[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 4, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H3424-H3433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 1998 AND 1999

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Nethercutt). Pursuant to House 
Resolution 150 and rule XXIII, the Chair declares the House in the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the further 
consideration of the bill, H.R. 1757.

                              {time}  2114


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 1757) to consolidate international affairs agencies, to 
authorize appropriations for the Department of State and related 
agencies for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for other purposes, with 
Mr. Dickey (Chairman pro tempore) in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.

                              {time}  2115

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Dickey). When the Committee of the 
Whole rose earlier today, the amendment by the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Pallone] had been disposed of.
  Are there any further amendments?


                  Amendment Offered by Mr. Scarborough

  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Scarborough:
       Page 185, after line 17, insert the following section:

     SEC. 1717. UNITED STATES POLICY REGARDING RELIGIOUS 
                   PERSECUTION AND SUPPORT OF TERRORISM BY SUDAN.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) Continued disregard of the freedom of religion by Sudan 
     is unacceptable.
       (2) Continued support of terrorist activities by Sudan is 
     of deepest concern and shall not be tolerated.
       (b) Financial Transactions With Terrorists.--
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the exception 
     with respect to Sudan under section 2332(a) of title 18, 
     United States Code (provided in regulations issued in August 
     1996 by the Office of Foreign Assets of the Treasury 
     Department) shall cease to be effective on the date of the 
     enactment of this Act. No such exception under such section 
     may be issued with respect to Sudan until the President 
     certifies to the Congress that Sudan is no longer sponsoring 
     or supporting terrorism.

  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Chairman, my amendment attempts to address some 
appalling activities of the government of Sudan. As my colleagues may 
know, Sudan has been certified by the administration as being an active 
supporter of terrorism since 1993 and is currently known to be 
sheltering several terrorists sought in several countries.
  Sudan has also been the scene of some of the world's most deplorable 
religious persecution, persecution that the Washington Post called 
unspeakable, persecutions that the United Nations has reported included 
the crucifixion of a 7-year-old child because he was a Christian.
  It has been estimated that more than 1.5 million Christians and other 
non-Muslims have been killed in Sudan, more than all those that have 
been killed in the Bosnian civil war. Christian slavery is widespread, 
and it is believed that at least 30,000 children have been sold to 
slavery for as little as $15. This was disputed by Louis Farrakhan some 
time ago, and he challenged supporters to go to Sudan and unearth this 
activity if it was really happening. Two reporters from the Baltimore 
Sun did that and bought two young boys for $500.
  We also have recently had the Pope pleading for an end of religious 
persecution of non-Muslims. My amendment requires the administration to 
apply financial transaction restrictions against terrorist states, 
which were included in Public Law 104-132 to the Republic of Sudan.
  Although these restrictions were intended to cover nations such as 
Sudan,

[[Page H3425]]

regrettably the administration specifically exempted Sudan. And 
although the United States has closed its offices in Sudan, the Sudan 
still operates an embassy in the U.S., and this embassy has been cited 
as supporting terrorists who conspired to bomb various New York City 
landmarks.
  Finally, the amendment would express the sense of Congress that 
Sudan's support for terrorism and religious persecution is 
unacceptable. In a recent April 1997 CRS report, CRS wrote that human 
rights violations have been cited by many religious humanitarian and 
international groups over the years.
  Among other things, the Sudan government has been sanctioning 
civilian massacres, religious persecution, kidnapping, forced 
conscription of underaged boys, torture, forced circumcision of women, 
mutilation of women's genitals, unlawful detention, and most recently, 
slavery.
  In a speech to the National Press Club on December 17, 1996, John 
Eibner of the International CSI stated the following: ``Over 100 years 
after the Emancipation Proclamation, the modern mind does not readily 
comprehend that the practice of chattel slavery has not been laid to 
rest but continues. Slavery in Sudan is not a dying practice. It is, 
instead, a thriving practice that is actively promoted by the extremist 
Sudan regime.''
  Another human rights group stated that, during the recent three 
visits to the Sudan, they talked of torture, murder, starvation and 
enslavement of black Christians that, she said, resulted in at least 
1.5 million deaths. Male slaves who resist conversion have their 
Achille's tendons cut, female Christians are routinely raped and 
sometimes forced to undergo circumcision and have their genitals 
mutilated.
  I took a book off my shelf that is in the office. It is called ``The 
Abandonment of the Jews.'' It was written 10 years ago. And in the 
beginning of the Abandonment of the Jews, David Wyman makes this 
statement: ``The murder of the Jews during the Holocaust was done by 
people to other people, while still other people stood by. 
Comparatively few American non-Jews recognized that the plight of the 
European Jews was their plight too. Most were either unaware, did not 
care, or saw the European Jewish catastrophe as a Jewish problem. That 
explains, in part, why the United States did so little to help.''
  At the end of The Abandonment of the Jews, this is the question that 
he asks: ``Would the reaction be different today? Would Americans be 
more sensitive, less self-centered, more willing to make sacrifices, 
less afraid of differences now than they were then?'' Regrettably it 
appears that, up until now, the answer has been no.
  Writing in the New York Times, A.M. Rosenthal stated the following: 
``The shocking untold story of our time is that more Christians have 
died this century simply for being Christians than in the first 19 
centuries after the birth of Christ. They have been persecuted and 
martyred before an unknowing, indifferent world and a largely silent 
Christian community.''
  Mr. Chairman, it is time for that silence to end. That is why I ask 
my colleagues to pass this bill and send a message to Sudan that such 
barbarism will no longer be tolerated.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite 
number of words.
  Mr. Chairman, let me just say that I rise in very strong support of 
the amendment of the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Scarborough]. I think 
my colleague does a really good and worthwhile service for the 
suffering Christians and the suffering people of faith in the Sudan.
  My Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights last 
year held two hearings. One was on the use of chattel slavery in the 
Sudan and the terrible policy of forced Islamization, where young boys 
and girls, mostly boys, are kidnapped and then during the course of 6 
months to 2 years, or whatever time period it seems to take, they are 
brainwashed, Sun Myung Moon-like, with sleep deprivation and other 
things, to separate themselves from their families, which they are 
already physically separated from, but also from their faith and all 
past cultural ties; and then they have this radical Islamic perspective 
forced upon them.
  As we all know, in southern Sudan there has been horrific policy of 
what many of us consider to be genocide. Khartoum countenances this as 
part and parcel of it. So I think the gentleman from Florida [Mr. 
Scarborough] does a very worthwhile thing by raising this issue on the 
House floor.
  We also had a hearing on the persecution of Christians worldwide, and 
it was the first hearing of its kind ever in the House, and heard from 
a large variety of panels and people and experts from Amnesty 
International to across the board. Nina Shay from Freedom House 
testified, and they bemoan the fact that there is a frightening rising 
tide of anti-Christianity and that this is a persecution that has to be 
addressed by anyone who believes in religious freedom and religious 
tolerance.
  So I think the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Scarborough] does a great 
service with his amendment, and I fully support it.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the effort that is being made 
here. Religious persecution is a terrible phenomenon in our world 
today, and the situation in Sudan is certainly one that needs to be 
addressed in a most effective manner.
  I also appreciate the fact that the gentleman from Florida [Mr. 
Scarborough] has revised his amendment in light of certain 
administrative responses through an original draft of his amendment. I 
think the purpose is a good one, but I believe that the penalty in this 
amendment is counterproductive and for the following reason: that a lot 
of non-governmental organizations operate in Sudan, they operate in 
order to help people who are suffering under oppression from a regime 
that we certainly cannot support. They have worked to help people who 
are suffering from hunger.
  These NGOs use banks in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. If the NGOs 
are not able to use the banks because of this amendment, it will be 
much harder for the agencies that are in the Sudan trying to alleviate 
the situation to operate.
  So, on those grounds, and also because the administration does not 
support this amendment, I am also going to oppose it.
  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Chairman, I guess my biggest concern is 
regarding part B, which talks about financial transactions with 
terrorists. The Sudan has been considered by most human rights groups 
as one of the greatest sponsors of terrorism across the globe. And what 
this really strikes to is the fact that President Clinton during 1996 
granted a waiver to Occidental Petroleum to basically do business in 
the Sudan to the tune of about $90 million and, by doing so, continues 
to fund the regime that is tottering and has, in fact, worthy opponents 
that are trying to bring it down.
  What we are doing by allowing people to continue to do business while 
providing this waiver is continuing to fund perhaps the most barbarous 
antireligious-faith regime in the world today. Again, 1.5 million 
Christians have been murdered since 1989, and the acts are unspeakable.
  Former President Jimmy Carter has been to the Sudan and has tried to 
intervene, and intervention has not provided any results. In fact, if 
my colleagues could name more than two or three organizations that 
remain in Sudan, I would be enlightened. Because from speaking to the 
gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wolf] and others, I understand that all 
have pulled out because the regime is just so despicable and cannot be 
worked with.
  It is one of the most barbarous regimes on the globe today. And if we 
allow business interests to trump human rights interests and freedom of 
religion, then we are sending an absolutely miserable message across 
the globe. This is about money over human rights, and it is about time 
that we stand up and be counted to be a country that still supports the 
ideas of Jeffersonian democracy instead of being concerned with market 
share.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, the gentleman from 
Florida [Mr. Scarborough] is correct. The

