[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 105 (Thursday, July 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 1, 2010

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative 
Barbara Lee's amendment to prevent an escalation and limit funding to 
the safe and orderly withdrawal of our troops and military contractors 
from Afghanistan. After 9 years of war, the time has come to bring our 
troops home.
  I will also vote in favor of the McGovern-Obey amendment that would 
require the President to provide Congress with a plan for the 
expeditious redeployment of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and a timeline 
for completion of the redeployment.
  I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leadership 
for bringing this bill to the floor today in a manner that allows clear 
up or down votes on funding for the war and other domestic priorities.
  The challenges in Afghanistan are great. As the violence and attacks 
on our troops continue to increase, we still do not have a clear path 
forward or a way to measure progress there.
  We cannot afford to sustain an open-ended commitment with no clear 
definition of success.
  Reports of corruption abound in Afghanistan, and without a true 
partner in the Karzai government, our prospects for making real 
progress have grown dim.
  Our troops have fought with honor and professionalism in the face of 
great challenges, and at great cost--I am truly humbled by their 
service and sacrifice. These brave men and women in uniform deserve our 
full support and commitment to return them home safely to their 
families and loved ones.
  President Obama did not start this war, and I was among those who 
have spoken out in support of allowing for the time necessary for a new 
strategy in Afghanistan to turn the tide.
  But after years of war that has strained our military, their 
families, and the country, I am unable to continue to support what 
increasingly looks like an intractable situation in Afghanistan.
  That is why I vote in favor of these amendments today.
  Despite my opposition to our continued military presence in 
Afghanistan, the bill does include critical domestic funding that I 
will support. These include saving teachers' jobs, Pell Grants, 
emergency food assistance for hungry Americans, and disaster aid to 
respond to the Gulf oil spill catastrophe.
  For example, today we are providing $10 billion for an Education Jobs 
Fund to provide additional emergency support to local school districts 
to prevent impending layoffs. Estimates suggest that this fund will 
help keep 140,000 school employees on the job next year.
  Moreover, when we invest in education, we save jobs in other sectors 
and spur economic recovery. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 
for every 100,000 education jobs lost, another 30,000 jobs are lost in 
other sectors due to reduced consumer spending and tax revenues.
  The list of important programs this bill funds is both extensive and 
impressive: Among other priorities, we are providing $304 million for 
the Gulf Coast oil spill; $50 million for the Emergency Food Assistance 
Program for food purchases to distribute through local emergency food 
providers; $13.377 billion for the payment of benefits to Vietnam 
veterans and their survivors for exposure to Agent Orange, which has 
been linked with Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, and hairy 
cell/B cell leukemia; and $2.93 billion for Haiti.
  These are extremely important priorities which are fully paid for and 
which I support.

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