THEY WISH TO LIVE APART AND EXERCISE SELF-DETERMINATION ALONG
           ETHNIC LINES. I WOULD AGREE THAT SUCH A DEVELOPMENT IS
           UNFORTUNATE AND NOT IN KEEPING WITH OUR AMERICAN DREAM OF THE
           WAY THE WORLD SHOULD BE. HOWEVER, FOR ANY SOLUTION TO THE
           CURRENT SITUATION TO BE ACCEPTABLE, IT'S GOT TO BE ACCEPTABLE
           TO THE PARTIES DIRECTLY INVOLVED. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT WILL
           BE DURABLE. THIS INESCAPABLE FACT MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
           ON JUNE 30 OF LAST YEAR THE SENATE ACCEPTED BY VOICE VOTE MY

           AMENDMENT TO THE FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIAONS BILL WHICH
           EXPRESSED THE -- QUOTE -- "SENSE OF THE SENATE WITH THE THAT
           THE UNITED STATES SHOULD CALL IMMEDIATELY FOR THE CONVENING OF
           AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE BALKANS TO DEVELOP A FINAL
           POLITICAL SETTLEMENT OF BOTH THE KOSOVO AND BOSNIA CONFLICTS."
           I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE FULL TEXT OF MY AMENDMENT BE
           INSERTED AT THIS POINT IN THE RECORD. I TRULY BELIEVE, MR.
           PRESIDENT, THAT SUCH AN APPROACH IS THE BEST, IF NOT THE ONLY
           WAY, TO RESOLVE THE DIFFICULTIES IN BOSNIA AND KOSOVO, ALLOWING

           OUR TROOPS EVENTUALLY TO COME HOME BUT AVOIDING AN UNACCEPTABLE
           SECURITY VACUUM IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE AND IS DEFINITELY IN THE
           BEST INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE. THANK YOU VERY
           MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE REMARKS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE

           RECORD WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. WARNER: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA IS RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. WARNER: I JUST WANT TO THANK MY DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUE
           FROM GEORGIA. HE IS ON THE STPHAD SENATE ARMED SERVICES
           COMMITTEE. -- --HE IS ON THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE.
           HE EXEMPLIFIES DUTY TO OUR COUNTRY IN EVERY RESPECT, AND I HOPE
           OUR COLLEAGUES TAKE TO HEART THE MESSAGE FROM THIS
           DISTINGUISHED UNITED STATES SENATOR AND SOLDIER CITIZEN OF
           AMERICA. I YIELD THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT, ONE PROCEDURAL
           THING. AS I UNDERSTAND, THE DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM OREGON,
           MR. SMITH, WILL NEXT ADDRESS THE SENATE. AND IF AFTER THAT WE

           COULD HAVE OUR DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUE FROM TEXAS FOR SIX
           MINUTES.
           

           MR. LEVIN: MR. PRESIDENT, IF THE SENATOR WOULD YIELD?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN IS RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. LEVIN: WE INDICATED BEFORE WE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE
           WAY. IF WE COULD HAVE NOW TWO OF OURS, SINCE YOU HAD TWO OR
           THREE OF YOURS IN A ROW, IT WOULD BE, I THINK, BETTER ORDER.
           

           MR. WARNER: WE COULD ROTATE, MR. PRESIDENT. OUR COLLEAGUE FROM
           TEXAS HAS BEEN HERE ABOUT AN HOUR.
           

           MRS. HUTCHISON: COULD I JUST MAKE AN INQUIRY OF THE
           DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN HOW LONG THE NEXT TWO WOULD
           BE SO I COULD DETERMINE IF I COULD STAY THAT LONG?
           
           

           MR. LEVIN: I DO APPRECIATE THAT. SENATOR SMITH WOULD BE TEN
           MINUTES AND SENATOR HAGEL 12 MINUTES.
           

           MR. WARNER: HOW DOES THAT CONVENIENCE OR INCONVENIENCE OUR
           COLLEAGUE FROM TEXAS?
           
