[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 80 (Monday, May 15, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4918]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      MORE FOREIGN AID CUTS URGED

  (Mr. FUNDERBURK asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FUNDERBURK. Mr. Speaker, America's foreign policy structure needs 
to be overhauled. The current system is a relic of the cold war. It is 
duplicative and inefficient, and its foreign aid programs are a 
disaster.
  Despite billions of dollars, those we have given aid to are mired in 
poverty. In fact, we have done these countries more harm than good by 
promoting socialist economic and agricultural programs. Of the 15 
countries receiving the most U.S. aid, the Heritage Foundation's 
freedom index rates 12 as ``mostly unfree,'' 1 has a repressed economy, 
and 2 are rated ``mostly free.''
  A foreign aid program which supposedly buys the good will of foreign 
leaders while they ruin their own countries cannot be tolerated. If it 
is to be handed out it must promote free market reforms. Also a 
majority of the countries receiving U.S. aid consistently vote against 
us at the U.N. Foreign aid must be tied to America's interests. Is it 
not about time we had an American desk at the State Department.
  At a time we are talking about cutting back on housing, student aid, 
and farming programs it is not fair to cut foreign policy programs by 
only $1 billion each year for the next 5 years as the International 
Relations Committee bill does. It is not enough. Streamlining the State 
Department's bureaucracy both here and abroad is vital. Let us tell the 
American people that we are serious about setting new priorities for 
American foreign policy. Let us cut the fat at Foggy Bottom.


                          ____________________