[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H6321-H6322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the 
opportunity to be here tonight, and I want to especially thank my good 
friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), the chairman of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, as well as the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Payne) for bringing us together tonight to talk about Africa.
  The United States' focus on Africa has been sporadic at best, despite 
our extensive ties to the continent. I strongly believe that our past, 
present, and future is closely intertwined with Africa.

                              {time}  1945

  The United States is the leading foreign investor in Africa. Last 
year the total U.S.-African trade approached $30 billion, and America 
is Africa's largest single market. Over 30,000 Africans study in 
America today, and we have almost 35 million citizens of African 
descent.
  Mr. Speaker, it is estimated that about 200 million people in Africa 
are chronically hungry. At least 25 percent of the world's 
undernourished people live in this region. Millions of Africans, mostly 
children under the age of 6, die every year as a result of hunger. 
Since becoming a Member of Congress, I have visited Africa a dozen or 
more times and have seen both the continent's problems and its promise. 
From Zimbabwe to Kenya, Gambia to Cape Town, I have been both saddened 
and inspired.
  Just 2 weeks ago, I met with the Gambian President, A.J.J. Jammeh, in 
my office, and we spoke about how our nations can work together to 
promote economic reform, end conflicts, and build sustainable peace. We 
also discussed our partnership against crime and terror, which know no 
borders. I welcome the President's courage and farsightedness in 
supporting the democratic institutions and accountable government. 
There is an opportunity to build a true partnership between the United 
States and Africa, to leave behind the attitudes and habits of the past 
and seize opportunities to work together to achieve our shared goals.
  I pledge to work to return American assistance to Africa to its past 
high levels. I join my Congressional Black Caucus colleagues in making 
the case to the American people that Africa's peace and well-being are 
closely bound to our national interests, whether fighting crime and 
terrorism or promoting exports and trade. The fight against poverty and 
underdevelopment is a critical part of our struggle of democracy and 
stability in Africa.
  I am a passionate believer in the power of biotechnology to boost 
food production and fight hunger in this developing world. I know that 
the African continent is in special need of agricultural biotechnology, 
including transgenic crops. I believe that biotechnology is an 
indispensable tool that can produce dramatic benefits in food 
production on the African continent.
  Biotechnology research has the potential to help the nations of 
Africa increase food security and improve the quality and nutritional 
content of food. Additionally, biotechnology can also improve the 
health of citizens of developing African countries by combating 
illness. Substantial progress has been made in the developed world on 
vaccines against life-threatening illnesses. Unfortunately, 
infrastructure limitations often hinder the effectiveness of 
traditional vaccinations methods in several developing nations.
  For example, African clinics sometimes lack the electricity necessary 
to properly refrigerate and store vital vaccines. Even if a health 
clinic is able to effectively deliver the vaccines, the cost of 
multiple needles may hinder vaccination efforts. Additionally, the 
improper use of hypodermic needles can spread HIV, the virus that 
causes AIDS. Biotechnology offers the prospect of orally delivering 
vaccines to

[[Page H6322]]

immunize against life-threatening illnesses through agricultural 
products in a safe and effective manner.
  Mr. Speaker, during the 107th Congress we successfully created a 
competitive merit-based grant program at the National Science 
Foundation to conduct bio genome research on crops that can be grown in 
developing countries. I strongly believe this program can make 
invaluable contributions to the fight against hunger, malnutrition, and 
disease by providing research grants to the U.S. institutions and 
scientists in developing countries to address their agricultural 
challenges.
  It is my hope that trade disputes between the United States and the 
European Union and the African countries do not prevent this promising 
technology from benefiting ordinary Africans who face ongoing food 
shortages due to agricultural challenges such as pest, drought, and 
disease. Indeed, the continent may be able to reduce dependency on food 
aid and increase self-sufficiency through increased investment in 
generic engineering.
  We cannot hope to combat poverty without winning the war on HIV/AIDS. 
The HIV/AIDS epidemic has killed more people than all of the wars of 
this century combined, and it will leave 40 million children homeless 
and orphaned by the end of the next decade. The way to beat AIDS is not 
to ignore or deny it, but to actively prevent it. Countries such as 
Uganda and Senegal that have faced the threat squarely have begun to 
see reductions in their infection rates.
  However, in order for these reforms to take place, Africa must have 
sustainable stability and peace. I have said repeatedly that our 
involvement in peacemaking in Afghanistan and Iraq, East Timor and 
elsewhere around the world is not an excuse for inaction in Africa. It 
is a challenge to do better. Crises in Congo, Liberia, or Sudan are 
serious roadblocks to the way of Africa's development, and ending them 
will be crucial to securing long-lasting prosperity.
  One of the areas where the international community must improve is in 
developing the resources of our African partners--so that we can move 
together, quickly and effectively, to prevent and respond to crises.
  Mr. Speaker, there is an Arab proverb that says, ``He who drinks of 
African waters will drink again.'' Africa is too big to ignore, and too 
rich and too important to be the object of our pity. Africa matters. We 
will drink, and drink again.
  Africans will determine their own fate, but our help can make a 
difference. Our support for democracy, conflict resolution, market 
reform and sustainable development--these policies serve our national 
interest and help give Africa hope.

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