           

           MRS. HUTCHISON: AFTER 22 MINUTES THEN I WOULD BE -- IF WE COULD
           PUT THAT IN STONE, I WILL CERTAINLY WAIT.
           

           MR. WARNER: WE HAVE THAT UNDERSTOOD AND I PUT IN A UNANIMOUS
           CONSENT --
           

           A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT, MAY I ADD IF IT WOULD CONVENIENCE THE
           DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM TEXAS, I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO GO
           AFTER THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS IF THAT HELPS HER SCHEDULE.
           

           MR. LEVIN: YOU DON'T HAVE TO ETCH THE STONE.
           

           MRS. HUTCHISON: I'M HAPPY TO WAIT BEYOND THE SENATOR FROM
           OREGON FOR 10 MINUTES AND THE SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA FOR 12
           MINUTES. AND THEN IF WE COULD HAVE A UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT I
           WOULD GO NEXT?
           
           

           MR. WARNER: FINE.
           

           MR. LEVIN: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT WE
           
           GO IN THAT ORDER: SENATOR SMITH FOR 10, SENATOR HAGEL FOR 12
           AND THEN THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS. AND BEFORE THE SENATOR FROM
           GEORGIA LEAVES, IF I COULD TAKE 30 OF MY SECONDS TO THANK HIM
           FOR HIS CONSTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEBATES AND TO THIS BODY.
           WHILE WE DISAGREE ON THIS PARTICULAR I SHALL SHUB WHICH IS
           NEVER EASY FOR ME, HE ALWAYS MAKES A MAJOR STATEMENT, A MAJOR
           CONTRIBUTION. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR IT.
           

           MR. WARNER: MR. PRESIDENT, WOULD THE CHAIR ACT ON THE U.C.?
           IT'S NOW SEVEN MINUTES FOR THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CHAIR, WITHOUT OBJECTION, ENTERS THE
           UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THERE WILL BE 10 MINUTES FOR THE SENATOR
           FROM --
           

           MR. WARNER: NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, IF I COULD TAKE 20 SECONDS OF
           MY TIME JUST TO ADVISE SENATORS THAT THE TIME REMAINING UNDER
           THE CONTROL OF THOSE PROPONENTS OF KEEPING THE AMENDMENT,
           NAMELY, BYRD AND WARNER, IS NOW DIMINISHED TO THE POINT WHERE
           THE TIME THAT SENATOR BYRD AND I HAVE ALLOCATED BETWEEN
           OURSELVES, THAT IS THE SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA TIMES, ALL BUT
           EXPIRED AND THE DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA HAS
           UNDER PREVIOUS ORDER ONE HOUR REMAINING UNDER HIS CONTROL. I

           JUST WISH TO ADVISE THE SENATE. MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CHAIR WOULD OBSERVE THAT THERE IS A
           UNANIMOUS CONSENT ORDER THAT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO THE
           SENATOR FROM OREGON TO SPEAK FOR TEN MINUTES, TO BE FOLLOWED BY
           THE SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA FOR 12 MINUTES. IS SOMEONE
           PROPOUNDING --
           

           MR. WARNER: I SPOKE --
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CHAIR ASKS --
           

           MR. WARNER: THE THIRD PART, MR. PRESIDENT --
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CHAIR ASKS IF SOMEONE IS PROPOUNDING
           ANOTHER CONSENT TO CHANGE THAT CONSENT?
           
