[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 115 (Thursday, September 4, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1656-E1657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CAMPBELL AMENDMENT TO H.R. 2159

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                               speech of

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 3, 1997

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Campbell-Payne 
amendment.
  This amendment is very timely in that it seems fashionable today to 
cut the Africa accounts by any amount necessary. Last year the African 
Development Fund received $40 million--which is low compared to the 
previous years.
  Today, the President allocated $50 million for the fund and it is now 
being cut by $25 million, which represents a 50 percent cut. The fund 
is the largest source of capital for the 39 poorest African countries 
outside the World Bank.
  It uses a grassroots approach and it is unique within the development 
community in Africa. All of the fund's grants are made with indigenous, 
nongovernmental organizations, in response to African-defined problems 
and proposals.
  It is also the largest co-financing partner for IDA in Africa and it 
reaches many levels of African society that other development banks do 
not, including IDA. Let me just say that it costs the fund a small 
amount to operate a country office in Africa. In fact, the fund's whole 
country operation costs less than half of what a single expatriate 
costs a bilateral or multilateral donor organization.
  As I stated earlier, the administration requested $50 million for 
fiscal year 1998. $50 million is a small amount of money considering 
that we spent $2.2 billion on 20 B-2 bombers. For $1 billion it will 
ultimately cost for additional B-2 bombers, we could: immunize all 
children in developing countries, immunize children, support family 
planning, end malnutrition, illiteracy and help emerging democracies. 
The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the use of 
ballistic weapons is no longer a viable solution to solve our foreign 
policy problems.
  Yet we can do the minimal amount for the less developed countries of 
Africa. This year the fund will lend 4 times more than USAid which 
takes the strain out of this organization. It supports poverty 
reduction, agriculture sector production, basic education, health and 
economic reform.
  As a member of the Subcommittee on Africa, let me just say that we 
should stop thrashing the African accounts. It is unfair and 
discriminates against the less fortunate.
  In 1996, the fund increased its net income to $150 million and that 
same year, the fund's procurement resulted in $170 million in contracts 
for American business, a 100 percent increase over last year's figures. 
As you know, any reduction impacts heavily on the lives of millions of 
vulnerable Africans every day.
  The tools of U.S. foreign assistance is needed to maintain our 
leadership around the world. Every President, Democrat or Republican, 
needs sufficient resources to carry out critical foreign policy 
objectives. These resources are even more essential today in the post-
cold-war era as threats to U.S. interests are more closely linked to 
political and economic stability and regional conflicts.

[[Page E1657]]

  We can see where it has helped there has been sweeping change in the 
Congo, Liberia, and Kenya. These and other cuts to the African accounts 
have put our Nation's global leadership role at risk. Today Japan, and 
the European countries provided more aid and support than the United 
States has done in the last 2 years combined.
  Restore the small amount of money to the African Development Fund. It 
will ultimately save money and lives. We have a moral responsibility to 
do so.
  This is right for America!

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