[[Page H3426]]

regime is a dreadful one. The persecution that is going on there is 
absolutely reprehensible. We need to go after terrorist financing, and 
we have provisions for that under current law and regulations.
  But this amendment still hurts NGO's that are a positive, 
constructive force in the Sudan; and those NGOs need to be protected 
because they are helping the suffering people. It is on those grounds 
precisely that I oppose the amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by 
the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Scarborough].
  The question was taken; and the Chairman pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 159, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida [Mr. 
Scarborough] will be postponed.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Engel

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Engel:
       At the end of title XVII (relating to foreign policy 
     provisions) add the following (and conform the table of 
     contents accordingly):

     SEC. 1717. CRISIS IN ALBANIA.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) During March 1997 United States Armed Forces personnel 
     evacuated approximately 500 Americans from Albania.
       (2) No Americans were injured in the evacuation.
       (3) The military operation was at times risky and 
     dangerous, with helicopters of the United States Armed Forces 
     occasionally receiving fire.
       (4) Several United States diplomats, including Ambassador 
     Marissa Lino, remained in Tirana during these unsettled and 
     perilous times.
       (5) The evacuation is the result of a rebellion in Albania 
     which followed the collapse of several pyramid investment 
     schemes.
       (6) Hundreds of thousands of Albanian citizens lost large 
     portions of their life savings in the pyramid investment 
     schemes.
       (7) Hundreds of Albanians have been killed since the crisis 
     began.
       (8) The almost complete collapse of central governmental 
     authority left Albania in a state of near-anarchy.
       (9) Many weapons depots were raided by the general 
     population of Albania and many small arms were taken by the 
     citizenry.
       (10) The proliferation of weapons in Albania has made the 
     situation very dangerous.
       (11) On March 9, 1997, Albania's political parties agreed 
     to a nine-point agreement on political reconciliation.
       (12) Under the nine-point agreement, President Sali 
     Berisha, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, appointed a 
     broadly based unity government, led by an opposition 
     socialist, former mayor of Gjirokaster Bashkim Fino.
       (13) Under the nine-point agreement, President Berisha and 
     opposition parties have agreed to hold general elections by 
     June 1997.
       (14) More than 5,500 multinational troops, led by Italy, 
     have entered Albania in order to stabilize the nation and to 
     create a safe security environment for the distribution of 
     humanitarian assistance.
       (b) Declaration of Policy.--The Congress declares the 
     following:
       (1) United States Armed Forces personnel are to be 
     commended for the evacuation operations in Albania.
       (2) United States diplomats are to be commended for their 
     service in Albania during these dangerous times.
       (3) The nine-point agreement of March 9, 1997, among all 
     Albanian political parties represents a key step toward 
     lifting Albania out of the current crisis.
       (4) Albania's new multiparty leadership is strongly urged 
     to implement in good faith the terms of the nine-point 
     agreement of March 9, 1997, and to do all possible to 
     reinspire the trust of the Albanian people.
       (5) The Albanian people are strongly urged to afford their 
     new government an opportunity to govern by laying down 
     weapons and making any changes to the government through 
     peaceful means, particularly the upcoming elections.
       (6) The United States should support the new Albanian 
     Government as it attempts to reestablish calm and achieve 
     political reconciliation and should urge the new government 
     to guarantee human rights, free and fair elections, and 
     freedom of expression.
       (7) The United States must remain closely engaged in the 
     diplomatic efforts to ease Albania's crisis and should 
     strongly support similar efforts by the Organization for 
     Security and Cooperation in Europe and the multinational 
     force, led by Italy, seeking to stabilize Albania.
       (8) The United States and the international community 
     should work with the new Albanian Government to ensure that 
     upcoming elections will be free and fair by supplying 
     political inducement, technical advice, and large numbers of 
     observers.
       (9) The United States should support the convening of a 
     multinational conference, possibly in Rome, Italy, to 
     consider options for assisting Albania to recover from the 
     political and economic crisis.
       (10) The United States should oppose any challenge to 
     Albania's international borders or territorial integrity 
     offered as a potential solution to the conflict.

  Mr. ENGEL (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent 
that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the Record.
  The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, recently I had the opportunity to visit 
Albania as the United States representative to the OSCE, which was 
negotiating a peace in Albania between the different factions in 
Albania.
  As my colleagues know, Albania recently has sunk into turmoil and 
anarchy as a result of failed pyramid schemes in which many Albanians 
lost their life savings.

                              {time}  2130

  Albania has a tragic history. It was the most oppressive Stalinist 
state on the face of Europe, indeed perhaps in the world, and for 50 
years lived under the most oppressive communism, isolationism and anti-
Americanism.
  What I have found in my three trips to Albania has been that the 
Albanian people did not believe a word of the anti-Americanism that 
they were fed for so many years. In fact, Americans are most welcome. 
They truly like Americans. Americans are warmly received. I am glad 
that the United States has established a relationship with Albania 
where we supply them with help, with aid, with military help, with 
humanitarian aid. Because it is a small country, a little bit of aid 
goes a long, long way.
  However, as I mentioned before, there are problems in Albania. We 
know that the pyramid schemes when they collapsed caused many Albanians 
to lose their life savings, and as a result anarchy and lawlessness 
broke out, many people were rioting in the streets, guns were stolen, 
weapons depots were broken into. As a result, there was a proliferation 
and is a proliferation of weapons in the street.
  The European Community and the United States stepped in and tried to 
calm the situation. I was asked by the State Department to be the 
United States representative to these negotiations, as a year ago I was 
the U.S. representative to the South Balkans Defense Ministerial and 
traveled to Tirana, Albania with then Defense Secretary Bill Perry. I 
have had extensive knowledge and work involving the United States-
Albanian relationship.
  This amendment is introduced by myself for myself and for my 
colleague the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari]. I might also 
add that the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], the chairman, also 
wholeheartedly supports this amendment.
  The amendment commends the U.S. military and diplomats for the 
evacuation operation which we had to implement to get out American 
personnel and American citizens. I myself left Albania 3 or 4 days 
before I would have had to be evacuated. Thankfully, I was able to 
leave on a plane with Chancellor Vranitzky of Austria and some of the 
other diplomats.
  The amendment also supports the multiparty government and agreement 
of March 9, 1997. We feel that it is very important for the Albanian 
people themselves to grab the bull by the horns and stop the anarchy. 
That is why we in the United States have been urging the head of the 
government of Albania, Sali Berisha, to form a national unity 
government, a temporary national unity government, which he did form. 
That was part of the bulk of the agreement of March 9, 1997.
  My amendment supports this agreement. It urges the Albanian people to 
give the new government a chance and to turn in their weapons, and 
urges the United States to support the new Albanian Government in its 
efforts to achieve political reconciliation. The amendment also urges 
the new government of Albania to guarantee human rights, free and fair 
elections and freedom of expression.
  It urges us to remain closely engaged in efforts to ease Albania's 
crisis, and strongly supports the OSCE, which is the Organization of 
Security and Cooperation in Europe, efforts and the

