. RoBERT DOLE, to the Senate from the President pro disruption follows 15 years of war inside Leb­ Republican Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, tempore [Mr. BYRD]. anon, which has devastated the country. DC. The legislative clerk read the follow­ Reconstruction of the country must be an DEAR SENATOR DOLE: I am responding to ing letter: important priority. It will not require exten- your letter of March 1 expressing your hope • This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. 14966 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE June 17, 1991 that the Administration make Lebanon a military. This training will also enhance the Mr. President, I reserve the remain­ foreign policy priority in the post-war pe­ government's ability to take independent ac­ der of my time. riod. I did not respond sooner because I tion and implement its decisions. wanted the situation to clarify somewhat in I fully share your concern for Lebanon, order that I could be more specific in my re­ torn for sixteen years by tragic conflict. I as­ SURFACE TRANSPORTATION sponse. sure you that this Administration will con­ Lebanon is indeed high on our Middle East tinue to work to bring about enduring peace, EFFICIENCY ACT foreign policy agenda, as I noted in my prosperity, and independence for the people Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, I March 6 address to the Congress: "The quest of Lebanon. thank the distinguished Republican for solutions to the problems in Sincerely, leader for his comments about me. I Lebanon* * * must go forward with new GEORGE BUSH. want, if I might, at this time, to dis­ vigor and determination." Secretary Baker Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I applaud cuss with the distinguished Republican has discussed Lebanon at key stops on his President Bush's letter, and the very leader the status of the pending legisla­ Middle East tours, and he has met twice with strong and effective policy on Lebanon Lebanese Foreign Minister Faris Bouez. We tion, the surface transportation bill, that it describes. which we have been attempting to pro­ hope that Lebanon will agree to participate As noted in the letter, and as most of in any Middle East peace conference. ceed on for some days now. Let me explain the precepts which underlie us will recall, the President gave im­ As my colleague is aware, on Friday, U.S. policy toward Lebanon. The United portant place to Lebanon in his address the caucus of Republican Senators was States supports the unity, sovereignty, inde­ to a joint session on March 6-saying, held, following which I was advised by pendence, and territorial integrity of Leb­ on that occasion: "The quest for solu­ the acting Republican leader that no anon.