OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Directing the President, Pursuant to Section 5(C) of the War Powers Resolution, to Remove All United States Armed Forces, Other Than United States Armed Forces Assigned to Protect the United States Embassy, From Somalia

Floor Speech

Date: April 27, 2023
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition, but I agree with my distinguished colleague from Florida that Congress has an obligation to review it. Congress should not abdicate our responsibility. We should ask the tough questions. Ultimately, we should provide the funding necessary and the resources to win. That is our job, and I agree with you 100 percent.

But as a commander, they are doing more than just guarding an embassy. A force structure of 900 may seem like a large footprint, but those of us who remember Black Hawk Down would suggest otherwise.

A force requires medevac. Those medevacs require people that service those aircraft. In case we get in trouble, we need a quick reaction force, a force large enough to defend our troops. I, like my colleagues, know that if you were to put any American servicemen in harm's way, you want to ensure we have the adequate force to make sure they are recovered safely. They also have to be fed and have communications. In order to have an effective force, you need a footprint that can do its mission.

I also agree that we should have a plan. Before we unplug our obligations, we should know what unplugging it does and when, and also we should have a plan on what our obligations are.

So much of this discussion is a discussion among similar views. We do have an obligation for freedom. We have a commitment to democracy that when we provide a force to defend that democracy, and it is American force and our allies, that we provide them with a force package that can win.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to oppose this well-intended resolution. I do ask that we work as a body to uphold our duty as Congress to make sure that the authorizations we give the executive are both appropriate, timely, and do so to win.

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