[[Page H3427]]

Italian-led multilateral force. It urges the United States to work with 
the Albanian Government to ensure that the June 29 elections will be 
free and fair by supplying technical assistance and observers. The 
amendment also supports the convening of a multinational conference to 
help Albania recover from its political and economic crisis.
  I must say on my way back from Albania, I stopped in Italy to meet 
with the Italian defense minister and officials from the Italian 
Government who wholeheartedly support and have been working very, very 
closely with the United States in convening this multinational 
conference. Finally, the amendment opposes any challenge to Albania's 
border as a solution to the conflict.
  Let me say, Mr. Chairman, that I believe the United States must 
remain engaged in Albania. We have a stake in that part of the world. 
The Albanian people, again, for 50 years were fed a steady dose of 
anti-Americanism, a steady dose of the worst Communist repression, and 
they did not believe a word of it. They have good, strong feelings for 
the American people. We want to see democracy take root in Albania, and 
a free-market economy, and my amendment goes a long way in saying that 
this is what Congress wants to do.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's 
amendment. In my judgment he has given a very precise and full analysis 
of the situation there and has made the case for United States 
engagement in Albania. The amendment outlines a series of useful steps 
for United States policy which includes support for diplomatic steps to 
ease the crisis, support for free and fair elections, and support for 
assisting Albania's recovery. Albania is one of the trouble spots in 
the world today about which we are very acutely concerned. This 
amendment in my judgment spells out good policy, and I urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last 
word.
  I want to thank my good friend the gentleman from New York for 
offering this amendment. The majority has looked at it carefully and we 
like it. We have worked together on issues related to Albania for a 
number of years. I commend the gentleman for his leadership.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Dickey). The question is on the 
amendment offered by the gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel].
  The amendment was agreed to.


                  Amendment Offered by Mr. Nethercutt

  Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Nethercutt: At the end of title 
     XVII insert the following section:

     SEC. 1717. SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO THE ABDUCTION AND 
                   DETAINMENT OF DONALD HUTCHINGS OF THE STATE OF 
                   WASHINGTON.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Al-Faran, a militant organization that seeks to merge 
     Kashmir with Pakistan, has waged a war against the Government 
     of India.
       (2) During the week of July 2, 1995, Al-Faran abducted 
     Donald Hutchings of the State of Washington, and 4 Western 
     Europeans in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
       (3) Al-Faran has threatened to kill Donald Hutchings and 
     the Western European hostages unless the Government of India 
     agrees to release suspected guerrillas from its jails.
       (4) Several militants have been captured by the Indian 
     Government and have given conflicting and unconfirmed reports 
     about the hostages.
       (5) Donald Hutchings and the 4 Western European hostages 
     have been held against their will by Al-Faran for nearly 2 
     years.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress 
     that--
       (1) the militant organization Al-Faran should release, 
     immediately, Donald Hutchings and 4 Western Europeans from 
     captivity;
       (2) Al-Faran and their supporters should cease and desist 
     from all acts of hostage-taking and other violent acts within 
     the State of Jammu and Kashmir, India;
       (3) the State Department Rewards Program should be used to 
     the greatest extent possible to solicit new information 
     pertaining to hostages; and
       (4) the governments of the United States, the United 
     Kingdom, Germany, Norway, India, and Pakistan should share 
     and investigate all information relating to these hostages as 
     quickly as possible.

  Mr. NETHERCUTT (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Chairman, for the record, this particular 
amendment is being introduced for myself and on behalf of the 
distinguished gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone] as it relates to 
a kidnapping that occurred 2 years ago of a constituent of mine in 
Spokane, Washington, Donald Hutchings.
  In the interest of orderly proceedings on this bill, I ask unanimous 
consent to withdraw the amendment at this time, reserving the right and 
intending to have this amendment redrawn and offered at a different 
point in the consideration of this bill tomorrow.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Without objection, the amendment is 
withdrawn.
  There was no objection.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Serrano

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Serrano:
       At the end of title XVII (relating to foreign policy 
     provisions) insert the following new section:

     SEC. 1717. REPORT CONCERNING OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS OF THE 
                   GOVERNMENT OF CUBA TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE 
                   UNITED STATES.

       (a) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 months after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and each subsequent 3 
     months thereafter, the Secretary of State, after 
     consultations with the heads of other Federal departments and 
     agencies, shall submit to the Congress a report listing all 
     complaints by the Government of Cuba to departments and 
     agencies of the United States Government concerning actions 
     taken by United States persons or the Government of the 
     United States.
       (b) United States Person Defined.--As used in this section 
     the term ``United States person'' means any--
       (1) United States citizen or national;
       (2) permanent resident alien; or
       (3) juridical person organized under the laws of the United 
     States.

  Mr. SERRANO (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order 
against the amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The gentleman from New Jersey reserves a 
point of order.
  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, this bill that is before us today has some 
new provisions which speak about reports that the administration has to 
come up with to deal with the issue of the enforcement of the Cuban 
embargo, the embargo on Cuba. I feel that our country in my opinion is 
involved in a Cold War with Cuba, and as such I think that it is time 
that we begin to balance all reports and all information that we get 
here in Congress.
  Therefore, what my amendment does is to state that effective in 3 
months and every 3 months thereafter, the Secretary of State would 
report to Congress on all official complaints put forth by the Cuban 
Government regarding actions taken by residents or citizens of this 
country that deal with the daily lives of Cubans and the island of 
Cuba.
  For instance, before the Brothers to the Rescue planes were shot down 
on the 24th of February of 1996, Cuba made over 10 complaints to the 
FAA about the group's violations of Cuban airspace. If Congress had 
seen these complaints, this tragedy might have been prevented. On a 
regular basis, we hear reports about the fact that the Cuban Government 
is complaining to the American Government about actions that are being 
taken individually by either groups in this country or individuals who 
go into the sea and go over Cuban airspace and create situations which 
could lead us into a more serious confrontation once again with the 
Cuban Government.
  What my amendment therefore says is that the Secretary of State would 
let us know about all of these complaints. For instance, the Cuban 
Government makes formal protests to the State Department, but the FAA 
and the American interest section in Havana hear other complaints such 
as violation of Cuban airspace, dropping of leaflets in Cuba, that the 
Cuban Government

