[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E12]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PASS THE FOREIGN AID BILL

                                 ______


                           HON. PETER DEUTSCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 3, 1996

  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, for the past several months, the House 
Republican leadership have stubbornly help up the entire foreign aid 
package, including MEPFA and aid to Israel, in order to score political 
points on a domestic political issue.
  Unfortunately, this intransigence has put the three most vital 
benefits of foreign aid to Israel in serious jeopardy. First, without 
delivering foreign aid by January 1, the economic stability of Israel 
could be threatened. The Israeli Government will come dangerously close 
to defaulting on its financial commitments. Moreover, funding for a 
variety of social projects in the region will be imperiled including 
money earmarked for roads, housing and hospitals.
  Second, the failure to pass the foreign aid bill will have a serious 
impact on the American economy. It is a little known fact that 83 
percent of all aid to Israel is spent here in the United States 
creating good jobs for Americans. Without passage of the foreign aid 
legislation, billions of dollars that would have been injected into the 
American economy will be lost.
  Third, failure to pass the foreign aid bill will endanger the fragile 
Middle East peace process. Both Israel and the Palestinians rely 
heavily on American aid to stabilize their domestic economies. 
Eliminating this funding will encourage extremism in both societies and 
threaten all of the hard fought progress that has occurred over the 
last several years.
  On a practical level, the United States has a choice between either 
providing aid to Israel or sustaining a large military presence in the 
Middle East. I urge the House Republican leadership to negotiate a 
compromise on this legislation and pass the foreign aid bill. Without 
some type of action, we are in jeopardy of seriously undermining the 
peace process in the Middle East.