[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 24, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E955-E956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PALESTINIAN ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 22, 2006

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, tonight we should be 
working to ensure security and peace for Israel and more hope, 
opportunity and peace for the Palestinian people. Among our colleagues 
in the U.S. House, there is unanimous intolerance and condemnation for 
the current Hamas-led government of the Palestinian Authority. The 
refusal of the political leadership of Hamas to recognize the State of 
Israel, renounce violence and terrorism, and agree to previous 
agreements and obligations of the Palestinian Authority is unacceptable 
and therefore they must continue to be isolated by the international 
community.
  Congress should be here tonight unanimously passing a bill that 
supports Secretary of State Rice as she leads the international 
community to keep firm pressure on Hamas until they agree to an 
internationally recognized civilized standard of conduct. At the same 
time, Congress should be working to support the Bush administration and 
the international community to avoid a serious humanitarian crisis 
among the Palestinian people.
  On May 9, 2006, Secretary Rice said as she announced $10 million of 
medical assistance to the Palestinian people, ``We will continue to 
look for ways to assist the Palestinian people and will encourage other 
countries to join us in this effort. We will not, however, provide 
support to a Hamas-led government that refuses to accept the calls of 
the Quartet and the broader international community to renounce terror 
and become a partner for peace.''
  I strongly support her efforts and it is unfortunate that a bill 
could not be drafted to come to the floor this evening that was 
supported by the State Department. The State Department's comment 
regarding H.R. 4681 is ``this bill is unnecessary.''
  Unfortunately, instead of advancing the U.S. interests, H.R. 4681 
does not recognize the three criteria set forth by President Bush--
demanded by President Bush and the international community--for Hamas 
to commence any form of engagement with the U.S. and the international 
community.
  H.R. 4681 sets an elevated threshold which will make U.S. leadership 
for peace in the Middle East nearly impossible even if Hamas does agree 
to recognize Israel, does renounce terrorism and does agree to abide by 
all previous agreements. The outcome of this bill, if it were to become 
law, would be to isolate Palestinian leaders who have been committed to 
advancing the peace process, isolate leaders who have denounced 
terrorism, and isolate leaders who are working with Israel for peace 
and a permanent two-state solution.
  How does this bill advance U.S. goals in the region? It doesn't.
  This bill's real result will be to isolate the U.S. among members of 
the international community that are working for a peaceful and just 
solution between Israel and the Palestinians.
  One of our partners in isolating Hamas and delivering humanitarian 
assistance to the Palestinian people is the United Nations. A section 
of this bill calls for withholding a portion of U.S. contribution to 
the United Nation as if this valuable partner were the enemy. For this 
bill to target the United Nations--a member of the Quartet--in such a 
fashion is a clear sign that this bill is intended to undermine the 
Bush administration's multilateral leadership.
  This bill places extreme constraints on the delivery of humanitarian 
assistance by nongovernmental organizations to the Palestinian people. 
This bill's unnecessary obstacles have the potential for very negative 
human consequences and would exacerbate a humanitarian crisis. 
Palestinian families and children must not be targeted for deprivation 
of their basic human needs by this Congress. Instead let this House 
ensure that Palestinian families and children will treated in a fashion 
that reflects our values and the belief that their lives are valued.
  NGOs with significant experience delivering humanitarian assistance 
have expressed serious concerns that the lack of flexibility in H.R. 
4681.
  An April 6, 2006 letter from United States Conference on Catholic 
Bishops to Chairman Hyde expressing concerns regarding the substitute 
amendment to H.R. 4681 states, ``the legislation should provide for the 
urgent needs of the Palestinian people. A further deterioration of the 
humanitarian and economic situation of the Palestinian people 
compromises human dignity and serves the long term interests neither of 
Palestinians nor of Israelis who long for a just peace.''
  In it present form, this bill will not allow NGOs to properly carry 
out the very assistance determined to be necessary by Secretary Rice--
ensuring suffering and misery among the Palestinian people.
  Finally, my opposition to H.R. 4681 is based on policy grounds that 
reflect my support for a Middle East peace process which will 
ultimately yield security and freedom from terrorism for the State of 
Israel and the Israeli people, as well as a democratic, secure and 
peaceful state for the Palestinian people.

  H.R. 4681, will result in no greater security or opportunities for 
peace than exist today with current law and the administration's 
present policy course. But this bill may in fact have the result of 
fueling a humanitarian crisis. Passing this bill undermines U.S. 
interests and has potential long-term negative consequences for the 
Israeli people and the Palestinians.
  Later this week, in this chamber, we will be honored by the presence 
of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. In an interview last week, 
Primer Minister Olmert said the Palestinians

[[Page E956]]

``are the victims of their own extremist, fundamentalist, religious, 
inflexible and unyielding leadership, and we will do everything in our 
power to help these innocent people . . . We will pay if necessary out 
of our own pockets. We wouldn't allow one baby to suffer one night 
because of a lack of dialysis. We care,'' Olmert said. 'We want to save 
their lives.''
  I wish to strongly associate myself with the honest and courageous 
comments of the Prime Minister and his desire for security, peace and 
the value of human life.
  I oppose H.R. 4681 because this is a missed opportunity to keep the 
pressure on Hamas, ease the suffering among the Palestinian people and 
ensure that Israel is secure and without a humanitarian crisis on its 
doorstep. Current U.S. law already prohibits funds from going to Hamas 
because it is a foreign terrorist organization. As the State Department 
says, ``this bill is unnecessary.''
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. Let us send a message to 
the people of Israel and the Palestinian people that the U.S. Congress 
has not given up working for security, peace, and a better future in 
the Middle East.
  Let us oppose and isolate Hamas--and let us also work for peace and a 
generation of Israeli and Palestinian children who know no violence, 
only hope.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 4681.

                          ____________________