           

           MR. WARNER: I DID NOT HEAR THAT. MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NEVADA IS RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. REID: IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PART OF THE UNANIMOUS
           CONSENT REQUEST IS THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS WOULD FOLLOW SENATOR
           HAGEL FOR SEVEN MINUTES?
           SO THERE WOULD BE SOME ORDER HERE AND PEOPLE AREN'T WAITING
           AROUND, THE SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA COULD FOLLOW THE SENATOR FROM
           TEXAS FOR --
           

           MR. LEVIN: IF I COULD MAKE A REVISED UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST
           AFTER TALKING TO SENATOR ROBB, WHO JUST CAME IN, AND WITH
           GRATITUDE TO SENATOR HAGEL, IF WE COULD GO
           
           IN THIS ORDER: SENATOR SMITH, THEN SENATOR ROBB FOR FIVE
           MINUTES -- SIX MINUTES, AND THEN TO SENATOR HUTCHISON AND EN TO
           SENATOR HAGEL.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?
           WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED. THE SENATOR FROM OREGON IS
           RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES. I AM PLEASED
           TO COME DOWN HERE AND, FRANKLY, PLEASED AS WE ROTATE THIS ISSUE
           BACK AND FORTH, THERE ARE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS NOT
           CROSSING ON PARTY LINES, BUT FRANKLY, ARGUING A VERY IMPORTANT
           ISSUE FROM WHAT THEY FEEL, WHAT THEY THINK AND HOW THEY
           PERCEIVE AMERICA'S INTERESTS TO BE BEST SERVED. MR. PRESIDENT,
           I WOULD ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT MY WRITTEN STATEMENT BE
           INCLUDED IN THE RECORD.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?
           WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
           

           MR. SMITH: MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN MY
           EXTEMPORANEOUS REMARKS BY SAYING FOR THE RECORD HOW MUCH I
           ADMIRE SENATOR WARNER, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ARMED SERVICES
           COMMITTEE. THIS IS A GREAT AMERICAN AND A GREAT MAN. AND WHILE
           I'M NOT WITH HIM ON THIS ISSUE, IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE WITH
           HIM ON MOST ISSUES. I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT
           SENATOR BYRD, THE OTHER AUTHOR OF THIS AMENDMENT, IS A MAN WHO

           STANDS UNIQUELY AMONG US AS A DEFENDER OF THE PREROGATIVES OF
           THE UNITED STATES SENATE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND I ADMIRE
           HIM FOR IT, AND I THANK HIM FOR THAT. AND I BELIEVE THAT IT IS
           SENATOR WARNER'S DESIRE TO PROTECT OUR ARMED SERVICES, AS IS
           HIS CHARGE. AND I BELIEVE IT IS SENATOR BYRD'S DESIRE TO
           PROTECT THE PREROGATIVES OF THE SENATE THAT HAS MOTIVATED THIS.
           AND I RESPECT THAT. AND I WOULD SAY TO THEM THAT THEY HAVE
           ALREADY ACHIEVED MUCH OF WHAT THEY HOPE TO DO WITH THIS

           AMENDMENT. SO THIS DEBATE, THIS EFFORT IS NOT IN VAIN. BUT I
           TELL THEM RESPECTFULLY NOW WHY I AM NOT WITH THEM ON THIS
           ISSUE. I KNOW THAT MANY AMERICANS ARE WEARY OF OUR INVOLVEMENT
           ABROAD, AND I KNOW THAT MANY WOULD LIKE TO JUST GO HOME. AND I
           ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THE RIGHT POLITICAL VOTE IN THIS CASE
           WOULD BE TO VOTE FOR A DATE CERTAIN WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE
           OTHER SIDE TO GET OUT OF KOSOVO. BUT I SAY TO EVERY AMERICAN

           WHO CARES ABOUT THE FOREIGN POLICY OR OUR STANDING IN THE
           WORLD, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT
           INSTRUMENT. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THIS BRANCH OF
           GOVERNMENT TO INTERJECT ITSELF WITH THIS KIND OF AN AMENDMENT.
           MR. PRESIDENT, I HAPPEN TO HAVE TRAVELED TO THE BALKANS AT THE
           HEIGHT OF THE KOSOVO CONFLICT. I WAS PRIVILEGED TO TRAVEL WITH
           SENATOR HUTCHISON OF TEXAS IN HER KODEL, WHERE WE VISITED MANY

           OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTRIES OF KOSOVO. AND I REMEMBER WHEN WE
           WENT TO HUNGARY, WE WERE STANDING ON THE BALCONY OF THE FOREIGN
           MINISTRY OF HUNGARY, AND THE FOREIGN MINISTER CAME UP TO ME --
           AND THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL SETTING OVERLOOKING THE DANUBE. AND HE
           SAID, "SENATOR SMITH, I DID NOT REALIZE WHEN WE WERE ADMITTED
           TO THE NATO ALLIANCE THAT WE WOULD BE AT WAR A FEW DAYS LATER,
           BUT WE'RE THRILLED TO BE A MEMBER OF NATO AND WE'RE PROUD TO
           STAND WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." AND YOU DREW HIM OUT

           AND I SAID, WHY DO YOU SAY THAT, MR. FOREIGN MINISTER?
           AND HE SAID, "WELL, WE'RE PROUD TO STAND WITH THE UNITED STATES
           BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES IS A NATION UNIQUELY POSITIONED IN
           WORLD HISTORY. WE'RE UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
           FIGHT FOR VALUES AND NOT JUST TO FIGHT FOR SOMEBODY'S TREASURE
           OR SOMEBODY'S TERRITORY. I WAS PROUD OF MY COUNTRY WHEN HE SAID
           THAT. AND I FOUND MYSELF A FEW DAYS LATER IN MACEDONIA. AND

           WHEN WE WERE THERE, WE WERE AT THE POINT WHERE COMING OUT OF
           KOSOVO AT A PASS IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE LITERALLY TENS OF
           THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES POURING INTO TWO CAMPS. WE WENT TO THE
           SECOND CAMP. THERE WERE 50,000 PEOPLE THERE. IT WAS ARRANGED
           THAT EACH OF THE SENATORS HAVE AN HOUR THERE AND INTERPRETERS.
           AND WE WENT THROUGH THE CAMP TALKING TO THEM, EXAMINING THE
           CONDITIONS OF THE PEOPLE AND HEARING THEIR CONCERNS. I BECAME
           AWARE ABOUT HOF WAY THROUGH MY VISIT THAT THERE WAS -- THERE

           WERE THREE LITTLE GIRMS FOLLOWING ME AROUND AS THOUGH I WAS--
           --THREE LITTLE GIRLS FOLLOWING ME AROUND AS IF I WAS FROM MARS,
           AND THEY LOOKED AT ME WITH SOME DEGREE OF AWE AND WONDER.
           BEFORE WE BOARDED THE BUS, I DECIDED TO TRY TO ENGAGE THEM IN A
           CONVERSATION, AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO FIND THAT ONE OF THE
           LITTLE GIRLS WHO WAS TEN YEARS OLD COULD SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH. I
           SAID TO HER WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO HOME?
           SHE SAID, I'D LOVE TO GO HOME BUT I CAN'T. THERE ARE VERY SCARY
           PEOPLE THERE. THEN I SAID TO HER, WELL, IF YOU CAN'T GO HOME,
           WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO AMERICA?

           AND HER EYES LIT UP WITH SPAR KELS. SHE PUT HER HANDS TO HER
           FACE, AND SHE SAID, OH, TO BE A LITTLE GIRL IN AMERICA. AND
           I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT EXPRESSION. AND I THOUGHT OF MY OWN
           LITTLE GIRL ALL THE WAY HOME, AND I WONDER WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO
           THAT LITTLE GIRL. WELL, SHE DIDN'T COME TO AMERICA. SHE WAS
           ABLE TO GO HOME BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES WAS THERE. LOOK, THE
           UNITED STATES IS IN EUROPE. THE WORLD IS BETTER BECAUSE AFTER

           THE SECOND WORLD WAR, THE UNITED STATES LEARNED THE MISTAKE AND
           DIDN'T REPEAT THE MISTAKE OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR. WE DIDN'T GO
           HOME. WE STAYED THERE AS A BEACON OF STABILITY THAT EUROPE HAS
           NEEDED -- AND I BELIEVE STILL NEEDS. NOW THE EUROPEANS ARE
           BEGINNING TO FEEL A NEED FOR MORE SECURITY OF THEIR OWN. I HAVE
           CAUTIONED THEM, BE CAREFUL AS YOU SET UP THESE EUROPEAN DEFENSE

