[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 72 (Thursday, June 8, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H3502-H3506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5522, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT 
        FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the 
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 851 and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 851

       Resolved,  That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 5522) making appropriations for foreign 
     operations, export financing, and related programs for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other 
     purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed 
     with. All points of order against consideration of the bill 
     are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and 
     shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by 
     the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
     Appropriations. After general debate the bill shall be 
     considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. Points 
     of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply 
     with clause 2 of rule XXI are waived except as follows: the 
     number ``5'' on page 60, line 4; section 526; beginning with 
     ``Of'' on page 86, line 1 through ``That'' on line 16; 
     section 538; beginning with the semicolon in section 
     565(a)(2) through ``501)'' in section 565(a)(3); and sections 
     570 and 579. Where points of order are waived against part of 
     a paragraph or section, points of order against a provision 
     in another part of such paragraph or section may be made only 
     against such provision and not against the entire paragraph 
     or section. During consideration of the bill for amendment, 
     the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may accord 
     priority in recognition on the basis of whether the Member 
     offering an amendment has caused it to be printed in the 
     portion of the Congressional Record designated for that 
     purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII. Amendments so printed 
     shall be considered as read. When the committee rises and 
     reports the bill back to the House with a recommendation that 
     the bill do pass, the previous question shall be considered 
     as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final 
     passage without intervening motion except one motion to 
     recommit with or without instructions.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln 
Diaz-Balart) is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of 
debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Hastings), pending which I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is 
for the purpose of debate only.
  (Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida asked and was given permission to 
revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the rule provides 1 
hour of general debate evenly divided and controlled by the chairman 
and ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule also 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
  I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that we bring this 
legislation to the floor under an open rule. Historically, 
appropriations legislation has come to the House governed by an open 
rule, and we continue to do so, in order to allow each Member of this 
House the opportunity to submit amendments for consideration as long as 
they comply with the rules of the House.
  Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us today appropriates over $21 
billion, an increase of $600 million over last year, for operations 
across the globe. The bill is fiscally sound while at the same time 
compassionate and globally responsive to needs of those plagued by 
disease, famine, and disaster.
  H.R. 5522, the legislation that we bring to the floor today, bolsters 
the President's Millennium Challenge Corporation to $2 billion, nearly 
a quarter of a billion dollars more than in fiscal year 2006. This 
expansion of assistance is meant to encourage transparency in 
government and to fight corruption in some of the world's poorest 
nations.
  The Millennium Challenge, which President Bush called a new compact 
for global development, provides assistance through a competitive 
selection process to developing nations that are pursuing political and 
economic reforms in three areas: Ruling justly, investing in people, 
and fostering economic freedom. Contributions from the Millennium 
Challenge Corporation are linked to greater responsibility from 
developing nations.

[[Page H3503]]

