[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1561, FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, 
                       FISCAL YEARS 1996 AND 1997

                                 ______


                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 1996

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1561, the 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1996. I oppose this conference 
report because it is an unwarranted usurpation of the President's 
constitutionally mandated foreign policy authority. It requires a 
sweeping reorganization of U.S. foreign policy agencies, but fails to 
provide the President the flexibility to undertake this reorganization 
in a manner which he believes is consistent with the national security 
interests of this Nation.
  This bill also continues the extreme Republican opposition to 
voluntary international family planning programs, slashing them by a 
devastating 87 percent, and which could lead to tens of thousands of 
unwanted pregnancies and abortions.
  I oppose this bill with some reluctance because it contains some 
provisions which I strongly support, including authorization for the 
International Fund for Ireland, support for the MacBride Principles, 
and a provision based on the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act.
  I have long supported the International Fund for Ireland and 
enactment of the MacBride Principles on a Federal level. While a member 
of the New York City Council, I authored one of the first MacBride 
bills in this Nation and I continue to strongly believe that this 
Nation should not do business with any company which practices 
religious discrimination. Likewise, I support strongly the 
International Fund for Ireland. Continued economic investment in 
Northern Ireland and the border countries is absolutely imperative. 
Enhancing the standard of living in Ireland is critical to improving 
the prospects for peace in that troubled part of the world.
  The Humanitarian Aid Corridor was enacted for 1 year as part of the 
fiscal year 1996 foreign operations appropriations bill. Nevertheless, 
it is important that this provision become permanent law. Nations which 
restrict the flow of U.S. humanitarian aid to third countries should be 
barred unequivocally from receiving the benefit of our economic aid. 
This situation has been most blatant in the case of Turkey, which has 
blocked United States humanitarian aid to the newly independent nation 
of Armenia. This blatant contempt for United States policy objectives 
should deprive Turkey from receiving assistance from our country.
  I would vote for the International Fund for Ireland, the MacBride 
Principles, and the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act if they were included 
in another measure. Unfortunately, this bill, with its partisan and 
shortsighted attack on the foreign policy powers of the President, is 
not one for which I can vote.

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