[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 118 (Thursday, July 17, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5959 INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT 
                          FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009

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                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 16, 2008

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Reyes and Ranking Member 
Hoekstra for their work on this bill and their commitment to protecting 
the security of our Nation.
  Madam Speaker, recently Americans have read media reports that 
taxpayer funds are being used to destabilize or overthrow governments 
of other countries.
  Regardless of the truth of these reports, the perception that they 
may be true undermines public confidence in U.S. foreign policy and 
harms the reputation of the U.S. abroad.
  That is why I offered an amendment to the bill providing that the 
United States will not engage in covert activities to undermine or 
overthrow member nations of the U.N., including democratically elected 
governments. Such conduct is antithetical to democracy and the rule of 
law.
  Unfortunately, my amendment was not made in order. Consequently, we 
lost an opportunity to repair some of the damage done to America's 
international reputation by the conduct of this Administration during 
the last seven years.

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