  The new responsibilities these developing nations accept and exchange 
for funds ensue that the monies we provide do not go to waste and will 
have the greatest possible impact on those who need help the most.
  Three years ago in his State of the Union address, President Bush 
announced for President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the largest 
international health initiative in history initiated by a single 
government to address one disease. This bill demonstrates Congress's 
continued support of the fight against HIV/AIDS as it includes over 
$3.4 billion to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS. It is an increase 
of over $750 million. I congratulate the committee on the sizeable 
increase for this program. It demonstrates our resolve, our 
determination to help all those across the globe who fight this 
disease.
  In other foreign assistance, H.R. 5522 funds the Andean Counter Drug 
Initiative at the President's request $721 million. Economic growth in 
the area since the start of Plan Colombia is proof that the assistance 
we have provided Colombia has made a difference in that country. 
President Uribe has made great strides to combat narco-terrorism in 
Colombia. Under his leadership, Colombia is now neutralizing guerilla 
forces and prosecuting those who are implicated in serious crimes.
  However, we must not take progress in the Andean region for granted. 
If the United States turns its back on the region, a scenario could 
ensue that would require greater U.S. investment at a time when we have 
significant responsibilities worldwide.
  The underlying legislation, Mr. Speaker, also provides about $2.5 
billion for military and economic assistance to Israel. We must and we 
will continue to ensure that our friends and allies remain secure. A 
strong Israel is necessary to the United States national interests and 
to stability in the Middle East. We are committed to doing everything 
we can so that Israel is safe and secure within her border, especially 
as the terrorist group now in the government in the Palestinian 
Authority and also the Iranian dictatorship continue to threaten to 
wipe Israel off the face of the map, something that will not happen and 
we would never permit.
  The particular concern to my district is funding for the Republic of 
Haiti. That country has undergone a tumultuous few years of political 
instability as well as being hit by a natural disaster. The bill fully 
funds the President's request of $164 million in funding for Haiti.
  Over the last two decades, an estimated 2 million people in Sudan 
have died due to war-related causes and famine, and millions have been 
displaced from their homes. This bill fully funds the President's 
request of $450 million, with $137 million devoted to Darfur. 
Assistance is conditional; it will only be given to the coalition 
government if that assistance is in direct support of the comprehensive 
peace agreement or the Darfur peace agreement.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5522 was introduced and worked on in a very 
detailed and serious way by Chairman Kolbe and reported out of the 
Appropriations Committee on May 26 by a voice vote. It is a good piece 
of legislation, important to our continued commitment to the security 
and safety of all citizens and residents of the United States, and we 
bring it forth under an open and fair rule.
  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chairman Lewis and 
Chairman Kolbe and Ranking Member Lowey for their leadership on this 
important issue. I would like to point out that this is Chairman 
Kolbe's final appropriations bill as chairman of the Foreign Operations 
Subcommittee. It has been truly a pleasure to work with Chairman Kolbe 
on the Foreign Operations appropriations bill and on many other 
important legislative projects throughout his distinguished career in 
this House. I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the 
underlying legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and 
colleague from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart) for yielding me the 
time. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as many in this body know, Representative Diaz-Balart 
and I are privileged to represent perhaps the most international region 
of our country in South Florida. It is therefore only fitting that the 
two of us be here today to manage this rule on the foreign operations 
appropriations bill. I look forward to a fruitful discussion with the 
gentleman on many important issues facing our Nation abroad.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great concern about the foreign 
operations appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007. While the other 10 
appropriations bills fund our domestic priorities, the foreign 
operations bill outlines and fulfills our commitments abroad. It serves 
as Congress's most significant diplomatic statement each year. I just 
hope that the international community isn't listening this time around.
  The underlying legislation not only shortchanges funding for some of 
our country's most critical foreign programs by almost $2.4 billion, 
but it sends a clear message to our allies and enemies alike that the 
United States Congress is not seriously fulfilling America's commitment 
to the global community. I am certainly pleased that the bill has 
increased funding for development assistance, critically important 
child survival nonHIV/AIDS programs. It has increased funding for basic 
education programs and HIV/AIDS funding.
  Nevertheless, I remain concerned that we are not doing enough in 
other areas. The dramatic underfunding of critical programs throughout 
the underlying bill calls into question the House's commitment to 
refugee assistance, debt relief, democracy in eastern Europe and the 
former Soviet Union, the global environmental facility, and foreign aid 
in general.
  Let me drop a footnote there. The chair and the ranking member have 
done the best that they could with what they have, but it is the 
overall parameters and all of our responsibility here in the House that 
fails. Perhaps most troubling, these cuts dramatically hinder the 
President's ability to conduct the business of this country abroad. As 
our colleagues come to the floor today to discuss, debate, and consider 
the underlying legislation, I sincerely hope that they will look at the 
statement this bill is sending to the international community and 
reconsider some of these dramatic cuts.
  Mr. Speaker, for the last 2 years, I have had the great honor and 
privilege to serve as the president of the Organization for Security 
and Cooperation in Europe's parliamentary assembly. In this capacity I 
have traveled to 29 countries in Europe, the former Soviet Union, and 
Central Asia; I have met with heads of state, foreign ministers, 
ambassadors, colleagues of foreign parliaments, our ambassadors, and 
interest groups throughout the OSCE region.
  If I have learned anything during this time, it is that the 
principles of freedom and democracy in many places in this world are 
still struggling to break free from the bondages of oppression and 
tyranny. Today is a day when American leadership in the world is 
desperately needed.
  In the former Soviet Union, many states are struggling desperately to 
establish solid democratic foundations. How is Congress helping them? 
By cutting economic aid to eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union 
countries by a total of $202 million from last year's level. At a time 
when African nations are being forced to allocate well over 50 percent 
of their annual budgets to repay debt to western countries, how is 
Congress helping? By cutting debt relief funding by more than $44 
million to a level that is more than $160 million less than President 
Bush's request.
  Throughout the world, the number of refugees fleeing across borders 
to escape persecution and poverty is increasing, yet the House is now 
poised to reduce the United States' commitment to international refugee 
assistance by almost $33 million, $82 million less than President 
Bush's request. In Sudan and Congo, innocent people are dying for no 
reason other than the color of their skin or the religion that they 
practice, but our financial commitment to them continues to fall short.
  How about the Millennium Challenge Account? As my colleagues will 
recall, Congress established the account in

