[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H1009-H1025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE, THE GLOBAL WAR
ON TERROR, AND HURRICANE RECOVERY, 2006
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kuhl of New York). Pursuant to House
Resolution 725, and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the further
consideration of the bill, H.R. 4939.
{time} 1820
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union for the further consideration of
the bill (H.R. 4939) making emergency supplemental appropriations for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes, with
Mr. Gingrey (Acting Chairman) in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. When the Committee of the Whole rose earlier
today, the amendment offered by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr.
Gilchrest) had been disposed of and the bill had been read through page
2, line 18.
The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
CHAPTER 2
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--MILITARY
MILITARY PERSONNEL
Military Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'',
$6,506,223,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'',
$1,061,724,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $834,122,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air
Force'', $1,145,363,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, I rise for the purpose of a colloquy with Chairman
Wolf.
I understood that the Justice Department is working on a plan to
distribute $125 million in emergency funds that were provided in the
last hurricane supplemental bill for State and local law enforcement.
Yesterday, in our Appropriations subcommittee hearing, I asked the
Attorney General what portion of the funds Texas would receive. The
Attorney General told me, ``The law requires us to consult with both
House and Senate appropriations, and that is ongoing. Believe me, the
last thing I want to do is to victimize the victims again, victimize
the States who stepped in and bore the brunt of these terrible
tragedies.''
Texans did exactly that. Our citizens stepped in and bore the brunt
of these terrible tragedies directly with the fallout from Hurricane
Rita and indirectly by taking in hundreds of thousands of evacuees.
The Attorney General should deliver to the committee a plan that
includes the needs of law enforcement agencies in Texas. Do you agree,
Chairman Wolf?
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
[[Page H1010]]
Mr. DeLAY. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. WOLF. I do agree. Texans stepped up and helped out in a
tremendous way. I hope the Attorney General will work quickly to
deliver a plan that meets the gentleman's concerns.
Mr. DeLAY. I appreciate the chairman's attention on this matter.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number
of words.
Mr. Chairman, all of us have images embedded in our mind about the
devastation coming from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. We are
finding out even today that hurricanes are not the only way that Mother
Nature can cause destruction.
In my district, wildfires are raging. It is estimated that, since
Sunday, approximately 850,000 acres have been consumed by wildfires. It
is estimated by the governor's office that, in the last 3 months or so,
approximately 3.7 million acres in Texas have been burned by wildfires.
For my colleagues' benefit, that is bigger than the size of
Connecticut. Approximately 2 percent of the land mass in Texas has been
burned in these fires just in the last 3 months.
In the fires that are going on now, it is estimated that 10,000 to
12,000 head of cattle have been destroyed because of these fires.
Obviously, this devastation is continuing. It is not possible in this
bill to take action to have some sort of disaster relief, but I know
all of my colleagues are concerned about disasters, whatever the cause
may be.
I am particularly grateful to the subcommittee chairman, the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla), for his concern and consideration
in looking at ways, as this bill moves forward, when perhaps we can
look at ways to assist those who are devastated by what may well be the
fires of the century.
Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. THORNBERRY. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Thornberry makes absolutely clear that
this is a situation we need to deal with. While there are tragedies
that continue in the gulf states and much of the money being debated in
this appropriations bill is going for a much-needed cause, the people
in Texas that have been affected by these fires are not getting the
attention that others are getting and have been getting now for many,
many months.
This has been going on for so many days and weeks with no end in
sight. I want to assure Mr. Thornberry this is only the beginning in
this process. While he is one of the great leaders in this effort to
try to provide some relief for many of our producers that have been
affected, the entire delegation from our State is working hard on this.
I commit to the gentleman that we will work diligently to try to remedy
this and to provide some assistance for these producers that have been
affected.
Mr. THORNBERRY. I thank the subcommittee chairman.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. THORNBERRY. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, first let me say that I very
much appreciate Mr. Thornberry bringing this matter to my attention.
As the gentleman and I discussed earlier, the territory we are
talking about in Texas is just about the size of my district, in which
you can put five eastern States. That is a huge territory.
I have been watching the problem with real interest, and there is no
question that the House and our committee need to be responsive. We
will do everything we can to work with you.
Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentlemen working on
this.
If I can emphasize one thing, it is hard for the pictures to convey
the magnitude of this disaster. When you have more than 3.5 million
acres that are devastated, 12,000 head of cattle, it is a disaster of
enormous proportions, and I appreciate very much the willingness of the
distinguished chairman and other Members to work to help mitigate the
effects of this disaster when it is completed.
{time} 1830
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, I am being asked every two seconds by Members, what is
the story about tonight. Let me simply suggest, and ask the gentleman
from California if he concurs. It is my understanding that what we are
trying to do is to put together a unanimous consent agreement under
which we would be able to complete our business of debating all of the
pending amendments within about another 11 hours. That assumes that we
can get that UC agreement. If we can't, the debate could go on far
longer. We don't quite have that UC agreement worked out yet, but we
are trying to. And what we are hoping to do is to proceed with a number
of amendments, the Millender-McDonald, Souder, Engel, Shays, Hyde,
Burton, Capuano, Salazar, Doggett, Hinojosa, Melancon, Jefferson,
Reyes, Jackson-Lee, and Tierney/Leach. We are trying to get at least
that far tonight. We don't know if we can. I would ask the gentleman if
he has any disagreement with what I just said.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Well, I appreciate the gentleman yielding.
And he said it very well. We are putting together a unanimous consent
agreement that will package these amendments to protect the rights of
those Members who filed amendments. We are trying to expedite the
process so we can complete this work tomorrow. In the meantime there
are amendments that are going forward. And with that, I very much
appreciate the gentleman's cooperation.
Mr. OBEY. And I would simply say, my understanding is if we can reach
this UC agreement, there will be no further votes tonight.
Mr. LEWIS of California. That is right. I anticipate that we will,
and I am hopeful that that is the case. Under those circumstances, we
will have no more votes tonight.
Mr. OBEY. It is also my understanding that afterwards, there is an
intention to have the Energy and Commerce Committee also bring up a
matter relating to the Low Income Heating Assistance Program.
Mr. LEWIS of California. At the end of this part of the process, that
is right. We will go to Energy and Commerce.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
(Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise, and I will be very brief, in support
of the gentlewoman, the ranking Democrat on the House Administration
Committee, which has jurisdiction over elections, who I understand will
be offering an amendment which I offered in committee dealing with the
challenges to the five-state region struck by Katrina and by Rita as it
relates to the administration of elections.
As we know, New Orleans has an election coming up within the next 30
days. Other jurisdictions have elections. I tried to offer $5 million
in the committee through the EAC. I want to say that the gentlewoman, I
appreciate her leadership on this issue. I support her amendment. I
hope it is made in order. I hope it is not objected to. And I hope that
we can see it adopted.
I want to tell the gentlewoman as well that Mr. Knollenberg and I
have been discussing this, because FEMA has said that they cannot
spend, under the Stafford Act, certain expenditures which are required
to administer the elections, particularly in New Orleans, because that
is upon us, but in other jurisdictions as well. They did pay for the
loss of machines. They did pay for the loss of ballot boxes and other
paraphernalia necessary, but they have said under the Stafford Act they
cannot pay for the election expenses in either Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana. The gentlewoman's amendment speaks to that and I would
certainly be in support of it.
Mr. Chairman, I plan to vote for the emergency supplemental
appropriations bill that we are considering today.
H.R. 4939 will pay for supplies and materiel that our forces in Iraq
and Afghanistan desperately need to carry out their mission.
The supplemental will also provide much needed resources to Gulf-Area
States that were ravaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
However, this bill is not perfect.
I am disappointed that the appropriations committee did not address a
problem that has come to light in recent weeks with respect to voting
in States that suffered the brunt of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
On August 29, 2005, residents in Gulf Coast States endured one of the
most devastating
[[Page H1011]]
natural disasters in our nation's history. Tens of thousands of voters
were displaced.
One month later, hurricane Rita caused additional widespread damage
to voting infrastructure in Gulf-Area States.
An extraordinary amount of the Gulf region's election
infrastructure--voting machines, polling places, and voting materials--
were destroyed or severely damaged by the destruction wrought by
hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
In Louisiana alone, over 250 polling places in the State's coastal
parishes were destroyed.
To make matters worse, tens of thousands of people were forced to
temporarily resettle in cities and towns throughout the United States
while their communities are rebuilt.
Many if not most of these displaced people have every intention of
returning to their communities as soon as conditions allow.
In the meantime, they are determined to maintain as many ties to
their communities as they can.
Understandably, they would like to participate in elections that will
be held this year in their communities.
Unfortunately, FEMA has proven ineffective at delivering assistance
to election officials in hurricane-stricken States who are busy
mounting what may be the most extensive and expensive voter outreach,
education, and absentee voting program in the Nation's history.
According to FEMA's narrow reading of the ``Robert T. Stafford Act,''
the agency is only empowered to make reimbursements to States to
replace destroyed voting machines, but not for outreach to displaced
voters.
In other words, FEMA can pay to replace damaged or destroyed voting
machines, but it cannot pay to help States plan and execute the voter
outreach and voter absentee programs that will be crucial to
maintaining electoral continuity in 2006.
As a consequence, of the roughly $3.8 million in claims that the
State of Louisiana has so far submitted for reimbursement, for example,
only $1.2 million have been approved by FEMA.
During markup of this bill last week, I offered an amendment that
would have provided funds to the election assistance commission to help
States pay for the entire range of activities that are crucial to
running fair, accurate, and secure elections in 2006.
I regret that my amendment was not accepted, and I regret that the
bill before us today does not include a provision specifying that under
the Stafford Act FEMA is authorized to reimburse States for a wider
range of election activities than the agency insists.
Let me be clear: I do not blame this omission on partisanship because
there is nothing partisan about the issue.
Democratic, Republican, and Independent voters in the Gulf States all
endured last year's trauma.
However, I am very pleased that Chairman Knollenberg recognizes the
significance of this issue and has agreed to work to address it in
conference.
