Congressional Record, Volume 153 Issue 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)

[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H16901-H16913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 (CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008)

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 893, I call up
the bill (H.R. 2764) making appropriations for the Department of State,
foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment to
the House amendment to the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its
immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the Senate
amendment.

[[Page H16902]]

The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:

Senate amendment to House amendment to Senate amendment:
Page 1431, line 15, of the House engrossed amendments to
the Senate amendment to the text of the bill, strike division
L and insert:

DIVISION L--SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, DEFENSE

TITLE I--MILITARY PERSONNEL

MILIARY PERSONNEL

Military Personnel, Army

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'',
$782,500,000.

Military Personnel, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'',
$95,624,000.

Military Personnel, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $56,050,000.

Military Personnel, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air
Force'', $138,037,000.

TITLE II--OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Operation and Maintenance, Army

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army'', $35,152,370,000.

Operation and Maintenance, Navy

(including transfers of funds)

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy'', $3,664,000,000: Provided, That up to $110,000,000
shall be transferred to the Coast Guard ``Operating
Expenses'' account.

Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps'', $3,965,638,000.

Operation and Maintenance, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $4,778,000,000.

Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Defense-Wide'', $2,116,950,000, of which up to $300,000,000,
to remain available until expended, may be used for payments
to reimburse Pakistan, Jordan, and other key cooperating
nations, for logistical, military, and other support
provided, or to be provided, to United States military
operations, notwithstanding any other provision of law:
Provided, That such payments may be made in such amounts as
the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the
Secretary of State, and in consultation with the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget, may determine, in his
discretion, based on documentation determined by the
Secretary of Defense to adequately account for the support
provided, and such determination is final and conclusive upon
the accounting officers of the United States, and 15 days
following notification to the appropriate congressional
committees: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense
shall provide quarterly reports to the congressional defense
committees on the use of funds provided in this paragraph.

Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army Reserve'', $77,736,000.

Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy Reserve'', $41,657,000.

Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps Reserve'', $46,153,000.

Operations and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force Reserve'', $12,133,000.

Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army National Guard'', $327,000,000.

Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air National Guard'', $51,634,000.

Iraq Freedom Fund

(including transfer of funds)

For an additional amount for ``Iraq Freedom Fund'',
$3,747,327,000, to remain available for transfer until
September 30, 2009, only to support operations in Iraq or
Afghanistan: Provided, That the Secretary of Defense may
transfer the funds provided herein to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; Overseas
Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid; procurement; research,
development, test and evaluation; and working capital funds:
Provided further, That funds transferred shall be merged with
and be available for the same purposes and for the same time
period as the appropriation or fund to which transferred:
Provided further, That this transfer authority is in addition
to any other transfer authority available to the Department
of Defense: Provided further, That upon a determination that
all or part of the funds transferred from this appropriation
are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such
amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not
fewer than 5 days prior to making transfers from this
appropriation, notify the congressional defense committees in
writing of the details of any such transfer: Provided
further, That the Secretary shall submit a report no later
than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter to the
congressional defense committees summarizing the details of
the transfer of funds from this appropriation.

Afghanistan Security Forces Fund

(including transfer of funds)

For the ``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'',
$1,350,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009:
Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary
of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for
the purpose of allowing the Commander, Office of Security
Cooperation-Afghanistan, or the Secretary's designee, to
provide assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State, to the security forces of Afghanistan, including the
provision of equipment, supplies, services, training,
facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, and
construction, and funding: Provided further, That the
authority to provide assistance under this heading is in
addition to any other authority to provide assistance to
foreign nations: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Defense may transfer such funds to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; Overseas
Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid; procurement; research,
development, test and evaluation; and defense working capital
funds to accomplish the purposes provided herein: Provided
further, That this transfer authority is in addition to any
other transfer authority available to the Department of
Defense: Provided further, That upon a determination that all
or part of the funds so transferred from this appropriation
are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such
amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation:
Provided further, That contributions of funds for the
purposes provided herein from any person, foreign government,
or international organization may be credited to this Fund,
and used for such purposes: Provided further, That the
Secretary shall notify the congressional defense committees
in writing upon the receipt and upon the transfer of any
contribution delineating the sources and amounts of the funds
received and the specific use of such contributions: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than
five days prior to making transfers from this appropriation
account, notify the congressional defense committees in
writing of the details of any such transfer: Provided
further, That the Secretary shall submit a report no later
than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter to the
congressional defense committees summarizing the details of
the transfer of funds from this appropriation.

Iraq Security Forces Fund

(including transfer of funds)

For the ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'', $1,500,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2009: Provided, That
such funds shall be available to the Secretary of Defense,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose
of allowing the Commander, Multi-National Security Transition
Command-Iraq, or the Secretary's designee, to provide
assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State,
to the security forces of Iraq, including the provision of
equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and
infrastructure repair, renovation, and construction, and
funding: Provided further, That the authority to provide
assistance under this heading is in addition to any other
authority to provide assistance to foreign nations: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense may transfer such
funds to appropriations for military personnel; operation and
maintenance; Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid;
procurement; research, development, test and evaluation; and
defense working capital funds to accomplish the purposes
provided herein: Provided further, That this transfer
authority is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That upon a determination that all or part of the funds so
transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the
purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred
back to this appropriation: Provided further, That
contributions of funds for the purposes provided herein from
any person, foreign government, or international organization
may be credited to this Fund, and used for such purposes:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify the
congressional defense committees in writing upon the receipt
and upon the transfer of any contribution delineating the
sources and amounts of the funds received and the specific
use of such contributions: Provided further, That the
Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than five days prior to
making transfers from this appropriation account, notify the
congressional defense committees in writing of the details of
any such transfer: Provided further, That the Secretary shall
submit a report no later than 30 days after the end of each
fiscal quarter to the congressional defense committees
summarizing the details of the transfer of funds from this
appropriation.

Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund

(including transfer of funds)

For the ``Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund'',
$4,269,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010:
Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary
of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for
the purpose of allowing the Director of the Joint Improvised
Explosive Device Defeat Organization to investigate, develop
and provide equipment, supplies, services, training,
facilities, personnel and funds to assist United States
forces in the defeat of improvised explosive devices:
Provided further, That within 60 days of the enactment of
this Act, a plan for the intended management and use of the
Fund is provided to the congressional defense committees:

[[Page H16903]]

Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall submit
a report not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal
quarter to the congressional defense committees providing
assessments of the evolving threats, individual service
requirements to counter the threats, the current strategy for
predeployment training of members of the Armed Forces on
improvised explosive devices, and details on the execution of
this Fund: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense
may transfer funds provided herein to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement;
research, development, test and evaluation; and defense
working capital funds to accomplish the purpose provided
herein: Provided further, That this transfer authority is in
addition to any other transfer authority available to the
Department of Defense: Provided further, That upon
determination that all or part of the funds so transferred
from this appropriation are not necessary for the purpose
provided herein, such amounts may be transferred back to this
appropriation: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Defense shall, not fewer than 5 days prior to making
transfers from this appropriation, notify the congressional
defense committees in writing of the details of any such
transfer.

TITLE III--PROCUREMENT

PROCUREMENT

Aircraft Procurement, Army

For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Army'', $943,600,000, to remain available for obligation
until September 30, 2010.

Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army

For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Weapons and
Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army'', $1,429,445,000, to remain
available for obligation until September 30, 2010.

Procurement of Ammunition, Army

For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Army'', $154,000,000, to remain available for obligation
until September 30, 2010.

Other Procurement, Army

For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'',
$2,027,800,000, to remain available for obligation until
September 30, 2010.

Aircraft Procurement, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Navy'', $48,500,000, to remain available for obligation until
September 30, 2010.

Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Navy and Marine Corps'', $304,945,000, to remain available
for obligation until September 30, 2010.

Other Procurement, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'',
$91,481,000, to remain available for obligation until
September 30, 2010.

Procurement, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Marine Corps'',
$703,250,000, to remain available for obligation until
September 30, 2010.

Aircraft Procurement, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air
Force'', $51,400,000, to remain available for obligation
until September 30, 2010.

Other Procurement, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Air
Force'', $30,725,000, to remain available for obligation
until September 30, 2010.

Procurement, Defense-Wide

For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'',
$274,743,000, to remain available for obligation until
September 30, 2010.

TITLE IV--REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS

REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS

Defense Working Capital Funds

For an additional amount of ``Defense Working Capital
Funds'', $1,000,000,000, to remain available for obligation
until September 30, 2010.

TITLE V--OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS

OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS

Defense Health Program

For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'',
$575,701,000 for Operation and maintenance.

Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense

For an additional amount for ``Drug Interdiction and
Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', $192,601,000.

TITLE VI--GENERAL PROVISIONS

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Appropriations provided in this division are
available for obligation until September 30, 2008, unless
otherwise so provided in this division.
Sec. 602. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or of
this division, funds made available in this division are in
addition to amounts appropriated or otherwise made available
for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2008.