[[Page H3504]]

January 2004, and through fiscal year 2006 has underfunded the account 
by $2.6 billion. The underlying legislation, as has been the case in 
the past, again shortchanges the Millennium Challenge Account by $1 
billion. And don't even get me started on the bill's rescinding of $188 
million in already appropriated dollars to the World Bank. No wonder so 
many in the world have really stopped looking at us as a place of hope 
and compassion and reliability.

                              {time}  1045

  As the lone superpower in the world, Mr. Speaker, we must not allow 
ourselves to become encapsulated in the philosophy of leadership by 
force. Our military must not only be the strongest in the world, and 
they are, and today I compliment the special forces for their 
extraordinary efforts in bringing to ultimate justice a person that was 
an ultimate terrorist, but so must our diplomacy be strong and the best 
in the world. America's willingness and sincere interest to utilize the 
voices of reason and persuasion over the barrel of a gun must be guided 
by sound principle in its foreign policy.
  The underlying legislation, not the defense appropriations bill as 
some in this body may want you to believe, in my judgment, is the 
greatest tool that Congress has in its box to show the world true 
American strength. Whether or not we choose to maximize this tool is, 
frankly, up to us. I fear, however, that the underlying legislation 
comes up dramatically short of what needs to be done.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  I also take this opportunity, I think it is very appropriate and just 
to do so as we discuss legislation that furthers the U.S. national 
interests in our foreign policy, to commend our forces in Iraq who have 
managed that great victory of the elimination of the leader of the al 
Qaeda terrorist network there, who had caused so much pain and 
suffering, not only to our forces, but to the people of Iraq.
  The action of the American Armed Forces is to be commended, as well 
as admired, and freedom-loving people throughout the world, I know, are 
joining us today in congratulating the U.S. Armed Forces for the great 
success in the elimination of the terrorist head in Iraq.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the prime author of the legislation 
that we are bringing forth today.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for 
yielding this time, and I also want to thank him for the very kind 
remarks that he made a few moments ago.
  As he pointed out, this will be the last regular, foreign ops 
appropriation bill that will be brought to the floor under my tutelage 
as chairman of that subcommittee. It has been a great privilege and a 
pleasure for the last 6 years to bring this bill to the floor. It has 
also been a great pleasure to work with the gentleman from Florida, who 
has the responsibility for foreign affairs issues in the Rules 
Committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I do rise in support of the rule. I will be very brief 
because I will make most of my remarks during the debate, when we get 
to general debate on the bill itself, but I do rise in support of the 
rule for consideration of H.R. 5522, which is the fiscal year 2007 
appropriations bill for foreign operations, export financing and 
related programs.
  As has been pointed out, the total in this bill is $21.3 billion. 
That is $597 million over the amount provided in fiscal year 2006, not 
counting supplementals; but it is fully $2.4 billion below the 
President's request. This means that there is $2.4 billion elsewhere in 
the budget for critical needs. The gentleman from Florida on the other 
side also spoke about some of those. Whether we are talking about 
veterans care or education or health programs, it is $2.4 billion that 
is freed up by the fact that our allocation has been reduced, and yet 
our allocation is still more than 5 percent over the amount that we had 
last year, and I think it is a fair amount.
  We are once again faced with difficult choices in developing this 
recommendation because we are significantly below the President's 
request. The President's budget request had significant increases for 
the Millennium Challenge Corporation, for HIV/AIDS, and reconstruction 
and stabilization efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. While no one 
got everything they wanted, the recommendation I think strikes a 
difficult balance among the competing priorities, and at the same time 
fiscally responsible.
  Our priority has been to increase funding for the war on terror. We 
have also increased the Millennium Challenge Corporation by about $245 
million, enough of an increase to make clear our commitment to the 
Millennium Challenge Corporation. We believe the MCC is working. We 
believe they are doing the right thing, and we are going to continue on 
a path towards increasing it as a vehicle for delivering foreign 
assistance around the world. We have also increased international 
health spending, and those are the three priorities which lie at the 
core of U.S. interests abroad.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5522 is a package of foreign assistance which has 
been formed by experience. It funds programs that are accountable and 
transparent; and most importantly, it helps to secure and protect the 
United States abroad. It was developed in a bipartisan manner, and I 
believe that it should have wide support on the floor of the House.
  This is a fairly standard rule. It is an open rule, allowing for 
amendments; and we have a number of amendments which will be discussed 
here later today. I expect a thorough and complete debate on a number 
of areas of U.S. foreign policy, and I believe that this will be the 
House of Representatives at its finest hour.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Before I yield to my very good friend from New York, I would like to 
compliment my very good friend who just spoke, Mr. Kolbe, the 
chairperson of this particular committee, and compliment him for the 6 
years of very active work on behalf of this country. I know for a fact 
that he did all that he could with what he had; and you are to be 
thanked, Jim, for your great service, and you will be missed sorely by 
all of us.
  However, I can honestly say I will not miss going on CODELs with you 
because of your indefatigable energy when we are on CODEL; and if we 
had the time, we could share some stories in that regard.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member of the foreign 
operations subcommittee.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule, and I 
thank the Rules Committee for granting a fair, open rule for the 
consideration of the foreign operations bill.
  While I am disappointed that this rule leaves several commonsense 
provisions in the bill vulnerable to points of order, I am grateful 
that the Rules Committee has protected section 587 of the bill. This 
provision will enhance the focus of U.S. foreign assistance programs on 
supporting women's access to economic opportunity and will help women 
take full advantage of the possibilities of the global economy.
  I am particularly appreciative to Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, 
Chairman Hyde and, of course, Chairman Kolbe for enabling this language 
to be maintained; and I look forward to several robust debates today on 
a number of issues affecting U.S. foreign policy and U.S. foreign 
assistance.
  Of course, I am appreciative of our chairman, and I will thank him 
appropriately again. I think we have expressed our appreciation and 
devotion and respect probably at least a half a dozen times, but you 
deserve it every time, Mr. Chairman.
  So I want to again thank the Rules Committee for allowing these 
debates to proceed by granting an open rule.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as 
he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the 
distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding and 
congratulate him on his management of this very important piece of 
legislation.

