[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H5486-H5487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           IN SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN OVERSEAS INTERESTS ACT

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on International 
Relations, under the excellent leadership of our chairman, Ben Gilman, 
has brought to the floor a bill that combines wise policy guidance with 
sound fiscal discipline.
  The bill represents a substantial cutback in the level of 
discretionary spending proposed by the administration in its 1996 
budget request.
  It is fair that the foreign affairs programs of this Government join 
with the domestic programs in making the sacrifices that are necessary 
to bring our Federal budget into balance by the year 2002.
  It is the administration's responsibility to manage the program 
entrusted [[Page H5487]] to it so that these cutbacks in funding levels 
produce a leaner and more effective set of programs.
  I am convinced that with better management and more cost-
consciousness, these cuts can be absorbed without major harm to our 
overseas interests.
  We have allowed the Administration a great deal of management 
flexibility to make these program changes.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the chairman for the responsible bill he has 
brought to the floor and urge its adoption.

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