(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Sec. 603. Upon the determination of the Secretary of
Defense that such action is necessary in the national
interest, the Secretary may transfer between appropriations
up to $4,000,000,000 of the funds made available to the
Department of Defense in this division: Provided, That the
Secretary shall notify the Congress promptly of each transfer
made pursuant to the authority in this section: Provided
further, That the authority provided in this section is in
addition to any other transfer authority available to the
Department of Defense.
Sec. 604. Funds appropriated in this division, or made
available by the transfer of funds in or pursuant to this
division, for intelligence activities are deemed to be
specifically authorized by the Congress for purposes of
section 504 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
414).
Sec. 605. None of the funds provided in this division may
be used to finance programs or activities denied by Congress
in fiscal years 2007 or 2008 appropriations to the Department
of Defense or to initiate a procurement or research,
development, test and evaluation new start program without
prior written notification to the congressional defense
committees.
Sec. 606. (a) Availability of Funds for CERP.--From funds
made available in this division to the Department of Defense,
not to exceed $500,000,000 may be used, notwithstanding any
other provision of law, to fund the Commander's Emergency
Response Program, for the purpose of enabling military
commanders in Iraq to respond to urgent humanitarian relief
and reconstruction requirements within their areas of
responsibility by carrying out programs that will immediately
assist the Iraqi people, and to fund a similar program to
assist the people of Afghanistan.
(b) Quarterly Reports.--Not later than 15 days after the
end of each fiscal year quarter (beginning with the first
quarter of fiscal year 2008), the Secretary of Defense shall
submit to the congressional defense committees a report
regarding the source of funds and the allocation and use of
funds during that quarter that were made available pursuant
to the authority provided in this section or under any other
provision of law for the purposes of the programs under
subsection (a).
Sec. 607. During the current fiscal year, funds available
to the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance
may be used, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to
provide supplies, services, transportation, including airlift
and sealift, and other logistical support to coalition forces
supporting military and stability operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan: Provided, That the Secretary of Defense shall
provide quarterly reports to the congressional defense
committees regarding support provided under this section.
Sec. 608. During fiscal year 2008, supervision and
administration costs associated with projects carried out
with funds appropriated to ``Afghanistan Security Forces
Fund'' or ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'' in this division may
be obligated at the time a construction contract is awarded:
Provided, That for the purpose of this section, supervision
and administration costs include all in-house Government
costs.
Sec. 609. (a) Reports on Progress Toward Stability in
Iraq.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act and every 90 days thereafter through the end of
fiscal year 2008, the Secretary of Defense shall set forth in
a report to Congress a comprehensive set of performance
indicators and measures for progress toward military and
political stability in Iraq.
(b) Scope of Reports.--Each report shall include
performance standards and goals for security, economic, and
security force training objectives in Iraq together with a
notional timetable for achieving these goals.
(c) Specific Elements.--In specific, each report shall
require, at a minimum, the following:
(1) With respect to stability and security in Iraq, the
following:
(A) Key measures of political stability, including the
important political milestones that must be achieved over the
next several years.
(B) The primary indicators of a stable security environment
in Iraq, such as number of engagements per day, numbers of
trained Iraqi forces, and trends relating to numbers and
types of ethnic and religious-based hostile encounters.
(C) An assessment of the estimated strength of the
insurgency in Iraq and the extent to which it is composed of
non-Iraqi fighters.
(D) A description of all militias operating in Iraq,
including the number, size, equipment strength, military
effectiveness, sources of support, legal status, and efforts
to disarm or reintegrate each militia.
(E) Key indicators of economic activity that should be
considered the most important for determining the prospects
of stability in Iraq, including--
(i) unemployment levels;
(ii) electricity, water, and oil production rates; and
(iii) hunger and poverty levels.
(F) The criteria the Administration will use to determine
when it is safe to begin withdrawing United States forces
from Iraq.
(2) With respect to the training and performance of
security forces in Iraq, the following:
(A) The training provided Iraqi military and other Ministry
of Defense forces and the equipment used by such forces.
(B) Key criteria for assessing the capabilities and
readiness of the Iraqi military and other Ministry of Defense
forces, goals for achieving certain capability and readiness
levels (as well as for recruiting, training, and equipping
these forces), and the milestones and notional timetable for
achieving these goals.
(C) The operational readiness status of the Iraqi military
forces, including the type, number, size, and organizational
structure of Iraqi battalions that are--
(i) capable of conducting counterinsurgency operations
independently;
(ii) capable of conducting counterinsurgency operations
with the support of United States or coalition forces; or
(iii) not ready to conduct counterinsurgency operations.
(D) The rates of absenteeism in the Iraqi military forces
and the extent to which insurgents have infiltrated such
forces.

[[Page H16904]]

(E) The training provided Iraqi police and other Ministry
of Interior forces and the equipment used by such forces.
(F) Key criteria for assessing the capabilities and
readiness of the Iraqi police and other Ministry of Interior
forces, goals for achieving certain capability and readiness
levels (as well as for recruiting, training, and equipping),
and the milestones and notional timetable for achieving these
goals, including--
(i) the number of police recruits that have received
classroom training and the duration of such instruction;
(ii) the number of veteran police officers who have
received classroom instruction and the duration of such
instruction;
(iii) the number of police candidates screened by the Iraqi
Police Screening Service, the number of candidates derived
from other entry procedures, and the success rates of those
groups of candidates;
(iv) the number of Iraqi police forces who have received
field training by international police trainers and the
duration of such instruction; and
(v) attrition rates and measures of absenteeism and
infiltration by insurgents.
(G) The estimated total number of Iraqi battalions needed
for the Iraqi security forces to perform duties now being
undertaken by coalition forces, including defending the
borders of Iraq and providing adequate levels of law and
order throughout Iraq.
(H) The effectiveness of the Iraqi military and police
officer cadres and the chain of command.
(I) The number of United States and coalition advisors
needed to support the Iraqi security forces and associated
ministries.
(J) An assessment, in a classified annex if necessary, of
United States military requirements, including planned force
rotations, through the end of calendar year 2008.
Sec. 610. Each amount appropriated or otherwise made
available in this division is designated as an emergency
requirement and necessary to meet emergency needs pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b) of section 204 of S. Con. Res. 21
(110th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for
fiscal year 2008.
Sec. 611. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this division may be obligated or expended to
provide award fees to any defense contractor for performance
that does not meet the requirements of the contract.
Sec. 612. No funds appropriated or otherwise made available
by this division may be used by the Government of the United
States to enter into an agreement with the Government of Iraq
that would subject members of the Armed Forces of the United
States to the jurisdiction of Iraq criminal courts or
punishment under Iraq law.
Sec. 613. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary of the Army may reimburse a member for expenses
incurred by the member or family member when such expenses
are otherwise not reimbursable under law: Provided, That such
expenses must have been incurred in good faith as a direct
consequence of reasonable preparation for, or execution of,
military orders: Provided further, That reimbursement under
this section shall be allowed only in situations wherein
other authorities are insufficient to remedy a hardship
determined by the Secretary, and only when the Secretary
determines that reimbursement of the expense is in the best
interest of the member and the United States.
Sec. 614. In this division, the term ``congressional
defense committees'' means--
(1) the Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of
the Senate; and
(2) the Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of
the House of Representatives.
Sec. 615. This division may be cited as the ``Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, 2008''.

Motion Offered by Mr. Obey

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 893, I offer a
motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the motion.
The text of the motion is as follows:

Mr. Obey moves that the House concur in the Senate
amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to
H.R. 2764.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 893, the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lewis) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.

General Leave

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the pending legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, before I get to the matter at hand, I would like to, as
the minority leader did just a moment ago, I would like to take special
note of the fact that the Appropriations Committee in the House is
losing a highly valuable member of our staff.
David Morrison has served the Appropriations Committee and the
Defense Appropriations Subcommittee with distinction for a number of
years. I know I have certainly come to rely on him for many things, and
I know the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Murtha, has certainly
heavily relied on him as well. I hesitate to point out that before he
served the Appropriations Committee in the House, he had an errant
career. He spent part of that career at the Office of Management and
Budget, and he spent another portion of that career in the other body.
Despite that fact, he has recovered very well, and he has served us
extremely well in the House. We hate to see him leave, and I think we
all owe him a round of applause.
Mr. Speaker, I don't want to take much time. I know people want to
leave. Let me explain the procedure that is being followed. I have a
ministerial duty to call up this Senate amendment, even though I intend
to vote against it.
As the House I think understands, yesterday the House considered an
omnibus appropriation bill, and what we did was to consider two
amendments; one amendment related to the domestic funding for the bill,
and the other amendment related to funding for Afghanistan and for
certain force protection items. We sent those two amendments over to
the Senate, and the Senate has amended the product in one respect. They
have substituted for the $30 billion that we sent to the Senate for
Afghanistan and for force protection items, they have substituted $70
billion, and sent it back to the House.
I have an obligation to allow the House to work its will on this
matter, even though I suspect I am going to disagree with the result of
this action.

{time} 1645

In my view, when we sent legislation over to the Senate 3 weeks ago,
that legislation provided for $50 billion for the purpose of helping to
shut down the war by establishing a timeline, by requiring that all
agencies of the Federal Government adhere to the U.S. Army Manual with
respect to torture, and would also require that every unit be
militarily ready to perform its duties. That is still sitting in the
Senate. In my view, all that we had to do to deal with the so-called
shortfall that the White House has been talking about is for the
President to sign that bill with those conditions. The White House has
blocked that legislation in the Senate, and so we have come to this.
Members will vote however they choose. I intend to vote ``no,'' but
this is an individual vote of conscience.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, in the last several days we
have said all that we perhaps need to say about the omnibus. We have
discussed every inch of it. We all know about the amendment on the
Senate side. And, because of that, I am going to give up my 20-minute
speech.
I would like to take just a moment nonetheless to ask the Members to
join me in paying a very special tribute to one of the most beloved and
respected staffers on Capitol Hill.
After 3 years as my staff director, Frank Cushing is leaving the
committee at the end of the year to pursue other opportunities. With
more than 25 years of Capitol Hill experience, Frank leaves behind a
record of integrity and service that few can match.
I got to know Frank in 1995 when he served as my clerk on the House
VA-HUD subcommittee of appropriations, a position he held until 2003.
In very little time, I saw that Frank was one of those rare staffers
who not only loves and respects this institution, but he in turn is
respected and trusted by Members on both sides of the aisle.
Prior to his service in the House, Frank held numerous positions in
the Senate, including staff director, both majority and minority, of
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and clerk of the
Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. More than one professional on
both sides of the aisle have said to me, and I would quote them, ``You
are fortunate if you have been trained in this business by Frank
Cushing.''
Frank, we are going to miss you. We want you to know that, as we
express our love for you and for Amy, the entire body wishes you well
and wishes your family Godspeed. Thanks, Frank.
Mr. Speaker, we are now just 6 days away from the Christmas holidays.
I know the Members and staff are eager to get home to their families so
I intend to be very brief in my remarks today.
The House is considering a yearend omnibus spending package that, I
must confess, is a much better product than what we considered Monday
evening. I reluctantly opposed