In the days ahead, I look forward to working with Chairman
Knollenberg and his staff to ensure FEMA has the necessary authorities
to reimburse the hurricane-stricken States for a much wider range of
essential election activities than FEMA claims it has under current
law.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Gingrey). The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Reserve Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Army'',
$166,070,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Navy'',
$110,412,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $10,327,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Air
Force'', $1,940,000: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Guard Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Army'', $96,000,000: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Guard Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Air Force'', $1,200,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Operation and Maintenance, Army
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army'', $18,380,310,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Navy
(including transfer of funds)
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy'', $2,793,600,000: Provided, That up to $75,020,000
shall be available for the Department of Homeland Security,
``United States Coast Guard, Operating Expenses'': Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps'', $1,722,911,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $5,328,869,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Defense-Wide'', $3,259,929,000, of which--
(1) not to exceed $25,000,000 may be used for the Combatant
Commander Initiative Fund, to be used in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;
(2) not to exceed $10,000,000 can be used for emergencies
and extraordinary expenses, to be expended on the approval or
authority of the Secretary of Defense, and payments may be
made on his certificate of necessity for confidential
military purposes;
(3) not to exceed $1,200,000,000 to remain available until
expended, may be used for payments to reimburse Pakistan,
Jordan, and other key cooperating nations, for logistical,
military, and other support provided, or to be provided, to
United States military operations, notwithstanding any other
provision of law: Provided, That such payments may be made in
such amounts as the Secretary of Defense, with the
concurrence of the Secretary of State, and in consultation
with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, may
determine, in his discretion, based on documentation
determined by the Secretary of Defense to adequately account
for the support provided, and such determination is final and
conclusive upon the accounting officers of the United States,
and 15 days following notification to the appropriate
congressional committees: Provided further, That the
Secretary of Defense shall provide quarterly reports to the
congressional defense committees on the use of funds provided
in this paragraph; and
(4) not to exceed $44,500,000 for Cooperative Threat
Reduction
: Provided further, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army Reserve'', $100,100,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy Reserve'', $236,509,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps Reserve'', $55,675,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force Reserve'', $18,563,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an
[[Page H1012]]
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army National Guard'', $178,600,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air National Guard'', $30,400,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Afghanistan Security Forces Fund
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
For the ``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'',
$1,851,833,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary
of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for
the purpose of allowing the Commander, Office of Security
Cooperation--Afghanistan, or the Secretary's designee, to
provide assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State, to the security forces of Afghanistan, including the
provision of equipment, supplies, services, training,
facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, and
construction, and funding: Provided further, That the
authority to provide assistance under this heading is in
addition to any other authority to provide assistance to
foreign nations: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Defense may transfer such funds to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; Overseas
Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid; procurement; research,
development, test and evaluation; and defense working capital
funds to accomplish the purposes provided herein: Provided
further, That this transfer authority is in addition to any
other transfer authority available to the Department of
Defense: Provided further, That upon a determination that all
or part of the funds so transferred from this appropriation
are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such
amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation:
Provided further, That contributions of funds for the
purposes provided herein from any person, foreign government,
or international organization may be credited to this Fund,
and used for such purposes: Provided further, That the
Secretary shall notify the congressional defense committees
in writing upon the receipt and upon the transfer of any
contribution delineating the sources and amounts of the funds
received and the specific use of such contributions: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than
five days prior to making transfers from this appropriation
account, notify the congressional defense committees in
writing of the details of any such transfer: Provided
further, That the Secretary shall submit a report no later
than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter to the
congressional defense committees summarizing the details of
the transfer of funds from this appropriation: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Iraq Security Forces Fund
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
For the ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'', $3,007,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That
such funds shall be available to the Secretary of Defense,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose
of allowing the Commander, Multi-National Security Transition
Command--Iraq, or the Secretary's designee, to provide
assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State,
to the security forces of Iraq, including the provision of
equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and
infrastructure repair, renovation, and construction, and
funding: Provided further, That the authority to provide
assistance under this heading is in addition to any other
authority to provide assistance to foreign nations: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense may transfer such
funds to appropriations for military personnel; operation and
maintenance; Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid;
procurement; research, development, test and evaluation; and
defense working capital funds to accomplish the purposes
provided herein: Provided further, That this transfer
authority is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That upon a determination that all or part of the funds so
transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the
purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred
back to this appropriation: Provided further, That
contributions of funds for the purposes provided herein from
any person, foreign government, or international organization
may be credited to this Fund, and used for such purposes:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify the
congressional defense committees in writing upon the receipt
and upon the transfer of any contribution delineating the
sources and amounts of the funds received and the specific
use of such contributions: Provided further, That the
Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than five days prior to
making transfers from this appropriation account, notify the
congressional defense committees in writing of the details of
any such transfer: Provided further, That the Secretary shall
submit a report no later than 30 days after the end of each
fiscal quarter to the congressional defense committees
summarizing the details of the transfer of funds from this
appropriation: Provided further, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
PROCUREMENT
Aircraft Procurement, Army
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Army'', $533,200,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Missile Procurement, Army
For an additional amount for ``Missile Procurement, Army'',
$203,300,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Weapons and
Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army'', $1,983,351,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Procurement of Ammunition, Army
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Army'', $829,679,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Army
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'',
$7,528,657,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Aircraft Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Navy'', $293,980,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Weapons Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Weapons Procurement, Navy'',
$90,800,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Navy and Marine Corps'', $330,996,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'',
$111,719,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Marine Corps'',
$3,260,582,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Aircraft Procurement, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air
Force'', $663,595,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Air Force'', $29,047,000,
[[Page H1013]]
to remain available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Air
Force'', $1,489,192,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'',
$331,353,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Army'', $424,177,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Navy'', $126,845,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Air Force'', $305,110,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'', $145,921,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS
Defense Working Capital Funds
For an additional amount for ``Defense Working Capital
Funds'', $502,700,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS
Defense Health Program
For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'',
$1,153,562,000 for operation and maintenance: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Amendment Offered by Ms. Millender-McDonald
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Ms. Millender-McDonald:
In chapter 2 of title I, in the item relating to ``Defense
Health Program'', insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(reduced by $20,000,000) (increased by
$20,000,000)''.
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, my amendment addresses one of
the most critical needs facing our men and women returning home from
Iraq and Afghanistan, and that is accessible and reliable prosthetic
and orthotic care for our veterans.
Like no war before, the war in Iraq has seen unprecedented numbers of
injuries due to surprise bomb attacks.
And like no other war before, troops are often surviving those
attacks, though many of them lose limbs. This bill creates new demands
and challenges for our health care system that we must provide for our
returning men and women. In addition, 20 percent of our practitioners
will be retiring over the next 10 to 20 years, a further need for
training.
My amendment today provides $20 million to expand the U.S. training
capacity for prosthetics and orthotics to the U.S. schools accredited
by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education.
This expansion will dramatically improve services for the Nation's
military amputees and orthopedically disabled returning from the
current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The need to provide more orthotic and prosthetic practitioners is
compelling. The demand for orthotic and prosthetic provider services is
expected to increase by 25 percent for orthotic care and 47 percent for
prosthetic care by 2020. At present, only 200 to 225 new practitioners
are trained each year in the United States.
On a broader scale, my amendment is an excellent investment in a
health field that will continue to grow. For example, over 1.2 million
individuals live with limb loss/absence in the United States.
Annually, physicians perform over 185,000 amputations in the United
States at about 507 a day. The number of amputations is expected to
rise due to devastating complications of diabetes. The growing need for
rehabilitation practitioners well trained in the various disciplines of
rehabilitation will continue to be a growing trend.
Finally, this funding will be an investment in our veterans hospitals
across the country.
I ask, Mr. Chairman, that my colleagues support this important
amendment.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, I rise as Chairman of the Military Quality of Life
Subcommittee on Appropriations within whose responsibility this
amendment lies, to thank the gentlewoman for offering this amendment.
This is a very important issue. And there is definitely a need for
future training in prosthetics to meet the needs of our wounded
veterans, and indeed, some of our active duty service people.
The only concern I have is that this would take $20 million out of
the defense health budget and move it basically to training. Now, this
is a very perspective, thoughtful idea. It needs to be done. And the
only concern is the current needs of the defense health budget. But I
am prepared, Mr. Chairman, to accept this amendment, to move forward,
and as we come to conference, if there is any need to reassess, we
would do that. But in the spirit in which it is offered, I am prepared
to accept the amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald.)
The amendment was agreed to.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
For an additional amount for ``Drug Interdiction and
Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', $156,800,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That these funds may be
used only for such activities related to Afghanistan and the
Central Asia area: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Defense may transfer such funds only to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement;
and research, development, test and evaluation: Provided
further, That the funds transferred shall be merged with and
be available for the same purposes and for the same time
period as the appropriation to which transferred: Provided
further, That the transfer authority provided in this
paragraph is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That upon a determination that all or part of the funds
transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the
purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred
back to this appropriation: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Souder
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 1 offered by Mr. Souder:
In the item relating to ``Drug Interdiction and Counter-
Drug Activities, Defense'', after the dollar amount, insert
the following: ``(reduced by $25,000,000)''.
In the item relating to ``International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement'', after the dollar amount, insert the following:
``(increased by $25,000,000)''.
[[Page H1014]]
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Chairman, my intention is to withdraw this amendment.
But I want to express my frustration at actually a combination of
issues but particularly related to Colombia; that I have been a strong
advocate that the military has been slow in responding in Afghanistan
to the interrelationship to the heroin problem in Afghanistan into the
military efforts, and will be there again next week to meet on the
ground to see how we are progressing. And I have grave concerns that
the DOD money that is being spent in Afghanistan is not being spent as
wisely as I would like. Nevertheless, I am happy that the Defense
Department is starting to understand the link between what is being
done in narcotics and the heroin funding the attacks on our troops and
men and women in our armed services there.
{time} 1845
We have a grave problem down in the eastern Pacific, and that is, we
have spent this money in the Andean Initiative and in Plan Colombia.
What we have seen, as naval resources, which are very limited, have
been transferred out of that zone, and the DOD has not made additional
investments in, that my amendment would address the problem of an
oiler.
When our Coast Guard vessels go out to interdict in drug interdiction
through the Department of Homeland Security, they have always been
dependent, just like many intelligence assets are, on DOD. DOD has not
given them an oiler with which to refuel.
So logically the drug dealers, which we see far more than we used to,
we can see them coming at us. We have gone from 20,000 to 30,000 deaths
in America, real deaths in the streets of America, because we are not
interdicting things that we can see, because we don't have an oiler in
the eastern Pacific.
Last Sunday in The Washington Post, a big article about Guatemala, a
top antidrug person being corrupt. Why is Guatemala being corrupted?
Why do we hear about the gangs in El Salvador related to narcotics? Why
do we hear about the problems in the southwest border related to
narcotics?
