September 12, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H10355 good name and his reputation to be understanding is still pending before was still in prison, and I was testifying, cleared. I would think that he would the Ethics Committee, or perhaps to do not end Vietnam the way we ended want us to bring this 100-page docu- my understanding there was an ethics Korea. And we did. More controversy, ment to this House, let us read it, and case, maybe it has been resolved, more conspiracy theories, more men if he has done nothing wrong, we will against the gentleman from Missouri left behind, certainly in Laos for sure. be done with it, and the 1st of Novem- [Mr. GEPHARDT]. But we did not choose And as I said today in our Committee ber he can go back to his district and to do that because we play by the rules on National Security room, with all say, folks, I have been persecuted, they and we know that, in fact, as a Member those battle streamers on our 4 serv- have investigated me, and they have of this institution, any matter cur- ices' flags, including the Coast Guard, found nothing wrong. I stand before rently pending before the Ethics Com- our 5 services' flags, we left hundreds you here in Georgia as a pure Speaker. mittee is not to be discussed because behind in Korea, so I thank the gen- I have done nothing wrong. I want you the Ethics Committee is totally bipar- tleman. It was H.R. 4000. to vote for me because I have been tisan, equal numbers of Democrats and Now comes the tricky part. That is, doing the things you want me to do. Republicans, and until it is ultimately we have 2 weeks, maybe 3 if we do not But there is going to be a cloud over resolved and brought to a recommenda- get out on Friday the 27th, to find a ve- this, because it is not going to go tion of this body, we are not supposed hicle, an appropriations continuing res- away. There is a 100-page document to respond. olution, which was used as a vehicle to that languishes in the Ethics Commit- So we could have done the same destroy my proper and fair HIV public tee. We have paid $500,000 of taxpayers' thing. We could have got up here and law, signed the same day as all this money, and it needs to be released and laid out all the facts on the Bonior al- POW±MIA protective laws. Clinton clear the air on this issue. legations and all the facts about the signed it February 10. f Gephardt allegations, but we did not Why we are stripping it out of law, choose to do that. We choose to just let because of one friend of ours who wants b 1315 them vent their frustrations, if you to put all of Vietnam behind us, nor- SCANDALS IN CLINTON will, because of their concern of Speak- malize relations, trade, most-favored- ADMINISTRATION er GINGRICH's impact on revolutioniz- nation status, forget the wounds of ing this country. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. war, everybody is full of baloney, there So if, Mr. Speaker, there are those are no traces of people left behind, COOLEY). Under the Speaker's an- who think that we were not prepared to nounced policy of May 12, 1995, the gen- when this good friend knows absolutely respond, that is why, because we, in zilch about Laos or Cambodia and did tleman from California [Mr. DORNAN] is fact, are abiding by the rules of recognized for 60 minutes as the des- not have the full picture on Vietnam. theHouse. Just to further respond and A hero, an 8-victory jet ace, severely ignee of the majority leader. thank my good friend and colleague Mr. DORNAN. Mr. Speaker, before I tortured, Robbie Reisner, came home who has been a leader in this body, I with the same opinions: We are all begin my special order, which is on the want to commend him for today pass- multiple and expanding scandals of this home. On the tap code we learned ing one of the most historic and most about everybody here. And he reversed administration, I yield to the gen- important bills that this institution tleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. himself and said, ``I don't know any- will pass in this session, and that is thing about Laos and Cambodia,'' and WELDON], my wing man who sits in the how POW Accountability Act, which senior position to my left on the Com- now I have no proof that there was not the gentleman from California [Mr. a second prison system, small, hidden, mittee on National Security, for a few DORNAN] has worked on diligently for more thoughts upon the constitutional underground, shipping people to the how many years? Soviet Union as they shipped people crisis we are working our way through Mr. DORNAN. Obviously, I thank the from Korea to the Soviet Union, for this very day, where Mr. Clinton has gentleman for bringing it up. frozen out 100 elected Senators and 434, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. How sure. with Bill Emerson in heaven, elected many years have you worked on this Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Your Representatives. I yield to the distin- issue? bill today, if I am not mistaken, passed guished gentleman from Pennsylvania. Mr. DORNAN. I started, believe it or with a unanimous vote. As you very Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. I not, when I was 19 years old, when I eloquently put it, you were the author thank my friend and colleague for joined the Air Force. And while I was and the prime mover of this, but you yielding. I want to start off by just waiting to go to pilot training in July had strong support from your ranking making one statement at the beginning 1953, I had just turned 20 by then, I member, OWEN PICKETT, and you also here because, Mr. Speaker, while we joined when I was 19 in October 1952. I did your legislation in total consult cannot directly speak to those people served basic, waiting at Williams Air with, as you said, one of our most re- who may be watching this at home, I Force Base to go. And an Army psy- spected former POW's, PETE PETERSON. can speak to you, Mr. Speaker. I can chiatrist who had interviewed all the Mr. DORNAN. And with SAM JOHN- repeat what is, in fact, the case. men coming back from Korea, the first SON. As you know, I objected from a par- waves who had been brainwashed, tor- Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. And liamentary standpoint to our col- tured is the proper word, and broken, with SAM JOHNSON from this body, an- leagues who for the past hour or so and given confessions, 21 were still sit- other POW. And you are to be com- have been raising questions about the ting in China, young high school drop- mended for that because you have ethics case of Speaker GINGRICH. The out enlisted kids. One committed sui- righted a terrible wrong in letting reason I raise those, as you pointed cide. All 20 saw the error of their ways, those families know that we are going out, Mr. Speaker, is we are not allowed came home, our country forgave them. to continue to persevere to force a full to discuss an open ethics case in this But I started then. But legislatively I accounting and to force a full assess- body until it is concluded. have spent 31 years, since my best ment and to have a process in place to The problem is that they can keep friend David Hurdlica was shot down. make sure that what happened in speaking. I have to sit here and every His wife Carol testified yesterday, my Korea and what happened in Vietnam minute raise the objection again, and wife's best friend. We were neighbors, never happens again in this country. I you would warn them, and that would bridge partners. I checked him out in commend you for that action. I wanted just go back and forth all night. So we the F±100 HUN, the Super Sabre. For 31 to mention that today. I know that is just sit down and let them speak. years my interest has been intense. not the subject of your special order But I just want, Mr. Speaker, to re- If I may say so, I won the Mendel but so that all of those troops and all mind everyone, including our col- Rivers award by testifying in that com- of those families across the country leagues, that we could have sat here mittee room today. I thought about it know that it was Chairman BOB DOR- and we could have discussed the ethics and thought, well, do not mention it. NAN who has been diligent and tireless case against the gentleman from That was the summer of 1971. PETE PE- in this effort to make sure that they Michigan [Mr. BONIOR], which to my TERSON, who was sitting in the room, are not forgotten. H10356 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE September 12, 1996 Just before I let you complete you responsibility of this House, to decide Presidential choice, we will make that special order on what I think is an out- when American men and women go and vow to do that the first or second day rageous topic but one that needs to be die in the alleys of Mogadishu, Soma- we are sworn in.