[[Page H3428]]

finds offensive and provocative in many ways; American residents 
traveling too close to Cuban shores, and in some cases acts that could 
be considered by our Government as paramilitary or military in nature 
in Cuban territory.
  Please understand, Mr. Chairman, that these complaints are complaints 
that our Government knows about but Members of Congress do not know 
about. My amendment would ask that we be kept informed. I do this with 
the full understanding that some people, some colleagues, would say 
that this somehow helps the Cuban Government, that it strengthens their 
ability to make public statements, that it gives them publicity that 
they do not deserve. But I think it is only fair that if we are going 
to continue to enforce the embargo against Cuba, something that I 
oppose, if we are going to continue to ask for the Cuban Government to 
behave in a certain way, then we have to propose the same behavior for 
our citizens.
  Picture, if you will, the situation on February 24. After that 
incident and after the tragic loss of life of American citizens in that 
incident, it has been pretty well established that on many occasions, 
many individuals have ventured into Cuban territory and continue to do 
so today. Put the shoe on the other foot. If a Cuban airplane were 
flying over our capital, what would be our response? I would hope our 
response would be the proper one, which is to ask them to come down 
immediately and land or to shoot them down, no different than perhaps 
the behavior by the Cuban Government.
  Therefore, I think that as we move into this new era of having the 
administration report to us on a regular basis as to how the embargo is 
being enforced, that we ask our own Government to report to us and keep 
us informed. If that happens, then I believe that in the future we 
would have situations that we can prevent by having enough information 
in our hands.
  Anyone who opposes this bill, I think, would have to really 
understand that we are not asking for any action to be taken, we are 
not asking for anyone to be arrested for these actions. All we want to 
know is when does this happen, when the Cuban Government complains 
about it, and use that as we deliberate future actions with and toward 
the Government of Cuba.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentleman from New Jersey insist 
on his point of order?
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. No, Mr. Chairman, I do not insist on the 
point of order.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  With great reluctance because of my great respect for the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Serrano], I am going to oppose this amendment. He 
properly makes reference to the fact that we have got too many reports 
about Cuba that have been demanded by Congress, and I think he and I 
would agree that the increasing demand for more reports is a 
congressional effort to constrict the executive's flexibility to 
conduct foreign policy.

                              {time}  2145

  I think still another report, and that is what he is asking for, 
becomes counterproductive. I think this further restricts the 
President's ability to conduct Cuba policy in the most useful manner, 
and it is on that grounds specifically that I am urging my colleagues 
to vote against this amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Dickey). The question is on the 
amendment offered by the gentleman from New York [Mr. Serrano].
  The amendment was agreed to.


              Amendment Offered by Mr. Fox of Pennsylvania

  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Fox of Pennsylvania:
       At the end of title XVII insert the following new section:

     SEC. 1717. SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING ASSISTANCE FOR 
                   UKRAINE.

         (a) In General.--It is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the Government and nation of Ukraine are to be 
     commended for their decision to relinquish the nuclear 
     weapons in the possession of Ukraine after the demise of the 
     former Soviet Union;
       (2) the Government of Ukraine is to be commended for its 
     recent announcement that Ukrainian enterprises will not 
     participate in the construction of nuclear reactors in Iran;
       (3) the Government of Ukraine is to be commended for taking 
     a positive and cooperative position with regard to the 
     admission into the NATO alliance of new member-states in 
     Central and Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine's 
     willingness to negotiate a bilateral charter with that 
     alliance;
       (4) the Government of Ukraine is to be commended for its 
     efforts to ensure that the Russian-dominated Commonwealth of 
     Independent States organization does not serve as a means to 
     reintegrate the independent states of the former Soviet Union 
     into a new political entity under Russian leadership and 
     occupying the territory that comprised the former Soviet 
     Union;
       (5) the Government of Ukraine should immediately move to 
     ensure that United States investors who have been subjected 
     to extortion, fraud, or other criminal activity, or to 
     inappropriate, corrupt activities carried out by officials or 
     representatives of the Ukrainian Government, are provided 
     with full restitution or compensation for their losses;
       (6) the nation and Government of Ukraine are to be 
     commended for the adoption of a democratic constitution, the 
     conduct of free and fair elections, and the peaceful transfer 
     of executive power since Ukraine gained its independence in 
     1991; and
       (7) the President should respond positively to any request 
     made by the government of Ukraine for United States 
     government agencies assistance and involvement in the 
     implementation of additional programs to fight corruption in 
     Ukraine and to ensure that American investors in that country 
     are not subjected to unfair, inappropriate, or criminal 
     practices on the part of officials of the Government of 
     Ukraine or any citizens of Ukraine.
       (b) Availability of Amounts for Ukraine.--It is further the 
     sense of the Congress that the President should ensure that 
     Ukraine receives assistance for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 
     for political and economic reforms at a level equal to that 
     allocated to Ukraine for fiscal year 1997.

  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask 
unanimous consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed 
in the Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity 
to speak to my colleagues tonight on the amendment that will ensure 
that a nation in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 will have the same level of 
funding as 1997.
  It should be noted that in this sense of Congress amendment that 
Ukraine foreign policy has served American interests well by 
unilaterally and voluntarily disarming all nuclear weapons, has 
refrained from selling turbines to Russia which were to be sold to 
Iran, that has welcomed the eastward expansion of NATO, that is seeking 
to curtail selling of military technology to rogue states, that 
further, the economic policies have unstabilized the Ukraine by 
reduction of the inflation rate from 10,000 percent in 1993 to a 
projected 25 percent in 1997.
  We have seen 50,000 enterprises being privatized, but there has been 
a formation of a Council on International Investment to be comprised of 
individuals in the government and representatives of U.S. companies, 
and we have even seen the Agra forum by President Leonid Kuchma of 
Ukraine working with President Clinton to seek his help in designing a 
national anti-corruption program in Ukraine.
  I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith].
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I would like to rise in very 
strong support of the gentleman's amendment. The need for various types 
of aid to the Ukraine cannot be underestimated. Last year, as chairman 
of the Helsinki Commission, we held a hearing on the ongoing crisis in 
Chernobyl. The G-7 has pledged a tremendous amount of aid to shut down 
the reactor and to encase it in a way that will make it less dangerous 
than it is currently, and very little of that money has been produced 
over the last couple of years.
  We also heard of the devastating impact of the cancers that are being 
suffered by children as a result of contamination from the nuclear 
fallout, and they cannot even begin to cope with the humanitarian 
medical and hospital needs in the Ukraine that should have been to that 
Chernobyl disaster.
  As the gentleman pointed out, they have been forthcoming when it 
comes to NATO. As partners, as friends, they have embraced NATO. They 
have unilaterally forfeited the nuclear warheads on their own soil. 
That is a grand

[[Page H3429]]

gesture of peace in my view, especially given the potential animosities 
between themselves and Russia which we all know exists today.
  So I believe while there are problems, as is acknowledged in this 
resolution, dealing with corruption and it is insisted in this 
resolution that our economic interests be treated fairly, I think the 
resolution is a good one and deserves the support, and I would urge my 
colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this amendment in spite of 
my great respect for the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox]. I 
understand why he is doing this, and I think there is a lot of good 
reason for it. The Ukraine clearly must implement a number of important 
reforms specifically in the economic and the anti-corruption areas in 
order to maintain U.S. support.
  However, I cannot support the amendment's recommended earmark. I do 
not support earmarks in principle, and that is that the President 
should have flexibility in conducting foreign affairs. Earmarking funds 
for any country undermines the President's ability to achieve U.S. 
foreign policy objectives.
  Even though this is only a sense of the Congress amendment, it sends 
an important message particularly at a time when the President, many 
Members of Congress and our constituents have said Ukraine must make 
important changes. It does not make sense for Congress to go on record 
guaranteeing Ukraine foreign assistance. We need to send the right 
message to the Ukraine, which must be a measured message. We should 
applaud them for the reforms that they have undertaken, but we should 
also require that they continue to reform in the appropriate ways.
  So, Mr. Chairman, I urge defeat of this amendment.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox].
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, just to make a point of 
clarification, I appreciate the support of comments with regard to part 
of the motion from my colleague from California, and I would point out 
a matter of clarification that this is a sense of Congress, this is not 
an earmark, and so this would give flexibility to Congress and the 
President to move forward, recognize that there has been advances by 
Ukraine in the disarmament of nuclear weapons in the economic 
stabilization, and finally we are seeing the security as well being 
advanced. So I think that point should be underscored, and that is this 
is not an earmark and we do hope that the colleagues, both sides of the 
aisle, would support the legislation.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to strike the last 
word.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to say to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox] that even though this is only a sense-of-
Congress resolution I still think the message needs to be a measured 
message in the way that I have described it.
  The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox].
  The amendment was agreed to.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Engel