We can see the stuff coming, but unless DOD makes some investment in
an oiler, we can talk all we want about intercepting narcotics. But if
you don't have a way to refuel their ships out in the water, and the
United States Navy takes all the resources on it, we can't fight the
war on narcotics.
I am going to withdraw this amendment, because I understand the
supplemental is focused on Afghanistan and Iraq. I support the
antinarcotics efforts in Afghanistan, but I am very concerned, and I am
hoping that the Appropriations Committee will work with us on getting
this oiler, work with DOD, because this is essential to the war on
drugs.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Gingrey). Without objection, the amendment
is withdrawn.
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Office of the Inspector General
For an additional amount for ``Office of the Inspector
General'', $6,120,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
RELATED AGENCIES
Intelligence Community Management Account
For an additional amount for the ``Intelligence Community
Management Account'', $158,875,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Sec. 1201. Upon his determination that such action is
necessary in the national interest, the Secretary of Defense
may transfer between appropriations up to $2,000,000,000 of
the funds made available to the Department of Defense in this
chapter: Provided, That the Secretary shall notify the
Congress promptly of each transfer made pursuant to this
authority: Provided further, That the transfer authority
provided in this section is in addition to any other transfer
authority available to the Department of Defense: Provided
further, That the authority in this section is subject to the
same terms and conditions as the authority provided in
section 8005 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,
2006, except for the fourth proviso.
Sec. 1202. (a) Authority To Provide Support.--Of the amount
appropriated by this Act under the heading ``Drug
Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', not to
exceed $40,000,000 may be made available for support for
counter-drug activities of the Governments of Afghanistan and
Pakistan: Provided, That such support shall be in addition to
support provided for the counter-drug activities of such
Governments under any other provision of the law.
(b) Types of Support.--(1) Except as specified in
subsections (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section, the support
that may be provided under the authority in this section
shall be limited to the types of support specified in section
1033(c)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85, as amended by Public Law
106-398 and Public Law 108-136), and conditions on the
provision of support as contained in such section 1033 shall
apply for fiscal year 2006.
(2) The Secretary of Defense may transfer vehicles,
aircraft, and detection, interception, monitoring and testing
equipment to such Governments for counter-drug activities.
(3) For the Government of Afghanistan, the Secretary of
Defense may also provide individual and crew-served weapons,
and ammunition for counter-drug security forces.
Sec. 1203. Notwithstanding 10 U.S.C. 2208(l), the total
amount of advance billings rendered or imposed for all
working capital funds of the Department of Defense in fiscal
year 2006 shall not exceed $1,500,000,000: Provided, That the
amounts made available pursuant to this section are
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Sec. 1204. In addition to amounts authorized in section
1202(a) of Public Law 109-163, from funds made available in
this chapter to the Department of Defense, not to exceed
$423,000,000 may be used to fund the Commander's Emergency
Response Program and for a similar program to assist the
people of Afghanistan, to remain available until December 31,
2007.
Sec. 1205. Supervision and administration costs associated
with a construction project funded with ``Afghanistan
Security Forces Fund'' or ``Iraq Security Forces Fund''
appropriations may be obligated at the time a construction
contract is awarded: Provided, That for the purpose of this
section, supervision and administration costs include all in-
house Government costs.
Sec. 1206. None of the funds provided in this chapter may
be used to finance programs or activities denied by Congress
in fiscal year 2005 and 2006 appropriations to the Department
of Defense or to initiate a procurement or research,
development, test and evaluation new start program without
prior written notification to the congressional defense
committees.
CHAPTER 3
BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE
Funds Appropriated to the President
UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CHILD SURVIVAL AND HEALTH PROGRAMS FUND
For an additional amount for ``Child Survival and Health
Programs Fund'', $5,300,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Engel
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Engel:
Page 26, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.
Page 26, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.
Page 27, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(increased by $40,000,000)''.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to have the
amendment considered at this point.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order
against the gentleman's amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman reserves a point of order.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, my amendment speaks to the immediate needs
of our southern neighbor, Haiti. This amendment would increase economic
support funds by $40 million, development assistance by $5 million, and
child survival and health funds by $5 million, totaling an additional
$50 million for Haiti. It is my intention to offer and withdraw this
amendment.
After a history of instability, poverty and democratic setbacks,
Haitians
[[Page H1015]]
poured onto the streets of their country last month to cast their
votes, demonstrating a desire for a better future. After a contested
vote-counting period, the front-runner in the presidential election,
Rene Preval, was declared the winner with nearly 52 percent of the
official vote, compared to less than 12 percent to his closest
contender.
Such a large mandate and a large margin of victory gives Preval a
strong mandate and legitimacy to reform and rebuild Haiti's
institutions and fractured society. Yet the challenges are vast. The
same massive underlying problems still plague Haiti, and a second round
of elections looms in the coming weeks.
Now is the time, I very strongly believe, for the United States to
tangibly demonstrate that it stands with the Haitian people in their
quest for democracy and stability. We have long had a special
relationship and a special obligation to the people of Haiti. I believe
that there exists a limited window of opportunity to help Haiti, which
was opened by the recent successful elections.
We should seize this opportunity by expanding our assistance to Haiti
and the Haitian people in the immediate future. My amendment does just
that. My amendment provides $50 million in emergency FY 06 supplemental
assistance for our impoverished neighbor in the south. Haiti, of
course, is the poorest country in the Americas.
Specifically, the amendment increases economic support funds by $40
million, developmental assistance by $5 million and child survival and
health by $5 million. This supplemental funding directly addresses the
profound social needs in Haiti, while providing support for future
elections, reconciliation and efforts to jump-start local economies.
Mr. Chairman, I would like you to know that members of the
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, where I am the ranking member,
recently wrote a bipartisan letter supporting $50 million of additional
assistance for Haiti in this supplemental legislation.
I would like to thank Chairman Barton and the other members of the
subcommittee for their support. I will include this letter in the
Record.
Elections signal the beginning of a transition, not an end. Thus we
believe that this additional assistance is the least we can do at this
critical time to help Haiti. We obviously have a stake in their
democracy-taking route, having Haiti so close to our shores. Of course,
there is a large Haitian-American community in this country which has
ties to Haiti that further bind our two countries together as well.
Mr. Chairman, as this legislation moves forward, I ask that the House
work with the Senate to include emergency aid for Haiti. It is my hope
that, in the end, Congress will heed the bipartisan call of the
subcommittee and provide important additional aid to Haiti.
As I said, I am going to withdraw my amendment at the end because I
believe that this is the best way to move this amendment forward, by
working with the Senate, and hopefully we get it there and it comes
here. So I urge my colleagues to listen to our pleas.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I understand the gentleman from New York is going to
withdraw his amendment, and I will not take more than a few seconds
here. I want to make only one point to other Members here.
What the gentleman is proposing is certainly something that is
humanitarian, and we certainly agree with his efforts to try to do
everything we can to restore order to the very troubled nation of
Haiti. But I think it is important to understand that knowing these
elections were coming in the 2006 appropriations bill, the foreign
assistance amount included in there is $194 million. In addition, the
President is requesting in FY 2007 $163 million.
Almost none of the $194 million in the FY 2006 bill has been
obligated, so there is no possibility that we are going to need these
additional funds. In other words, this is not an emergency at this
point. If additional funds are needed, we could easily add them in to
the 2007 bill, but we have almost all of the $194 million appropriated
in 2006 that are still available for obligations to help this country
get on its feet.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, the victory of Rene Preval in the first round of
elections in Haiti does open a window of opportunity to rescue this
country from its failed state status. Now is the time for the United
States to tangibly demonstrate that it stands with the Haitian people
in their quest for democracy and stability.
Mr. Chairman, I was disappointed that the administration's
supplemental request did not contain funding for Haiti, because I do
think we have limited time to make a difference by providing assistance
to ensure that the second round of elections, which are just weeks
away, are free, fair and transparent. This money will help fund quick
impact programs to promote reconciliation and stabilization and to
expand our participation in the U.N. civilian police training and
vetting program.
I appreciate the comments of my chairman and his willingness to make
sure that we have adequate funding for Haiti, but I think this
amendment does send an important signal to the Haitian people that the
U.S. is committed to help them as they pull their country out of chaos.
The United States must show that we care about more than elections,
that we care about what comes afterwards as well. So I am very pleased
that the chairman addressed this issue.
I am pleased that Mr. Engel is withdrawing the amendment, and I look
forward to working with the chairman and working with Mr. Engel to
ensure that we are supportive and that Haiti gets the money that it
deserves to try to get it on the right track and move that country
ahead. It is an embarrassment to the region, it is an embarrassment to
the world, that Haiti has not been able to get this support it needs.
So, working together, I am hopeful that we can take positive action to
get Haiti on the right track.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of
words.
Mr. Chairman, let me thank our new ranking member of the Western
Hemisphere Subcommittee for his leadership and for his commitment to
the people of Haiti. I think today illustrates the type of commitment
that he has in terms of his truly understanding the critical needs of
the Haitian people. So I want to commend you, Mr. Engel, for your
leadership, and thank you for putting this out here, at least so we can
have a debate and discuss why Haiti deserves this $50 million.
Let me just say, first of all, that we all know that on February 7
the Haitian people demonstrated their faith in the democratic process,
and today the United States needs to send a signal. We need to show our
support for their commitment and for their persistence.
I co-chaired the Haiti Task Force with the great leader Congressman
Conyers. Many members of this Haiti Task Force have worked for many,
many years to help the Haitian people, not only with their democracy,
which, of course, they have engaged in in terms of the democratic
process over the years, but also, most importantly, with their economic
development and their humanitarian assistance and the infrastructure
assistance that they so desperately need.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Caribbean, and we need to begin
to provide resources in a very real way, and I mean in a real way, to
the people of Haiti under the leadership of the newly democratically
elected government.
This amendment, and it is just the beginning, it is only $50 million,
begins to rectify some of the inadequacies of this supplemental, which,
of course, we have heard there is really no money in it for Haiti.
So we need to support the Engel amendment. We need to send a message
to the world, to the Caribbean, to CARICOM, that we support democracy
in Haiti, that we support development assistance for Haiti, that we
support economic assistance, that we support an increase to help the
Haitian people address their health care needs. The HIV and AIDS
pandemic is rampant in Haiti. The highest incidence of AIDS in the
Caribbean is in the country of Haiti.
So whatever we do today in terms of this $50 million, I think we need
to understand that we need more than $194 million to address the basic
needs of the Haitian people.
