April 12, 1999
Web posted at: 7:16 p.m. EDT (2316 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, April 12) -- Congress returned to work Monday ready to voice its opinion on the military action, having begun its two-week spring recess a day after NATO started bombing Yugoslavia.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert released a statement Monday saying there would be no votes on Kosovo this week. However, House committees will continue to look into administration policy and a senior House delegation will travel to the region later this week.

Hastert said the American people have several questions about U.S. efforts in Kosovo, including whether U.S. involvement in the region furthers the national, the costs of the action and whether an exit strategy exists.

"The House of Representatives has a duty to discuss these questions and try to find answers," Hastert said. "The American people, through their elected representatives, need to be fully informed about the latest developments in the Balkans and how those developments impact our national interests."

In the Senate, debate began on the military action in Kosovo, mainly over the use of ground troops. The Clinton Administration has so far said ground troops are not an option.

Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) plans to seek a Senate resolution authorizing the president to use whatever means necessary to complete the mission, reflecting public sentiment that has moved in favor of ground troops.

On Monday, McCain said there are some in Congress who feel the Clinton Administration is not doing everything necessary or planning to do everything necessary to win in Kosovo.

"If this is going to be an extended conflict, the Congress has responsibility to be involved in this issue," he said on NBC's "Today" show.

"We're in it; let's win it," Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) said in a warm-up speech for President Bill Clinton as he visited a Louisiana Air Force base.

Defense Secretary William Cohen said Monday the administration welcomed congressional debate about the NATO military mission in Yugoslavia but said a discussion about using ground troops in combat was premature because there was "no indication" the general commanding the operation would request them.

Speaking to reporters at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana where he was traveling with the president, Cohen said there was no serious discussion among NATO military planners of changing the battle plan to include combat troops. Cohen said the president would take a request from NATO commanding Gen. Wesley Clark seriously, but that he had absolutely no indication Clark was considering such a request.

But many lawmakers are not prepared to wait, Rep. Tom Campbell (R-California) will introduce a resolution on the House floor Monday night declaring war on Yugoslavia, according to a Campbell aide.

The congressman, a member of the House International Relations Committee, will also introduce an alternative resolution proposing that, in the absence of a declaration of war, the president withdraw all U.S. forces from the NATO mission in Yugoslavia within 30 days. Campbell himself supports the alternative resolution.

Hastert has promised both resolutions will be debated and voted on by the end of the month. According to the Campbell aide, Hastert initially planned only to allow debate and vote on a resolution demonstrating support for the troops, but Campbell convinced him Congress needed to go on record as supporting or opposing the three-week-old military action.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut), who visited the refugee camps in Macedonia during the break, said he did not think a declaration of war was necessary as he believes the airstrikes are working.

"I think they are doing the job. I would not have taken grounds forces off the table, I hope we haven't. I don't think it's necessary yet but I don't think we ought to exclude that possibility," he said, acknowledging that forcing Clinton's hand on the issue of ground troops would be hard.

He also warned that "NATO cannot fail in this obligation."

A hearing is scheduled next week in the House International Relations Committee. Officials from the Clinton Administration are expected to testify. Cohen is expected to testify to House and Senate committees on Thursday.

On Monday evening, congressional leaders met with the president to discuss the military intervention in Kosovo. A second, larger group of legislators will be briefed by the White House Tuesday.

While Kosovo is likely to dominate the sessions, congressional Republicans hope to get Congress moving by pushing their plan for $800 billion in tax cuts over the next decade.

Other business also faces Congress on its return. Republican leaders hope to resolve relatively minor differences in separate budgets the House and Senate have approved so Congress can pass a compromise by midweek.

Their biggest remaining disputes include whether to use Social Security's massive surpluses to also shore up Medicare, and how to use any additional surpluses expected to be projected this summer.

Clinton's signature is not needed for the congressional budget, which sets levels for future tax and spending bills.

On Thursday -- the deadline for U.S. taxpayers to file income taxes -- the House plans to debate a longtime conservative favorite: a constitutional amendment that would require three-fifths majorities in the House and Senate for approval of tax increases.

The idea is likely to not to reach the two-thirds majority that constitutional amendments need but will help Republicans seeking publicity for their anti-tax agenda.

House Democrats also want the spotlight on one of their causes, but they face stiff competition in the high-profile fighting in Yugoslavia.

On Wednesday, Democrats plan to begin circulating a petition demanding a vote on legislation revamping campaign finance laws by limiting expenditures. It will take the signatures of 218 representatives -- a bare House majority -- to force the vote, and with just 211 Democrats some GOP support will be needed to prevail.

In other congressional action planned this week:

• Independent Counsel Ken Starr, whose investigation of Clinton led to the House impeachment, will testify Wednesday before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, which is considering whether to renew the independent counsel law.

• The House will debate a bill that would let local officials challenge census counts before they become final. Democrats say the measure could cause endless delays in the 2000 count.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Monday, April 12, 1999

• Clinton found in civil contempt for Jones testimony
• House, Senate GOP leaders reach budget compromise
• McDougal not guilty on one count; mistrial declared on other two charges
• The trials and tribulations of Susan McDougal
• Congress returns to talk Kosovo
• Capitol statues may be replaced
• Congress approves disaster aid bill
• As recess ends, Kosovo could overwhelm GOP tax-cut message
• Gore schedules 'house parties' to soften VIP image
• Blockbuster congressional hearings a thing of the past?
• With eyes on Giuliani, Lazio is the other Republican

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