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Engel:
       At the end of title XVII (relating to foreign policy 
     provisions) add the following (and conform the table of 
     contents accordingly):

     SEC. 1717. SANCTIONS AGAINST SYRIA.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) Syria remains in a state of war with Israel and 
     maintains large numbers of heavily armed forces near the 
     border with Israel.
       (2) Syria occupies Lebanon with almost 40,000 troops and 
     maintains undue influence on all aspects of the Lebanese 
     Government and society.
       (3) Syria continues to provide safe haven and support for 
     several groups that engage in terrorism, according to the 
     Department of State's ``Patterns of Global Terrorism'' report 
     for 1996.
       (4) Syria was listed by the Department of State as a 
     country that does not cooperate in the war on drugs.
       (5) Syria has not signed the Chemical Weapons Convention, 
     and numerous reports indicate that Syria has increased the 
     production and level of sophistication of chemical weapons. 
     Reports also indicate that such unconventional warheads have 
     been loaded on SCUD-type ballistic missiles with the range to 
     reach numerous targets in friendly nations, such as Israel, 
     Turkey, and Jordan.
       (6) Syria routinely commits a wide array of serious human 
     rights violations, and according to a recent Human Rights 
     Watch report, is engaging in the abduction of Lebanese 
     citizens and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
       (7) Several reports indicate that Syria knowingly allowed 
     the explosives used in the June 1996 Dharan bombing, which 
     killed 19 United States service personnel, to pass through 
     Syria from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia.
       (8) More than 20 trips by former Secretary of State 
     Christopher to Damascus, a meeting between President Clinton 
     and Syrian President Hafez Assad, and a Department of State-
     sponsored intensive negotiation session at Wye Plantation 
     were all unsuccessful in convincing Syria to make peace with 
     Israel. At the same time, most reports indicated that Israel 
     was prepared to make substantial concessions of land in 
     exchange for peace.
       (9) According to the Central Intelligence Agency World Fact 
     Book of 1995, petroleum comprises 53 percent of Syrian 
     exports.
       (10) By imposing sanctions against the Syrian petroleum 
     industry, the United States can apply additional pressure 
     against Syria to press the Assad regime to change its 
     dangerous and destabilizing policies.
       (b) Policy.--It is the sense of the Congress that the 
     United States should consider applying to Syria sanctions 
     which are currently enforced against Iran and Libya under the 
     Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 if the Government of 
     Syria does not eliminate its dangerous and destabilizing 
     policies.

  Mr. ENGEL (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent 
that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, this is a sense of Congress resolution that 
given Syria's extremist and dangerous policies, that I firmly believe 
the time has come for the U.S. to consider applying to Syria sanctions 
which are currently enforced against Iran and Libya in the Iran-Libya 
Oil Sanctions Act of 1996. The fact is that these penalties ought to be 
applied to Syria because Syria remains in a state of war with Israel 
and maintains large numbers of heavily armed forces near the border 
with Israel. Syria occupies Lebanon with almost 40,000 troops and 
maintains undue influence on all aspects of the Lebanese government and 
society to the detriment of the Lebanese people. Syria continues to 
provide safe haven and support for several groups that engage in 
terrorism.
  According to the State Department's patterns of global terrorism 
report for 1996, the fact that Syria is one of the nations that support 
terrorism is undisputed, and that is why there are restrictions upon 
U.S. citizens' travel to Syria. Syria was also listed by the U.S. State 
Department as a country that does not cooperate in the war on drugs, 
and indeed the problem that we have here in the United States with 
regards to drug addiction, much of it can be laid at the doorstep of 
Syria.
  Syria, moreover, has not signed the Weapons Convention, and numerous 
reports indicate that Syria has increased the production and level of 
sophistication of chemical weapons. Reports also indicate that such 
unconventional warheads have been loaded on SCUD type ballistic 
missiles with the range to reach numerous targets in friendly nations, 
such as Israel, Turkey and Jordan.
  Syria routinely commits a wide array of serious human rights 
violations and, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report, is 
engaging in the abduction of Lebanese citizens and Palestinian refugees 
in Lebanon. Several reports indicate that Syria knowingly allowed the 
explosives used in the June 1996 Dharan bombing in Saudi Arabia which 
killed 19 United States service personnel to pass through Syria from 
Lebanon to Saudi Arabia. That is how it was able to happen.
  More than 20 trips by former Secretary of State Christopher to 
Damascus, Syria, a meeting between President Clinton and Syrian 
President Hafez Assad and the State Department-sponsored intensive 
negotiation session at Wye Plantation were all unsuccessful in 
convincing Syria to make peace with Israel. At the same time, most 
reports indicate that Israel was prepared

[[Page H3430]]

to make substantial concessions of land in exchange for peace.
  According to the CIA World Fact Book of 1995, petroleum comprises 53 
percent of Syrian exports. So if we really want to send a message to 
Syria and hit them where it hurts, this is where we can do the most 
damage. By imposing sanctions against the Syrian petroleum industry, 
the U.S. could apply additional pressure against Syria to press the 
Assad regime to change its dangerous and destabilizing policies.
  I think that clearly when we are talking about Middle East peace, 
when we are talking about terrorism, and we are talking about the war 
on drugs, and we are talking about all the things to which this country 
is committed to help with Syria has been one of the biggest obstacles 
to peace in the Middle East, the biggest obstacles to combatting the 
scourge of terrorism, the biggest obstacles in trying to curb drug 
addiction. Moreover, Syria maintains ties with terrorist states and 
works to the detriment of U.S. foreign policy and U.S. interests 
abroad.
  So it is for all these reasons, Mr. Chairman, that I think it is 
very, very important, the time has come for the U.S. to consider 
applying to Syria sanctions which are currently enforced against Iran 
and Libya in the Iran-Libya Oil Sanctions Act of 1996. The same types 
are going against U.S. interests that Iran and Libya have done; Syria 
has been there as well.
  Again, no matter what the United States has tried to do in foreign 
policy in these fields which I mentioned, Syria has been the most 
uncooperative nation, so I believe that this Congress ought to go on 
record as a sense of Congress resolution to say that we are tired of 
Syria's nonsense, we are not going to stand idly by, that if we are 
going to apply all sanctions upon Iran and Libya due to their terrorist 
and extremist policies Syria ought to be treated no differently.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by 
the gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel].
  The question was taken; and the Chairman pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 159, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York 
[Mr. Engel] will be postponed.
  Are there any other amendments?


               Amendment Offered by Mr. Lazio of New York

  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Lazio of New York: At the end of 
     title XVII (relating to foreign policy provisions) insert 
     the following:

     SEC. 1717. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH CHILD 
                   AND SPOUSAL SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS BY UNITED 
                   NATIONS PERSONNEL.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress 
     that--
       (1) all United Nations staff, including diplomats, should 
     comply with binding United States Federal, State, and local 
     court orders regarding child and spousal support obligations;
       (2) the internal regulations of the United Nations allows--
       (A) the United Nations to release staff salary information 
     to the courts in spousal and child support cases;
       (B) the Secretary General to authorize deduction of 
     dependency related allowances from staff salary;
       (C) the United Nations to cooperate with appropriate 
     authorities to facilitate proper legal or judicial resolution 
     of the family's claim.
       (b) Congressional Statement.--The Secretary of State should 
     urge the United Nations to fully comply with regulations 
     regarding compliance with child and spousal support 
     obligations by United Nations personnel, in a timely manner 
     and to the fullest extent possible.
       (c) Limitation on Payment of Arrearages to the United 
     Nations.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, of 
     funds appropriated for the payment of United States 
     arrearages to the United Nations out of funds authorized to 
     be appropriated by this Act, $10,000,000 shall not be 
     available until the Secretary of State certifies that--
       (1) the United Nations is actively enforcing child and 
     spousal support payments in compliance with Federal, State, 
     and local court orders; and
       (2) the United Nations is actively reforming its pension 
     policy, making the United Nations pension fund subject to 
     Federal, State, or local court orders of spousal or child 
     support.