[[Page H16905]]

both amendments passed by the House 2 days ago because they failed to
provide for our troops in harm's way in Iraq. Fortunately, the Senate
has now addressed this oversight. The Omnibus returns to the House a
much better and complete bill.
Because this spending package adheres to the President's top line on
spending, and it contains funding for our men and women in uniform in
both Iraq and Afghanistan, I intend to support this legislation. And,
I'm pleased to say that all indications are that the President will
sign it.
Before concluding my remarks, I want to thank Chairman Obey and the
fine committee staff for their tireless efforts this year. Few people
realize the tremendous amount of work that goes into the appropriations
process each year.
The Appropriations Committee is the workhorse committee. Chairman
Obey and our staff have worked very long hours to produce this
legislation, and they deserve our gratitude. David, it is time for you
to go home to Wisconsin and for me to go to California for a few weeks.
It's time to let the staff catch up on some long overdue family time
for the holidays.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to take almost no more time except to
recognize a couple of my colleagues for unanimous-consent requests.
I first recognize the gentleman from Florida, my chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, Bill Young.
(Mr. YOUNG of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the
amendment to provide funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
These funds should have been provided much earlier this year. They
are vital if we are to ensure that our troops have the support they
need until enactment of a full-year supplemental appropriations bill
for the Global War on Terror.
As I've said before, engaging in a debate on war policy is a
legitimate and proper role for the Congress. However, we should never
put ourselves in the position of threatening funding for our troops in
the field. They deserve our full, unrestricted support.
With passage of this amendment, both the Army and the Marine Corps
will have the funds they need to continue war operations for the first
half of fiscal year 2008. However, we need to move quickly next year to
provide full funding for our soldiers and marines, and for all our men
and women in uniform. Let's not hold them hostage to Congressional
debates ever again.
In conclusion, I strongly support this amendment and urge that it be
adopted by the House. Then we can truly wish all our military a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) for a unanimous-consent request.
(Mr. WICKER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I too rise in strong support of the
amendment, thanking my subcommittee chairman, Mr. Edwards, for his kind
remarks about me 2 days ago and about the staff, expressing regret that
we couldn't have done the MilCon-VA bill earlier.
Mr. Speaker, allow me to say a word or two about the Military
Construction and Veterans Affairs portion of this omnibus bill. When
the legislation was before the House earlier this week, Chairman
Edwards was generous in his praise of our majority and minority staff
members of the subcommittee. I wholeheartedly echo that sentiment. We
have been blessed with a capable and hard-working staff.
Chairman Edwards was also kind enough to acknowledge that he and I
have worked in partnership on this bill from day one. I want to take
this opportunity to return that salute. Mr. Edwards sought my input
throughout the process, and I am grateful that together with our
subcommittee members we have been able to put together a bipartisan
product that provides historic increases for our veterans, for our
troops, and for the quality of life of current military families. These
funds come on top of substantial increases for these accounts during
the 12 years when Republicans were in the majority.
I would also gently remind my colleagues that this vital funding has
been unnecessarily delayed. We could have moved to conference quickly
on this type of funding--in a bipartisan and unifying way. Instead,
powers above Mr. Edwards' and my pay grades decided to attach the bill
to a much more controversial Labor-HHS-Education measure, and there it
has sat, now some 80 days into the new fiscal year.
In an attempt to break the logjam, I introduced legislation identical
in every respect to the Milcon-VA conference agreement, and every
Republican member of this body co-sponsored that bill. We could have
had funding in the pipeline for family housing, childcare centers,
veterans and military construction early on. But the bill was held
hostage as leverage for an additional $22 billion in completely
unrelated areas.
In the end the ploy did not work. Thankfully we are passing an
omnibus bill at roughly the President's level, and the veterans and
troops are finally getting a bill. I would simply urge my fellow
Members to resist these types of maneuvers in the future. Let's not
hold up Milcon and VA spending in an effort to spend more elsewhere.
Having made that point as cordially and charitably as I can and in
the spirit of the Christmas season, I again thank and commend my
Chairman for allowing me to participate in an excellent bipartisan
achievement.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE. Let me thank the gentleman for his leadership and for
yielding.
Here we go again, another payment on a war that should not have been
fought and an occupation that keeps our young men and women in harm's
way. By forcing Congress to tie the fate of spending for critical
domestic programs to Iraq funding, this President held these programs
hostage just to prop up his failed policy. This is not only shameful,
it is unacceptable. The American people want our troops and our
contractors home.
A recent CNN poll found that 69 percent of respondents favored
withdrawing all of our troops from Iraq. Nearly half believe that our
troops should be home in under 1 year.
The only funds that we should be giving this President today should
be to protect our troops and our contractors and to bring them home in
a safe and timely and orderly fashion, in other words, what we tried to
do several weeks ago, and, that is, fully fund the redeployment of our
troops and military contractors from Iraq. And we should be using this
opportunity to shore up vital programs such as our poverty elimination
efforts, vital HIV/AIDS programs, both domestic and international, and
providing health care for all, which we tried to do in the
Appropriations Committee under Chairman Obey but which the President,
unfortunately, threatened to veto. Now, Congress, this body, once again
is complicit in the President's games. And these are war games that he
is playing.
Why in the world are we going to put another payment down on this war
that should have ended? Actually, it should have never started. So
let's vote ``no'' on this. His inflexibility, the President's
inflexibility, this House, this body's inflexibility has already cost
America too much in terms of lives, in terms of treasure, in terms of
our standing in the world, and in terms of our national security.
Mr. LEWIS of California. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OBEY. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Waters).
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker and Members, I would like to commend those
who have worked so hard for so long to try and right the wrong of our
occupation in Iraq. I would like to thank the leadership for all the
attempts that they have made to try and engage people on the opposite
side of the aisle and those who don't have enough courage to do the
right thing.
We find ourselves here at a moment with an omnibus bill that we have
had to support, and many people have many things in the bill that they
would like to have back home. I understand that. But in the final
analysis, we are never going to end this war until we stop feeding this
war with the taxpayers' dollars after they have told us to bring our
soldiers home.
I stand here today in support of our soldiers. I support them coming
home. Young men and women are dying in Iraq, the victims of IEDs, not
even knowing how to protect themselves. And they come home, and we have
to struggle to make sure that they are taken care of, that their health
care needs are met.
When are we going to come to our senses? We are fighting a war that
we never should have been in in the first place. We are fighting a war
where we

[[Page H16906]]

were told there were weapons of mass destruction and there were none.
We are fighting a war where we have contractors who are abusing
civilians in Iraq. We have contractors who are stealing the taxpayers'
money in Iraq. And yet we continue to nuance this debacle. We continue
to say, I didn't understand. I didn't know. Well, let me make it
perfectly clear.
There is $70 billion in this bill for Iraq and Afghanistan, and it is
fungible. We don't know how much of it is going to be spent where. But
don't go away saying, I didn't understand, I didn't know, that is not
what I intended to do. There is $70 billion here. If you don't want to
continue this war, don't vote for this bill.
Mr. OBEY. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Moran).
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. I thank the very distinguished chairman of the
Appropriations Committee and the very distinguished chairman of the
Defense appropriations subcommittee. Because, over the last 2 years,
six times this body has passed responsible limits on the conduct of
this war. Six times we have tried to make sense and pass legislation.
What we are about to do now is to give the President a blank check to
continue this war until the end of his term, to continue what has gone
down in history as the worst foreign policy fiasco in American history.
Nobody in their right mind can argue that this war was thoughtfully
planned or responsibly executed, and yet we are going to give him a
blank check. We will look back on this day and people will ask, why?
Well, I want to thank Mr. Obey, I want to thank Mr. Murtha, the Out
of Iraq Caucus, and the majority of my colleagues. We did the right
thing. History will record that. But this is a very sad day for us.
When you think that 4,000 young men and women have given up their
lives, tens of thousands seriously wounded. For what? For a nation that
will wind up far more loyal to Iran than it will be to the United
States, to a nation that in fact is allowing young people to roam the
streets with guns and forcing school girls going to school having to
wear their veils. A repressive society, what will become a Shiite
theocracy.
Sure, there is less violence. But that is because we have ethically
cleansed most of Baghdad. There is less violence because the Sunni
warlords have taken time off from shooting American soldiers to ridding
themselves of al Qaeda in Iraq because Muqtada al-Sadr has decided to
take a 6-month hiatus from shooting us. But all of this is going to
come back. We see no end in sight. This is a very bad day, and we ought
to vote ``no.'' It is the responsible thing to do.
Mr. OBEY. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Obey, my
good friend, for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I know there are a lot of good things in this bill, but
there is one bad thing. Billions of dollars, more billions of dollars
to fund the war in Iraq.
The best present, the best gift we could give to our young men and
women in the military during this season of peace and goodwill would be
to bring this madness to an end and bring our young people home, and
bring them home now. This war was ill-conceived from the beginning. It
is a war of choice and not a war of necessity. The time is long
overdue. Now is the time to bring this madness to an end.
I said it before and I will say it again. In good conscience, I will
not vote for one dollar or one dime to continue this war. The American
people are sick and tired of this war and I am tired and sick of this
war. It is time to give peace a chance.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I think that probably no bill that the House will
consider this year more aptly demonstrates the divided nature of this
Congress and this government than does the bill that is before us right
now. People often say there is not a dime's worth of difference between
the two political parties. My response, at least on this occasion, is
you are absolutely right. At least with respect to this legislation,
there is a $40 billion difference between the two parties. Because when
you take into account what this Congress did in January when it passed
the continuing resolution in January, and if you take into account the
money that has been moved from the President's priorities into
congressional priorities in this bill, you will see that that amounts
to almost $40 billion. It is not as much as I would like, but it
certainly is worth the fight.

