Providing for Consideration of H. Res. 292
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Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. I am honored to be here with the newly elected freshman member of the First District of South Carolina, Tim Scott. I appreciate his leadership on the Rules Committee. The people of South Carolina are very proud of his service. The people of the First District of South Carolina are noted for their strong support of the military. They elect Members to Congress like Tim Scott who work for a strong military, a strong national defense in the tradition of Ronald Reagan, of peace through strength.
In the First District, the Congressman has the Citadel, the military college of South Carolina; the Charleston Air Force Base, the Naval Weapons Station, SPAWARS. In fact, I actually grew up there adjacent to a U.S. Coast Guard base, so we know the value of a strong military.
Personally, in fact, Congressman Scott's brother was the Command Sergeant Major at Landstuhl, one of the largest military hospitals in the world in Germany. Through his Army experience and family connection, we know that Tim Scott is for a strong military and understands as I do how important it is that military force should only be used when it is in America's vital interests.
I have the perspective of being the son of a World War II veteran, a Flying Tiger. I served 31 years in the Army National Guard. I have four sons currently serving in the military. I want our military to be used properly. When the President is right, as he was to follow the advice of General David Petraeus to add troops, the surge in Afghanistan, the resulting success that we see in Afghanistan today, we're happy to support him. But this resolution is very important, because we have not seen from the President of the United States, there has been a failure of leadership in regard to explaining why military forces are being used in Libya.
I'm very pleased with the resolution. The key point that the American people need to know is declaring that the President shall not deploy, establish, or maintain the presence of units and members of the United States Armed Forces on the ground in Libya. To put troops on the ground, I believe, is highly irresponsible. A case has not been made of why this is in America's vital interests. We know there is great conflict as to who the rebels are. What are these rebels? Are these al Qaeda elements that are attacking the Qadhafi forces? The Qadhafi forces themselves? What would happen if we got involved with troops on the ground? These issues need to be resolved on behalf of the American military, on behalf of the American people, and we urge through this resolution that the answers be provided to the American people, to the American military, to our allies, why are we there? What is America's vital interest?
And so I urge support of the rule and commend the freshman Congressman from South Carolina for his leadership.
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