[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19189-19213]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 327 and rule

[[Page 19190]]

XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 2800.

                              {time}  1525


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 2800) making appropriations for foreign operations, export 
financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 2004, and for other purposes, with Mr. Thornberry in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered as having 
been read the first time.
  Under the rule, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) and the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe).
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present, at long last I should say, 
present H.R. 2800, the Foreign Operations appropriations bill for 
fiscal year 2004. In almost all the instances that we will see here 
today, this is a joint recommendation, which means that there are 
compromises that are made on both sides; and it is one of which I am 
very proud.
  I am very proud to have worked with the gentlewoman from New York 
(Mrs. Lowey), my colleague, the ranking member from the minority side. 
Working with her has been absolutely a joy. She has been wonderful in 
her spirit of trying to find a bipartisan approach to foreign policy. 
It is in that spirit, I believe, that this bill is presented today; and 
I want to thank her and her staff for the tireless work that they have 
done on this bill.
  I might add, I want to thank the staff that surrounds me here, led by 
the able Clerk of our subcommittee, Charlie Flickner, and my personal 
staff for the extraordinary work that they have done to get us to where 
we are today.
  Mr. Chairman, the subcommittee's recommendation for fiscal year 2004 
foreign assistance and export financing funding is $17.1 billion. That 
is $1.7 billion below the administration's request. We worked to 
accommodate as many of the Members' interests as possible, while 
keeping in mind the broader national and international situation.
  In the papers, on TV, in the streets, we are faced daily with the 
ramification of the issues that are covered by this bill. This bill 
provides vital funding to fight wars against disease and drugs, for 
building peace and democracy, and for building economic prosperity 
around the world.
  The President's trip to Africa a few weeks ago highlighted the 
opportunity we have this year to embark on a bold new direction in 
international assistance. During his trip, the President championed 
initiatives to address two of the greatest problems facing our world 
today, persistent poverty and HIV/AIDS. The Millennium Challenge 
Account and the emergency plans for AIDS relief are the most innovative 
programs that we have seen in decades that reshape foreign assistance.
  The Millennium Challenge Account will provide an incentive for 
countries to build a political and economic infrastructure which leads 
to long-term development, which leads to sustainable development, which 
leads to the improvement in the lives of the citizens of the countries 
involved.
  The AIDS initiative will bring medicine and care and hope to millions 
of people. The very promise of care and treatment has already brought 
hope to millions.
  These initiatives may be innovative new approaches, but the work of 
our subcommittee has not changed. We must distribute the resources that 
are allotted to us, resources that are never quite enough, across a 
wide range of competing priorities. We have to make difficult choices 
among deserving programs, and we are charged with ensuring that 
taxpayer money is spent wisely and efficiently. We all must remember 
that effective programs require a firm foundation and good management.
  This year we have once again provided more funds than the President 
requests for HIV/AIDS, for its prevention, treatment, care and support. 
Our bill recommends $1.43 billion for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and 
malaria. Add to that the $645 million that was recommended by the 
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related 
Agencies and that the House approved last week, this body now proposes 
to spend nearly $2.1 billion for these three diseases, an amount that 
more than meets the President's request of $2.04 billion.
  This $2 billion represents the first installment of $15 billion to be 
spent against these three diseases over the next 5 years. Let me make 
that crystal clear. This administration and this subcommittee and, I 
believe, this Congress are fully committed to spending $15 billion on 
prevention and life-saving treatments for those afflicted with AIDS 
around the world. This $2 billion that is in these two bills, last week 
and here today on the floor, is only our first installment in that 
program.

