[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1445-E1446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 27, 2010

  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 
4899, the ``Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010.'' I oppose the 
Senate amendments because they will deny job programs to Americans, 
while continuing to fund a war that has gone for far too long.
  I want to thank Chairman Obey for his timely leadership on this 
legislation. Clearly, opposing a bill that you are charged with 
bringing to the floor is not easy. However, this is an important moment 
to decide the direction that our military involvement and national 
economy are headed. Without some of the programs cut by the Senate, and 
with the knowledge revealed by the leaked documents, the sum of this 
bill is no longer palatable.
  As originally conceived, H.R. 4899 would have provided funding for 
the needs of the American people, from national security, housing, 
employment, health, to education. I fully support these efforts and 
want to stress that we must continue to provide policies and funding 
that ensure that the United States remains a global leader in science 
and technology, including space exploration, which not only results in 
knowledge-building, but also in hundreds of thousands of jobs 
throughout the Nation.
  The legislation would provide resources to support over 350,000 jobs 
for youth ages 16 to 21 through summer employment programs. This age 
group has some of the highest unemployment levels, 25 percent for those 
aged 16 to 24. This funding will allow local Workforce Investment 
Boards to expand successful summer jobs programs that were funded in 
the Recovery Act.
  The legislation would also fully fund the settlement of both the 
Cobell and Pigford class action lawsuits. The Cobell settlement 
concerns the government's management and accounting for over 300,000 
American Indians, trust accounts, and the Pigford settlement ends a 
decades-old discrimination lawsuit brought by black farmers against 
USDA.
  Before it was amended, this supplemental appropriation would have 
provided over $24 billion to keep teachers, firefighters and law 
enforcement personnel on the job while states continue to recover from 
the recession; over $13 billion for Vietnam veterans and survivors 
exposed to Agent Orange; $5.7 billion for PELL; $2.8 billion for Haiti; 
$677 million for border security; $275 million for the Gulf Coast oil 
spill including unemployment benefits program and unemployment 
assistance related to the oil spill and an oil spill relief employment 
program that are underway for the self-employed businessmen and women 
who were greatly impacted by the Gulf Coast oil spill.

  This bill would also provide $10 billion for an Education Jobs Fund 
to provide additional emergency support to local school districts to 
prevent impending layoffs. It is estimated that this fund will help 
keep 140,000 school employees on the job next year.
  Yet, despite these programs, the main purpose of this bill is to 
extend funding for our military--funds to pay for the war in 
Afghanistan. It is this that I object to. Although the situation in 
Afghanistan is far from perfect, the return on our investment has 
diminished to a point where it no longer makes sense to maintain a 
large-scale deployment. Additionally, as the human and financial costs 
continue to rise, the war in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly 
unpalatable to the citizens of the United States. More than 1,000 U.S. 
soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October 2001, and half 
of all deaths have occurred since the beginning of 2009. Roadside 
bombings are on the rise, causing double the number of fatalities in 
2009 that they did in 2008. And 2010 is on track to be even worse by 
that measure. Today we learned that one of two American servicemen who 
disappeared last week in a dangerous area south of the Afghan capital 
has been confirmed dead. The war in Afghanistan should end as safely 
and quickly as possible, and our troops should be brought home with 
honor and a national day of celebration. I strongly believe that this 
can and must be done by the end of the year.
  This stance is borne from my deeply held belief that we must commend 
our military for their exemplary performance and success in 
Afghanistan. As lawmakers continue to debate U.S. policy in 
Afghanistan, our heroic young men and women continue to willingly 
sacrifice life and limb on the battlefield. Our troops in Afghanistan 
did everything we asked them to do. We sent them overseas to destroy 
the roots of terror and protect our homeland; they are now caught in 
the midst of an insurgent civil war and continuing political upheaval.
  With the change in military leadership to General Petraeus, one year 
before the target drawdown date of July 2011, America faces a critical 
juncture in our involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Recently, I 
returned from a 5-day trip to Afghanistan where I met with our 
outstanding men and women serving in the region. Although I found our 
troops and civilians to be of the highest caliber, I left Afghanistan 
with the impression the reasons for keeping them in a dangerous theatre 
have diminished. Today, we are at risk of forgetting the impetus for 
going to war. This is a dangerous mistake. Extending our involvement 
beyond the initial mandate is an unnecessary risk that makes the United 
States vulnerable.