[[Page H3505]]

  Let me begin by joining and extending congratulations to our friend 
from Tucson, Mr. Kolbe, for the superb leadership that he has provided 
on this measure. I am looking at him at this moment, Mr. Speaker, and 
he is sitting with the distinguished minority ranking member, Mrs. 
Lowey.
  In the Rules Committee yesterday when we were dealing with this 
issue, everyone was praising the fact that this measure is moving ahead 
with strong bipartisan support. I think the leadership that Jim Kolbe 
has provided on this demonstrates his commitment to good public policy 
and addressing it in a bipartisan way, and I want to extend my hearty 
congratulations to him.
  I want to say this measure is very important. We, of course, all have 
gotten the news this morning of the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, 
that charismatic al Qaeda leader who has been responsible for some of 
the most heinous acts and, of course the very, very sad killings and 
beheadings of a number of people who come to mind; and as the Secretary 
of Defense said earlier this morning, this man probably has more blood 
on his hands than any other human being when it comes to terrorist acts 
in the past few years. So we, I believe, are in the midst of 
understanding that the leadership that the United States of America is 
providing through our foreign assistance package is one which is 
playing a role in helping us win the global war on terror.
  We obviously are faced today with the potential for great tragedy and 
retaliation because of the killing of al-Zarqawi, but we also have to 
recognize that when the members of the Iraqi media lurched to their 
feet and applauded, celebrating the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, 
this is a great day for the people of Iraq who do want freedom and 
liberation and an opportunity to proceed with self-determination.
  Mr. Speaker, that has come about in large part due to the leadership 
that Jim Kolbe and Mrs. Lowey and others have provided in this package 
that we are going to be voting on today. It is an important one, and I 
know that it is often criticized by many as simply taking U.S. taxpayer 
dollars and sending them to other parts of the world and, frankly, much 
of this is expended right here in the United States to help us deal 
with the development of political pluralism, the establishment of 
democratic institutions, and very important societal needs that exist 
in a number of countries in the world.
  One of the things that I mentioned in the Rules Committee last night, 
Mr. Speaker, was the fact that Mr. Kolbe serves as a very important 
member of the House Democracy Assistance Commission and you, Mr. 
Speaker, are a very important member of that commission as well, and it 
was one that I was pleased that a little over a year ago Speaker 
Hastert and Minority Leader Pelosi came together and established this 
bipartisan commission that is designed to look at a number of countries 
that are really beginning to take steps towards democracy that have 
recently held elections and elected parliaments.
  We have created a chance for direct parliament-to-parliament 
consultation, working member to member, with members of these new 
parliaments, working with staffs, working with officers of these 
parliaments to make sure that we help them move into establishing the 
very important things that are in our Constitution and we have a 
tendency to take for granted.
  But many in this world are moving towards that, being the 
responsibility of oversight from the legislative branch to the 
executive branch, making sure that they deal with constituent service 
and a wide range of these other things that we in the United States 
House of Representatives engage in, and I believe that the existence of 
this commission, which I am very privileged to work with our colleague 
David Price from North Carolina who serves as the ranking minority 
member on, is important and much of the funding for that is coming 
through this appropriation bill that has been put together.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DREIER. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to ask a 
question. It is my belief that compared to gross domestic product that 
America spends less than 1 percent on the foreign relations and this 
particular matter. Do you feel, as I do, that we are pretty stingy 
compared to other countries when it comes to that measure? Everything 
you said is true, and all of those things are wonderful; but I still 
think that we are pretty stingy in this arena.