                              {time}  1530

  Now, the Millennium Challenge Account is a new component of our bill 
this year. I fully support the MCA. I am excited about it. I believe it 
can make our investments in developing assistance more effective and 
more sustainable. Our bill recommends $800 million for the MCA, or 
Millennium Challenge Account, and we believe that is the amount that 
can be effectively spent in fiscal year 2004.
  Of course, in future years more resources are going to be needed to 
fight HIV/AIDS and to support the initiatives of the MCA. I have 
confidence that the Congress will meet the 5-year pledge for AIDS and 
that additional funds will be forthcoming to support the creative 
delivery of foreign assistance through the MCA in years ahead. But it 
is the very size of the task facing us over the coming years that 
counsels patience today. Our recommendations for the HIV/AIDS 
initiative and for the MCA are the first steps in two very ambitious, 
very innovative, and very new programs. With this $2 billion the House 
provides for AIDS this coming year, agencies can build a solid 
framework to support the $13 billion that will follow. With our $800 
million for the Millennium Challenge Account, we will have a structure 
that can effectively and wisely use the added $5 billion in development 
assistance that the President has pledged to put on top of existing 
development assistance. But our recommendation is not so extravagant, 
Mr. Chairman, that money will lay waiting to be spent, gathering 
pressure that might lead to waste and to unwise expenditures, eroding 
public confidence in these two initiatives.
  Some of our colleagues are pressing to take even more, to move money 
into AIDS from the MCA for other programs. Such an approach, Mr. 
Chairman, would, in my opinion, be an unwise one. What we have provided 
for the President's new HIV/AIDS initiative is prudent, when we 
consider that the coordinator, who has been named for these programs in 
the State Department, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate. Taking 
more money from the MCA would signal a lack of confidence in the 
approach of the MCA. We should instead be recognizing the President for 
his vision, and $800 million to launch this program is an appropriate 
level.
  The final priority I want to mention in this bill is funding for 
Israel, Egypt, and Jordan. This funding accounts for nearly $5 billion 
of the total. Let me add that the major refugee account and the key 
military assistance accounts, so vital in our war against terrorism and 
to protect our national security, are all fully funded.
  Of course, the funding priorities I have laid out for my colleagues 
add up to more than the increase in our budget allocation. So the 
subcommittee has gone to great lengths to avoid reducing appropriations 
in order to make room for the AIDS emergency plan and the Millennium 
Challenge Account, and for the admirable commitment of the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Lowey)

[[Page 19191]]

