[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 32 (Wednesday, March 16, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HOUSE DEMOCRACY ASSISTANCE COMMISSION RESOLUTION

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                               speech of

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 14, 2005

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation. We 
have absolutely no constitutional authority to establish a commission 
to ``assist'' parliaments throughout the world. Despite all the high-
sounding rhetoric surrounding this legislation, we should not fool 
ourselves. This is nothing more than yet another scheme to funnel 
United States tax dollars to foreign governments. It is an 
international welfare scheme and an open door to more U.S. meddling in 
the internal affairs of foreign countries.
  How can we tell an American family struggling to pay its bills that 
it must pay more taxes so a foreign parliament can purchase fancy 
plasma screen televisions, or the latest computer equipment, or ultra-
modern communications equipment? Can anyone here justify this?
  Mr. Speaker, this bill will do more than just take money from 
Americans. This commission will enable members of Congress and 
congressional staff employees to travel the world meddling in the 
affairs of foreign governing bodies. It is counterproductive to tell 
other nations how they should govern themselves, as even if we come 
loaded with dollars to hand out, our meddling is always resented by the 
local population--just as we would resent a foreign government telling 
us how to govern ourselves. Don't we have enough of our own problems to 
solve without going abroad in search of foreign parliaments to aid?
  I urge my colleagues to reject this wasteful and counterproductive 
scheme.

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