[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 102 (Friday, July 28, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6029-H6030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1930
PROVIDING FUNDING AUTHORITY TO FACILITATE EVACUATION OF PERSONS FROM
LEBANON
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate bill
(S. 3741) to provide funding authority to facilitate the evacuation of
persons from Lebanon, and for other purposes, be taken from the
Speaker's table, amended in the form that I have placed at the desk,
and hereby passed; that the amendment placed at the desk be considered
as read; and that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
The text of the Senate bill is as follows:
S. 3741
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FUNDING AUTHORITY.
(a) Transfer Authority.--
(1) Authority.--
(A) In general.--Upon a determination by the Secretary of
State described in subparagraph (B), the Secretary may
transfer to the ``Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular
Service'' account from unobligated amounts in any account
under the ``Administration of Foreign Affairs'' heading such
sums as may be necessary--
(i) to cover the costs of facilitating the evacuation under
section 4 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of
1956 (22 U.S.C. 2671) of persons from Lebanon on or after
July 16, 2006; and
(ii) to replenish the ``Emergencies in the Diplomatic and
Consular Service'' account up to the level of funding that
existed in such account on July 15, 2006.
(B) Determination.--A determination referred to in
subparagraph (A) is a determination that additional funding
for the ``Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular
Service'' account is necessary as a result of the
extraordinary costs of facilitating the evacuation under
section 4 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of
1956 (22 U.S.C. 2671) of persons from Lebanon on or after
July 16, 2006.
(C) Treatment of funds.--Amounts transferred under
subparagraph (A) shall be merged with amounts in the
``Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service''
account, and shall be available for the same purposes, and
subject to the same conditions and limitations, as amounts in
such account.
(2) Notification requirement.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided under subparagraph (B),
not later than 5 days before transferring funds under
paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall notify the
appropriate congressional committees of the proposed
transfer.
(B) Exigent circumstances waiver.--The Secretary may waive
the requirement under subparagraph (A) if exigent
circumstances exist. In the event of such a waiver, the
Secretary shall provide notice of the transfer of funds to
the appropriate congressional committees as early as
practicable, but in no event later than 3 days after such
transfer, including an explanation of the circumstances
necessitating such waiver.
(C) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this
paragraph, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on
International Relations and the Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives.
(b) Use of Certain Funds.--Amounts appropriated or
otherwise made available by chapter 8 of title II of division
B of Public Law 109-148 under the heading ``emergencies in
the diplomatic and consular service'' and any other
unobligated amounts in the ``Emergencies in the Diplomatic
and Consular Service'' account may be made available to cover
the costs of facilitating the evacuation under section 4 of
the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C.
2671) of persons from Lebanon on or after July 16, 2006.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Wolf:
Strike subsection (a) and insert the following new
subsection:
(a) Increase in Available Funds for Emergency
Evacuations.--Notwithstanding the transfer restrictions under
section 402 of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-
108), the second proviso under the headings ``DEPARTMENT OF
STATE AND RELATED AGENCY - DEPARTMENT OF STATE -
Administration of Foreign Affairs - diplomatic and consular
programs'' is amended by striking ``$4,000,000'' and
inserting ``$19,000,000''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I think
especially in the closing days of the session, that Members ought to
have an understanding of what is going on, even though this is martial
law time.
So I would ask if the gentleman would please explain to the House
what this action would do.
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, this amendment simply gives the permissive
authority to the Secretary of State to access these and other
previously appropriated funds to cover the evacuation of Lebanon.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, continuing under my reservation, could I ask
the gentleman, has the administration given us any indication of where
they are likely to take funds from in order to accomplish this?
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, they have been in discussion with the staff as
to some ideas. But their priority was to get this legislation passed
because there are going to be more evacuations taking place.
So as of now I cannot tell you the exact places.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, continuing under my reservation, I would hope
that the administration would let the Congress know as quickly as
possible where it is planning to take funds from, so that if the
Congress has any concerns, we might express those concerns before we
are facing a fait accompli.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object,
[[Page H6030]]
though I may not object, just a few days ago, I filed H. Res. 945, the
Lebanon Humanitarian Relief Act with a number of cosponsors. And I
raise the question to the distinguished gentleman of whether or not
what we are doing today will also include a cessation of targeting
infrastructure of noncombatants, and whether or not it will also
establish or give the Secretary of State the ability to, if you will,
negotiate safe corridors for evacuees to be able to be evacuated.
This is a crucial time in the history of our Nation, and as well in
the issues dealing with the Mideast. And I am concerned that as we
consider funding for the evacuation of innocent Lebanese citizens, as
has been noted, several incidents have occurred where evacuees
unfortunately suffered injury or death trying to escape, therefore we
should instruct the Secretary of State to negotiate with the United
Nations and the participants in this conflict safe corridors for the
Lebanese evacuees and also a cessation of firing on noncombat
structures such as airports, hospitals, schools and otherwise.
I yield to the gentleman to know if there are any instructions in
this UC with respect to any of those items.
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, no, there are not. It would merely ensure that
the State Department could use the existing funds to get American
citizens out of harm's way and to pay the debts that they have
obligated both for cruises, for ships and for other things whereby they
are taking people to Cypress and other points of safety, so they can
pay their bills.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to
object, let me say that I applaud the gentleman. That is an important
task, if you will. With that in mind, I will simply say, I hope that we
will hear from the administration, and that this Congress will proceed
in August to be able to provide direct humanitarian relief to Lebanon,
and as well provide for the safe passage of those who are non-
combatants innocent civilians trying to escape and to protect those
structures which are not involved in this conflict.
With that, I would ask the leadership of this House to support H.
Res. 945 and to bring it up immediately.
H. Res. 945
Whereas, since the commencement of hostilities, over 350
Lebanese civilians, one third of whom are children according
to the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, and 17
Israeli civilians, have been killed;
Whereas vital infrastructure, including hospitals, power
plants, bridges, roads, and food and milk factories in
Lebanon have been destroyed;
Whereas over 600,000 people in Lebanon and hundreds of
thousands of people in Israel have been displaced;
Whereas President George W. Bush has expressed great
concern over the welfare of the people of Lebanon;
Whereas United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has
called for an immediate cease-fire;
Whereas the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator has
warned of a humanitarian disaster in Lebanon;
Whereas the Government of Lebanon has urgently appealed for
an immediate cessation to hostilities; and
Whereas the international community has expressed support
for a humanitarian corridor to Lebanon to be opened
immediately to get desperately-needed humanitarian supplies
to the suffering people of Lebanon: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) calls for the cessation of the targeting by any side of
infrastructure vital to non-combatants, which also increases
the likelihood of the loss of innocent civilian life;
(2) calls for a secure humanitarian corridor to be opened
immediately via the seaports and airports of Lebanon to
alleviate the unnecessary suffering of the people of Lebanon;
(3) calls for an immediate cease-fire in line with the
urgent appeals of the Government of Lebanon and the United
Nations Secretary General; and
(4) urges a comprehensive and just solution to the Arab-
Israeli conflict to ensure that the peoples of the Middle
East can live in peace, freedom, and prosperity.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation,
hoping for debate on humanitarian aid directly to Lebanon.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the amendment is agreed
to.
There was no objection.
The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the
table.
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