to improving basic education globally. Within Child Survival and 
Health, we have succeeded in holding the levels for Child Survival and 
Maternal Health, for Vulnerable Children, for Family Planning and 
Reproductive Health, and our unrestricted grant to UNICEF at last 
year's level.
  Our funding for international funding institutions, the Economic 
Support Fund, which is used by the State Department and the President 
to support economic development assistance around the world, and two of 
the President's lesser initiatives, has been reduced or eliminated to 
accommodate the initiatives within the allocation that was given to us.
  Separately, I would note that there is no money in this bill for the 
reconstruction in Iraq. None has been requested by the administration. 
Although many of us expect and many of us heard yesterday from 
Ambassador Bremer that more money may well be required shortly, we will 
await a Presidential decision on this matter.
  In closing, let me say, and I say this with some confidence, that 
this is a good bill, one which I believe that all Members can be proud 
of and which I hope will have the support of all the Members of this 
body. It is fiscally responsible. It is within the subcommittee's 
budget allocation. It is a bill that helps to lay the groundwork for 
the important work that is ahead of us as we launch these major 
initiatives in development assistance and HIV/AIDS prevention and 
treatment. It is a bill that meets our challenges overseas and impacts 
the national security of this Nation. I urge the Members to support 
this legislation.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by thanking our distinguished chairman, 
the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), a good friend, who has worked 
very closely with me, and I appreciate our extremely cooperative 
relationship. I also want to thank the chairman of our full committee, 
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young). I appreciate the leadership he 
provides to this committee.
  And I want to say at the outset that while Chairman Kolbe and I may 
differ fundamentally on the adequacy of our allocation he certainly 
accommodated most of my priorities, and I believe we have a bill that 
indeed is worthy of Members' support, despite the fact that we had to 
cut $1.7 billion from the President's request, and I urge my colleagues 
to support it.
  The bill contains $17.1 billion, which is an increase of $900 million 
over last year, and I generally agree with my chairman on the spending 
levels recommended for specific accounts within the reduced allocation. 
We did work together closely to ensure that in the face of devastating 
cuts we at least level funded Child Survival and Health accounts and 
increased education as a priority area. We provided funding for 
reconstruction in Afghanistan, an issue on which the chairman and I 
have collaborated often in the last year. The bill also funds fully our 
commitments in the Middle East, a powerful statement at such a critical 
time in the peace process. And there are many more very positive 
aspects I will discuss further in a moment.
  I do have some concerns as well. At the $17 billion spending level, 
we as a country will devote less than 1 percent of our GDP to foreign 
assistance. Actual spending in 2003 for foreign aid will total over $23 
billion, including $7.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding for 
war-related needs in Iraq and Afghanistan. That additional spending 
sped through Congress without a hint of controversy because it was 
judged vital to our national security. As the conflict and 
reconstruction continue in Iraq on parallel tracks, there is a good 
chance we will need more, and Members should know that there are no 
funds in this bill to address Iraq reconstruction needs. This means 
that those additional needs will be addressed in a supplemental, which 
will undoubtedly also contain billions to fund the defense-related 
costs of the war and which will again be requested by the President as 
emergency spending.
  I do believe that our response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is 
underfunded and should be dealt with as the emergency it is now. In 
response to the President's extraordinary initiative on HIV/AIDS, 
Congress overwhelmingly passed and the President signed a bill 
authorizing $3 billion for fiscal year 2004. While in Africa 2 weeks 
ago, the President repeatedly touted this $15 billion 5-year plan, and 
he and his advisers called on Congress to fund it. This created the 
impression that we the Congress were the obstacle to providing $3 
billion, despite the fact that the President himself only requested $2 
billion in appropriations.
  Now, while I am pleased that this bill provides $1.43 billion for 
HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, we supported the $3 billion 
authorization on this floor in this Congress, and now the bill has come 
due. I believe it is disingenuous for us to make promises we have no 
intention of keeping, and so I offered an amendment at full committee 
to provide an additional $1 billion for HIV/AIDS as emergency spending. 
I asked that this amendment be made in order under the rule so every 
Member of Congress would have the opportunity to fulfill our pledge, 
but it was not. It is truly a disgrace, in my judgment, that we will 
not have the opportunity to take this vote today.
  Additional resources for Africa are also vitally needed. Everyone is 
aware of the long history of devastating and destabilizing humanitarian 
and political crises on that continent. And although this bill will 
slightly increase resources for Africa above last year, it merely 
begins to address the ongoing tragedies there. Unfortunately, the 
amendment of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson) to add emergency 
resources for Africa was also not made in order.
  The sad fact is that we as a Nation have neglected the problems of 
Africa for decades; chronic poverty, the spread of infectious disease, 
and lack of good governance remain. And despite all the efforts we have 
undertaken so far across many Congresses and administrations, we must 
no longer shy away from addressing these problems with sufficient 
resources and political will.
  It serves no one when the current presidential initiatives are touted 
as ultimate answers for these tragedies. Both the Millennium Challenge 
Account, MCA, and the HIV initiative hold the promise of getting 
increased resources to Africa, but the actual effects they will have 
remain unclear.
  I support the conceptual approach embodied in the proposal to 
establish a Millennium Challenge Account, however, budget realities we 
face this year, and will likely face next year, make it highly unlikely 
that the promise made by the President that the $10 billion intended 
for the MCA will be additive to current levels of foreign assistance 
will be kept. Much of the bipartisan support in Congress for the MCA is 
based on the fact that it is supposed to help the poorest countries of 
the world and that MCA resources will add to amounts currently spent on 
foreign assistance. Cuts to discretionary spending in this year's 
budget resolution, combined with unrealistically low budget requests 
for many domestic programs, have translated into cuts in this bill of 
$1.7 billion. This situation is likely to worsen in fiscal year 2005. 
The President cannot expect Congress to support full funding of the MCA 
initiative if other vital programs in the foreign operations bill have 
to be cut.
  The bill contains $800 million for the MCA, largely at the insistence 
of the White House; the Senate bill contains $1 billion for MCA; and 
the White House is still pushing for the full $1.3 billion requested. 
It is highly likely that the final allocation for the foreign 
operations bill will be $1 billion to $1.5 billion below the 
President's request. Now, in plain English, this means that other 
accounts in the bill will be cut severely if MCA is fully funded.
  Members should also know that only 3 of 11 potentially qualifying 
countries for MCA resources in 2004 are in Africa. In 2005, of the 12 
countries most likely to qualify, again, only 3 are in Africa. In all, 
after $2 billion over 3 years is provided to the MCA, only a small 
number are African countries are likely to have benefitted.

[[Page 19192]]

  I have taken the time in my opening remarks to address this situation 
because this initiative marks the beginning of a shift in how we in 
Congress effect foreign aid programming. As we provide more resources 
for MCA, our ability to direct funds to specific purposes, such as 
health and education, will diminish significantly. My support for this 
initiative going forward will thus depend on whether resources going to 
it are truly additive and whether Congress maintains some measure of 
control and oversight over country eligibility and program planning.