           IDENTITIES THAT YOU DO IT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF NATO OR YOU
           WILL BEGIN DECOUPLE THE UNITED STATES FROM NATO. BE CAREFUL
           ABOUT THIS. MY CONCERN IS HEIGHTENED, MR. PRESIDENT, BECAUSE AS
           THEY TALK OF SETTING UP THESE NEW STRUCTURES, THEY ARE ALL
           CUTTING THEIR DEFENSE BUDGETS. SO IT SEEMS TO ME THEY ARE
           SETTING UP A PAY PER LION. BUT, MR. PRESIDENT, WE MADE A
           COMMITMENT TO GO INTO YUGOSLAVIA. IF ANYTHING CAN BE
           CRITICIZED, IT MAY BE THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE INTO BOSNIA.

           BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ELECTIONS FOR A REASON. AND WE ELECTED A
           PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES NOT OF MY PARTY, BUT A PRESIDENT
           THAT DECIDED IT WAS IN AMERICA'S INTEREST AS THE LEADER OF THE
           NATO ALLIANCE TO GO INTO BOSNIA. AND WE WENT. AND THAT JOB WAS
           COMPLICATED BECAUSE MR. MILOSEVIC CONTINUED HIS MISCHIEVOUS
           WAYS, HIS MURDEROUS WAYS IN A FASHION THAT WAS UNTHINKABLE TO
           THE WESTERN WORLD THAT WE SHOULD DO NOTHING IN VIEW OF OUR OWN

           TROOPS, WE WERE WATCHING PEOPLE BEING EXTERMINATED. AND IN THE
           END I DECIDED TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT CLINTON AT THIS NEXT LEVEL
           BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO ANSWER WHY IN THE FACE OF MASS
           MURDER I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. WELL, UNLESS AMERICANS THINK IT'S
           ALL IN VAIN, IT IS NOT. THINGS ARE NOT GREAT IN KOSOVO, BUT
           THEY ARE MUCH BETTER THAN HOW WE FOUND THEM. NOW, THE BENEFIT
           OF SENATOR WARNER'S WORK IS, FRANKLY, IN THIS. THE EUROPEANS

           WERE SLOW TO OFF THE MARK IN MEETING THEIR COMMITMENTS
           FINANCIALLY AND IN TROOPS. BUT THEY ARE NOW. THEY ARE NOW.
           THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE RESOURCES, AND THEY'RE MANNING 85% OF
           THE BURDEN THERE. 85%. IS 15%, A LITTLE OVER 5,000 TROOPS THAT
           WE HAVE THERE, IS THAT IN VAIN?
           IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR US NOW TO SET AN ARBITRARY CUTOFF TIME
           AND WITH THE BLUNT INSTRUNT OF THE BUDGET TO SAY WE'VE HAD
           ENOUGH, WE'RE GOING HOME?

           I SAY WITH ALL RESPECT, MR. PRESIDENT, IF WE DO THAT, WE WILL
           BE SAYING TO THE YOU'RE PEENS SOMEWHAT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TO
           US, THAT -- TO THE EUROPEANS SOMEWHAT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TO
           US, THAT WE'RE READY TO DELINK THE UNITED STATES AND NATO. I
           DON'T WANT TO DO THAT YET. THE DAY MAY COME THAT WE CAN SAY
           IT'S TIME TO GO HOME, AND THE EUROPEANS WILL BE IN A POSITION
           THAT THEY CAN HANDLE IT ON THEIR OWN. BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT
           DAY HAS YET ARRIVED. AND I TELL MY COLLEAGUES, I PLEAD WITH ALL

           AMERICANS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE WE CAN
{END: 2000/05/18 TIME: 11-30 , Thu.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}