  Mr. LAZIO of New York (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask 
unanimous consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed 
in the Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  2200

  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Chairman, we have a chance tonight to help 
the United Nations enforce its own rules.
  We have passed strict reforms in Congress to ensure that our citizens 
in America fulfill their obligations to their children and their 
spouses, yet many children and former spouses living in New York have 
not received the basic support they need to survive. As a matter of 
fact, I should extend that to my neighboring States of Connecticut and 
New Jersey as well. Their spouses are not bound by our laws to provide 
or even to furnish the courts with the salary information needed to 
process their claims. They are able to avoid responsibility simply 
because they are employed by the United Nations.
  In most family support cases, a family who fails to comply with court 
orders could have their wages garnished. They may even face jail time. 
But this is not the case, however, with U.N. staff. Until 1994, the 
United Nations would not release any information regarding the salary 
of its employees. Even with the court order of support, spouses and 
children were left without payment and without recourse. In effect, the 
United Nations staffers living in New York had no obligations to their 
families. Lacking any legal remedy, their spouses and children were 
simply abandoned in American cities.
  In 1994 the United Nations finally issued a directive encouraging 
employees to address their personal obligations, yet the United Nations 
has been dragging its feet in providing family courts with salary 
information and in taking action against its employees. The U.N. Family 
Rights Committee, a volunteer organization based in New York, is 
currently addressing over 40 cases of women having difficulty obtaining 
support. Clearly, these regulations need stronger enforcement.
  While the Family Rights Committee has made some progress, people 
whose spouses have retired from the United Nations still have 
absolutely no recourse. The United Nations' pensions are still 
completely immune from court orders, and the United Nations Joint Staff 
Pension Fund refuses to divulge any information regarding pension 
payments. I might add, Mr. Chairman, in a recent inquiry to one of the 
staffers as to why that occurs, the answer was that the people over 
there were old and in their old ways. Totally unacceptable.
  Women divorced from a retired United Nations employee legally 
entitled to support are left virtually stranded. We can expect no less, 
no less from the United Nations than we expect of our own citizens.
  This amendment directs the United Nations to comply with its own 
internal rules regarding family support and to apply those rules to its 
pension policy, allowing U.S. courts and former spouses some recourse 
once a U.N. official has retired. Further, it limits the payment of 
U.S. arrearages to the United Nations until the Secretary of State can 
certify that the U.N. is making these reforms, bringing the standards 
of the U.N. in line with those of the United States. I understand that 
the Members of the minority had some concerns with this, so we have 
tried to narrow the scope of this.
  Congress has tried to ensure that U.S. citizens meet their 
responsibilities, and we must not accept less from the staff of the 
United Nations. We expect the U.N. staff to be held to the highest 
standards of competence, efficiency, and integrity in their 
professional conduct. We should expect it in their personal conduct as 
well. In short, the United States Congress cannot support a United 
Nations that does not support its own family.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last 
word.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to applaud the gentleman from New York [Mr. 
Lazio] for his fine amendment. I think he helps the issue of deadbeat 
dads or parents and will, I think, make a very strong statement to the 
U.N. simply to enforce their own regulations. They

[[Page H3431]]

ought to be a shining example rather than something other than that. So 
I think he does a very good service, and the linkages to arrearages 
could not come at a better time. So I rise in strong support of the 
amendment.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to commend the gentleman for the work he has put 
into this amendment. We all recognize that there is a strong desire in 
Congress for greater accountability for U.N. staff, a great need for 
U.N. reform. We also agree that U.N. employees should comply with and 
meet their family obligations. But the real question is, what is the 
best way to promote such policy?
  I and we do not think that withholding our U.N. arrears is the most 
effective way to promote such actions by U.N. employees. We also 
suspect that there are thorny legal issues that need to be dealt with 
here regarding the ability of the United States courts to compel 
compliance by international civil servants.
  So I would ask the gentleman to withdraw the amendment and urge him 
to bring this concern to the bipartisan bicameral United Nations 
Working Group under the leadership of Senator Trent Lott. Clearly, this 
is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, but I believe that that 
would be the most appropriate context and framework for addressing this 
issue.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CAPPS. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Chairman, I would just remind the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Capps], who I have a great deal of 
respect for, the fact is that this is the United Nations' own rules. We 
are asking them to enforce their own rules.
  Up until 1994, they did not even cooperate with the least amount of 
information that is needed to try and provide for this collection so 
that spouses and children could survive on the streets. It is a matter 
of, I think, basic ethics and morality.
  I think it is absolutely the right position for America to have to 
expect that U.N. employees living in America should respect their own 
family obligations, and this is not a situation that is new; it is 
something that has been complained about for quite some time. As a 
matter of fact, there is a whole organization, a volunteer organization 
that has been developed in response to the United Nations policies with 
respect to this.
  We have tried to narrow the scope of this amendment so that only $10 
million can be held back in response to some of the concerns that the 
gentleman has, which I understand, but without this leverage, more 
spouses and more children are going to be left out there holding the 
bag. And that should not be acceptable to this House.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I understand the 
gentleman's concern, but in order to proceed in proper order, since we 
already have a bipartisan, bicameral working group under the leadership 
of Senator Lott dealing with a wide variety of U.N. issues, I would 
prefer that this matter be placed on their agenda and dealt with in 
that fashion, because it is interrelated to other issues with which 
that committee is dealing.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Dickey). The question is on the 
amendment offered by the gentleman from New York [Mr. Lazio].
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. PALLONE

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Pallone: At the end of title XVII 
     (relating to foreign policy provisions) insert the 
     following new section:

     ``SEC. 1717. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF 
                   AZERBAIJAN'S CASPIAN SEA PETROLEUM RESERVES.

       ``It is the sense of the Congress that--
       ``(1) the President should seek cooperation from the 
     governments of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, as well as 
     private companies with an interest in developing Azerbaijan's 
     Caspian Sea petroleum reserves, to encourage the construction 
     of a pipeline route from Azerbaijan through Armenia that 
     could reach Turkey and Mediterranean sea ports; and
       ``(2) such a route for a pipeline should in no way 
     prejudice other trans-Caucasus pipeline routes, but would 
     help to promote stability and economic growth in the Caucasus 
     region, improving relations between neighboring countries and 
     the United States.''