                              {time}  1545

  I am especially proud, and I want to personally thank the gentleman 
from Arizona for the $350 million in the bill for basic education, 
which is $100 million above last year's level. In addition, we require 
a detailed report on how the administration will organize and implement 
our expanded efforts in basic education. Virtually everyone I speak to 
agrees that providing more and more focused resources for basic 
education throughout the world is one of the best possible ways we can 
combat the extremism and hopelessness that breed terrorism. I again 
want to thank the gentleman from Arizona for working with me on what I 
think is a very critical issue.
  The bill also provides an increase in resources for Treasury 
technical assistance which will help countries that are major source 
and transit points for terrorist financing close the gaping holes in 
their financial systems that let this funding slip through.
  However, the fact that we took care of administration priorities such 
as the Millennium Challenge Account and AIDS required that we make some 
hard choices. As a result, some programs will suffer. There is no 
funding recommended for debt relief for the Democratic Republic of 
Congo. Cuts in economic support funds, Eastern Europe, the New 
Independent States, and development assistance translate into probable 
cuts to many countries and a limited capacity to restore misguided cuts 
proposed by the administration to others, including Cyprus, East Timor, 
Armenia, Ukraine, and Russia.
  Mr. Chairman, as a final note, I want to make a few comments about 
the importance of this bill we consider on the floor today. I have 
always viewed foreign assistance as one of the three pillars of 
national security, along with defense and diplomacy. I believe the 
value of foreign assistance in spreading the ideals of democracy and 
freedom around the world and in eliminating the poverty that causes 
widespread instability in developing regions cannot be underestimated. 
However, except for a handful of notable instances directly linked to 
front-page current events, it has been difficult to ensure adequate 
funding for foreign aid priorities. Despite the new Presidential 
initiatives in this bill, and again I want to congratulate the 
President on these initiatives, this year, unfortunately, is no 
different. We still require far more resources than have been made 
available. I look forward to working with my colleagues in future years 
to ensure our priorities are adequately funded.
  In closing, I once again want to emphasize that I appreciate the 
close working relationship I have enjoyed with the gentleman from 
Arizona. He is a distinguished chairman, he is committed to this bill, 
and it truly has been a pleasure for me to work with our chairman. 
Considering the obstacles we faced, the product we present today is 
very good. I look forward to working with him as we move the process 
forward. I would also like to thank our able staff, Mark Murray, 
Charlie Flickner, Alice Grant, Scott Gudes, Rob Blair, Lori Maes, Sean 
Mulvaney, Beth Tritter, and Joe Weinstein, for their hard work.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield as much time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the distinguished 
chairman of the full committee, who, I must say, along with his staff, 
has been so supportive of our efforts in getting us to the floor at 
this stage. I am very grateful for his confidence and his support.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's 
comments, and I want to compliment him for having done a tremendous 
job. This is not the easiest bill to pass because a lot of folks just 
do not like foreign aid. Period. The chairman has developed a very 
responsible response to the issues that are facing us around the world. 
He has done a really good job. I would say that the gentlewoman from 
New York, as a working partner, has been very much a contributor to the 
success of this bill.
  I hope that we can conclude this bill today. We will see how long it 
takes. But it would be nice if we could. Although the committee got off 
to a late start this year, we passed the ninth appropriations bill just 
about an hour ago, the Commerce-Justice-State Department appropriations 
bill. This will be the 10th bill that we have passed on the floor 
despite a late start. As of tomorrow morning, we will have marked up 
all 13 appropriations bills in the full committee and we completed 11 
of last year's bills early this year, and we marked up two 
supplementals. So the committee has been very effective and very busy 
this year. This bill is the culmination of a strong effort by the 
gentleman from Arizona and the gentlewoman from New York to meet the 
responsibilities that we have in the world. I compliment them. They 
have done a really good job. I think that they join me in hoping that 
we can conclude the tenth appropritions bill before it gets too late 
tonight.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 6\1/2\ minutes 
to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson), a distinguished member of 
our committee who has made sure that we focus on our priorities every 
day he is there.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, first I want to thank the 
chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, 
Export Financing and Related Programs and the subcommittee staff for 
their hard work. I think they did a reasonable job, considering the 
amount of money they had allocated to them.
  Mr. Chairman, the President requested $18.8 billion for the accounts 
that make up the foreign operations bill. Unfortunately, the leadership 
of the House only gave the bill $17.1 billion. That is where our 
problems began. From the outset, we were forced into a position of 
robbing Peter to pay Paul.
  The President's top priorities are to fund the Millennium Challenge 
Account, MCA, and his bilateral HIV/AIDS initiative. To fully fund the 
MCA and the HIV/AIDS initiative would take up almost 25 percent of this 
bill's allocation. Leadership and legislating require making tough 
choices, but that is not the whole story here. We have the ability and 
the resources to adequately fund these accounts. We have chosen not to. 
Over the last 3 years, Congress has chosen to provide tax cuts 
decreasing revenue by $310 billion for the 2004 fiscal year. We have 
chosen to provide $8.9 billion for a ballistic missile defense system 
that will not work. We have chosen to ignore the type of rampant 
poverty, illness and hopelessness in sub-Saharan Africa that create a 
breeding ground for terrorism.
  Africa today, Mr. Chairman, is in a state of emergency. This bill 
makes a valiant attempt but falls short of addressing this emergency in 
sub-Saharan Africa. The Congress' approach has been disjointed. In 
1999, this Congress said ``trade, not aid'' in the Africa Growth and 
Opportunity Act, that trade was Africa's future. Today Congress says 
aid, yes, but aid for AIDS. Africa deserves more than a hodgepodge, 
disjointed approach to its development. An emergency exists on the 
continent. Africa is the poorest region of the world, containing a 
majority of the world's poorest countries. Only one in three people in 
sub-Saharan Africa get enough to eat every day, and one out of two do 
not have access to clean drinking water. An emergency.
  Only one in three children completes elementary school. An emergency.
  Average life expectancy in Africa is just 49 years of age and in 
countries hardest hit by AIDS, just 30. An emergency.

