[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H5487-H5488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   EIGHTY-ONE PERCENT OF AMERICANS WANT DRAMATIC CUTS IN FOREIGN AID

  (Mr. BAKER of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
[[Page H5488]]

  Mr. BAKER of California. Mr. Speaker, while the liberal Democrats are 
attacking the Speaker of the House, we are going to go on and change 
the government because the people last November demanded change. They 
want changes in foreign aid. The liberal establishment here in 
Washington is not real fond of change. They do not approve of things 
like balanced budgets or fiscal responsibility. For years, now, 
liberals and Washington bureaucrats have made piles of money of the 
American taxpayer.
  Last November, Americans clearly rejected the status quo here in 
Washington. They rejected deficit spending, and they told Congress to 
balance their budget and end the bureaucratic spending spree.
  This week, Congress will have a chance to make some fundamental 
changes in our foreign assistance programs. We will scale back foreign 
aid and eliminate wasteful agencies. Clearly this is an opportunity to 
dramatically restructure international involvement, making it more 
accountable to the American taxpayers and more responsive to American 
interests.
  Less than 10 percent cut this year in foreign aid. That is 
disgraceful. It is not even hors d'oeuvres. Placing AID under the State 
Department is like giving your mother to the post office. This bill 
needs work. Eighty-one percent of the American people want dramatic 
cuts in foreign aid, and we have not done it. This bill is just the 
beginning. When it goes to conference, this bill needs tremendous cuts.

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