[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 98 (Thursday, June 15, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1254-E1255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                AMERICAN OVERSEAS INTERESTS ACT OF 1995

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                               speech of

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1561), to 
     consolidate the foreign affairs agencies of the United 
     States; to authorize appropriations for the Department of 
     State and related agencies for fiscal year 1996 and 1997; to 
     responsibly reduce the authorizations of appropriations for 
     United States foreign assistance programs for fiscal year 
     1996 and 1997, and for other purposes:

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I want to express my strong support for the 
amendment proposed by my distinguished friend from Florida, Mr. 
Hastings. His reasonable amendment calls for restoration of funding for 
the development fund for Africa to the levels allocated for this 
program in the past. I welcome this amendment by my distinguished 
colleague, and I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of his fair 
and sensible proposal.
  Development assistance to Africa now is a preventive medicine against 
future more grave problems, such as those that have plagued Somalia and 
Rwanda in recent years. The peoples of Africa are among the most 
vulnerable people on earth, the peoples most in need of our help 
anywhere. If we can encourage the advancement of the African countries 
through programs that focus on economic and political development, this 
will be important in preventing future problems. Assistance now will 
help prevent crises in the future. As with medical care, prevention is 
far more cost-effective than post-crisis intervention. A few million 
dollars today to assist the countries of Africa deal with their very 
serious problems can save our Nation billions in the future by 
preventing or minimizing the development of humanitarian emergencies 
and totalitarian regimes that could some day once again threaten the 
peace and stability of that continent.
  Development assistance is an investment in the future stability of 
that Continent. We need only remember the horrifying television 
pictures of the crisis in Rwanda last summer to be reminded of the 
dreadful cost of instability and crisis in Africa. To the extent that 
we are able to prevent such humanitarian disasters by fostering 
economic development and political stability, we are saving resources 
and contributing to global stability, goals which are clearly in our 
national interest. [[Page E1255]] 
  The amendment of my friend from Florida to maintain development aid 
to Africa at current modest levels will be an important impetus to 
further economic and political development in South Africa. All of us 
in this Congress were cheered a year ago to see the first free, 
universal and multi-racial elections take place in South Africa. For 
years Americans have followed closely and sought to encourage 
developments in South Africa to bring about an end to apartheid and to 
encourage democratic development. While all of us have been delighted 
with the progress that has taken place thus far, the democratic 
evolution of South Africa depends on economic progress in South Africa. 
Furthermore, the progress in South Africa could be undermined if 
development lags and instability increases in the rest of Africa.
  Furthermore, our assistance is not simply altruistic. Africa is a 
continent of rapidly growing countries, countries which are potential 
markets for United States products which our workers and our factories 
produce. These countries are sources of important goods and products 
that the American people and the American economy require. It is in our 
own national interest to foster economic development and progress for 
the peoples of Africa.
  Mr. Chairman, I strongly support the amendment of Mr. Hastings.
  

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