                              {time}  1100

  Mr. DREIER. If I can reclaim my time, Mr. Speaker, I would say to my 
very good friend from Fort Lauderdale, who serves so ably on the Rules 
Committee, that I don't believe that we are stingy at all. I think the 
American people are very, very generous.
  I know my friend has been involved in providing leadership in a wide 
range of areas internationally, and he has had a commitment to dealing 
with many of these issues. I think that the United States of America 
has demonstrated its generosity, not only through its foreign 
assistance package, but also through the eleemosynary activities of so 
many Americans who are voluntarily involved. I think of the wealthiest 
person in the world, Bill Gates, who has stepped forward to deal with 
the AIDS in Africa crisis. He voluntarily has done many, many things to 
help deal with this issue.
  So I would say a resounding no, we are not stingy when it comes to 
this issue. We are, I believe, very cost effectively, Mr. Speaker, 
dealing with the important needs that are out there. And my friend 
raised the issue of the percentage of the gross domestic product what 
is being done, and of course, what is brought to mind for me is another 
issue, and that is, in fact, that we have seen a great reduction in our 
Federal deficit as a percentage of the gross domestic product. It is 
now below 2.6 percent of the GDP.
  And I think that our growing economy will again put dollars in the 
pockets of Americans so that they will be able to voluntarily deal with 
many of these needs that exist in other parts of the world.
  So I thank my friend for his question, and I thank again the 
distinguished vice chairman of the Committee on Rules for his 
leadership on this and a wide range of other foreign policy 
initiatives, and again congratulate my friend, the distinguished 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations for his fine work.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his 
response. Bill Gates and others in their eleemosynary undertakings do 
not have the responsibility that we do here in this body to undertake 
appropriate foreign undertakings.
  That said, I would at this time yield 3 minutes to my friend, the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy in permitting 
me to speak on this. I rise in support of the open rule. I join my 
colleagues in praising the leadership of Mr. Kolbe, with whom I have 
had an opportunity to learn a great deal from his tutelage as Chair and 
his commitment to foreign affairs, and to watch Mrs. Lowey and Mr. 
Kolbe make the most out of the difficult budget hand they have been 
dealt.
  This is, in fact, a great investment of American tax dollars. It is 
not just the right thing to do morally, but it does make markets for 
U.S. goods, it helps developing partners around the world in commerce, 
and it is much cheaper than the military option. Think of what could 
have been accomplished with the trillion dollars we will have spent in 
Iraq.
  It is time for us, however, I think, for us to consider some 
adjustments in philosophy and direction. I know there is going to be 
some proposals later in amendments that would deal with issues 
regarding Egypt, where we have given some $25 billion since 1979, and, 
sadly, the repressive tactics against journalists, against people who 
would exercise their Democratic rights is a sad commentary. And I do 
not think that we need to be held hostage for putting vast amounts of 
military assistance into Egypt at a time when they are not responding 
in ways that are consistent with what we are trying to do. I think 
sending some modest signals that we are not going to be held hostage is 
important.

