[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 125 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1768]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1768]]
    IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 565 OF THE FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT 
        FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SONNY CALLAHAN

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 18, 1998

  Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday during consideration on the 
floor of H.R. 4569, I had prepared a statement regarding implementation 
of section 565 of that bill, ``Limitation on Assistance to Security 
Forces''. That portion of my statement was inadvertently left out of 
the Congressional Record, and I would like to repeat what I intended to 
say yesterday as manager of that legislation.
  Some problems have developed in the implementation of section 565 
regarding assistance to the security units of foreign countries. 
Concerns have been expressed that the State Department has taken far 
too long to respond to inquiries as to whether there is credible 
evidence that a unit of a foreign security force has committed gross 
violations of human rights, or whether the government of such country 
is taking effective measures to bring the responsible members of the 
security forces unit to justice.
  Especially for the purchase of goods and services financed by our 
international credit agencies, it is important that the Department 
expedite such reviews. In my view, if within a reasonable period of 
time, such as 60 days, the State Department cannot issue an opinion, 
funds should be released for such purposes. This provision is intended 
as a guide to reason and not as an excuse to unnecessarily delay the 
provision of funds to accomplish important foreign policy and export 
financing goals.

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