{time} 1700

So I think there is a very big difference between a Congress run by
our friends on the other side of the aisle and a Congress run by the
now-majority Democratic Party.
But I think there is another significant difference, and that is the
way the two parties have approached the war in Iraq. We have tried
every way known to man to bring this war to a conclusion. Mr. Murtha
has produced out of his subcommittee time and time again language
trying to produce a policy change, and on each occasion, that language
has either been vetoed by the President or it has been blocked by the
President through the use of his friends in the other body.
So I think it is clear that if the Nation wants a change in direction
with respect to this war, it has only two options: Number one is to
elect more progressive voices in the United States Senate; second is to
elect a President who has a different set of priorities domestically
and a different vision for America's involvement in the Middle East and
especially in Iraq.
This, in my view, is a conscience vote. As it comes down to us at
this point, we have disposed of all of the domestic issues and we have
this one remaining issue with respect to Iraq. I would simply say that
I think we have provided more than enough money for that war.
I would note that earlier today, just a few moments ago, we had some
64 Members of this House vote against the alternative minimum tax fix
because it was not paid for, and it added $50 billion to the debt. I
would point out that the document before us will add $70 billion to
that debt. And so I would hope that persons who felt it necessary to
express their concern about the debt a few moments ago would be willing
to do so on this occasion as well.
I would also point out that Mr. Murtha, Mr. McGovern and I have
offered this Congress a way to avoid adding to that debt because we
believe that if this war is such a hot idea, then we ought to at least
pay for it so we don't shovel yet another bill off on our kids.
It is apparent that this House does not have the will to do that. And
so not only do I think this is an unnecessary war, it is also an
unnecessary add-on to the national debt.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. OBEY. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LEWIS of California. As we are closing this down, I would like to
join you and use this moment to express my deep appreciation for the
fine work in our committee of David Morrison. Thank you.
Mr. OBEY. I thank the gentleman, and I would simply say that I am not
going to advise anyone how to vote. This is a conscience vote, in my
view.
Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that 80 days into the fiscal
year, the House has passed a budget that remains within the spending
limits set by the President and contains essential funding for our
soldiers serving in Iraq. Furthermore, I am glad several projects
within the Fourth Congressional District are included in the final
version of the bill. These projects are important to the people within
my district, and will provide essential funding for new highway
infrastructures, wastewater treatment facilities, and law enforcement
upgrades, as well as other important projects. In addition, I am
pleased at what this bill does not contain; harmful policy riders that
would have opened the door for American tax dollars to be spent on
abortions for citizens of foreign nations, and those that would tie the
hands of our military leaders in Iraq.
However, I could not support this legislation due to the harm it
causes to the completion of the border fence, which was authorized by
Congress in the passage of the Secure Fence Act of 2006. Congress sent
a clear message that a border fence should be constructed when it
passed the Secure Fence Act. Specifically, it mandated the construction
of 700 miles of fence along our southwestern border. Instead of
building on this legislation, provisions in the omnibus increase
bureaucratic

[[Page H16907]]

roadblocks, create new restrictions for the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), and repeal important measures that were signed into law
in the 2006 bill.
In particular, a provision in the omnibus gives DHS the discretion on
whether or not to build a fence, essentially eliminating the central
tenet of the Secure Fence Act, which specifies locations where a fence
shall be built. I am also deeply concerned that restrictions included
in the omnibus, such as eliminating the authority of DHS to identify
additional areas for fencing at the end of 2008 and requiring an
onerous analysis of each 15 miles of planned fencing, will essentially
end the project before the fence will be completed.
In addition to this harmful language, a provision in the omnibus
requires that in locations where a border fence will be constructed,
DHS must abide by excessive consultation and reporting requirements,
thereby placing further bureaucratic roadblocks in front of an already
delayed process. This language will require DHS to consult with other
Federal agencies, State and local governments, Indian tribes, and
landowners to minimize the impact on the environment, culture,
commerce, and quality of life near where the fence will be constructed.
However, while requiring this excessive consultation to be completed,
this provision gives no guidance as to when the consultation can be
determined to be completed and construction can begin.
Americans should not have to sacrifice border security for the
passage of the fiscal budget. It is my hope that Congress will
readdress this issue when it reconvenes in January and correct these
provisions to ensure a border fence will be completed.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Senate
amendment to the omnibus appropriations bill for an unconditional $70
billion for the war in Iraq. This amendment gives the President a blank
check to continue a flawed strategy that has no end in sight. It does
nothing to bring home our brave men and women of the armed forces
serving faithfully in Iraq, many of them on their third tour of duty in
that country, at considerable sacrifice and strain to them and their
families. Nor does this amendment place any conditions on the Iraqi
government, which has continually failed to pursue political
reconciliation. Our intelligence community has publicly concluded that
the political situation Iraq is getting worse, not better. Moreover,
the indefinite presence of American forces has sadly contributed to
Iraq's political stagnation because it has allowed the different
factions there to postpone making the difficult compromises necessary
to achieve stability and reconciliation. Meanwhile, our men and women
of the armed services continue to die every day in Iraq's ongoing civil
war. A strategy of more of the same is no strategy at all.
I have and will continue to vote to ensure that our troops in Iraq
receive the support and equipment that they need. That is why in
November I voted in support of the House measure to provide our troops
in Iraq with an additional $50 billion. At the same time, this House
legislation required the safe and responsible redeployment of our
troops in Iraq. That legislation aimed to transition the U.S. military
mission in Iraq. It would redeploy our combat forces out of Iraq by a
target date of December 15, 2008. The House proposal, modeled after the
approach recommended by the bipartisan Baker-Hamilton Commission of the
Iraq Study Group, would focus the remaining forces on the more limited
missions of training Iraqi security forces, providing logistical and
intelligence support for Iraqi security forces, and engaging in
targeted counter-terrorist operations against Al-Qaeda and affiliated
groups. The House bill also called for a ``comprehensive diplomatic,
political, and economic strategy that includes sustained engagement
with Iraq's neighbors and the international community for the purpose
of working collectively to bring stability to Iraq.''
Instead of supporting the sensible approach passed by the House, the
Senate Republicans, taking their cue from the White House, threatened
to filibuster it. Now these same political elements have collaborated
in sending us an amendment for more war funding with no accountability
and no plan to redeploy our combat forces. This irresponsible approach
will have the effect of prolonging the war, not bringing it to an end.
While I am opposed to another blank check for war funding in Iraq, I
support continued military operations and reconstruction activities in
Afghanistan. Moreover, my opposition to the Senate amendment does not
extend to the underlying Omnibus, which--while far from perfect--was at
the end of the day the best that we could do this year.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives today is faced
with a regrettable decision on the eve of the adjournment of the first
session of the 110th Congress. With the appropriations bills that fund
the routine operations of all of the departments and agencies of the
Federal Government now approved by both Houses of Congress, we are once
again being asked to provide additional funding for the ongoing
military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House has already
expressed its view on this question when we voted on November 14th to
approve $50 billion in supplemental defense funding with three very
clear and very reasonable conditions: that our troops should be
properly trained; that our forces will not use torture when conducting
interrogations of enemy combatants; and, that we should establish a
goal of redeploying all offensive troops from Iraq by the end of 2008.
It would have been easy--and appropriate--for the President to sign the
bill that was approved by a majority of the Members of this House and
supported by a majority of Americans, rendering the debate we are
having today unnecessary. The President has remained stubbornly
determined to continue our involvement in Iraq without clearly defining
a plan for the eventual re-deployment of our troops, and he has stated
his intention to veto any legislation that attempts to change the
course he has set.
After more than 4\1/2\ years, it is clear that our Nation's
involvement in Iraq has cost far too much. It has cost the lives of
nearly 3,900 men and women in our military and it has affected the
lives of many thousand more who have been seriously wounded--both
physically and psychologically. It has cost at least $450 billion in
national debt to date, with hundreds of billions more in future costs
that will be incurred no matter how quickly we are able to extricate
ourselves. It has also seriously diminished our military readiness and
our ability to respond to other national security threats. And finally,
our initial invasion and our protracted involvement in Iraq has
diminished our international prestige and made it more difficult for
the United States to exert leadership and influence around the globe.

It is against this backdrop that we in Congress have been working
toward a strategy of timely redeployment of our troops that I believe
is both militarily appropriate and necessary for encouraging the Iraqi
government to assume greater control of the security of the Iraqi
people. It was discouraging to me on our visit to Iraq last month led
by the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman
Jack Murtha, that the Iraqi government has clearly not taken advantage
of the improved security climate, brought about largely by the
increased numbers of U.S. troops in Iraq during this past year.
President Maliki and his government have not taken the steps they
pledged to take in national reconciliation, in the distribution of the
oil revenues or in several other key benchmarks that were established
as indicators of progress.
On the face of it, the provision that has been sent to us by the
Senate appears to be strictly about providing funds for the military
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is true that these funds would
ensure that the soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen in harm's way are
protected and continue to have the equipment, the supplies, the fuel,
and the transportation resources that keeps them fed, repairs their
equipment, treats their medical needs, and allows them to continue to
operate. The reality, however, is that these funds will necessarily
have an impact on our entire military. Because of the immediate need to
protect troops in wartime conditions, all of the men and women in
uniform--as well as the civilian workforce of the Defense Department--
are caught in the position of having to curtail important operations
that underpin the very readiness of our forces, not just for Iraq, but
for all aspects of our nation's defense.
The Army is on the leading edge of these impacts with installations
across the country already having been notified to prepare for
curtailing operations in the middle of February. The Army can keep
going that long only by accelerating spending regular operations funds
intended to last for the entire year, and by reprogramming other funds
to the maximum allowed in law. If no further action is taken on this
funding, the Army intends to furlough as many as 100,000 civilian
employees and a comparable number of contractor personnel. In addition,
it will sharply reduce travel, training, maintenance and child care and
other day-to-day activities at installations across the Nation. And we
know that the Marine Corps is close behind the timing of the Army in
experiencing these impacts, all of which will exacerbate the level of
readiness already diminished by our long involvement in Iraq.

So it is frustrating for me and for many Members of this House to be
presented with the Hobson's choice that we have before us today:
whether to impose a terribly chaotic situation on the entire U.S.
military or whether to approve another substantial increment of funding
for the Iraq war without any clear and well-articulated strategy for
the eventual re-deployment of American troops. We are presented with
this choice by a President who is unwilling to consider any change
whatsoever in our strategy in Iraq and who has clearly not listened to
the will of the American people or the views of their representatives
here in Congress.

