[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 23, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E935-E936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PALESTINIAN ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 22, 2006

  Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4681 because 
it inappropriately uses a blunt instrument to clumsily attempt to 
achieve Middle East peace. If this carelessly written and unnecessary 
legislation becomes law, it will set the Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process back further and result in additional Israeli and Palestinian 
deaths.
  H.R. 4681 weakens moderate pro-peace Palestinians. This legislation 
does not discriminate in imposing sanctions against both Hamas and non-
Hamas controlled elements and officials of the Palestinian Authority, 
PA. H.R. 4681 bans all aid to the Palestinian Legislative Council, PLC, 
and PA agencies and instrumentalities, including those not controlled 
by Hamas. Among the officials this bill prohibits from receiving 
assistance is Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has been 
instrumental in counterbalancing Hamas and working toward a peaceful 
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  This legislation undermines diplomatic efforts to achieve a lasting 
peace in the Middle East. This bill prohibits all members of the PA 
regardless of their affiliation or non-affiliation with Hamas--from 
obtaining visas necessary for diplomatic travel. This ill-advised rule 
will prevent the United States from fully engaging and bolstering 
moderate Palestinian leaders who recognize and support peace with 
Israel.
  Even as the United Nations reports of an impending humanitarian 
disaster in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, this bill imposes 
unnecessarily strict sanctions on providing aid to Palestinian groups 
and non-government organizations not affiliated with Hamas. Under this 
legislation, the Palestinian people could receive essential medicine, 
but funds for democracy assistance, economic development, and 
sanitation infrastructure would be prohibited. This legislation 
therefore makes more likely a humanitarian crisis that will increase 
support for extremism, thereby endangering Israel and further 
destabilizing the region.
  H.R. 4681 also ties the President's hands in dealing with emergency 
security and humanitarian crises. The bill limits the President's

[[Page E936]]

ability to waive financial sanctions and travel prohibitions. It 
onerously requires the President to obtain congressional approval for 
every waiver on a case-by-case basis, complicating and delaying an 
American response to, for example, new Palestinian elections or a 
natural disaster.
  Moreover, this legislation is unnecessary. Current U.S. law already 
forbids members of Hamas and other foreign terrorist organizations from 
obtaining visas or having diplomatic relations with the United States. 
According to the Bush Administration, the executive branch already has 
ample authority to impose all of the bill's restrictions. It is a rare 
but notable occurrence for me to agree with this Administration.
  While I believe, that America should not provide aid to Hamas, I 
oppose this bill's reckless approach to the Middle East peace process. 
I voted for S. Con. Res. 79, that states that the U.S. should not 
provide assistance directly to the PA if any representative political 
party holding a majority of parliamentary seats within the PA maintains 
a position calling for the destruction of Israel. Unlike the bill 
before us today, however, that resolution provided the executive branch 
the flexibility necessary to work with moderate Palestinian groups and 
permitted foreign aid to go to nongovernmental organizations.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against this harmful legislation and to 
consider a more thoughtful approach to achieving peace in the Middle 
East.

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