[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 98 (Monday, July 24, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H5569-H5570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PROGRESS IN AFGHANISTAN

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to talk about progress 
in Afghanistan. There has been a lot of publicity lately about 
questioning that progress.
  My colleagues, since the onset of Operation Enduring Freedom, 
Afghanistan has made real and substantive progress. To understand the 
degree to which this progress can be measured, it is important, of 
course, to remember the many obstacles that we faced in Afghanistan.
  Consider, for example, that life expectancy is only 45 years; 71 
percent of Afghans over 15 cannot read or write; 91 percent of all 
rural women are illiterate. Three out of five girls do not go to 
school, and most of the existing infrastructure has been destroyed. 
Under those conditions, we realize that progress still is able to 
proceed.
  Now, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, James 
Kunder, the Assistant Administrator for Asia and the Near East for 
USAID said, ``Historically, the vast majority of Afghans have not had 
access to electricity or safe water. In some remote, mountainous 
villages, the nearest paved road is a 2-week walk away. And when USAID 
first arrived in Kabul, much of the population had been severely 
traumatized after years and years of war. Most Afghans did not remember 
a time when conflict was not a major part of their lives.''
  So, my colleagues, against this background, the overthrow of the 
Taliban by the United States and coalition forces, the rebuilding of 
roads and infrastructure, and the widespread participation by the 
Afghan people in presidential and parliamentary elections is a 
monumental and historic achievement. Afghanistan continues to confront 
obstacles, but the colossal steps forward that have already been taken 
should not be underestimated.
  In order to increase business opportunities and develop a private 
sector in Afghanistan, the USAID's Alternative Livelihoods' Private 
Sector Development Unit opened their first Eastern Regional Business 
Development Center in Jalalabad. Now, my colleagues, this office works 
closely with local government, national and international communities, 
to promote business enterprises, effective services and full 
employment.
  Approximately 6,000 businesses have already registered in one of the 
provinces. There have been successes in the agriculture sector as well, 
including 600 farmers in the Jalalabad region who have received 
training in harvest handling, packaging and marketing to improve their 
business opportunities. This program is developing a regional market 
information system to develop quality standards and retail marketing 
measures for farmers and business people.
  Over 4,000 women in 13 districts have benefitted from the micro-
enterprise development projects that train them and increase their 
income potential. Said one of these recipients, a mother of five in one 
province, quote, I learned how to sell and to market my products during 
the USAID training, so I now sell cheese in the neighborhood and in the 
nearest markets. The skill of cheesemaking has helped me and my family 
to stand on our own two feet and depend on this, instead of poppy 
cultivation.
  Furthermore, Afghanistan's reconstruction has made considerable 
progress during the past 4 years. Recently, the World Bank reported 
that ``led by the government with international support, but relying 
most on the energy and initiative of the Afghan people themselves, 
reconstruction has resulted in solid achievements. Economic growth, 
unprecedented primary school enrollments, including for girls, great 
expansion of immunization, rehabilitation of major highways, a new and 
stable currency, promulgation of a new constitution, presidential and 
parliamentary elections, return of refugees and the demobilization of 
militias . . . Yet the challenges still remain enormous.''
  Since 2001, the United States has dedicated $60.5 million for primary 
education to construct schools, train teachers, provide books and 
supplies. Currently, approximately 5.3 million Afghan children are 
enrolled in schools, and 40 percent of them are females.

[[Page H5570]]

  In contrast, on June 11, 2006, the Taliban extremists burned a school 
and have been implicated or have claimed responsibility for damaging 
more than 45 schools, assassinating teachers and intimidating school-
age children in the past year. Notwithstanding the Taliban threat, 
three volunteer teachers and 60 students traveled as far as 9 miles to 
attend the first day of school outside of their city in Afghanistan. 
That is progress.
  The United States has provided more than $87 million to health care 
programs throughout Afghanistan. This funding includes programs to 
train women as health care workers, community midwives, and improving 
health care, including the construction of women's wings at hospitals 
and dormitories. As of March, 2006, USAID has completed 454 clinics 
that serve 340,000 patients per month. Overall, the U.S. has provided 
basic health services to more than 5 million people in 14 provinces. 
USAID has trained over 6,000 Afghan community health care 
professionals.
  As we can see, Mr. Speaker, much progress has been made in 
Afghanistan, but much work still remains. We must continue this process 
towards a free and prosperous Afghanistan.

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