[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 136 (Wednesday, November 24, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4818, CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, November 20, 2004

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 4818 and salute 
Chairman Kolbe and Ranking Member Lowey in their efforts to bring this 
important measure forward.
  Mr. Speaker, the foreign operations bill is a critical funding 
measure that allows the United States to engage and uplift the world's 
poorest citizens. The United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID), the Department of State, the Department of 
Agriculture and now the established Millennium Challenge Corporation, 
should be proud of the work they do in partnership with American 
charitable organizations and various national governments around the 
globe to alleviate poverty and ease hardship. USAID effectively 
partners with several organizations based in Connecticut's Fourth 
Congressional District such as TechnoServe based in Norwalk, Save the 
Children, based in Westport and AmeriCares, based in Stamford.
  TechnoServe's mission is quite simple; it provides hardworking men 
and women in the developing world with the tools and the means to 
participate in and benefit from the global economy. In partnership with 
USAID, the Department of State, USDA and some of the world's most 
respected corporations, TechnoServe is helping entrepreneurs build 
businesses that create real economic growth.
  TechnoServe helps entrepreneurs build solid businesses that produce 
quality products for local, regional and international markets. These 
businesses provide jobs and raise incomes especially in the 
agricultural sectors of rural communities.
  I am also grateful to have Save the Children headquartered in the 
Fourth Congressional district. Save the Children works tirelessly to 
provide hope to children in need across the world. The organization's 
ambitious mission calls its workers to service in the areas of 
education, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, women and children's 
health, economic development, combating hunger, and assisting refugees. 
Save the Children also produces excellent reports, which my staff and I 
use to better assess living conditions for women and children across 
the globe.
  I am also grateful for the important work of AmeriCares, which 
provides disaster relief, humanitarian aid and is equipped to 
immediately respond to emergency medical needs for people all around 
the world. AmeriCares solicits donations of medicines and other relief 
materials from U.S. and international manufacturers and delivers them 
quickly and efficiently to indigenous health care and welfare 
professionals around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, the foreign operations bill is a vital funding component 
of our presence in the developing world and a bill that will truly save 
lives and build hope for the future. I salute those in the United 
States government who are involved in humanitarian and development 
activities and am grateful for the opportunity to highlight the work of 
organization's like TechnoServe, Save the Children and AmeriCares as 
this measure moves to final passage.

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