WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, December 17) -- The House of Representatives passed a resolution of support for troops in the Persian Gulf Thursday, instead of taking up the planned debate on four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton.

The House voted 417-5 in favor of Resolution 612, which focuses on supporting the U.S and British troops in the Middle East.

After the vote, Secretary of Defense William Cohen and Gen. Hugh Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that they were headed to Capitol Hill to brief lawmakers on progress of the mission in Iraq.

Voting "no" on the resolution were Reps. Ron Paul (R-Texas), John Conyers (D-Michigan), Mark Sanford (R-South Carolina), Barbara Lee (D-California) and Cynthia McKinney (D-Georgia). Rep. Elizabeth Furse (D-Oregon) voted "present."

Speaking first, outgoing House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia) told his colleagues the administration had consulted with him on the plans for the military strike against Iraq and he supported the U.S. action.

House Speaker Newt Gingrich

Never specifically mentioning the impeachment proceedings, Gingrich stressed the need for America to lead, despite any internal conflicts facing the nation.

"We have a chance today to say to the world, no matter what our constitutional process, whether it is an election eve or it is the eve of a constitutional vote, no matter what our debates at home, we are as a nation prepared to lead the world," Gingrich said.

The resolution reads, "Congress and the American people have the greatest pride in the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and strongly support them in their efforts."

"The Congress unequivocally supports the men and the women of our armed forces who are carrying out their missions with professionalism, dedication, patriotism and courage," it continues.

The resolution also calls for the support of efforts to "remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime."

Lawmakers spoke one after another stressing the importance of supporting U.S. troops, though questions about the timing of the attack have been raised by some Republicans.

House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Missouri) strongly denounced the notion the military attack had anything to do with the impending impeachment debate.

"Any suggestion that this action (the airstrikes) has been affected by the impeachment debate one way or the other is blatantly false," Gephardt said.

The decision to postpone the impeachment debate was announced by the Speaker-elect Bob Livingston (R-Louisiana) Wednesday night. Congressional sources told CNN Thursday, Livingston plans to convene the House Friday to begin the debate on the four articles of impeachment, with voting likely Saturday.

Thursday, December 17, 1998

• Impeachment debate gets under way Friday
• House Republicans rally 'round Livingston
• Full text of Livingston statement
• Clinton denies Iraq attack was a diversion
• Impeachment and Iraq fill the president's time
• U.S. public gives Iraq attack mixed reviews
• Transcript: Clinton defends U.S. attack on Iraq
• House passes resolution in support of U.S. troops
• Poll: U.S. public endorses Clinton's actions on Iraq
• Poll: Clinton gets thumbs up from American public
• Hundreds head for Washington anti-impeachment vigil
• Gore rallies support for Clinton
• Livingston faces trial by fire
• Russia may ask Lewinsky for help

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