[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 127 (Wednesday, August 2, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H8268-H8269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXTENDING AUTHORITIES UNDER THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE FACILITATION ACT

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to that the 
Committee on International Relations be discharged from further 
consideration of the bill (H.R. 2161) to extend authorities under the 
Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1994 until October 1, 1995, and 
for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the 
House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I do not 
intend to object, but I do want to state a continuing concern I have 
about our approach to this legislation.

                              {time}  2230

  Mr. Speaker, the existing law of the Middle East Peace Facilitation 
Act now expires August 15 of this year. On June 29 we took up a bill 
extending the law for 45 days. Now we are back doing the same thing 
again, extending the law only until October 1, 1995.
  Mr. Speaker, I would much prefer that the House be taking up at least 
a 6-month extension at this time, and I regret that we are not. At this 
time especially, I think we should be sending a signal of very strong 
support to the parties in the Middle East peace process. This short-
term extension I think has the opposite effect. It creates an unstable 
environment and makes a hard job for the Israelis and the Palestinians 
involved in the peace process even more difficult.
  Mr. Speaker, having expressed that concern, since this bill is the 
only option before us right now.
  My concerns have only increased about using this kind of approach on 
a bill critical to the Middle East peace process. If the act is allowed 
to expire, all funds for direct and multilateral assistance to the 
Palestinian authority will be cut off. Representatives of the 
Palestinian authority will not be able to maintain an office in the 
United States. Engaging in diplomatic activities relating to the peace 
process here in Washington would be impossible.
  In short, allowing this law to expire could seriously jeopardize a 
fragile, but steadily progressing, Middle East peace process.
  As I understand it, our reasons for extending this act for only 45 
days at a time are related neither to Palestinians nor to Israelis. 
Instead, this act is being used in the other body as some kind of 
bargaining chip in negotiations on unrelated bills. I think this is a 
serious and potentially dangerous mistake.
  On June 29 on the House floor, I expressed my hope that the next time 
we extended this law, we would do so for a longer period of time. 
Chairman Gilman said we were taking up only a short term extension 
because we would conference a more substantive Middle East Peace 
Facilitation Act prior to the summer recess. We have not. In fact, we 
have not yet even considered such a bill in committee.
  Difficult negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians continue 
and an interim agreement is possible soon. Terrorism also continues to 
raise its ugly head. The Palestinian authority is moving to control 
violence but there is always room for more effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Emerson). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from New York?
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I will not 
object, but we are now extending it a second time for another 45 days, 
and I guess my feeling is a little bit different than my colleague from 
Indiana. I believe that we cannot indefinitely have these extensions 
without holding Mr. Arafat's feet to the fire. I have submitted a bill 
along with the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton], the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Schumer], and the gentleman from Texas [Mr. DeLay], 
which clearly lays out reasons and the threshold for Mr. Arafat and the 
PLO to comply with before there can be a continuation of funding for 
the PLO.
  I would like to ask the Chairman if he can give me assurances that 
our bill will be marked up at committee, because I think there are 
many, many different feelings and opinions on the committee, and I 
think we should have the opportunity. I just want to say, I think it is 
especially critical because it seems pretty obvious to me that in the 
Senate, the State Department authorization bill is dead. So I think it 
is even more critical that we in the House come together and mark up my 
bill so that we can have a resolution of this issue, and I would like 
to just ask the Chairman if he would agree to mark up the bill.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ENGEL. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I 
yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, we certainly will take the gentleman's 
thoughts into consideration and we will be reviewing the request as we 
return to committee following the recess.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to just reiterate that I think 
it is critical that we do have a markup of the bill, that we hold 
hearings and have a markup of the bill. With the chairman's assurances 
that he will take a look at this, and I hope with the assurances that 
we will mark up the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
New York?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:
  
[[Page H8269]]


                               H.R. 2161

       Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the United States of America in Congress 
     assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES.

       (a) In General.--Section 583(a) of the Foreign Relations 
     Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 
     103-236), as amended by Public Law 104-17, is amended by 
     striking ``August 15, 1995,'' and inserting ``October 1, 
     1995,''.
       (b) Consultation.--For purposes of any exercise of the 
     authority provided in section 583(a) of the Foreign Relations 
     Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 
     103-236) prior to August 16, 1995, the written policy 
     justification dated June 1, 1995, and submitted to the 
     Congress in accordance with section 583(b)(1) of such Act, 
     and the consultations associated with such policy 
     justification, shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of 
     section 583(b)(1) of such Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2161 temporarily extends the Middle East Peace 
Facilitation Act of 1994, which otherwise will expire on August 15, 
1995.
  That act was previously extended by Public Law 104-17, which we 
passed in June. H.R. 2161 extends the Act until October 1, 1995, and 
further provides that the consultations with the Congress that took 
place in June prior to the President's last exercise of the authority 
provided by the Act will suffice for purposes of a further exercise of 
that authority prior to August 16.
  In consultation with our Senate colleagues, we have decided to extend 
the Middle East Peace Facilitation Act only through October 1 because 
we hope to complete action by that date on legislation that will 
include a longer term extension of the authorities of the act, along 
with strengthened requirements for compliance with commitments that 
were voluntarily assumed.
  I urge my colleagues to agree to the adoption of H.R. 2161.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.


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