  Throughout the discussion of the Administration's proposed surge, I 
expressed my concern for the cost of sending additional troops, as well 
as the effect that a larger presence in Afghanistan will have on troop 
morale. The White House estimates that it will cost $1 million per year 
for each additional soldier deployed, and I believe that $30 billion 
would be better spent on developing new jobs and fixing our broken 
healthcare system. Many leaders in our armed forces, including 
Secretary Gates, have said that it is optimal for troops to have two 
years between overseas deployments; yet, today, our troops have only a 
year at home between deployments. Expanding the number of U.S. forces 
in Afghanistan by 30,000 will negatively impact troop morale and will 
bring us further away from the conditions necessary to maintain a 
strong, all-volunteer military.
  I very strongly believe that our Nation has a moral obligation to 
ensure that our veterans are treated with the respect and dignity that 
they deserve. One reason that we are the greatest Nation in the world 
is because of the brave young men and women fighting for us in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. They deserve honor, they deserve dignity, and they deserve 
to know that a grateful Nation cares about them. Whether or not my 
colleagues agree that the time has come to withdraw our American forces 
from Afghanistan, I believe that all of us in Congress should be of one 
accord that our troops deserve our sincere thanks and congratulations.
  It is because I respect our troops that I am voting to bring them 
home from a war that has strayed far beyond its original mandate. The 
United States will not and should not permanently prop up the Afghan 
government and military. To date, almost $27 billion--more than half of 
all reconstruction dollars--has been apportioned to build the Afghan 
National Security Forces.
  U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan will come to an end and, 
when U.S. forces leave, the responsibility for securing their nation 
will fall to the people and government of Afghanistan. Governance is 
more than winning elections, it is about upholding human rights, 
especially the rights of women; it requires fighting corruption. 
Governance requires fighting corruption. Governance requires providing 
for the freedom to worship. Governance requires establishing schools 
that provide education from early childhood through higher education.
  Yet, Afghanistan has largely failed to institute the internal reforms 
necessary to justify America's continued involvement. The recent 
elections did not reflect the will of the people, and the government 
has consistently failed to gain the trust of the people of Afghanistan. 
The troubling reports about the elections that were held on August 20, 
2009 were the first in a series of very worrisome developments. The 
electoral process is at the heart of democracy and the disdain for that 
process that was displayed in the Afghanistan elections gives me great 
pause. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction 
recently released his quarterly report which detailed our Nation's 
efforts to work with contractors and the Afghanistan government to 
prevent fraud and enhance transparency. This is the 8th report by the 
Special Inspector General but, as a recent series in the Washington 
Post showed, we are unable to stem the flow of corruption and waste 
within Afghanistan,

[[Page E1446]]

despite our efforts at reforming our own contracting procedures. This 
money likely comes from the opium trade and U.S. assistance and, the 
Washington Post estimates, totals over one billion dollars each year.

  The task of establishing legitimate governing practices remains 
formidable. A November 17, 2009 report from Transparency International 
listed Afghanistan as the second most corrupt country in the world, 
continuing its second straight year of declining in the corruption 
index. Such news is disparaging and provides an important dynamic to 
how we consider our strategy with regards to Afghanistan going forward. 
In January, a UN survey found that an overwhelming 59 percent of 
Afghans view public dishonesty as a bigger concern than insecurity, 54 
percent and unemployment, 52 percent. This is telling for a country 
with widespread violence and an unemployment rate of 40 percent.
  As Co-Chair of the Congressional U.S.-Afghanistan Caucus, I have 
called for policies that allow the United States to provide benefits to 
the people of Afghanistan. Our effort must enhance our efforts at 
building both hard and soft infrastructure in Afghanistan. Change in 
Afghanistan is going to come through schools and roads, through health 
care and economic opportunity, and through increased trade and 
exchange. The Afghan people need our help to achieve these objectives, 
but I am not convinced that our military is the solution. If the 
Government of Afghanistan can demonstrate a responsible and non-corrupt 
commitment to its people, I believe that America should respond with 
appropriate and targeted foreign assistance.
  I am also concerned that the United States is shouldering too much of 
the burden in Afghanistan. Although the terror attacks on American soil 
prompted NATO to respond with collective military action, no nation is 
immune from the threat of terrorism. Although the troops and resources 
provided by our allies have been invaluable to date, especially in 
regarding development for the people of Afghanistan, questions must be 
raised about how long other nations will remain involved in 
Afghanistan. France and Germany, for example have already questioned 
whether or not to send additional troops. NATO resources must continue 
to focus on improving the livelihoods of the Afghan people, but if the 
support of these governments waiver, American troops and Afghan 
citizens will suffer the consequences.
  I agree with our President that a stable Afghanistan is in the best 
interest of the international community and I was pleased to see 
President Obama's outreach to our allies for additional troops. 
Currently, 41 NATO and other allied countries contribute nearly 36,000 
troops. That number is expected to increase by nearly 6,000 with at 
least 5,000 additional troops coming from NATO member countries. 
Multilateralism is vital to ensuring that our operations in Afghanistan 
succeed.