[[Page H16908]]

I have reluctantly concluded at this point that a vote to deny these
funds now could potentially harm the troops in theater and could
seriously diminish the condition of all of our military forces who
still face other threats around the globe. Out of a responsibility to
the men and women in uniform, to their families, to the civilian
workforce in DOD and to our Nation's overall security, I intend to vote
in favor of this resolution.
At the same time, it is my intention to continue working with what I
believe is a growing majority here in Congress and a solid majority in
the country to advocate for a major change in the direction of our
policy in Iraq, and for the prompt re-deployment of the U.S. troops
currently stationed in Iraq.
Mr. HALL of New York. Mr. Speaker, today this body did something that
it failed to do last year under the previous majority by passing
legislation to direct the spending of our Federal Government.
I am disappointed that the choice of the President and the minority
to engage in confrontation and obstruction instead of cooperation and
progress prevented us from more fully meeting America's needs in this
bill. Despite their intransigence, we were able to pass a bill that
began to reinvest in critical national priorities that had been
neglected for too long. Priorities like life saving medical research,
law enforcement, border and homeland security, K-12 education, college
aid, needed infrastructure improvements, renewable energy, and energy
efficiency. In addition to those steps, this bill lived up to the
commitment of this Congress to keep our promises to America's veterans
by providing $3.7 billion over the President's request for veterans'
medical care, claims processing, and facility improvements.
I indicated when the House considered this legislation earlier this
week that I believed this is not a perfect bill. However, I believe
that the spending bill we approved on December 17, 2007, does a
tremendous amount of good by funding key programs that will make
America more secure and more prosperous. It makes necessary investments
in America's future, and that is why I voted for it.
Unfortunately, the Senate has added funding for the war in Iraq
without placing a time line for withdrawal. For that reason, I could
not support the Senate version of the bill and voted against it.
Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
legislation. It has been a long process, and this bill is far trom
perfect, but I enthusiastically support this measure as an important
first step in a long-overdue effort to provide for the needs of our
most vulnerable citizens and begin to invest in priority items here at
home to build a brighter future for America.
As a member of the House Budget Committee, I believe that budget-
making is about more than just numbers on a ledger or a spreadsheet.
Budgets reflect our Nation's priorities, and Congress has a solemn duty
to pass a funding that honors the values of the American people. I have
worked with the leadership of this new Democratic Congress to reverse
the misguided budget course of the current administration that has
neglected America's domestic needs and created massive annual deficits
and record national debt. I am pleased that the New Direction Congress
has rejected the President's misguided budget cuts for critical
American priorities like education, medical research and energy
independence. This responsible legislation fulfills Congress's
obligation to govern and charts a better course for the American
people.
I especially want to thank the House Democratic Leadership for
including $600 million for disaster assistance for victims of the
record drought in North Carolina and throughout the southeastern United
States. My farmers are hurting, and this disaster assistance will
provide real relief and some measure of hope for the future. I have
been proud to lead the fight for this funding, and I want to thank
Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Majority Whip Clyburn,
Appropriations Committee Chairman Obey and Agriculture Committee
Chairman Peterson for their leadership on this priority item.
Beyond disaster assistance, I support this omnibus appropriations
bill because it invests in:
K-12 Education: $767 million above the President's request with
targeted increases to Title I, Special Education, Teacher Quality
Grants, After-School Initiatives and Head Start.
Student Aid: $1.7 billion above the President's request for Pell
Grants and other student aid.
Vocational Education: $575 million above the President's request for
technical training at high schools and community colleges.
State and Local Law Enforcement: $1.2 billion above the President's
request to help local communities across the country.
Homeland Security Grants: $1.8 billion above the President's request,
recognizing that homeland security begins with hometown security.
Medical Research: $607 million above the President's request to study
diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes.
Health Care Access: $1 billion above the President's request, making
targeted increases to efforts like Community Health Centers to provide
280,000 more uninsured Americans with access to health care and High
Risk Insurance Pools to help 200,000 more people afford health
insurance.
Rural Health Care: $147 million above the President's request to help
1,200 small rural hospitals.
Veterans: $3.7 billion more than the President's request for VA
health care, medical and prosthetic research, medical services for
injured and ill veterans, and the construction of new VA medical
facilities.
Highway Infrastructure: Meets the guaranteed levels set in the
authorization bill and provides a $1 billion initiative to repair our
bridges.
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency: $486 million above the
President's request for critical investments in Solar Energy, Wind
Energy, Biofuels, and Energy Efficiency, with a careful blend of new
scientific investments and conservation efforts.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, this bill contains funding the President
requested for ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, to support
our troops and avoid any risk that Defense Department employees could
be subject to furlough notices this holiday season. I regret that the
stubborn opposition of the President and his allies in Congress to
investing more in America's priorities prevent us from making more
progress. But I strongly support this compromise legislation, and I
urge my colleagues to join me in voting for it.
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, 2 days ago, this body passed an
omnibus appropriations bill that, while limited in its priority only to
the most basic domestic needs in this country due to the stubbornness
of the President and Republicans in the Senate, funded over a half a
trillion dollars for important programs that will help all Americans.
Now, however, we are being asked to attach to that bill $70 billion in
unchecked, unconditional, and unqualified spending for the war in Iraq.
It is absolutely unacceptable that we continue to provide the President
with funding without providing explicit requirements that he redeploy
our troops from Iraq, bolster our diplomatic efforts throughout the
Middle East, and engage other countries in the region in a political
solution. For those reasons, I will be voting against this funding.
Our soldiers have acted with unquestionable bravery and patriotism in
Afghanistan and Iraq. They have given their time, their devotion, and
in some cases their lives. And it is time for them to come home. Yet,
their military accomplishments are not being complemented with
political or diplomatic accomplishments. The Iraqi government refuses
to step up to the plate, move toward reconciliation, and unite the
Iraqi people.
As we prepare to start a new year, it is expected for people to
reflect on what has transpired from the past, learn from their mistakes
and decide how they can improve in the future. This does not hold true
for the President, who instead is blindly demanding unfettered war
funds without demonstrating any plans for removing our troops from
harm's way and turning Iraq over to the Iraqi people. We cannot and
must not continue on this path.
Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Committee has spoken and the
result is positive. I appreciate the words of the Committee in the
Statement of the managers accompanying the Omnibus Appropriations
legislation specifically regarding the USAID and hunting conservation
programs in Africa and around the world.
The initial problem that came to light earlier this year was language
that denied USAID funding of recreational, sport and trophy hunting in
its assistance programs in Africa. The language in the Statement of the
Managers to accompany the Omnibus legislation offers out the
opportunity for the USAID conservation projects to continue and states
that they need to come before the Committee and explain these important
conservation programs. I support this effort and commend the Committee
on this language.
These USAID projects are very important tools in the effort to
promote conservation. Tourist hunting in foreign lands has proven to be
vital and critical to community-based natural resource management
programs such as the CAMPFIRE Program in Zimbabwe and the LIFE Plus
Project in Namibia. The CAMPFIRE and the LIFE Plus Projects in Africa
are just two examples of working conservation programs that involve
controlled, regulated sport and trophy hunting. These programs
literally support the entire tribal system in many areas of Africa.
Without them, literally millions of acres that are properly managed now
would fall prey to poachers and the land would prove to have no
economic value. Animals in this environment would be killed for food,
over-

[[Page H16909]]

