[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 100 (Thursday, July 21, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1572-E1573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 2006 AND 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 20, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill. (H.R. 2601) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Department of State for 
     fiscal years 2006 and 2007, and for other purposes:

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, yesterday I voted in favor of 
H.R. 2601 which authorizes multilateral aid for the Department of 
State, the primary diplomatic arm of our government. It is more 
important than ever that we resolve international conflicts through 
persuasion and negotiation where it is possible, and I believe this 
bill, on balance, strengthens our ability to pursue that strategy. I am 
also pleased that this bill takes much needed steps to dismantle global 
nuclear

[[Page E1573]]

black-market supplier networks, which pose a very real threat to our 
national security.
  That being said, I remain concerned about several ill-conceived 
amendments that were approved by this body. One such amendment attached 
the United Nations Reform Act, legislation which would almost certainly 
force the United States to withhold 50 percent of the dues owed the 
U.N. because the measure's reform benchmarks are simply not achievable 
within the required timeframe. Even the Bush administration opposes 
this bill on the grounds that it would handicap our ability to work 
with other countries to make the U.N. a stronger and more effective 
organization. I voted against the United Nations Reform Act when it was 
brought before the full House as a standalone measure last month, and 
again when it was offered as an amendment yesterday.
  I am also disappointed that my colleagues voted to approve an 
amendment that removes contraception from the fistula-prevention 
section of the bill. Fistula is a devastating injury that occurs when a 
woman suffers prolonged, obstructed labor. Very often, this befalls 
young girls living in impoverished, underdeveloped countries where 
birth control is unavailable and basic medical treatment doesn't exist. 
One of the best ways to prevent fistula is to prevent pregnancies from 
occurring to begin with. That's why H.R. 2601 included a bipartisan 
fistula prevention section which would, among other things, expand the 
use of contraception in countries where this injury is prevalent. 
Unfortunately, this body approved an amendment cutting contraception 
from this section of the bill, thereby weakening good faith efforts to 
prevent this terrible condition.
  Mr. Chairman, although I have concerns about both of these 
amendments, I am hopefully optimistic that they will be removed when a 
House-Senate conference convenes later this year.

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