[[Page H3506]]

  Indeed, one-half of the top 25 recipients of United States' arms in 
the developing world are undemocratic, according to the United States 
State Department's own record. I think that is an unfortunate 
commentary. And I will be offering an amendment later in this debate, 
with my good friend, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), who chairs 
our Subcommittee on International Affairs on Asia, to divert $250 
million from the military aid to put it in assistance that would make a 
difference for foreign countries around the world to deal with the fact 
that there are a billion people around the world who live on a dollar a 
day or less; that every 15 seconds, a child dies from waterborne 
disease. Indeed, one-half of the people who are sick today anywhere 
around the world are sick needlessly from waterborne disease.
  This Chamber, last year, supported bipartisan legislation, the Water 
for the Poor Act, named after our colleague, Senator Paul Simon, that 
has the potential of being transformational for these people. But what 
we need to do is to invest money to make that the case. So I am going 
to strongly urge that my colleague look at this proposal, much to be 
commended, but to look at one specific adjustment, putting money away 
from arms to undemocratic areas where, frankly, it is not the highest 
priority, and, instead, invest 250 million additional dollars for this 
critical economic and development aid.
  Remember, last year, in the total budget for the entire world dealing 
with this problem of waterborne disease, the entire budget was only 
$200 million, after we had worked and worked and worked. This budget 
currently only provides $50 million. We can do more, and I strongly 
urge consideration of the Leach-Blumenauer amendment.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes 
to my good friend from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I know that there will be a general debate, 
but I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge one of the best 
working teams that we have in the House, and that is the team of Lowey 
and Kolbe on Foreign Ops. And I want to take this time on the rule to 
thank Mr. Kolbe for his spirited commitment to Africa and developing 
nations and his partnership with Mrs. Lowey, who always finds a basis 
of resolve and, if you will, a solution. So we thank you, and I pay 
this tribute to Mr. Kolbe on what I believe will be his last Foreign 
Ops bill.
  But I agree with Mr. Hastings in suggesting that foreign ops is our 
face to the world. And with his experience of traveling on behalf of 
this Nation, I am saddened by what the appropriators have had to do in 
this foreign ops bill, because we have turned our backs somewhat on the 
world.
  We can applaud the special forces as our gun and the bringing down of 
Zarqawi, but really diplomacy and government and governance is going to 
win the war in Iraq. So it is important that we have investment in 
those kinds of issues.
  Let me speak specifically to the question of Sudan. And although we 
realize that in addition to the Darfur issues, there are rebel issues, 
and rebels play a part in the conflict, it is the government of Sudan 
that needs the overcoming of its attitude of disingenuousness in not 
paying attention to finding ways to resolve the conflict. I would hope 
that an amendment, or at least language that I have that focuses on 
Chad, and realizes that the burden of refugees needs to have additional 
funding and focus so that the Sudanese situation can move forward, I 
hope we will have an opportunity to debate that amendment and also 
include that language but, more importantly, as we move to the Senate, 
have funding for Chad.
  I hope we will also recognize that Afghanistan is really the war we 
can win. Finding now Osama bin Laden, but more importantly, investing 
into the regional reconstruction plan so that we can have more schools 
and hospitals and infrastructure for a country that has absolutely 
nothing, yet its people are inclined to move enthusiastically towards 
democracy. President Karzai represents stability, and we need to invest 
more in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
  Then I hope that we would have the opportunity to address the 
question of what we call codes of conduct in many of our Islamic 
countries who overlook the rape of women, gang rapes in fact, where the 
nations condone the rape to the extent that they allow the cultural 
mores to exist over the safety and security of women. We have seen this 
happen throughout the Islamic world, where there are gang rapes and no 
prosecution.
  It is extremely important that we focus on these tragedies that are 
occurring, and they occur in countries that happen to be our allies. So 
I hope that language on that will be accepted to respond to the rape 
and pillage of women without any protection whatsoever.
  I would also add to the Afghan funding is the necessity of protecting 
the parliamentarians. There is a democratically-elected government in 
Afghanistan with a large percentage of women parliamentarians who are 
fearful of going back to their districts. They need security, and that 
should be the face of the foreign appropriations as well. Meeting with 
them in Afghanistan just recently, they begged us to provide them with 
security, security, security.
  So let me thank the appropriators for doing the best that you could 
do, but, unfortunately, it does not help the face of America to cut in 
such crucial areas as have already been mentioned. But in any event, I 
hope we will have the ability to improve on this in the Senate and as 
well to not turn our back on the ways that we can add to 
democratization and add to the security of the world.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my 
good friend, Mr. Hastings, and all who have participated in this 
debate. We are very proud to bring forth this appropriation bill with 
an open rule. Very proud of the underlying legislation, with over $21 
billion in assistance for countries throughout the world to help with 
disease and with poverty.
  The American people are very generous, year after year after year, 
and I am very proud to be a Representative here in this House of that 
generous people.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the 
previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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