hunted and poached. None of us want that result.
These programs provide conservation and social benefits like growth,
revenue, poverty reduction, improved livelihoods and empowerment--all
of which alleviate human suffering.
The facts are in: in twenty-three African countries that allow
licensed, regulated hunting, approximately 18,500 hunters generate over
$200 million annually in remote rural areas. The USAID programs are
extremely important to the survival of many species worldwide and I
thank the Appropriations Committee for recognizing the flaw in the
House Report language and speaking to it appropriately in the Statement
of the Managers that accompanies the Omnibus legislation.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in great reluctance to support
final passage of the FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act. I am voting in
favor of this legislation because it rightfully supplies our men and
women on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq with the resources
they need to continue their mission, while also supporting the Global
War on Terror. These brave men and women deserve our support and I will
never waiver from this responsibility.
However, despite my vote in favor of this legislation, I remain
adamantly opposed to the underlying Omnibus legislation that
effectively guts the Secure Fence Act passed during the 109th Congress.
Securing the border of the United States is one of the most important
responsibilities of the federal government. The Republican-led Congress
last year did the right thing by passing the Secure Fence Act that
mandated the construction of 854-mile double layered border fence along
our Southwest border. Unfortunately, one of the few acts actually
accomplished by this first session of the 110th Congress will be to
remove that mandate and ensure that our southern border remains one of
our weakest links in the effort to secure our homeland. Frankly, this
is unacceptable.
I will be working with my colleagues during the second session of
this Congress to address this travesty, however, I will not hold back
the needed resources from our brave men and women in uniform because of
this irresponsible move by this Congress. Therefore, I reluctantly
support this Omnibus package.
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, when the House considered this
measure earlier this week, I voted for it even though I was far from
enthusiastic about doing so.
Now that it is before us again--because the Senate changed it--I am
even less enthusiastic about it, but I have reluctantly concluded that
bad as it is, it needs to be passed. And so I will vote for it again.
Earlier, I said that one of its worst shortcomings, ironically, was
that it was too long--rolling into one massive measure provisions from
no fewer than 11 regular appropriations bills that the House passed
earlier this year.
And now it is even longer, because the Senate has added an additional
$39 billion, all for military activities in Iraq.
There is no mystery about why that happened. It happened for two
reasons.
The first reason is that President Bush has insisted that he will not
sign the bill unless these funds were added--just as he has insisted he
will veto it if it provided more funding than he has requested for
domestic purposes.
The second reason is that our Republican colleagues, both here and in
the Senate, have made clear they will support any such veto.
And the result of the president's stubborn insistence and our
Republican colleagues stubborn loyalty is that of the nearly $190
billion the president requested for Iraq and Afghanistan, this bill
includes $39 billion for Iraq, to be available without conditions or
significant restrictions.
This essentially unconditional funding approach is very different
from the war funding bill I supported and the House passed last month,
which would have provided targeted funding toward an ``immediate and
orderly'' redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq.
I agree with those who say there are clear signs of progress on the
security front in Iraq. But when he announced the ``surge'' of
additional troops to Iraq, President Bush promised us more than
progress on the security front. We sent more troops to Iraq to provide
``breathing space'' for the Iraqi government to move toward political
reconciliation, and that hasn't even begun to happen.
I think that in the long term, there is no sustainable role for large
numbers of U.S. troops to remain in Iraq--whether refereeing a civil
war or waiting for the Iraqi government to decide to act within the
``breathing space'' our brave troops have provided and our taxpayers
are paying for at $9 billion per month.
So I regret that this bill sends the wrong message by including no
Congressional direction on how the funds for Iraq should be spent.
At the same time, we all understand that this bill includes no
``strings'' on Iraq funding because the Senate simply doesn't have the
votes to pass such a bill and that Republican support for a veto would
prevent it from becoming law if it should be passed.
What we need is consensus here at home on a path forward in Iraq.
I believe consensus can be found around the recommendations of the
Iraq Study Group, which I introduced as legislation earlier this year,
including supporting a course of escalating economic development,
empowerment of local government, the provision of basic services, a
``surge'' in regional and international diplomatic efforts, and
lightening the American footprint in Iraq.
If legislation along those lines had been agreed to, we would not
find ourselves making the difficult choice presented by this bill now
before us.
Only Democrats and Republicans working together can find the best
path out of Iraq. I will continue to work with colleagues on both sides
of the aisle on further steps we can take to change our broader Iraq
policy.
And today, I will vote for this omnibus bill because despite its
shortcomings, I will not vote to deny funding for the body armor and
other supplies our troops require and because in terms of funding for
domestic programs, it still is a better bill than would have resulted
if we had simply rubber-stamped the president's budget requests--and it
includes provisions that will directly benefit Colorado and the nation.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 2764,
which provides, among other things, $500 million for the Commanders
Emergency Response Program (CERP). Our continued support for this
program is vital for winning the war on terror and ensuring stability
in Iraq and Afghanistan. General Petraeus himself recently described it
as ``a critical tool with which to prosecute the counterinsurgency
campaign.''
Our continued support for CERP will be especially important for
achieving long term success in Iraq. The Iraqi people must be convinced
that their lives are getting better and that their future is one of
peace and prosperity, rather than violence and sectarian strife. As
David Ignatius pointed out this morning in the Washington Post, ``the
success of the U.S. troop surge seems to be bolstering, ever so
slightly, the advocates of conciliation and weakening the partisans of
sectarian war.'' However, ``[t]he recent progress in Iraq has resulted
from bottom-up efforts to build trust, neighborhood by neighborhood.''
CERP has proven to be one of the key tools in this effort.
CERP allows our military commanders and civil affairs officers on the
ground in Iraq and Afghanistan to respond to urgent humanitarian relief
and reconstruction requirements within their areas of responsibility by
carrying out programs that will immediately assist the indigenous
population. The funding is allocated to brigade commanders to support a
wide variety of small-scale relief and reconstruction projects,
including reconstruction of water and sanitation facilities, school
repair, restoring power stations, lines and generators, providing
humanitarian relief, renovating cultural centers, museums and
libraries, and repairing telecommunications infrastructure.
Most importantly, CERP grants can be dispensed quickly and applied
directly to local needs, rather than slowed down by the bureaucratic
process in Washington and watered down by foreign contractors and
subcontractors. As Secretary Gates recently explained in his testimony
before Congress, ``. . .by building trust and confidence in Coalition
forces, these CERP projects increase the flow of intelligence to
commanders in the field and help turn local Iraqis and Afghans against
insurgents and terrorists.''
CERP could also serve to be a key component in helping to normalize
the more than 2 million internally displaced Iraqis and provide a
stable environment for the more than 2 million externally displaced in
neighboring countries to return home.
The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization (IRCO), for example, has recently
proposed a one-year plan to normalize up to 600,000 internally
displaced residents of Baghdad into 120 self sustaining neighborhood
units. The IRCO Neighborhood Reconstruction Program (NRP) could help
provide unemployed IDPs with the opportunity to construct and service
approximately 100,000 homes, 440 schools, 132 mobile health clinics, 60
water treatment plants, and 44 electrical generators. With the
financial support of CERP and the Government of Iraq, this program
would be coordinated through IRCO's existing 44 offices in Baghdad and,
within a year, these formerly displaced people would have the
opportunity live in homes with electricity and water, within
neighborhoods that have access to nearby healthcare, schools, and jobs.
We have an obligation to continue funding CERP so that the Iraqi and
Afghan people can build peaceful and prosperous societies for
themselves. The sooner this occurs, the quicker our troops can come
home.
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Committee on
Appropriations for addressing language contained in the House State,
Foreign Operations Committee Report regarding funding of recreational,
sport

[[Page H16910]]

and trophy hunting in its assistance programs in Africa. The language
included in the Manager's Statement accompanying the Omnibus
Appropriations Legislation offers USAID the opportunity to come before
the Committee and explain the need for these important conservation
programs to continue. I support this effort and commend the Committee
on this language.
I urge USAID to take advantage of this opportunity to come before the
Committee and explain the benefits of these valuable projects as
directed by the Manager's Statement. Conservation projects have made
great contributions to wildlife management and have a great story to
tell. The CAMPFIRE and the LIFE Plus Projects in Africa are just two
examples of successful conservation programs involving controlled,
regulated sport and trophy hunting that economically supports tribal
systems in many areas of Africa. Without programs like these, millions
of acres of properly managed conservation areas would fall prey to
poachers, eliminating the economic value these lands provide.
Additionally, tourist hunting has proven to be a valuable tool for
conserving wildlife and habitat for particularly threatened species
such as the African elephant, white and black rhino, leopard, markhor,
argali and others. Licensed, regulated tourist hunting provides tens of
millions of dollars for the operating budgets of foreign wildlife
departments, significantly reduces poaching, and creates incentives for
local inhabitants to perpetuate biodiversity on hundreds of millions of
acres where it is needed beyond the borders of protected areas. Without
these programs, animals in this environment would be killed for food,
over-hunted, and poached, placing the continued survival of these
species in serious jeopardy.
The facts are that in the twenty-three African countries that allow
licensed, regulated hunting, approximately 18,500 hunters generate over
$200 million annually in remote rural areas. These conservation
programs are extremely important to African tribal culture, not to
mention the survival of the many animal species they protect worldwide.
While I cannot support the overall bill, I thank the Appropriations
Committee for recognizing this flaw in the Committee Report on H.R.
2764 and speaking to it appropriately in the Omnibus Legislation's
accompanying Manager's Statement.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for many years, our government has been
involved in the funding of several successful conservation programs
that are supported by recreational, sport and trophy hunting programs
in Africa. The Committee wisely spoke to these important programs in
the Statement of the Managers which accompanies the Omnibus
Appropriations legislation. I support the language and welcome the
USAID coming before the Appropriations Committee and detailing these
important conservation projects.
Initially, the language in the State Foreign Operations Report denied
USAID funding of recreational, sport and trophy hunting in its
assistance programs in Africa. Again, the language in the Statement of
the Managers to accompany the Omnibus legislation offers out the
opportunity for the USAID conservation projects to continue and further
states that they need to come before the Committee and explain these
important conservation programs. I support this effort and commend the
Committee on this language.
Tourist hunting in foreign lands has proven to be vital and critical
to community-based natural resource management programs such as the
CAMPFIRE Program in Zimbabwe and the LIFE Plus Project in Namibia.
These programs provide conservation and social benefits like growth,
revenue, poverty reduction, improved livelihoods and empowerment--all
of which alleviate human suffering. Isn't that what we are trying to
accomplish with these programs? Closer to home, National Geographic
News reported in March of 2007 that ``trophy hunting is of key
importance to conservation in Africa by creating [financial] incentives
to promote and retain wildlife as a land use over vast areas...''
As I previously mentioned, the CAMPFIRE and the LIFE Plus Projects in
Africa are just two examples of working conservation programs that
involve controlled, regulated sport and trophy hunting. These programs
literally support the entire tribal system in many areas of Africa. The
programs which are funded with matching funds from groups like the
World Wildlife Fund and the Dallas Safari Club supply money for
drinking water wells and schools for the local population. Without
these programs, literally millions of acres that are properly managed
now would fall prey to poachers and the land would prove to have no
economic value. Animals in this environment would be killed for food,
over-hunted and poached. These programs provide conservation and social
benefits like growth, revenue, poverty reduction, improved livelihoods
and empowerment--all of which alleviate human suffering.
The USAID conservation programs are extremely important to the
survival of many species worldwide and I thank the Appropriations
Committee for recognizing that the language in the Foreign Operations
House Report needed to be revised and I thank the Committee for
speaking to it appropriately in the Statement of the Managers that
accompanies the Omnibus legislation.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Congress and the
President have come together to find common ground on the fiscal year
2008 budget. It is often said that politics is the art of compromise,
and the bill we are considering today--H.R. 2764--represents a
compromise position that allows the Congressional majority to advance
some of its priorities while adhering to the President's overall
budgetary constraints.
H.R. 2764 funds a number of programs that are important to the
American people, including investments in education, life-saving
medical research, law enforcement, border security, veterans' health
care, and energy independence initiatives.
H.R. 2764 is especially good for rural America. The bill rejects deep
cuts that were proposed by the President in rural health care, housing,
economic development, Internet access, and law enforcement programs. At
the same time, the bill nearly doubles funds available for renewable
energy loans and grants in rural areas, commits significant resources
to fix aging bridges, and adds $1 million to the President's request
for rural drinking water and waste water infrastructure projects.
Additionally, the measure slashes funding for the Administration's
efforts to create a National Animal Identification Program, reducing it
by $23 million.
H.R. 2764 also extends through December 31, 2007, most of the
agricultural disaster assistance programs included as part of the
emergency supplemental spending bill signed into law earlier this year.
These programs allow many American farmers to recoup some losses
associated with drought and other natural disasters in 2005, 2006, or
in the first two months of 2007. Between February and December of this
year, Missouri farmers have seen their fair share of damaging weather
events. I am pleased that Congress is extending disaster programs that
may be beneficial to qualifying Show-Me State producers.
The measure also funds U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
And, while I would have preferred to send the President war funding
legislation that sets a goal of redeploying most American troops from
Iraq by next Christmas, H.R. 2764 will provide our service men and
women with the resources they need to do their jobs while serving in
harm's way and will alleviate any need by the Administration to
reallocate funds from domestic military operations.
H.R. 2764 represents a compromise bill that is in the best interest
of our Nation. I am pleased to support its passage and urge the
President to sign it into law.
Mr. BOREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my colleagues on the
Committee on Appropriations for language in the Manager's Statement
accompanying the Omnibus Appropriations bill, regarding USAID and
hunting conservation programs in Africa and around the world. This
language provides an opportunity for these USAID conservation projects
to continue and asks them to come before the Committee and explain how
these important conservation programs have seen success in Africa and
around the world. I support this effort and commend the Committee on
this language.
Earlier this year, language to deny funding for USAID assistance
programs in Africa utilizing recreational, sport and trophy hunting was
included in the House State, Foreign Operations Appropriations
Committee Report. I opposed this language as tourist hunting has proven
to be a valuable tool for the conservation of wildlife and habitat.
These programs have proven to be particularly useful in the survival of
African elephants, white and black rhinos, leopards, markhor, argali,
and other threatened and endangered species. To block this revenue
would do nothing for the conservation of species and would simply be
one step further in a campaign to ban hunting.
I welcome the opportunity for USAID to come before the Committee and
explain these valuable and beneficial projects as the language directs.
USAID and their conservation projects will have their opportunity to
tell their conservation story and how revenue brought in by these
hunters benefits the local native communities, encouraging them to
conserve and manage wildlife populations responsibly. The CAMPFIRE and
the LIFE Plus Projects in Africa are just two examples of working
conservation programs that involve controlled, regulated sport and
trophy hunting. These programs literally support the entire tribal
system in many areas of Africa. Without them, millions of acres that
are properly managed now would fall prey to poachers and the land would
prove to have no economic value. Animals in this environment would be
killed for food, over-hunted and poached. None of us want that result.
Licensed, regulated tourist hunting provides tens of millions of
dollars for the operating

