[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 74 (Monday, June 12, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1114-E1115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 9, 2006

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration 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:

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment 
offered by my friend and colleague from Massachusetts, Mr. McGovern. 
While he means well, and I too strongly support greater funding for the 
Emergency Refugee and Migration Account, their offset is problematic.
  There has been a dramatic change in Colombia since President Clinton 
introduced Plan Colombia with his former colleague, and now Colombian 
Ambassador to the United States, Andreas Pastrana. And this change can 
be summed up into one phrase: Safety, Security, and Confidence are 
back.
  Colombia is the oldest democracy in South America, and its strongest. 
In 1990, during some of the darkest hours of this democracy, when their 
leading Presidential candidate was assassinated on television, and the 
country was afflicted by almost daily bombing campaigns by the FARC and 
the drug lords, like Pablo Escobar, their democracy continued to 
function and they conducted fair and free elections and the country 
continued to move on.

[[Page E1115]]

  But the 1990s were not good to the people of Colombia. It was during 
this time, President Bill Clinton working with his Colombian 
counterpart, President Andreas Pastrana, created Plan Colombia--an 
investment of U.S. resources, both military and economic, to help 
restore peace and stability to this democracy.
  President Bush continued and built upon this successful program with 
his counterpart, current President Alvaro Uribe, who was just re-
elected less then 2 weeks ago to another term overwhelmingly by his 
citizens in an election all consider to have been fair and free. The 
election was independently confirmed by the well respected Human Rights 
Watch.
  We need to continue to build upon this relationship.
  President Uribe will be visiting the United States next week, and we 
should welcome him as a friend of our country--because he is.
  If one reviewed the committee report from this subcommittee, one 
would see that it actually starts with a statement highlighting that 
USAID needs greater emphasis in Latin America, as U.S. influence and 
interests in the region are waning--cutting funds from our strongest 
ally and a country in need does not send the right message. In fact, 
this bill rejiggers our aid appropriations to Colombia, reflecting a 
nonnalization of relations and the massive progress Colombia has made 
in the past 5 years. Colombia continues to build strong democratic 
institutions, while curbing violence and drug trafficking.
  Plan Colombia has been working, including limiting the drug trade in 
the U.S. We will hear occasional statistics on the drug war--the 
detractors will ignore the demand side of the cocaine issue, and solely 
focus on the supply side
  On the supply side there have been numerous victories--not as big as 
hoped but victories none the less. We will not achieve full victory 
until we curb the demand and that involves an active role in the bane 
of drugs here in the U.S. We can all rattle off data, but the facts 
show the path is moving towards progress.
  Is fumigation the best approach? That can be debated, but not in a 
way that we strip funding from an ally who is working with the United 
States of America to end the flow of drugs to the United States of 
America.
  Additionally, Colombia has complied with 433 extradition requests 
from the U.S. since August 1998; no country has cooperated more than 
Colombia with extradition requests. Some of the biggest drug dealers, 
and some of the biggest terrorists, including 2 FARC leaders are in 
jail today in the DC area--too bad we cant say the same thing about 
Osama bin laden.
  And Plan Colombia has worked domestically in Colombia as well. In the 
Department of Public Safety, Colombia provides protection to labor 
leaders, human rights workers, and journalists. There has been an 80 
percent decrease in kidnappings since the initiative of Plan Colombia 
in 2000; there has also been a 63 percent decrease in terrorist 
attacks.
  Last year, one journalist was killed in Colombia and 21 since 2002 
according to the State Department. While sad, this death toll has 
steadily decreased every year since that time. While still too high, 
the facts prove that the democratically elected government of President 
Alvaro Uribe is fighting a winning battle against terrorism in 
Colombia, making his country safer for all of its citizens. In 2000, 
the Colombian government created the Journalists Protection Program to 
protect journalists from attack. During 2005, the Direction of Human 
Rights of the Ministry of Interior and Justice provided direct 
protection to 113 journalists. The situation in Colombia for 
journalists has vastly improved over the past 4 years. This success is 
owed both to the security initiatives implemented by their 
democratically elected President, as well as the support provided by 
the United States under Plan Colombia.
  Plan Colombia has been a foreign policy success for the United States 
of America and a domestic security success for Colombia. Started by 
President Clinton and continued by President Bush, Plan Colombia has 
made measurable progress in Colombia's security, as seen through 
decreases in violence, murders and kidnappings as well as the 
eradication of drug crops.
  The streets of Colombia are safer--some will argue that the victories 
achieved by Plan Colombia have only effected the cities so far--but 
that's where 75 percent of the people live--and they are living safer, 
better lives today.
  It isn't a complete victory, I agree, but we cannot cut Colombia, our 
ally, off at the knees as they approach victory.
  I urge a ``no'' vote on the McGovern amendment.

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