[[Page H1016]]
So, Mr. Engel, this is an excellent first step. I hope that people
throughout our country recognize that there are those of us here in the
House who want to support the aspirations and the needs and the desires
and the dreams of the Haitian people, and we should do so by passing
this amendment, this $50 million.
{time} 1900
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Congresswoman Lee and
Congresswoman Lowey for their support and Congressman Kolbe for his
explanation.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, in the hope that this will move the process
along so that Haiti will get all of the money it needs, I ask unanimous
consent to withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Gingrey). Without objection, the amendment
is withdrawn.
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
For an additional amount for ``Development Assistance'',
$10,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
INTERNATIONAL DISASTER FAMINE ASSISTANCE
For an additional amount for ``International Disaster and
Famine Assistance'', $136,290,000, to remain until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses of the
United States Agency for International Development'',
$61,600,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Bilateral Economic Assistance
ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND-
For an additional amount for ``Economic Support Fund'',
$1,584,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Shays
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Shays:
Page 27, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(reduced by $10,000,000) (increased by
$10,000,000)''.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would designate $10 million
of economic support funds for the Community Action Program, also known
as CAP, in Iraq. That is what this amendment does.
I would like to say, Mr. Chairman, that a real hero in this House is
Mr. Kolbe who has made sure that these programs have flourished. In my
11 trips to Iraq, I am absolutely convinced the best thing we have done
in all of our expenditures on the economic side of the table has been
to support these CAP agencies.
There were five NGOs, nongovernment organizations. There are still
four left. They stand potentially to lose money in June or July and not
have the carry-over into the next fiscal year. What this amendment
ensures, with Mr. Kolbe's help, is that that money will be extended so
that we can keep them in place.
When we talk about keeping them in place, for instance, one of these
nongovernment organizations, and it is typical, has about 130 employees
who are all Iraqis throughout Iraq and only seven who are not Iraqis,
one or two Europeans, one or two eastern Europeans, and one or two
Americans; and when you add up the others we are talking about over 600
Iraqis. And what are they doing? They are rebuilding schools, they are
repairing water and sewer lines, building health clinics, helping what
takes place in the schools. Just a host of other infrastructure and
development projects.
In the report that was done by the Appropriations Committee, and I
would like to read from it, it expresses my sentiments better than I
could. This is what the report says, ``The CAP program has generated a
network of more than 1,300 community associations across 17
governorates in Iraq, and has trained 17,281 community association
members.''
The January, 2005, audit by the Office of Inspector General USAID
found that the CAP, ``achieved 98 percent of its intended outputs,
including citizen participation, inner-government cooperation, local
government cooperation, local employment generation, and consideration
of environmental concerns.''
The bottom line is, these programs are working extraordinarily well.
And I thank Mr. Kolbe, and the chairman of the Appropriations Committee
as well, for ensuring that these organizations do not have to close up
shop, and fire a whole host of Iraqis.
I would like to just say, in addition, I am a strong supporter of
making sure that we do everything we can to have the Iraqis succeed. It
is astounding that last year they had three elections. They established
a government. That government established a constitutional convention.
They created a constitutional convention.
Then we had a second election, ratified by 79 percent of the Iraqis
who voted. And then, once the constitution was established, December of
this last year, 76 percent of all Iraqi adults voted, not 76 of those
who registered, 76 percent. And 30 percent of their new assembly is
made up of women. That is extraordinary progress on the political side.
We are training their police, their border patrol and their army. I
wish we had not allowed it to disintegrate.
But now they are getting to critical mass, so we are seeing the
military side, we are seeing the political side. This is the economic
side that Mr. Kolbe is focusing on.
Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. SHAYS. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.
Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support the Shays amendment
because this continues the CAP program led by groups like Mercy Corps
in Iraq who are able to operate with very low levels of security
because they are so heavily supported by the local community.
This is a phenomenally successful program. The gentleman is exactly
right.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, if I can just add, reclaiming my time,
evidently not one of these projects done by these organizations have
had to deal with assaults by Iraqis, have had a building or something
which was then destroyed by insurgents. They have all survived.
I thank Mr. Kolbe from the bottom of my heart for his help in this
effort.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's amendment, and I
understand and I am pleased that the chairman is going to accept it,
because ICAP is one of the few overwhelming success stories with
respect to Iraq reconstruction.
Since 2003, ICAP has worked with communities in all of Iraq's 18
governorates to empower ordinary Iraqis to determine, implement and
monitor reconstruction and development in their communities.
We all talk about how Iraqis need to run their own country, choose
their own government, fight their own battles, make their own
priorities. ICAP is aimed at accomplishing just this goal.
Its implementing partners have trained more than 620 Iraqi staff
members. In turn, they have trained over 17,000 community action group
members. And ICAP partners do not contract with multi-national
corporations to get their work done. Only Iraqi contractors carry out
ICAP projects. So, as we move forward, ICAP can be an excellent
complement to the new provincial reconstruction teams being established
throughout Iraq.
The gentleman's amendment would ensure that ICAP does not run out of
funding this summer, as it certainly will if no further resources are
provided. So it would be a shame to end this program prematurely. Mr.
Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, I will be very brief. I am prepared, as the gentleman
from Connecticut has already indicated, to accept this amendment.
[[Page H1017]]
The Community Action Program, to which this is directed, has been a
proven and effective way to build community-based democracy in Iraq and
linkages between community and provincial governance, and I think it
has worked very well. The experience that we have had in Iraq has
really been very much in favor of what we have been trying to do there.
These funds ensure the continuation of that Community Action Program
through the fiscal year 2006, and I commit to the gentleman that we are
going to consider further appropriations for this proven program in the
regular appropriations bill for 2007.
For that reason, I am happy to accept this amendment and hope that we
can move forward.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. KOLBE. I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, there is a concern obviously with continuing
resolutions. Is there a way to deal with that issue?
Mr. KOLBE. Yes. If there is a scenario in which funding for
activities in the foreign operations appropriations bill are funded for
a period of time under a continuing resolution, I believe the funds
would be available, on a pro-rated basis, to continue the CAP program
until regular appropriations were enacted.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
The amendment was agreed to.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Department of State
DEMOCRACY FUND
For an additional amount for ``Democracy Fund'',
$10,000,000 for the advancement of democracy in Iran, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey:
Page 27, strike line 24 and all that follows through line 5
on page 28.
Page 35, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(reduced by $5,000,000)''.
Page 36, strike line 14 and all that follows through line
21.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order
against the gentleman's amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman reserves a point of order.
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, we are on the floor tonight
to discuss a supplemental emergency appropriation, supplemental meaning
that we are adding to something to complete it or to bring it to
fruition. An emergency, just ran out and grabbed the dictionary,
meaning an unexpected serious occurrence or situation urgently
requiring prompt action.
Well, unfortunately, the language in the bill in this area of
additional foreign aid is not an unexpected situation or emergent. That
is just not my opinion. That is actually the opinion of the committee
itself.
The language that we seek to strike is approximately $15 million in
additional foreign aid, $5 million to expand public diplomacy
information programs relating to Iran, and $10 million in democracy
funds for the promotion of democracy, governance, human rights,
independent media, and the rule of law in Iran.
Iran is certainly not an ally of this Nation that we are here tonight
to seek assistance of $15 million. Again, not my opinion, that it is
not an ally of this country. This administration itself called Iran
part of the Axis of Evil. Iran, who wants to wipe Israel off the map of
the world; Iran, who wants to assist Hamas in any way they possibly
can; Iran, who neglects and fails to listen to the world's heed and
continues to expand its nuclear program. And yet tonight we have a
supplemental program of approximately $15 million to assist that
nation.
Again, I say that this is not my opinion, that this is not an
emergency situation. The committee in its report says that it is
disappointed in the Department of State's failure to provide adequate
and timely justification of the emergency nature of these funds.
If the State Department then cannot supply us and cannot supply the
committee with the very information that it needs to say that this
truly is an emergency situation, why then is this House considering
providing an additional $15 million to support Iran?
The rest of the supplemental obviously has worthwhile programs in it.
We are trying to assist our men and women overseas who find themselves
in harm's way as we speak here tonight with military assistance. We are
trying to assist those people down in the gulf coast to rebuild their
lives with Katrina aid.
But, at the same time, we have articles such as this added to this
Christmas tree list, if you will, of programs to the supplemental bill
that do not meet the criteria of an emergency situation.
{time} 1915
So, Mr. Chairman, I would say that we should strike the language in
the bill that would delete $5 million for public diplomacy and $10
million for economic support fund for Iran.
Point of Order
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, regretfully, I must make a
point of order against the amendment because it proposes to amend
portions of the bill not yet read.
Section 17 of chapter 2 of the House Practice book states in part,
``It is not in order to strike or otherwise amend portions of a bill
not yet read for amendment.''
And for that reason I would make a point of order.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Gingrey). The gentleman from California (Mr.
Lewis) has raised a point of order. Does the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Garrett) wish to be heard on the point of order?
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, if I may have a colloquy
with the chairman?
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair cannot entertain a colloquy on a point
of order.
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to
withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
For an additional amount for ``International Narcotics
Control and Law Enforcement'', $107,700,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Burton of Indiana
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Burton of Indiana:
Page 28, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(reduced by $26,300,000) (increased by
$26,300,000)''.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I have discussed at length with
the chairman of the subcommittee from Arizona and the chairman of the
full committee the problems that we faced with Plan Colombia.
In the last 5 or 6 years, there have been 23 aircraft lost that are
vitally important to the drug interdiction problem that we are facing.
This chart shows you where the drugs are coming from and where they are
going according to our intelligence agencies. And once drugs, heroin
and cocaine, get beyond Colombia, 65 percent of them, almost two-thirds
of them, work their way into the United States onto the streets, into
the schools, into the playgrounds of this country.
President Uribe just came out up here recently and told us without
the additional assets that are asked for in this amendment, he will not
be able to do the job in dealing with the drug problem that we face
here in America. So we have to decide as a Congress are we going to
continue to fight the war against drugs or are we going to start
acquiescing? Are we going to start caving in?
[[Page H1018]]
According to President Uribe, they need 23 aircraft. We have talked
to the appropriators, and I really appreciate Mr. Kolbe for working on
this, and Mr. Lewis, the chairman. We have decided on a compromise
right now. I hope that will help President Uribe. It is not going to
solve the problem, but at least it is a step in the right direction.