[[Page H16911]]

budgets of foreign wildlife departments, significantly reduces
poaching, and creates incentives for local inhabitants to perpetuate
biodiversity on hundreds of millions of acres where it is needed beyond
the borders of protected areas. In twenty-three African countries that
allow licensed, regulated hunting, approximately 18,500 hunters
generate over $200 million annually in remote rural areas. The USAID
programs are extremely important to the survival of many species
worldwide and I thank the Appropriations Committee for recognizing the
flaw in the House Report language and speaking to it appropriately in
the Statement of the Managers that accompanies the Omnibus legislation.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the
FY08 Consolidated Appropriations Legislation. Although this bill does
not accomplish everything that we had wanted for the next fiscal year,
the bill will provide critical funding to many programs that for too
long have been underfunded.
Among many other important provisions, this legislation will provide
$607 million above the President's request for medical research of
diseases including Alzheimer's, cancer, Parkinson's and diabetes. It
will make investments in education including K through 12, Pell Grants,
and vocational education. It will help make communities across the
country safer by providing $1.2 billion above the President's request
for state and local law enforcement. Lastly, it will provide critical
homeland security funding at $1.8 billion above the President's
request.
I want to note several other items in this bill that are of
particular interest to me and many of my constituents.
The bill provides $108 million for the health needs of World Trade
Center responders, residents, students, and others exposed to the
toxins of Ground Zero, to be administered by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health. The legislation also requests that the
Administration prepare a plan for a comprehensive program for health
screenings, analysis, and medical treatment for the entire exposed
community. I want to sincerely thank Chairman Obey and his incredibly
able staff for their continued dedication to the heroes of 9/11.
I commend the Appropriations Committee for including enough baseline
funding to continue the invaluable Survey of Income and Program
Participation (SIPP) in FY 2008, despite the Bush Administration's
initial desire to eliminate the survey. The SIPP provides the most
comprehensive data on the economic well-being of American families, and
I am glad that the Committee understood its importance.
The legislation before us will provide $75 million to help Afghan
women and girls including funding for the Afghan Independent Human
Rights Commission which does essential work in Afghanistan to combat
human rights abuses. Additionally, the bill provides more than
$147,000,000 for processing the backlog of DNA evidence kits as
provided by the Debbie Smith Act, legislation I first introduced in
2001.
I want to thank Chairman Obey and the Appropriations Committee for
its work under very difficult conditions, and I urge my colleagues to
support this legislation.
Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2764, the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008. While this is a vastly
different package than the 11 stand-alone appropriations bills that the
House passed earlier this year, it is a package that for the first time
in over eight years focuses on the priorities of the American people.
Without a doubt the budgetary process is never easy. This year,
however, the process has been exacerbated by the fact that this
Administration has been unwilling to come to the negotiating table to
hammer out the details of this legislation, instead barking orders at
Congress--the people's representatives--from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Furthermore, this process has been held up by the inability of the
Senate to pass these bills as stand-alone measures. As a result,
Congress has no choice but to consolidate the remaining appropriations
bills in order to complete our budget work.
Like many of my colleagues, I had hoped that this Administration
would have worked with Congress to find a compromise that would have
reflected the domestic needs of our country and the priorities of our
working families. Unfortunately, the budget proposal the Administration
sent to Congress earlier this year proposed cuts to many important
domestic programs including: Medical research grants at NIH; Grants for
low-income schools; Vocational education programs in high schools and
community colleges; Homeland Security Grants for police, firefighters
and medical personnel; Renewable energy programs; and Community Health
Centers.
Yet after proposing cuts to these vital programs, the President had
the nerve to request another blank check for the war in Iraq.
The truth of the matter is our troops have the funding they need.
Congress passed and the President signed a Defense Appropriations bill
last month that contained more than $450 billion in funding for the
military. Moreover, the House passed an Iraq supplemental last month
that would provide $50 billion worth of funding for the war efforts in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, that bill has been blocked by
Republicans in the Senate because it contains important provisions that
would require the President to begin to plan for the withdrawal of
American troops from Iraq.
I would note that recently, the Congressional Budget Office has
reported that costs related to the Iraq war could reach $2.4 trillion
over the next decade, even if the number of troops is cut by half.
Furthermore, we have seen more than a billion dollars gone unaccounted
for in Iraq due to fraud and misuse on the part of contractors and poor
accounting by our own government.
By threatening to veto any spending bill that does not give him a
blank check in Iraq, it is the President who is playing politics--
playing politics with our service men and women and their families, and
playing politics with critically important domestic programs.
The bill before us today is significantly better than what the
President sent us at the beginning of this year. It does, as I
mentioned earlier, focus on the priorities of the American people. For
example, the bill invests in:
Medical Research: $607 million above the President's request to study
diseases like Alzheimer's, cancer, Parkinson's and diabetes.
Healthcare Access: $1 billion above the President's request, making
targeted increases to programs like Community Health Centers to provide
280,000 more underinsured Americans with access to healthcare and High
Risk Insurance Pools to help 200,000 more people afford health
insurance.
Rural Healthcare: $147 million above the President's request to help
1,200 small, rural hospitals.
K-12 Education: $767 million above the President's request with
targeted increases to Title 1, Special Education, Teacher Quality
Grants, After School Programs, and Head Start.
Student Aid: $1.7 billion above the President's request for Pell
Grants and other student aid programs.
Vocational Education: $575 million above the President's request for
technical training at high schools and community colleges.
State and Local Law Enforcement: $1.2 billion above the President's
request, to help local communities across the country.
Homeland Security Grants: 41.8 billion above the President's request,
recognizing that fighting terror must be a top priority.
Highway Infrastructure: Meets the guaranteed levels set in the
authorization bill and provides a $1 billion initiative for our
bridges.
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency: $486 million above the
President's request for important investments in Solar Energy, Wind
Energy, Biofuels, and Energy Efficiency, with a careful blend of new
scientific investments and conservation efforts.
Chairman David Obey deserves our thanks for plowing through what many
of us would consider unworkable circumstances and producing a bill that
puts the American people first.
Now, it is unfortunate that Senate Republicans have chosen to give
the President the blank check he requested in terms of war funding. I
cannot, however, in good conscience, hold the rest of the federal
government--and the above investments--hostage to Iraq funding.
Instead, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the coming year
to bring an end the President's failed Iraq policy.
Mr. Speaker, it is the duty of Congress to pass spending legislation
each year, and it is a duty we take very seriously. I would like to
take just a moment to remind President Bush that Congress is a co-equal
branch of government. Our founding fathers intended that no one branch
should set the course for our country, and in fact compromise has long
been one of the hallmarks of our government. It is time that the
Administration recognizes that a seat at the negotiating table can
accomplish much more than the wave of the veto pen.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the House
amendment to H.R. 2764 to highlight the key elements of division J, the
Department of State, foreign operations, export financing, and related
programs appropriations act of fiscal year 2008.
This amendment reflects a bipartisan, bicameral process. We worked
tirelessly with ranking member Wolf, Senator Leahy, and Senator Gregg
to create a product that addresses our strategic priorities and our
national security interests, as well as increases assistance for
programs that promote development, reduce poverty, meet humanitarian
needs and respond to global health crises.
Despite our bipartisanship, the President's intransigence forced us
to make difficult cuts to worthy programs. His unwillingness to
compromise with Congress, while spending $12 billion a month in Iraq,
is both fiscally and

[[Page H16912]]

morally irresponsible. We have worked to limit the damage of this
President's misplaced priorities, and I appreciate Chairman Obey and
Speaker Pelosi's commitment to robust foreign assistance.
Division J includes over $5.3 billion for State Department operations
in the United States and abroad, and exceeds the President's request
for worldwide security protection to ensure that our diplomats and
development workers remain safe and secure. It also provides $501
million for educational and cultural exchanges, and $366 million for
public diplomacy.