  Madam Speaker, today, we face difficult realities on the ground. The 
Taliban attacks our forces whenever and wherever they can. Agents of 
the Taliban seek to turn the people of Afghanistan against us as we 
attempt to provide them with help in every way we can. This situation 
is unsustainable. Afghanistan's history has earned it the nickname, 
``The Graveyard of Empires,'' and I believe that we should not take 
this grim history lightly. By including a timetable for our operations 
in Afghanistan, we focus our mission and place it in a long-term 
context. But there is no need to ignore the successes and heroic work 
of the Armed forces and the civilian humanitarian workers. We can 
declare victory having achieved a stable government in Afghanistan and 
bring our troops home with honor.
  Although development to improve the lives of the Afghan people is 
important, defeating al-Qaeda, and the threat they pose to America and 
our allies is the most important objective of our operations. To that 
end, I believe that Pakistan, not Afghanistan, is now the key to 
success and stability in the region. Over the past 8 years, Coalition 
Forces have successfully pushed most of al-Qaeda out of Afghanistan and 
into Pakistan. This has not only put them outside the mandate of our 
forces, but has also forced Pakistan to address an enlarged terrorist 
threat.
  During his State of the Union Address, President Obama spoke of the 
importance of Pakistan when he noted ``America will remain a strong 
supporter of Pakistan's security and prosperity long after the guns 
have fallen silent, so that the great potential of its people can be 
unleashed.'' As the Co-Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, I 
know, first hand, of the great potential of the Pakistani people, and I 
strongly believe that the recently approved assistance package to 
Pakistan will work to this end. U.S. foreign assistance to Pakistan 
will improve Pakistan's capacity to address terrorist networks within 
its own borders, but I worry that a troop increase will cause even more 
refugees and insurgents to cross into Pakistan.
  Ultimately, we in Congress must decide what is in the best interest 
of the American people. Fighting al-Qaeda was in the best interest of 
the American people in 2001, as it continues to be today. Yet, we are 
now fighting an insurgency--not al-Qaeda--in Afghanistan. This should 
not be their mission, and we must bring our troops home.


 MAKING EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF AND 
SUMMER JOBS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 AND FOR OTHER 
                                PURPOSES

  Madam Speaker, as you know, the Senate has proposed to strike out a 
portion of the Act that is vital to supporting the career development 
of our nation's youth. My amendment would reinstate the section of the 
bill pertaining to ``Employment and Training Administration'', which 
appropriates $600 million dollars in grants to states to support summer 
employment programs for youth.
  The recent recession has affected various sectors, and unemployment 
has been borne by many sectors of the economy, particularly in the 
housing and banking sectors. The suffering that comes with a major 
economic downturn has been felt not only by the adult population, but 
by our youth as well, and they have been hindered in their efforts to 
acquire summer employment as I speak. Statistics also demonstrate that 
youth minority groups have been more affected than other groups of 
young individuals. Data assembled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
indicates that in July 2009, 51.4 percent of young persons between the 
ages of 16 and 24 were involved in some form of summer employment. This 
was the lowest recorded rate since 1964. The youth unemployment rate, 
at 18.5 percent, was also a record low since the onset of the Bureau's 
statistical studies almost forty years ago. In comparison to a 4 
percent rise in unemployment for white youth, 7 percent more African 
Americans and 10 percent more Hispanics became unemployed between 2006 
and 2009. These numbers are troubling, and indicate a need for 
intervention on our part.
  It is important that in our efforts to aid in the economic recovery 
effort, we do not forget our young Americans. Their career development 
is crucial to ensuring that whatever economic strides we make today 
will be sustainable tomorrow. As such, we must ensure that we do not 
neglect the hardships that have been inflicted upon them as a result of 
the economic downturn. These funds will promote the intellectual 
development of our youth, which, in turn, will promote a healthy and 
innovative economy. Studies have also shown that such an initiative 
could work to decrease the likelihood of criminal activity by young 
individuals, who are less likely to engage in such activity when they 
are involved in productive use of their time.
  This Amendment will provide an indispensable source of support for 
our States to help them develop our youth. For these reasons, I urge my 
colleagues to support my Amendment on summer youth jobs.
  I thank you for consideration of H.R. 4899 for the Fiscal Year 2010 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. Finally, no family, no 
settlement money for the Black farmers, no monies to save the jobs of 
teachers, police and fire personnel. This bill is lacking in helping 
more of the American People.

                          ____________________