What it does is provides three DC-3s, which will be able to surveil
the area and help us interdict these drugs that are getting beyond
Colombia and up into the United States. They have been doing a good job
without all the assets they need, and with these additional DC-3s,
which have all the technology that is necessary to police this area, it
should help a great deal.
Make no mistake about it. We still need the Hueys. We still need the
Blackhawks. Something like 70 percent of the aircraft they have used in
this area have been destroyed in the last 5 or 6 years, and they need
help down there. And President Uribe himself came all the way to the
United States to make a plea for this help.
I have talked to the Speaker about it as well as the leaders of the
Committee on Appropriations. And I hope my colleagues on the Democrat
side as well will see fit to support this. We have a war against drugs.
I have some colleagues who serve with me on the Government Reform
Committee that told me in Baltimore there is an 80 percent increase in
the amount of heroin usage in the minority community. If we are going
to deal with that problem, we have to provide the resources for
President Uribe and the Colombian national police and the Colombian
military to deal with this problem.
In addition to that, we have other problems in South America and
Central America that need to be dealt with which this equipment will
also help us with. And we also have the problem with possible
terrorists coming in. This surveillance effort will help in that regard
as well.
I have a lot more things I would like to say, but I understand my
time is about expired. I hope you will accept this amendment and I
really appreciate you working with us.
Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Hyde, chairman Davis, Congressman
Souder, Congressman Chabot and the staff of the International Relations
Committee for their exceptional work on crafting this critically
important amendment.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is a key ally in the War on Drugs
and a strong ally in Latin America. Last year, under his leadership and
with U.S. and international support, Colombia succeeded in destroying
170,000 hectares of illegal coca (aerial and manual eradication), thus
removing a potential 150 metric tons of cocaine with a street value of
over $15 billion. Colombia's police and military forces captured or
shared in the capture of another 223 metric tons of cocaine and cocaine
base.
Despite these many successes, experience has taught us that if the
cocaine and heroin make it to the coasts of Colombia, it has a 65
percent chance of getting into the United States. This is due, in part,
to the reduction in assets monitoring the trafficking routes. We have
excellent intelligence, we know where the smugglers are going but we
lack the assets in theater to properly intercept the drugs headed our
way.
Since 2000, we have witnessed--and thanks to aggressive oversight
efforts by this Congress exposed--a nearly 70 percent reduction in
military Marine Patrol Aircraft (MPA) used to interdict these deadly
drugs after they reach the Colombian coast.
Furthermore, more than 23 aircraft including fixed wing spray planes
and helicopters of the Colombian National Police (CNP) have been lost
in action. The losses include both Black Hawk and Huey 2 helicopters
used by the police anti-drug units in support of high altitude
eradication of the opium corp. In 2003 alone, nearly 25 percent of the
aircraft used in spray operations were lost, and they have not been
replaced as of yet.
We cannot continue to enjoy even modest success at interdicting and
destroying these drugs unless we make up these losses.
The Burton Amendment will restore critical anti-narcotic air and
surface assets in the Colombian Navy and National police. The Amendment
provides for $99.4 million in counter-drug emergency assistance to help
replace some of the 23 Colombian National Police (CNP) aircraft lost in
the fight against narco-terrorism since 2000. The money will also would
provide three (3) new aircraft to serve as Marine Patrol Aircraft (MPA)
for the Colombian Navy's drug interdiction efforts. In addition, the
proposal will cover the operational and maintenance expenses for two
year for these new aircraft.
I know that many of my colleagues are concerned about the cost of
this amendment and the fact that we've asked for the funds to be
considered as emergency spending.
I would respectfully remind those of my colleagues who oppose this
amendment that the streets of America are awash in drugs. Because many
of our own military maritime and air interdiction assets were removed
from the Caribbean basin to deal with the challenges of homeland
security after 9/11, we have left critical gaps in our drug
interdiction net. The end result is that today the Central American
Transit Zone is being exploited by drug-traffickers like never before.
We ignore this problem at our own peril, as the very routes being
used to ship dangers narcotics to our shores could just as easily be
used to smuggle in terrorists or weapons of mass destruction. Although
there is no solid evidence yet of Central and South America traffickers
and Al-Qaeda, many law enforcement officials have commented on the
positive benefits to both groups from such a linkage. I believe it is
not a question of if Al-Qaeda will try to exploit this glaring hole in
our security net but when. The emergency is now and it is very real.
Spending this modest sum now to consolidate the major gains of the
Plan Colombia program and strengthen our homeland security effort will
save us far more money in comparison to the potential cost of cleaning
up the mess should we allow Plan Colombia to ultimately fail, or al-
Qaeda to exploit this situation to kill thousands more innocent
Americans.
I respectfully ask my colleagues to vote for this amendment.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
With great respect for my colleague, I rise in opposition to the
gentleman's amendment though I think he raises a valid concern. I just
returned from Colombia, and I think there is a real need to boost the
Colombian government's interdiction efforts. I think, in fact, I think
that greater focus on interdiction may well be more effective than our
current emphasis on eradication. However, I think the responsibility
for funding this program lies first and foremost with the Colombian
government.
The President of Colombia was in Washington just a few weeks ago and
met with Chairman Kolbe and me. He did not indicate to us any pressing
need for this assistance. In fact, I believe the State Department is
seeking to reprogram funds away from Colombian aviation programs and
the Colombian national police to finance the demobilization programs.
That said, I do agree that the gentleman raises an important point. I
think it is time that we look at a different mix for funding for
Colombia, one that boosts spending on alternate development and
interdiction programs and reduces funding for eradication programs
which I think are ineffective at best. However, I think this amendment
is better considered in the context of FY 2007 appropriations process
where a more comprehensive discussion of the Colombia program can take
place, and I think that is what is really needed here.
There is no emergency requirement for the funding. It does not belong
in the supplemental. Therefore, I do urge my colleagues to vote against
this amendment.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, as the gentleman from Indiana has indicated, this
amendment he has offered here does represent a compromise that we have
worked out so I do rise to say that we support this amendment. Let me
say I do agree with my colleague, the ranking member of the
subcommittee, the gentlewoman from New York, in many of comments that
she made. It is correct that when President Uribe, for whom I have the
greatest respect and believe he has been one of the truly great leaders
of Colombia in recent decades, I think when President Uribe came to
visit with us, he did not give us any indication that this was the
money that he was seeking, that he needed additional funds for.
However, having said that, I believe this is an important aspect of
our efforts to interdict drugs coming to Central America and Mexico,
and then on into the United States. For us it is the frontline of our
war against drugs, and for that reason I do think that this amount
which represents a reasonable compromise and does not damage our other
programs from which the funds are taken in Iraq, for that reason, I
think it is one that can be supported.
Mr. Chairman, I would support this amendment.
[[Page H1019]]
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, after 7 years of work on anti-narcotic
efforts in Colombia, we are now seeing the fruits of our labors in the
drug wars. Americans, and especially our young people, are greatly
benefiting here at home from our policies in Colombia and the strong
support of the government of President Alvaro Uribe.
We are concerned, however, with the recent waning support by some in
the administration for our vital counterdrug initiatives. A focused
part of our war on drugs is comprised of the interdiction and spray
airplanes used by the Colombian police and military. We have funded a
number of these aircraft, but several have been lost because of serious
maintenance problems or have been shot down or destroyed.
Since the year 2000, more than 23 aircraft, including spray planes
and vital helicopters, have crashed or been lost in action. This
includes one of the original Black Hawk helicopters which we in the
Congress obtained for the Colombian National Police, CNP, to use
against the opium crops as early as 1999. The administration's FY07
budget fails to address these shortfalls.
Moreover, after some correspondence, the State Department dismissed
my recent call for the replacement of these aircraft.
What we need is a small, but targeted, assistance package to replace
lost anti-drug aircraft and to provide a few new Marine Patrol
Aircraft, MPA, of modest cost for the Colombian Navy. We are asking
that $99.4 million be directed for the operational costs of maintaining
and replacing aircraft used by the Colombian police and military for
drug interdiction efforts.
Of that $99.4 million, we ask for $31 million to be allocated for the
purchase and operation of ten Huey II helicopters, $40 million be used
for the purchase and operation of two UH-60 Black Hawks, one of which
will be dedicated to interdicting high value targets, HVT, $2 million
to be given toward the upgrade and purchase of flight simulators to be
used by the CNP for training on safety and night operations, and $26.4
million to be allocated for the purchase and operation of three DC-3
aircraft which will be used by the Colombian Navy as Marine Patrol
Aircraft for multi-role shore interdiction and support missions.
The assistance we provide to Colombia is equally as important to the
United States as our assistance in fighting terrorism in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Lest we forget, more Americans die each year from using
deadly heroin and cocaine that originate from nearby Colombia than did
those on the day of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and at
the Pentagon. We must continue to sustain our war against drugs and the
progress we have been witnessing in Colombia.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
ayes appeared to have it.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Burton) will be postponed.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lewis) a question. As the gentleman knows there is a tradition of
courtesy in this House which dictates that when either party has a
function that the House will not be in session beyond say 5 or 6
o'clock.
We have made an exception this evening despite the fact that there
was a dispute in the Republican caucus earlier in the day, which ate up
an extra hour and a half and despite the fact that we have been told
that other legislation needed to be brought to the floor. We still
indicated our desire to cooperate in establishing a time limit, because
we were trying to facilitate the Members of both parties leaving here
tomorrow afternoon.
It now appears to me that despite our willingness to do that, we are
getting a continual stream of new amendments being produced on the
majority side, which are preventing us from reaching a time agreement
that would enable us to get out of here at a reasonable hour tomorrow
afternoon. I would like to know what the status of the situation is
because at this point, I frankly see no purpose in continuing tonight
if all we are going to do is give people more time to draft more
amendments.
We have imposed a deadline on our side of the aisle and told Members
that amendments will not be considered if they come in after a certain
hour. But my understanding is on the Republican side there are still
amendments coming in and the majority is being pressured to put them on
the list. I do not mind working cooperatively, but I do mind when I am
being taken advantage of.
I want to suggest that if we can not reach an agreement on time
within the next 10 minutes, I for one intend to move to adjourn.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. OBEY. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LEWIS of California. If I could respond to the gentleman, the
gentleman has been more than cooperative and I appreciate what he has
to say.
From this gentleman's perspective, it is not our intention to take
any additional amendments. We are very, very close to an agreement and
I would hope that you and I can see our way through this long enough, a
few minutes to make sure that we can get out at a reasonable time.