Promoting National Security Through Support for Strategic Partners

The bill also provides $7.5 billion in economic and military
assistance for our strategic partners throughout the world, including
Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Philippines, and
Indonesia among other countries. It fully meets the President's request
of $2.4 billion for Israel and $1.715 billion for Egypt, excluding the
0.81% across-the-board cut required to reach agreement with the
President, and provides assistance to Jordan, including debt relief
critical to its economic revitalization.

Addressing Global Health and Humanitarian Crises and Promoting Peace

Combating global health threats--including tuberculosis, avian flu,
HIV/AIDS, and malaria--is a security imperative as well as a moral
responsibility. We are leading the fight against HIV/AIDS and other
global health emergencies--providing $6.5 billion, $796 million above
the President's request and $1.4 billion over fiscal year 2007, to
address these critical needs. Within the total provided for global
health, $5 billion is for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care
efforts internationally, $544 million above the President's request. We
have also included, government-wide, $841 million for the Global Fund
to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria.
I must express my great disappointment that President Bush was
willing to veto this entire vital bill because it would have allowed
the U.S. to send contraceptives to poor men and women around the world.
The President's dogmatic adherence to an illogical position diminishes
our influence around the world and thwarts one of the most effective
strategies for stemming the spread of HIV/AIDS and reducing unintended
pregnancies and abortions. This is a fight we cannot win if our policy
continues to put ideology ahead of proven results, and I will continue
fighting to restore common sense to our international family planning
initiatives.
I am pleased that we were able to provide significant funding to
promote peace and address humanitarian crises throughout the world.
Without the across-the-board cut, we would have provided the full
request for the Peace Corps to support 7,749 volunteers in 67 posts
serving in 73 countries.
The bill includes over $1 billion to help displaced people around the
world, especially the growing number of Iraqi refugees. Additionally,
over $430 million is provided to avert famines, provide life-saving
assistance during natural disasters, and assist internally displaced
persons in Iraq, Darfur and elsewhere.
Since declaring the atrocities in Darfur, Sudan, genocide in July,
2003, this committee has appropriated over a billion dollars to support
the African Union peacekeeping mission and to provide emergency
assistance. We are hopeful that the long-overdue United Nations mission
will finally be able to bring stability to this region, and allow the
Darfuri people to rebuild their lives. To that end, this bill provides
over $550 million to support the UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur. We
have made a strong commitment to international peacekeeping activities,
and this bill includes $1.6906 billion for ongoing operations in
Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Ethiopia/
Eritrea, Haiti, Timor-Leste, Lebanon, and Kosovo.
I am also pleased that we were able to provide additional funding to
meet our commitment to provide critical security sector assistance for
Liberia.

Investing in Development Around the World

The bill also increases funding for development programs managed by
the U.S. Agency for International Development. These resources will
expand our basic education, safe water and environment programs.
Access to basic education has been one of my top priorities for many
years because it not only improves an individual's chances for a
better, more productive life, it creates a more tolerant and informed
citizenry. We have provided a total of $694 million for basic education
programs in this bill, including $189 million targeted to help
developing countries with national education plans meet the
international goal of quality education for all children by 2012.
This bill also provides $510 million for clean energy and
biodiversity programs worldwide. This includes funding for the Global
Environment Facility and international conservation programs that work
with developing nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, preserve
national parks, and protect wildlife.
There is also $1.544 billion for the Millennium Challenge Account in
this bill. While this funding level is lower than that provided by the
House, it is $344 million above the Senate level, and it will allow the
MCC to undertake all its planned compacts and threshold programs
through fiscal year 2008.

Responding to Developing Situations

This bill responds to a number of evolving diplomatic needs
throughout the world. In addition to providing the strong annual aid
package to Israel, we must ensure that our assistance to the
Palestinians supports the current movement toward negotiating a
peaceful two-state solution between the two parties.
In addition to language on assistance to the Palestinians that has
been carried in the Foreign Operations bill for many years, we have
included additional accounting conditions on part of any funding
provided as cash transfer to the Palestinian Authority. It also ensures
that no funding goes to Hamas or to salaries of Palestinian Authority
personnel located in Gaza. It is essential that we track every dollar
of any cash transfer, and before funding is obligated or expended, I
expect the Department of State to take the following steps:
(1) Representatives of the government of the United States and the
Palestinian Authority will develop a list of mutually-agreed
disbursements. Emphasis will be on funding projects in the West Bank
that quickly demonstrate quality of life benefits for the population.
(2) The Palestinian Authority may not obligate or expend any funds on
items not mutually-agreed upon and will repay any funds which are used
in any way not mutually agreed by the United States and the Palestinian
Authority.
(3) The Secretary of State shall certify that none of the funds will
be used to support violence or terrorism. All contractors will be
investigated through the same United States embassy process that is
used to vet implementers of United States-administered assistance
programs.
(4) The Palestinian Authority will establish a separate account to
hold funds received in the cash transfer. Authorized United States
officials will have complete and unfettered access to the records of
this account.
(5) The Department of State will report bi-weekly to the Committees
on Appropriations on all expenditures, disbursements and balances
associated with the cash transfer assistance to the Palestinian
Authority.
(6) The Secretary of State shall report to the Committees on
Appropriations, in classified form if appropriate, on how much funding
the Arab states are providing to the Palestinian Authority, and steps
the Palestinian Authority is taking to end incitement.
I look forward to working with the State Department to ensure that
these funds are fully accountable and used to support President Abbas
and Prime Minister Fayyad as they work to end corruption and bring
needed services to the Palestinian people in the West Bank.
Also related to peace in the Middle East, I remain gravely concerned
about the smuggling operation from Egypt to Gaza, and funds in this
bill for Egypt are conditioned on steps taken to detect and destroy
these tunnels.
The developing situation in Pakistan, which continues to be an
important ally of the United States, also demands action in this bill.
I appreciate the recent steps towards restoring the constitution and
advancing democracy and human rights. However, the actions of the past
few months warranted measures in this bill to end cash transfers and
condition military assistance on continued progress on political
reforms. We remain steadfast in our support of the Pakistani people,
and this assistance package maintains the robust development and
security assistance that is central to reducing poverty, increasing
stability, and fighting AI Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terrorist
groups.
Because our efforts to combat narcotics in Colombia have been
ineffective for some time, this bill restructures assistance for
Colombia. We have shifted greater resources to the development and
interdiction programs. We have also increased funding for rule of law
and justice efforts in order to strengthen the Government of Colombia's
ability to combat and demobilize their criminal paramilitary
organizations that fuel the drug war. It is time for the Colombians to
take ownership over their eradication and military assistance programs,
and restructuring of our assistance package reflects that position.

Advancing Our Priorities at Home

In addition to the many steps we have taken in this bill to advance
international stability and security here at home, this bill also
addresses many of our most important domestic priorities from education
funding to worker training to biomedical research to public health
activities.
It provides relief for families that desperately need child care and
afterschool programs; for first responders in need of training and
equipment that will help keep our communities safe; for teachers
anxious to receive classroom training or professional development; for
students who won't be able to attend college

[[Page H16913]]

without an increase in the maximum Pell Grant; and for the elderly who
depend on LlHEAP to help pay for the rising cost of home heating oil.
Initiatives funded in this bill literally make a life-or-death
difference in the lives of countless individuals and families who are
struggling to make ends meet. While we could have done much more with
the cooperation of the President, the work that we have accomplished
together in this final product will help make America more secure and
will improve the lives of millions throughout the world.
In closing, I would like to thank our staff for their tireless work,
and their many sleepless nights as they put together this final
product. Nisha Desai, and her new baby Safya, Craig Higgins, Michele
Sumilas, Steve Marchese, Lucy Heenan, Celia Alvarado, and our minority
staff Christine Kojac, Rob Blair and Molly Miller. Lastly, I would like
to thank Cherith Norman, as she prepares the leave the State
Department, for her years of outstanding work with this Committee.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 893, the
previous question is ordered.
The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin
(Mr. Obey).
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 272,
nays 142, not voting 18, as follows:

[Roll No. 1186]

YEAS--272

Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Altmire
Bachmann
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bean
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Boren
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carney
Carter
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Clyburn
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Cooper
Costa
Cramer
Crenshaw
Cuellar
Culberson
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Lincoln
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Donnelly
Doolittle
Drake
Dreier
Edwards
Ehlers
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Emerson
English (PA)
Etheridge
Everett
Fallin
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gillibrand
Gingrey
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Graves
Green, Gene
Hall (TX)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth Sandlin
Hill
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jordan
Kanjorski
Keller
Kildee
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Lampson
Larsen (WA)
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Mahoney (FL)
Manzullo
Marchant
Marshall
Matheson
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McCrery
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
Melancon
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moran (KS)
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Rodriguez
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (WI)
Salazar
Sali
Saxton
Schmidt
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Sestak
Shadegg
Shays
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Skelton
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Snyder
Souder
Space
Spratt
Stearns
Sullivan
Tancredo
Tanner
Taylor
Terry
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Udall (CO)
Upton
Visclosky
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Walz (MN)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Whitfield (KY)
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (OH)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman (VA)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)

NAYS--142

Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Andrews
Arcuri
Baca
Baldwin
Becerra
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boswell
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Castor
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Cohen
Conyers
Costello
Courtney
Crowley
Cummings
Davis (IL)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Doggett
Doyle
Duncan
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Frank (MA)
Green, Al
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hare
Harman
Higgins
Hinchey
Hirono
Hodes
Holt
Honda
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Johnson (GA)
Jones (OH)
Kagen
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kilpatrick
Klein (FL)
Langevin
Lantos
Larson (CT)
Lee
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Maloney (NY)
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum (MN)
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Perlmutter
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Richardson
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Solis
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Tauscher
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Tsongas
Udall (NM)
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Wu
Wynn
Yarmuth

NOT VOTING--18

Cubin
Gilchrest
Hastings (FL)
Hooley
Jefferson
Jindal
Johnson, E. B.
Kucinich
Markey
McNulty
Miller, Gary
Ortiz
Pastor
Paul
Thompson (CA)
Weller
Wexler
Woolsey

{time} 1726

Mr. WYNN, Mr. BECERRA, Ms. DeLAURO and Ms. ESHOO changed their vote
from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Mr. DOOLITTLE changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the motion was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________