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Chairman, I am submitting this amendment on behalf 
of myself and my colleague, the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Radanovich].
  The amendment simply recognizes the importance to U.S. national 
interests of promoting regional cooperation between Armenia, Azerbaijan 
and Turkey. Encouraging the construction of an oil pipeline from 
Azerbaijan through Armenia to Turkish ports is a tangible way to 
support regional cooperation.
  The Caspian Sea area has been identified as one of the world's most 
abundant sources of oil. Given the need to decrease U.S. energy 
dependence on Middle Eastern oil, it makes sense for the United States 
to promote the development of this resource. Indeed, U.S. oil companies 
are already involved in this process.
  Mr. Chairman, to be a commercially viable resource, the oil has to be 
transported to world markets. The most logical way to bring the oil to 
the outside world is via an overland pipeline from the source to 
Mediterranean ports in Turkey. The most direct route would pass through 
the Republic of Armenia.
  Alternative pipeline routes have been proposed. I want to stress, Mr. 
Chairman, that this amendment would in no way prejudice these other 
routes. Indeed there are likely to be and could be other routes. 
Armenia, as a stable democratic region, would be able to safely 
maintain the stretch of pipeline stretching through its territory. In 
addition, giving the three neighboring countries a shared stake in the 
maintenance of the pipeline would improve confidence and cooperation in 
this troubled region and help provide economic benefits, I believe, to 
all of the nations and the Caucasus.
  Given the important role that the U.S. is playing in developing this 
resource, we believe it makes sense for Congress to go on record in 
support of encouraging the Azerbaijan-Armenia-Turkey pipeline route.
  As is indicated in my discussion of the previous amendment dealing 
with Armenia, the tensions in the Caucasus region frequently generate 
emotional rhetoric. We have tried very carefully, Mr. Chairman, to 
craft language that is straightforward and noncontroversial in this 
case.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 
amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone], my friend and colleague, and 
the gentleman from California [Mr. Radanovich]. I share their interest 
to see a pipeline leave the Caspian Sea region and cross the Caucasus 
and Turkey to reach the Mediterranean. The energy reserves of the 
Caspian region and of central Asia may prove vital to the U.S. and its 
allies in the course of the next few decades.
  However, it is also important for the independence of the states of 
those two regions that some of the pipelines that will be built to 
export that energy follow routes outside the control of Russia. 
Frankly, there have been too many indications that Russia has tried to 
employ its control of the existing export pipelines to place political 
pressure on the other independent states of the former Soviet Union. 
And circumstances in surrounding areas such as the conflict in 
Afghanistan and the vast distances and high mountains of China have 
made it difficult to complete new export pipelines quickly.
  Mr. Chairman, I also support this amendment because I do not want to 
see the energy-exporting countries of the Caucasus and central Asian 
regions forced to build pipelines across the territory of Iran due to 
the instability and the conflict in the Caucasus and due to the Russian 
manipulation of existing pipelines. Iran is a state sponsor of 
terrorism, and the more hard currency it makes by shipping oil and gas 
across its territory, the more the U.S. will have to guard against it. 
The answer is to build a major pipeline across Turkey to the 
Mediterranean. Perhaps such a pipeline, if it were to cross Armenia or 
Georgia, would also prove a means of ensuring stability for all of the 
countries of the Caucuses region. I support the amendment.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. It is a 
constructive

[[Page H3432]]

amendment. I commend the gentleman from New Jersey and the gentleman 
from California for offering it.
  It is in the interests of these three countries to work toward peace, 
and peace will bring economic benefits. The peaceful development of 
Caspian-based oil fields and pipelines in our judgment and in my 
judgment will benefit all parties. So I urge support for the amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone].
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. CONDIT

  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Condit:
       After division B, insert the following new divison C (and 
     conform the table of contents accordingly):

          DIVISION C--FOREIGN AID REPORTING REFORM ACT OF 1997

     SEC. 2001. SHORT TITLE.

       This division may be cited as the ``Foreign Aid Reporting 
     Reform Act of 1997''.

     SEC. 2002. ANNUAL FOREIGN ASSISTANCE JUSTIFICATION REPORT.

       (a) In General.--In conjunction with the submission of the 
     annual requests for enactment of authorizations and 
     appropriations for foreign assistance programs for each 
     fiscal year, the President shall submit to the Congress a 
     single report containing--
       (1) an integrated justification for all foreign assistance 
     programs proposed by the President for the coming fiscal 
     year; and
       (2) an assessment of when the objectives of those programs 
     will be achieved so that the assistance can be terminated.
       (b) Specific Information To Be Provided.--Each such report 
     shall include the following:
       (1) Information regarding a foreign assistance program 
     generally.--For each foreign assistance program taken as a 
     whole--
       (A) the total amount of assistance proposed to be provided 
     under that program;
       (B) the justification for that amount;
       (C) the objectives that assistance under that program is 
     intended to achieve;
       (D) an explanation of the relationship of assistance under 
     that program to assistance under other foreign assistance 
     programs; and
       (E) the President's estimation of the date by which the 
     objectives of that program will be achieved and the program 
     terminated.
       (2) Information regarding specific assistance recipients.--
     For each country or organization which is a proposed 
     recipient of assistance under any foreign assistance 
     program--
       (A) the amount of each type of assistance proposed;
       (B) the justification for providing each such type of 
     assistance;
       (C) the objectives that each such type of assistance is 
     intended to achieve;
       (D) an explanation of the relationship of each type of 
     assistance proposed to other types of assistance proposed for 
     that recipient; and
       (E) the President's estimation of the date by which the 
     objectives of assistance for such recipient under each 
     foreign assistance program will be achieved and assistance 
     under that program to that recipient terminated.

     The information required by subparagraphs (A) through (E) 
     shall be provided on a recipient-by-recipient basis.
       (3) Information regarding centrally-funded programs.--For 
     each centrally-funded program under a foreign assistance 
     program--
       (A) the amount proposed for such program;
       (B) the justification for such program;
       (C) the objectives each such program is intended to 
     achieve;
       (D) an explanation of the relationship of such program to 
     other types of assistance proposed under that foreign 
     assistance program and under other foreign assistance 
     programs; and
       (E) the President's estimation of the date by which the 
     objectives of such program will be achieved and such program 
     terminated.

     SEC. 2003. REQUIREMENT FOR CONGRESSIONAL EXPLANATION OF 
                   PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE PRESIDENT'S FOREIGN 
                   ASSISTANCE BUDGET.

       Any committee of the House of Representatives or any 
     committee of the Senate reporting legislation authorizing the 
     enactment of new budget authority for, or providing new 
     budget authority for, foreign assistance programs shall, to 
     the maximum extent feasible, include in the report 
     accompanying that legislation an explanation for any change 
     proposed by that committee--
       (1) in the total amount of new budget authority authorized 
     or provided (as the case may be) for any foreign assistance 
     program as compared to the amount proposed by the President; 
     or
       (2) in the amount of assistance for any specific recipient 
     of assistance, or for any centrally-funded program, under any 
     foreign assistance program as compared to the amount proposed 
     by the President.

     SEC. 2004. DEFINITION OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

       As used in this chapter, the term ``foreign assistance 
     program'' includes--
       (1) any program of assistance authorized by the Foreign 
     Assistance Act of 1961 (such as the development assistance 
     program, the economic support fund program, and the 
     international military education and training program) or 
     authorized by the African Development Foundation Act, section 
     401 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1969 (relating to the 
     Inter-American Development Foundation), or any other foreign 
     assistance legislation;
       (2) any program of grant, credit, or guaranty assistance 
     under the Arms Export Control Act;
       (3) assistance under the Migration and Refugee Assistance 
     Act of 1962;
       (4) assistance under any title of the Agricultural Trade 
     Development and Assistance Act of 1954;
       (5) contributions to the International Monetary Fund;
       (6) contributions to the International Bank for 
     Reconstruction and Development, the International Development 
     Association, or any other institution within the World Bank 
     group; and
       (7) contributions to any regional multilateral development 
     bank.

  Mr. CONDIT (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
California?
  There was no objection.


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, parliamentary inquiry.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The gentleman will state it.
  Mr. MENDENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, may I ask, are we still on title XVII?
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman is correct.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Chairman, this amendment requires the President to 
prepare a yearly comprehensive report justifying all foreign aid 
requests and reporting on whether the existing assistance programs are 
meeting their objectives, and when they can be terminated or graduated.
  The amendment also requires the committee of the Congress to make in 
their report a similar explanation, a comprehensive justification for 
their foreign assistance request.
  This is a pretty straightforward bill. It is about accountability 
requiring us in the House and the administration to let us know how we 
are spending our foreign aid money and whether or not we are achieving 
our objectives with those programs.
  I would in addition like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. 
Smith] for his tolerance and for allowing me the opportunity to 
introduce this amendment tonight, as well as my colleague from 
California.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 
amendment.
  I would like to congratulate the gentleman on his very fine 
amendment. The majority has looked at it very carefully. We like it. We 
think it will help the bill, so I thank him for his contribution to 
this legislation.
  Mr. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  I simply want to commend the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit] 
on an excellent amendment. This, when passed, will provide useful 
information, and I stand wholeheartedly in support of it.