Mr. OBEY. I want it understood that if we do not have an agreement in
10 minutes, I will move to adjourn.
Mr. LEWIS of California. I always understand the gentleman.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
MIGRATION AND REFUGEE ASSISTANCE
For an additional amount for ``Migration and Refugee
Assistance'', $51,200,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Department of the Treasury
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
For an additional amount for ``International Affairs
Technical Assistance'', $13,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, what I am trying to do still in the interest of
cooperation tonight, I am trying to filibuster until Mr. Capuano, who
is ready to offer the amendment, is ready to offer at this point.
Could I ask if the gentleman is ready? He is ready. This is probably
the shortest filibuster in the history of the House.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
MILITARY ASSISTANCE
Funds Appropriated to the President
PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
For an additional amount for ``Peacekeeping Operations'',
$123,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
{time} 1930
Amendment Offered by Mr. Capuano
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Capuano:
Page 29, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(increased by $50,000,000)''.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Chairman, in July of 2004 this House declared
atrocities in Darfur to be a genocide. Since that time, actually since
2003, 400,000 people at least have died; 200,000 people are in refugee
camps in Chad; 2.5 million people are displaced within Darfur. Over
half the population has been affected.
The President has used the word ``genocide.'' The Secretary of State
has used the word ``genocide.'' The whole world knows what is going on
in Darfur.
Many Members of this House, including many Members on both sides of
this aisle, have been very active in this issue. In this bill there is
already a lot of money appropriated to continue funding the African
Union mission that is currently providing 7,700 troops in Darfur to
protect the people that are there. However, everyone knows that that is
insufficient. The A.U. is doing a good job with the number of troops it
has and with the resources it has, but we all know that it needs more.
[[Page H1020]]
The President himself has asked to double the number of troops in the
Darfur region. I agree with him. Everybody who watches this issue
agrees with him. We have to do something.
The money that is in this bill will maintain the A.U. mission, which
is a good thing. However, maintaining it is insufficient.
It will eventually become a mission, and that is a good thing. I hope
most of us, if not all of us, will support it. That will take 6 to 9
months at the least. In the meantime, maintaining the current situation
is unacceptable. Therefore, I have asked for an additional $50 million
to be put forward to enhance that mission.
I understand there is some concern about adding more troops with this
money. This money can be used for several different items. It is not
just boots on the ground.
First of all, money is fungible. Second of all, these troops also
have major problems with communication on the ground, with technical
planning on the ground, with equipment on the ground that this money
can be used for. This money will be our effort to build a bridge
between the current situation and the situation that we all are trying
to get to, which hopefully will take less than 9 months.
That is why I offer this amendment. That is why I hope it passes.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I do rise in opposition to this amendment, and I know
some of my colleagues may question why that would be the case, but I
think there is a very good and sound reason for that, and I hope the
gentleman from Massachusetts will listen to this.
As Members will know, our committee has supported $290 million for
the African Union for the AMIS fund. That is the African Military in
Sudan support fund. $123 million, that is in this bill. I have been to
the Darfur region twice in the last 18 months, and I have seen the very
difficult conditions under which this African Union force is working,
and I have been pushing the State Department to come up with a strategy
as to what would be the future for the A.U. fund.
So, with all of the support that the subcommittee has shown so far
for this effort, why are we opposing this additional funding?
Well, the Members may come from both sides of the aisle to the floor
and claim that this funding is critical to saving lives in Darfur, but
the simple fact is that this will not do that. It does nothing of the
kind. In fact, it could actually be counterproductive.
Let me explain why I say that.
There is now an agreement between all the parties, the African Union,
the administration and the United Nations, that the African Union force
we call AMIS, A-M-I-S, should transition to a United Nations force.
Just this last Friday, the African Union announced its support for such
a transition and extended the mandate of the AMIS force until the end
of this fiscal year. I have their communique in my hand here suggesting
that it will be extended and then there would be a transition to a
United Nations force. The administration's request, which is fully
funded in the bill before us, will fulfill the U.S. contribution to
maintain the AMIS force until that time.
If we were to adopt these additional funds, we are basically saying
that we do not agree with the idea that this force should be
transitioned to a United Nations force. We are saying we want to add
additional funds to keep it an African Union fund and not transition it
to a United Nations force.
That, Mr. Chairman, would be a mistake. Because there is no question
the African Union has made it clear they cannot expand the force. They
are willing to extend it for the time being until it can be
transitioned to the United Nations force, but they have no capability
and no intention of expanding the force. So to put these additional
moneys in here to expand the force simply says that we are opposed to
transitioning it to a United Nations force where we could have the
proper size and the proper forces attached to this.
So that is why I say this amendment actually would be
counterproductive to what the gentleman from Massachusetts seeks to do.
It is for that reason that I cannot support the message that we would
send with this amendment.
If the situation in Darfur is not resolved by the end of the year,
this force should be transitioned to the United Nations force where we
have seen over and over again it has the capability of dealing with
this kind of peacekeeping operation, from Bosnia to other places around
the world.
So I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment. They will not be
voting against the AMIS, the African Military in Sudan, the A.U. force,
that is there. They will instead, by rejecting this amendment, they
will be voting for a coordinated effort to truly bring stability to the
troubled region of Darfur; and, for that reason, I would urge my
colleagues to vote against this amendment.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. Chairman, more than a year and a half ago, the House and Senate
voted unanimously to condemn the genocide in Darfur, and yet every day
more people die, and the slow genocide persists unabated.
It is beyond imagination that the collective might and concerted will
of the nations of the world cannot find a way to end this daily toll of
human misery. Mr. Chairman, I hope and pray that Sudan will allow the
U.N. peacekeeping mission to move forward so we can end this
devastation. While we wait, however, we must find ways to make the
African Union mission more effective.
I would note to my colleagues that the problem in Sudan has not
generally been a lack of resources. With bipartisan support, often
under Democratic initiative, the Congress has provided over $1.3
billion in assistance for Darfur and southern Sudan. This assistance
has been and continues to be needed, and we are committed to providing
it.
The primary problem, in my opinion, has been a lack of political will
from the government of Sudan, from the international community and, to
some extent, from the United States. Until we address these issues of
political will, I am afraid we will be forced to rely on solutions that
treat the symptoms without curing the disease.
I support this amendment because it seeks to make a bad situation
better. I thank the gentleman for offering it.
I also want to acknowledge the leadership of members of the Foreign
Operations Subcommittee, specifically Representatives Jackson and
Kilpatrick of Michigan and especially Chairman Kolbe, who have worked
diligently to bring attention and focus to the situation in Darfur.
For those reasons, I will support the amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Gingrey). The question is on the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
noes appeared to have it.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano) will be postponed.
The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
(including transfer and rescission of funds)
Sec. 1301. Funds appropriated or made available by transfer
in this chapter may be obligated and expended notwithstanding
section 313 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act,
Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103-236).
Sec. 1302. Of the funds made available under the heading
``Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund'' in chapter 2 of title
II of Public Law 108-106, $185,500,000 is hereby transferred
to and merged with the appropriation for ``Economic Support
Fund'' contained in this Act: Provided, That the amount
transferred by this section is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
(rescission of funds)
Sec. 1303. Of the funds made available for Coalition
Solidarity Initiative under the heading ``Peacekeeping
Operations'' in chapter 2 of title II of division A of Public
Law 109-13, $17,000,000 is rescinded.
Sec. 1304. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
amounts under the heading ``Iraq Relief and Reconstruction
Fund'' in title II of Public Law 108-106 shall remain
available for one additional year from the date on which the
availability of funds would otherwise have expired, if such
funds are initially obligated before the expiration of the
[[Page H1021]]
period of availability provided herein: Provided, That,
notwithstanding section 2207(d) of Public Law 108-106,
requirements of section 2207 of Public Law 108-106 shall
expire on October 1, 2008.
CHAPTER 4
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
United States Coast Guard
OPERATING EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'',
$26,692,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 5
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
Military Construction, Army
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction,
Army'', $287,100,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of
law, such funds may be obligated and expended to carry out
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006: Provided further, That none of the
funds provided under this heading may be obligated or
expended until after that date on which the Secretary of
Defense submits an updated master plan for overseas military
infrastructure to the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and Senate: Provided further, That,
subject to the preceding proviso, $60,000,000 of the funds
provided under this heading may not be obligated or expended
until after that date on which the Secretary of Defense
submits a detailed plan for Counter IED/Urban Bypass Roads,
Iraq, to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and Senate.
Military Construction, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
Force'', $35,600,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of
law, such funds may be obligated and expended to carry out
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006: Provided further, That none of the
funds provided under this heading may be obligated or
expended until after that date on which the Secretary of
Defense submits an updated master plan for overseas military
infrastructure to the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and Senate.
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Salazar
Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 2 offered by Mr. Salazar:
In chapter 5 of title I, after the paragraph relating to
``Military Construction, Air Force'', insert the following:
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Departmental Administration
general operating expenses
For an additional amount for ``General Operating
Expenses'', $70,000,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Veterans Health Administration
medical services
For an additional amount for ``Medical Services'',
$560,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on
the gentleman's amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A point of order is reserved.
Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. Chairman, I believe that this Congress needs to
recognize that caring for our veterans is a continuing cost of the war
on terrorism.
My amendment adds $630 million in emergency funding so that the VA
can better meet the needs of veterans returning home from Iraq and
Afghanistan, and with this financial relief the VA will also be able to
provide better care to the heroes of earlier conflicts.
Here is the situation. The VA projected that it would treat 110,000
Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom veterans this fiscal year. At the
end of January, the first third of the fiscal year, the VA had already
treated 74,000 veterans. At this rate, the VA will treat twice the
number of veterans than projected.
Our veterans need our support now. There is no better place to
include funding for our veterans and military families than in the bill
addressing the costs of the war.
First, I have added $250 million for mental health. According to a
recent Army study, as many as one in three veterans returning from
combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan will experience symptoms
related to mental health problems.
This amendment will make available $9 million to expand veterans'
access to family therapy; $168 million to implement the VA's own
Comprehensive Mental Health Plan; $24 million for additional substance
abuse treatment, one in five post-traumatic stress disorder patients
have had substance abuse problems; $35 million to increase capacity to
treat returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who need outpatient
mental health services; $15 million for increased in-patient PTSD
treatments, about a 12 percent increase; $3 million to increase
staffing for VA efforts to seamlessly transition returning veterans
with the Post-Deployment Health Assessment.
