[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1747-E1748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 9, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3081) making 
     appropriations for the Department of State, foreign 
     operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2010, and for other puropses:

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chair, we must take measurable actions to replace 
policies of aggression with policies of dialogue, adherence to 
international law and an unwavering dedication to the protection of 
human rights. As such, I oppose the bill based on the inclusion of 
funding for programs and support for policies that fail to meet these 
important goals.
  This bill continues funding for the International Military Education 
and Training (IMET) program. IMET is one of the three funding sources 
that support the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation 
(WHINSEC), formerly known as the School of the Americas (SOA).
  This combat-training facility for security personnel in Latin America 
is notorious for graduating human rights offenders. In its 59 years of 
existence, the SOA trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in 
counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and 
psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. 
These graduates have consistently targeted educators, union organizers, 
religious workers, student leaders, and

[[Page E1748]]

others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of 
Latin Americans have been victims of SOA graduates.
  A particularly egregious example shows Americans have been affected 
too. In 1980, Sisters Dorothy and Jean Donovan of Cleveland, along with 
two other churchwomen from the U.S., Sister Maura Clarke and Sister Ita 
Forde, were raped and murdered by members of the armed forces of El 
Salvador. Three of the five officers involved were graduates of the 
School of the Americas.
  I oppose the continuation of funding for the Merida Initiative and 
expansion of this flawed program to the Caribbean countries. Time and 
again, research has demonstrated that illicit drug production in 
developing countries stems from pervasive rural poverty and lack of 
sustainable sources of income. More money for guns and other tools of 
destruction will do nothing to ease the suffering of those struggling 
with addiction or alleviate the social problems that compel people to 
produce 
and/or traffic drugs.
  I also oppose the Import-Export Bank provision in Section 7043 of the 
bill regarding Iran. Sanctions can be an effective diplomatic tool in 
the right circumstances. However, sanctions are meant to cripple 
economies and as such can have disastrous consequences for the citizens 
of any sanctioned country. Iran is experiencing extreme turmoil among 
its citizens. Recent events make it very clear that the people of Iran 
are to be commended for their courage, not strangled by an increasingly 
crippled economy as the fabric of their society is being ripped apart. 
Furthermore, the provision will undoubtedly target countries that are 
our allies who will have a role to play as the U.S. moves forward 
diplomatically with Iran and in the region generally. With the global 
economic crisis, this policy will cause the U.S. to fall far short of 
our diplomatic goals in the region.
  These are policies that take us down the wrong path. I cannot support 
this bill.

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