                              {time}  2215

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by 
the gentleman from California Mr. Condit.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Are there any further amendments?


                   Amendment offered by Mr. Menendez

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Menendez:
       At the end of the bill add the following (and conform the 
     table of contents accordingly):

                  DIVISION C--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SEC. 2001. ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE 
                   CARIBBEAN REGION AND ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 
                   REGION.

       Of the amount made available for assistance for a fiscal 
     year under sections 103 through 106 of the Foreign Assistance 
     Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151a through 2151d), including 
     assistance under section 104(c) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 
     2151b(c)), the amount made available for activities and 
     programs in Latin America and the Caribbean region and the 
     Asia and the Pacific region should be in at least the same 
     proportion to the total amount of such assistance made 
     available as the amount identified in the congressional

[[Page H3433]]

     presentation documents for development assistance for the 
     fiscal year for each such region is to the total amount 
     requested for development assistance for the fiscal year.

  Mr. MENENDEZ (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is straightforward. It was 
adopted in the original committee bill that came before the Committee 
on Rules. This language which I seek to include was included in the 
foreign operations appropriations bill last year. It creates no 
increase in authority or money, but simply put, it is a firewall to 
protect development assistance funds for Latin America and Asia from 
being reprogrammed.
  The Asia and the Pacific region is home to 60 percent of the world's 
population and 75 percent of the world's poor. Since 1993, the Latin 
American, Caribbean, Asian, and Pacific regions have taken drastic 
funding cuts. Development assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean 
region dropped nearly in half, to half the level, which does not, I 
believe, reflect the commitment of this Congress or the government to 
the region.
  Simply because of its proximity, Latin America should always be 
considered a priority region for the United States. The political and 
economic problems of the region manifest themselves in problems which 
affect our country and our future here at home: illegal immigration, 
narcotics trafficking.
  As I listen to Members speak about the impact of immigration and 
drugs in our country, I cannot help but think our efforts to combat 
these problems at their root are insufficient. With 50 percent of Latin 
America and the Caribbean living below the poverty line, we will not 
see a decline in illegal immigration as long as the economic outlook to 
our south remains depressed.
  Similarly, we cannot expect a decline in the drug trade when the 
reality for many poor and rural farmers is that cocoa is the only crop 
by which they support and feed their families. We need to create an 
alternative. Development assistance in the context of economic 
development, agricultural development, and education works to combat 
the problems which plague the streets of America.
  Instead of fighting a war of words, we would be better served by a 
forward-looking policy toward these countries which includes enhanced 
development assistance.
  Latin America is an important economic and trade partner. Democracy 
has swept through the region. Today only one country, Cuba, remains 
outside of that hemispheric commitment to democracy and free trade. In 
view of those facts, in view that Mickey Kantor has told us when he was 
the Trade Representative that Latin American trade between the United 
States and Latin America equaled trade to the entire Pacific Rim minus 
Japan, it tells us what we should be doing.
  So if Members support business, they seek to create jobs, promote 
economic growth, if they oppose illegal immigration and narcotics 
trafficking, they should support this amendment, which again simply 
puts a firewall to protect development assistance for Latin America and 
Asia from being reprogrammed, creates no new increase in authority or 
money, but makes sure that we are engaged with an important region of 
the world.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last 
word.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to commend my friend for his amendment. I served 
as ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere for a 
couple of terms. It was very apparent that Latin America often got 
short-shrifted and did not get its fair share of developmental aid.
  In the heyday of the Nicaraguan and El Salvadoran crisis, the Contras 
and all of that, all of a sudden everybody cared about Central America. 
When that was over, it seemed a lot of people just wanted to look 
elsewhere. I think the amendment is a good step in the right direction, 
and in Asia as well. I thank the gentleman for his amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by 
the gentleman from New Jersey Mr. Menendez.
  The amendment was agreed to.


              Amendment offered by Mr. Smith of New Jersey

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Smith of New Jersey:
       Insert at the end of the bill the following new title:

  TITLE   . UNITED STATES POLICY WITH RESPECT TO FORCED ABORTION AND 
         FOREIGN ORGANIZATIONS THAT PERFORM OR PROMOTE ABORTION

     SEC.   . FOREIGN ORGANIZATIONS THAT PERFORM OR PROMOTE 
                   ABORTION.

       Section 104 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, Public 
     Law 87-195, is amended by the addition of the following 
     subsection:
       ``(h) Restriction on Assistance to Foreign Organizations 
     that Perform or Actively Promote Abortions.--
       ``(1) Performance of Abortions.--
       ``(a) Notwithstanding section 614 of this Act or any other 
     provision of law, no funds appropriated for population 
     planning activities or other population assistance may be 
     made available for any foreign private, nongovernmental, or 
     multilateral organization until the organization certifies 
     that it will not, during the period for which the funds are 
     made available, perform abortions in any foreign country, 
     except where the life of the mother would be endangered if 
     the pregnancy were carried to term or in cases of forcible 
     rape or incest.
       ``(b) Paragraph (a) may not be construed to apply to the 
     treatment of injuries or illnesses caused by legal or illegal 
     abortions or to assistance provided directly to the 
     government of a country.
       ``(2) Lobbying activities.--
       ``(a) Notwithstanding section 614 of this Act or any other 
     provision of law, no funds appropriated for population 
     planning activities or other population assistance may be 
     made available for any foreign private, nongovernmental, or 
     multilateral organization until the organization certifies 
     that it will not, during the period for which the funds are 
     made available, violate the laws of any foreign country 
     concerning the circumstances under which abortion is 
     permitted, regulated, or prohibited, or engage in any 
     activity or effort to alter the laws or governmental policies 
     of any foreign country concerning the circumstances under 
     which abortion is permitted, regulated, or prohibited.
       ``(b) Paragraph (a) shall not apply to activities in 
     opposition to coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.
       ``(3) The prohibitions of this subsection apply to funds 
     made available to a foreign organization either directly or 
     as a subcontractor or sub-grantee, and the required 
     certifications apply to activities in which the organization 
     engages either directly or through a subcontractor or sub-
     grantee.''

     SEC.   . FORCED ABORTION IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

       Section 301 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, Public 
     Law 87-195, is amended by the addition of the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(i) Limitation Relating to Forced Abortions in the 
     People's Republic of China.--Notwithstanding section 614 of 
     this Act or any other provision of law, no funds may be made 
     available for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 
     any fiscal year unless the President certifies that (1) UNFPA 
     has terminated all activities in the People's Republic of 
     China, and the United States has received assurances that 
     UNFPA will conduct no such activities during the fiscal year 
     for which the funds are to be made available; or (2) during 
     the 12 months preceding such certification there have been no 
     abortions as the result of coercion associated with the 
     family planning policies of the national government or other 
     governmental entities within the People's Republic of China. 
     As used in this section the term ``coercion'' includes 
     physical duress or abuse, destruction or confiscation of 
     property, loss of means of livelihood, or severe 
     psychological pressure.''

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask 
unanimous consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed 
in the Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do 
now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Cooksey) having assumed the chair, Mr. Dickey, Chairman pro tempore of 
the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported 
that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 
1757) to consolidate international affairs agencies, to authorize 
appropriations for the Department of State and related agencies for 
fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for other purposes, had come to no 
resolution thereon.




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