The VA is seeing more and more veterans from previous conflicts with
post-traumatic stress disorder. This is a growing concern, and it is
smart to provide quality mental health care to our returning veterans
now and help forestall greater problems and more expense in the future.
The amendment also adds $110 million for prosthetics, a 10 percent
increase. We all marvel at what we have done today to help return
veterans to a full life, but it is not cheap. Above-knee replacement
costs about $50,000, and then it needs periodic adjustment and
maintenance. In past years, the VA prosthetic budget had grown by 17
percent a year. By 2007, the administration would cut back the growth
to 12 percent. Now is certainly not the time to cut these important
programs.
In another area, I added $200 million for direct medical services.
Just like last year, we are already hearing anecdotes about shortages
at VA medical facilities. Supply problems, budget problems, we do not
need a crystal ball to make these predictions. With all the extra new
veterans in need of medical care, there will be another budget
shortfall.
This is by no means the fault of the men and women in the VA. The VA
has made a real innovation by establishing state-of-the-art polytrauma
centers, but they cost real money. These centers treat the worst
injuries, sharing information with one another and military hospitals
by videophone.
The amendment also adds $15 million for medical and vocational
rehabilitation services. Service-disabled veterans applying for
vocational rehabilitation and employment services increased
dramatically over the last decade, roughly a 75 percent increase.
Demand for this service will grow even faster due to the ongoing
conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Finally, the amendment includes $55 million for increased staffing to
process the growing number of disability claims. Currently, the backlog
is more than 370,000 cases, and it is getting worse. In 2005, the VA
was averaging 167 days to process one of these claims.
{time} 1945
In 2006, it has grown to 185 days. In a time of war, we need to treat
our heroes well. Slowing down the process of disability claims is a
slap in the face.
Before closing, I would like to acknowledge Chairman Walsh's
recognizing that there is a need for VA funding. In fact, he was good
enough to grant the VA authority to use $275 million for the
construction of a VA Hospital in New Orleans on a need basis.
VA facilities are already feeling the crunch when it comes to their
budgets. Why are we not preparing for the future? Why are we willing to
let the VA funding run out this year? Why is this administration not
willing to fully fund the true cost of the war?
I am here to tell you that we can do better and we must do better.
Our troops bravely put their lives on the line and it is our moral duty
to provide them the care they were promised. Mr. Chairman, it is high
time we stop paying lip service to our veterans and realize that caring
for veterans is an ongoing cost of the war. It is high time that we
start working towards providing the
[[Page H1022]]
VA with the tools needed to provide proper care for our servicemen and
-women.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and to
support the brave men and women in uniform.
Point of Order
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order
against the amendment because it proposes to change existing law and
constitutes legislation on an appropriations bill and, therefore,
violates clause 2 of rule XXI.
The amendment includes an emergency designation and as such,
constitutes legislation in violation of clause 2 of rule XXI, and I ask
for a ruling from the Chair.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Gingrey). A point of order has been made
against the amendment. Does any Member wish to address the point of
order?
The Chair will rule.
The Chair finds that this amendment includes an emergency
designation. The amendment, therefore, constitutes legislation in
violation of clause 2 of rule XXI. The point of order is sustained and
the amendment is not in order.
The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER
Sec. 1501. The matter under the heading ``Veterans Health
Administration--Medical Services'' in chapter 7 of title I of
division B of Public Law 109-148 is amended by inserting
after ``calendar year 2005'' the following: ``and for
unanticipated costs related to the Global War on Terror'':
Provided, That the provisions of this section are designated
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H.
Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 6
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Legal Activities
SALARIES AND EXPENSES, UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses,
United States Attorneys'', $3,000,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$99,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That no funding provided in this Act shall be
available for obligation for a new or enhanced information
technology program unless the Deputy Attorney General and the
investment review board certify to the Committees on
Appropriations that the information technology program has
appropriate program management and contractor oversight
mechanisms in place, and that the program is compatible with
the enterprise architecture of the Department of Justice and
Federal Bureau of Investigation: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Drug Enforcement Administration
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Kirk
Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Kirk:
Page 34, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(increased by $9,200,000)''.
Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, I thank the Chair, and I want to particularly
thank Mr. Obey of Wisconsin and our chairman, Mr. Lewis of California,
for their work on this.
This amendment addresses a critical need in the drug war in
Afghanistan. Since the U.S. coalition forces arrived in Afghanistan,
Afghanistan has become the source of three-quarters of the world's
heroin supply. We know what a failed state in Afghanistan leads to. In
our new counternarcotic operations in Afghanistan, the United States is
about to launch a major operation in the Helmand River Valley, where
over half of the heroin crop is raised. In doing this, Afghan forces,
including their police, will be hitting drug labs, and we need to
collect critical information as those operations unfold.
This amendment would provide for critical tools on an aircraft
already owned by the Drug Enforcement Agency to collect information on
drug traffickers, and especially on kingpins who could be connected to
terror. On this, I very much support the work of Chairman Wolf.
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. KIRK. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. WOLF. The committee accepts the amendment and congratulates the
Member for doing this to help DEA. I think he makes a very powerful
point.
Mr. KIRK. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, this amendment would provide this critical platform to
give the tools necessary for Drug Enforcement Agency to be the most
effective they can be against Afghan drug kingpins. We already have 120
dedicated drug enforcement personnel on the ground helping Afghan
police to carry out this mission. Chairman Hyde, Chairman Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen, and I have backed this amendment because we feel it is
critical for DEA to have these tools now to apply the lessons learned
in Colombia to build a success in the coming operations in Afghanistan.
It is also important to note that this House supported amendments to
the PATRIOT Act, which now make it a crime to deal in heroin for the
support of terror without the need to show a connection to the U.S.
market. We have seen Afghan drug dealers and terrorists killing U.S.
troops, including two from the 10th Mountain Division, and this tool
and the legal authorities that the House just provided are critical in
helping force protection and adding to the tools that we need to
continue this conflict in the most effective way.
So with that, I urge adoption of this amendment. It is a modest
addition to this bill and provides a critical tool that will very
quickly, dramatically assist in DEA's operation in Afghanistan.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, the purpose of this amendment is to secure
funding for an aerial surveillance platform to be used for
counternarcotics efforts by the agents and personnel of our Drug
Enforcement Administration, DEA, in Afghanistan.
The 9/11 Commission has made it clear that if Afghanistan were to
again fall into failed-state status, we would be set back in our war on
terror.
The growing opium and heroin trade provides for that possibility. The
massive opium crop helps finance terrorism and anticoalition attacks
and hampers the effective growth of peace and stability in the region.
The drug trade also fuels corruption, which undermines the new
democratic institutions we have worked so hard to establish.
We must vigorously pursue, interdict, and arrest the drug kingpins
and shut down their operations. The just-signed PATRIOT Act has an
additional provision I authored, creating a new Federal offense of
narco-terrorism, to be enforced by the DEA against those who use
illicit drugs and proceeds from their sales to support or fund
terrorist acts or organizations, in places like Afghanistan.
In order to enable the DEA to enforce the new legislation, it is
important for it to have the appropriate tools. An aerial surveillance
platform provides both ``force protection'' of its dedicated and
courageous personnel, as well as a platform for gathering judicially
enforceable and prosecutable evidence of drug-related crimes. This
evidence can be used in this country as a means of prosecuting and
bringing to justice the drug kingpins and their cohorts.
If Afghanistan were to revert to its former failed-state status, the
United States would be dealt a severe blow in its global war on terror.
We cannot expect the Afghan legal system to effectively combat the drug
problem in that country.
Thus, it is critical that we take the appropriate measures to ensure
security and stability in Afghanistan. This modest $9.2 million
amendment is one huge step toward that goal.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).
The amendment was agreed to.
[[Page H1023]]
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$4,100,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND RELATED AGENCY
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Administration of Foreign Affairs
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS
(including transfer of funds)
For an additional amount for ``Diplomatic and Consular
Programs'', $1,380,500,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That of the amount made
available under this heading, $1,326,000 shall be available
for transfer to the United States Institute of Peace:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Doggett
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 8 offered by Mr. Doggett:
Page 35, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(increased by $7,800,000)''.
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Chairman, this $7.8 million State Department
amendment that I offer tonight on behalf of myself, Mr. Ortiz, and Mr.
Reyes empowers you, Mr. Chairman, and you, Mr. Wolf, as our important
subcommittee chairman, and the conferees to address a serious threat to
the lives and livelihood of tens of thousands of Texans who call home
an area along the southernmost tip of our country that encompasses
three congressional districts.
Consistent with the rule under which this bill is being considered,
these dollars would simply go to the State Department. But I believe in
conference you would be able to clarify, consistent with tonight's
debate, that it is designed to upgrade the Federal levees along the Rio
Grande that are under the exclusive control of the International
Boundary and Water Commission, an agency within the State Department.
Exactly 1,018 days ago, the administration received what was really
an alarming report from within its own State Department that our
Federal levees along the Rio Grande are up to 9 feet deficient in
height, geologically flawed, structurally unsound, and would overtop
along some 38 river miles. We know that the time to make repairs is
when the sun is shining, not when the flood is coming. The kind of wall
that we need along our borders, along our southern border, is a wall to
hold in a swollen Rio Grande river. A levee.
What do the levees' weaknesses reported by the State Department mean
if you live in the Rio Grande Valley? Well, this is an aerial photo of
much of that area. It includes the poorest SMSA, statistical
metropolitan area, in the United States: Mission, McAllen, Pharr, and
Hidalgo. Hardworking people, small businesses, mission hospital,
nursing homes, schools, Balboa Acres neighborhood, along with many
others. That is what they look like today on an aerial photo.
What happens if the levees' break? That is what they will look like.
They are going to be underwater. And the best way to reach these places
is going to be by boat. If the Federal levees are not maintained
adequately, and they have not been maintained adequately according to
the State Department itself, we will lose 80 percent of our fresh water
supply in McAllen, Texas. We will lose two-thirds of the sewer system,
which will become unworkable.
That is what we call an emergency, as in emergency supplemental
appropriations, in south Texas. We believe that the need is urgent, and
that is why some 39 local governments across our three congressional
districts, Chambers of Commerce and economic development corporations
have pled with the administration to respond to this need.
Last year, under the leadership of Chairman Wolf and Ranking Member
Mollohan, the State Department appropriations bill that this Congress
passed called on the President for additional funding. Afterwards,
Chairman Wolf and Mr. Mollohan wrote Secretary of State Rice a letter
asking for support for rehabilitating these levees, recognizing how
many people would suffer if they were not rehabilitated, and noting
from their letter, that ``this impacts the safety of the citizens of
the Valley.''
