[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 7 (Tuesday, February 5, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S351]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 204--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE 
IMPORTANCE OF UNITED STATES FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AS A DIPLOMATIC 
TOOL FOR FIGHTING GLOBAL TERRORISM AND PROMOTING UNITED STATES SECURITY 
                               INTERESTS

  Mr. DeWINE (for himself, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Lott, 
Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Sarbanes, and Mr. Bingaman) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 204

       Whereas the international community faces a continuing 
     epidemic of ethnic, sectarian, and criminal violence;
       Whereas poverty, hunger, political uncertainty, and social 
     instability are the principal causes of violence and conflict 
     around the world;
       Whereas broad-based, equitable economic growth and 
     agriculture development facilitates political stability, food 
     security, democracy, and rule of law;
       Whereas democratic governments are more likely to advocate 
     and observe international laws, protect civil and human 
     rights, pursue free market economies, and avoid external 
     conflicts;
       Whereas the United States Agency for International 
     Development has provided critical democracy and governance 
     assistance to a majority of the nations that successfully 
     made the transition to democratic governments during the past 
     two decades;
       Whereas 43 of the top 50 consumer nations of American 
     agricultural products were once United States foreign aid 
     recipients;
       Whereas in the past 50 years, infant child death rates in 
     the developing world have been reduced by 50 percent, and 
     health conditions around the world have improved more during 
     this period than in any other period;
       Whereas the United States Agency for International 
     Development child survival programs have significantly 
     contributed to a 10 percent reduction in infant mortality 
     rates worldwide in just the past eight years;
       Whereas investments by the United States and other donors 
     in better seeds and agricultural techniques over the past two 
     decades have helped make it possible to feed an additional 
     1,000,000,000 people in the world;
       Whereas, despite this progress approximately 1,200,000,000 
     people, one-quarter of the world's population, live on less 
     than $1 per day, and approximately 3,000,000,000 people live 
     on only $2 per day;
       Whereas 95 percent of new births occur in developing 
     countries, including the world's poorest countries; and
       Whereas only one-half of one percent of the Federal budget 
     is dedicated to international economic and humanitarian 
     assistance: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) United States foreign assistance programs should play 
     an increased role in the global fight against terrorism to 
     complement the national security objectives of the United 
     States;
       (2) the United States should lead coordinated international 
     efforts to provide increased financial assistance to 
     countries with impoverished and disadvantaged populations 
     that are the breeding grounds for terrorism;
       (3) consistent with United States foreign policy, economic 
     incentives should be used to end state support or tolerance 
     of terrorism; and
       (4) the United States Agency for International Development 
     and the Department of Agriculture should substantially 
     increase humanitarian, economic development, and agricultural 
     assistance to foster international peace and stability, and 
     the promotion of human rights.

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