[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 125 (Monday, September 30, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1646, FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, 
                            FISCAL YEAR 2003

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                               speech of

                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 2002

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, first let me congratulate the Chairman of the 
International Relations Committee, Mr. Hyde, for successfully managing 
this important piece of legislation. For many years it has proven 
difficult to reach the stage of final congressional approval of a 
freestanding State Department authorization act, but in his first term 
as Chairman he has managed to do just that.
  I also congratulate him for including authorizations of 
appropriations for a number of accounts within the jurisdiction of the 
Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, where I serve as 
Chairman. Funding is authorized for the International Military 
Education and Training account, the Foreign Military Financing account, 
the account for nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, demining and related 
programs, and the account for Migration and Refugee Assistance. In the 
case of the last account, let me say that the Appropriations Committee 
has recommended a funding level for refugee assistance that is $95 
million above the President's request, or a total of $800 million. This 
is due in large part because of the strong interest shown by Chairman 
Hyde and the International Relations Committee in providing adequate 
funds to assist overseas refugees. This is but one example of the ways 
in which the authorization committee and the Appropriations Committee 
can work together for the public good.
  The conference report also follows the lead of the Appropriations 
Committee in authorizing an additional $200 million in anti-terrorism 
assistance for Israel, as well as authorizing on-going assistance for 
Israel and Egypt.
  However, I did not want this conference report to pass without 
expressing my strong concern about section 1224, which restricts 
assistance for Lebanon. This provision would reduce assistance for 
Lebanon by $10 million on an annual basis unless the armed forces of 
Lebanon have been deployed to the border between Israel and Lebanon, 
and unless the Government of Lebanon is effectively asserting its 
authority in that area.
  Like all Americans, I strongly condemn terrorist attacks that have 
been launched from Lebanese territory by Hizballah. If I thought this 
provision would save one life, I would strongly support it.
  However, Lebanon is currently not in control of its own destiny, and 
cannot control much of its own territory, due to the presence of a 
foreign occupying power. That power is Syria, and it is Syria that has 
tolerated and encouraged terrorism against Israel.
  The effect of this language could be to cut the Lebanon assistance 
program from $35 million to $25 million. Very little of our assistance 
is provided to the Government; the cut will primarily affect assistance 
to American educational institutions in Lebanon such as the American 
University in Beirut and the Lebanese American University. The cut will 
also adversely impact the other major American program in Lebanon, 
which promotes community development in villages and towns throughout 
that country. It is designed to empower local communities by providing 
assistance for small-scale infrastructure, such as community centers 
and water systems, and for micro-enterprise activities. It also allows 
the United States to offer social and economic benefits to impoverished 
Lebanese citizens, rather than forcing them to rely on the social 
services that terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hizballah may 
offer. In that sense, the provision is counterproductive and will have 
precisely the opposite effect of that intended by its author.
  I hope we can revisit this issue very soon. If we don't, I think we 
will all regret the fact that this conference report will have 
diminished the ability of the United States to contribute to a positive 
future for the people of Lebanon.




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