Of course, the Valley levees are not the only levees in the country
that have problems. I know, Mr. Lewis, that your own State of
California has concerns in Sacramento. I would say to you that our
situation is unique and different in several particulars. This flooded
area, with deficient levees, are exclusively Federal levees that only
the Federal Government can remedy because they are along an
international border under the control of the State Department.
Second, we are in a hurricane area, a high hurricane area. Last year,
we ran out of names we had so many hurricanes, and this year promises
another severe hurricane season. But for the fate of nature, the
hurricane that hit New Orleans could just as easily have tacked west
instead of tacking east and caused just the scenario that is displayed
here tonight on this aerial photo.
What I propose, Mr. Chairman, is to add about half a percent, less
than the increase that the chairman just agreed to for the last
amendment, about half a percent to the $1.3 billion in the State
Department, and ask that you clarify in conference that it is to meet a
need that I know you are aware exists, and I believe you are trying to
respond to. And I believe the State Department recognized and wanted
that in this emergency appropriations bill, but somewhere in the
bureaucratic process this was not included.
I know that there is more work we will be doing together. I
appreciate the meeting that was held today with representatives from
south Texas concerning this problem with Mr. Wolf's staff and the
meeting we will have tomorrow with the International Boundary and Water
Commission. We have our request coming up in the regular appropriations
process. But without an emergency appropriation, I believe that the
Federal Government really is not meeting its responsibility, a
responsibility to the lives and livelihoods of the good hardworking
people along the Texas Rio Grande Valley.
That is all this amendment is trying to do, knowing that it could be
this summer in hurricane season, it could be next year or the year
after. Every day, every month we delay, a thousand days has been
enough, and that we need to move forward in addressing this concern
now. I thank you.
{time} 2000
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
I am kind of surprised the amendment came up, to a certain extent.
The gentleman from Texas, not this gentleman, but the gentleman he
referred to, just came into town, and I have not had an opportunity to
talk to him. I thought I was going to get to talk to him, and we felt
that we were going out of our way to help.
The President has been requesting funding for the Lower Rio Grande
Flood Control project for years and has again requested funding in the
President's budget for 2007.
There are other areas of the country that have this problem, and so
to do it here and not there, and there are gang problems around the
Nation. Let us forget the full bills and put everything into the
supplemental and so we can just have one big supplemental and not have
to pass any other bills.
But to go through the normal process, the gentleman from Texas
brought the issue of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Flood Control project
to my attention last year. As a result, we included language in the
IBWC account directing more funds be provided above the President's
request for this project.
A week ago, the gentleman talked to me about additional moneys for
the project in the fiscal year 2007 process. Funding for the
International Boundary Water Commission should be addressed in the
regular bill. This request does not belong in an emergency
supplemental, and I urge a ``no'' vote on the Doggett amendment.
[[Page H1024]]
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. OBEY. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. DOGGETT. I respect the subcommittee chairman's comments. I do not
think he or the Appropriations Committee or the chairman of the full
committee are the problem. They recognized this problem last year when
they asked the State Department to take additional action. The State
Department took additional action, and I believe they asked to be
included in this emergency appropriations bill.
We need help in the regular appropriations cycle. We will need that
help not just this year but every year for probably the next 10 years.
It is a modest amount. All we are asking for is $7.8 million to add to
the $2.2 million that was appropriated last year, the $10 million a
year that this part of the State Department has been saying since 2003
that they need to avert disaster.
So tonight I would ask all of my colleagues to join with us in
meeting an emergency with an emergency appropriation, and then we will
strive to work together in a positive, bipartisan way to address what I
know the committee recognizes to be a real, genuine, urgent problem.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Gingrey). The question is on the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
noes appeared to have it.
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Doggett) will be postponed.
Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Hinojosa
Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 3 offered by Mr. Hinojosa.
In the item relating to ``Diplomatic and Consular
Affairs'', after ``United States Institute of Peace'', insert
``: Provided further, That of the amount made available under
this heading, $10,000,000 shall be available for the United
States Section of the International Boundary Water
Commission, United States and Mexico''.
Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I plan to withdraw my amendment after I
give a summary of the serious condition of the floodway levee system
near the Rio Grande River in Texas.
My friend and colleague, Mr. Lloyd Doggett, has brought some charts
and shown what he understands to be the problem. I was born and raised
there. I remember 1967 when six brothers were told by my dad that we
were going to stop and shut down our business to go and help control
what was happening on our levees that just could not stand the over 28
feet of water that was coming down the Rio Grande River and that our
levee system was unable to stand up to that pressure.
So I am here to say that we today are appropriating billions of
dollars to help New Orleans recover because we did not spend the
millions necessary to maintain our levee system. Because of our
shortsightedness, the residents of New Orleans are displaced and many
died trying to escape the flood waters. I am here today to plead with
you to not let this tragedy happen in my part of the country.
The International Boundary Water Commission is charged with
maintaining over 500 miles of levees along the U.S.-Mexico border. A
recent study by the U.S. Corps of Engineers shows that numerous
sections of these levees are too weak, they are too low to hold back
flood waters from the devastating Rio Grande River.
More than a million people call the Rio Grande Valley home, and 2.5
million people live on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River. This
region is the poorest in the Nation, and I am sure we do not want to
see more images on television of the poorest of the poor losing what
little they have.
My colleagues in Congress need to know that the Rio Grande Valley is
also the gateway through which much of our Nation's commerce flows.
Should a devastating flood hit the valley, factories and small
businesses in Indiana, Illinois, New York, and throughout the Nation
will shut down because of their inability to get just-in-time
deliveries of the parts and supplies from maquiladoras that come
through the valley's international border ports.
My constituents are not only afraid of the effects of a category 4 or
category 5 hurricane, such as we experienced with Hurricane Beulah in
1967, but we are worried that even a slow-moving tropical storm could
make them homeless like their neighbors in New Orleans. Heavy rains in
the mountains of northern Mexico could cause a catastrophe because
those flood waters empty into the Rio Grande River in areas from El
Paso to Laredo to Roma and to Brownsville, Texas.
The IBWC estimates that $125 million would fix all of our inadequate
floodway levees in South Texas.
My border colleagues and I, in a bipartisan collaboration with other
members of the Texas delegation, will be asking the appropriators for
most of this funding over a 5-year period or sooner through the regular
appropriations process.
This evening, I spoke with Chairman Wolf and have agreed to work with
him on ways to resolve these concerns. I welcome that opportunity.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey:
Page 35, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert the
following: ``(reduced by $5,000,000)''.
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I have come to the floor
tonight to address the issue of an emergency supplemental in which we
are spending upwards of $15 million more in essence on what I call
foreign aid. I am here tonight on this particular amendment to strike
approximately $5 million of that foreign aid.
As I stated before and as people look to this program and what we do
here tonight, one must wonder what makes this situation an emergency.
Well, the committee itself raised that same question when they said,
``The committee is disappointed in the Department of State's failure to
provide adequate and timely justification for the emergency nature of
these funds.''
What are these funds going to? These funds are going to the country
of Iran. An ally of ours? Not by any stretch of the imagination. In
fact, Iran has been called by this administration part of the Axis of
Evil. Iran is a country that wishes to wipe Israel off the face of the
map. In fact, the President of Iran has even said that they wish to
wipe the United States off the face of the map.
So one wonders who at the State Department was looking at this
situation in the past and did not know that there was a need for funds
in this particular area, either in the past budget which we have
already gone through or in the budget process that we are going through
as we speak now. Apparently no one knew at the State Department that
Iran is a problem country that we have to deal with and needed
additional funding for, and so they come to us at the last minute with
a supplemental emergency appropriation.
With all of the problems that we have today in this country, now is
not the time to be adding more to our Nation's debt for foreign aid.
Other portions of this bill certainly have merit to them. Portions, for
example, for aid to our soldiers. Our men and women who find themselves
in harm's way as we speak here tonight need the additional dollars and
cents to get the job down there.
We have heard also the issues with regard to the folks down in the
gulf coast, and there is additional funding for that program as well,
to assist those people in New Orleans and elsewhere as far as their
needed relief.
But do we need to spend additional emergency funds tonight for
foreign aid in essence for diplomatic and consulate programs for Iran,
not by any stretch of the imagination an ally of this country?
Mr. Chairman, I would suggest we should not. This is not a program
that
[[Page H1025]]
we will be putting on the burdens of today's taxpayers. No, we will be
putting this burden on our children and our children's children. Why is
that? It is because we are already in deficit spending in this Nation,
and the emergency supplemental we are debating tonight will simply add
to that debt and add to that burden.
I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, to strike this
additional foreign aid which is not an emergency by any stretch of the
imagination.
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I would tell the body, this really is not foreign aid.
You cannot pick up the newspaper without seeing the threat that Iran is
to the Nation. This is a priority of the administration, but a priority
of everyone who cares with regard to changing the government that we
have in Iran. I do not know how you put it, but it is not aid. Iran is
a threat to the United States. Is that a fact? I think you would have a
very hard time finding anybody who says, no, it is not a fact. It is.
Iran is developing a nuclear bomb. I have seen some reports that say
it may be within 18 months to 2 years of having an nuclear bomb.
The Iranian government is intent on destroying Israel. The Iranian
government is the one who funded the bombing of the Marines barracks in
1993 where 241 marines died. They fund Hezbollah. They are the ones
creating the problem in Lebanon. They are the ones involved in the
funding and the blowing up of the American embassy in Beirut, the first
embassy and the second embassy.
We need to do everything we can to change the government and get
information to the people. So what the administration is trying to do
is to have some public diplomacy, to basically do what Democrat
administrations and Republican administrations have done during the
Cold War: public diplomacy, exchange programs, change their government
through peaceful means.
This is not foreign aid. I would say on behalf of anyone who thinks
that Iran is a danger, please, I would urge a ``no'' vote on this
amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
noes appeared to have it.
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Garrett) will be postponed.
The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
(including transfer of funds)
For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'', $25,300,000, to remain available until September
2007, of which $24,000,000 shall be transferred to the
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction for
reconstruction oversight: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do
now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
Garrett of New Jersey) having assumed the chair, Mr. Gingrey, Acting
Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,
reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill
(H.R. 4939) making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes, had come to no
resolution thereon.
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