[[Page 19193]]

  While poverty has fallen in much of the rest of the world, 20 African 
countries are poorer today than they were 20 years ago. An emergency.
  Overwhelming debt burdens, falling international development 
assistance levels, the onslaught of AIDS, and a combination of falling 
prices for Africa's exports and unfair international trade policies are 
pushing Africa backwards, stealing the gains of a generation of 
hardworking African people. An emergency.
  Africa is now at the epicenter of the greatest catastrophe in 
recorded human history, the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick) will offer an amendment which I hope all 
Members of this Congress will support to fully fund the President's 
AIDS initiative. Since its first discovery 2 decades ago, more than 18 
million Africans have died of AIDS out of 25 million AIDS deaths 
worldwide.
  All day, Mr. Chairman, we are going to hear Members of the Congress 
come to the floor and say, We are doing something for AIDS. We are 
helping the Africans. We are doing something. We are showing something 
for Africa. But what about this bill addresses the more than 300 
million people in sub-Saharan Africa who survive on under $1 per day? 
AIDS has nothing to do with that massive economic inequality. Infant 
and child mortality rates remain high, AIDS notwithstanding; and access 
to health care and education is shrinking in many countries. Food 
insecurity is growing, most seriously in southern Africa and in the 
horn of Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa's massive external debt is the 
single largest obstacle to the continent's economic development, not 
the criteria established by the Millennium Challenge Corporation or the 
Millennium Challenge Account. We will hear other Members of Congress 
come to the floor and say, The Millennium Challenge Account, the 
Millennium Challenge Corporation, we are doing something through the 
MCA. Out of 48 sub-Saharan African countries, only three qualify for 
the benefits offered by the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
  I have laid out many of the statistics about the crisis on the 
continent, an emergency in Africa. But my colleagues would come and 
say, We are doing something because we are talking about AIDS. We are 
not discussing development and growth; we are not talking about a 
Marshall Plan for Africa. And this bill woefully undermines the amount 
of resources that this Congress could provide.
  Over the past 2 decades, African governments have paid out more in 
debt service than they have received in development assistance or new 
loans. My colleagues are going to come to the floor and say, We are 
doing something for Africa in terms of development assistance and 
loans. Here is the problem. Too few African countries will be 
benefiting from U.S. development assistance in the midst of a severe 
emergency on the continent. The MCA is the equivalent of saying, 
Africa, do what we want you to do and we will relate to you. But if you 
do not do what we want you to do, we will have no relationship to you 
at all in the midst of a profound emergency. Debt repayments divert 
money directly from spending on basic social needs, including the 
response to the HIV/AIDS crisis, trapping countries in a cycle of 
underdevelopment and dependency. From 1990 to 2000, sub-Saharan Africa 
experienced more than twice the number of casualties from conflict than 
any other region in the world.
  Mr. Chairman, I close on this note. In Sudan, Africa's largest 
country, civil war has raged for 36 of the last 46 years. It has cost 
more than 2 million lives and has displaced more than 4 million people. 
What about this bill does anything to address that problem? Since 1998, 
the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has cost an 
estimated 2 million lives, a holocaust of sorts, most the victim of 
hunger and disease; and at least another 2 million have been displaced. 
What about this bill does anything to address that problem?
  Mr. Chairman, these are serious problems that require real resources 
to address them, not just lip service. After general debate, I will 
offer an amendment that offers a comprehensive approach to addressing 
this emergency in sub-Saharan Africa.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Kirk), an absolutely invaluable member of our 
subcommittee, extraordinarily knowledgeable and has really contributed 
to the work of this subcommittee.
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time. I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona and the gentlewoman 
from New York for one thing in particular. They have created a work 
atmosphere between the two parties on this bill that is the envy of the 
Committee on Ways and Means. I really take my hat off to both of them. 
I also wanted to take one moment to talk about the bill we just passed, 
the Commerce-State-Justice bill, which every Member of this Congress 
has helped fund the rewards program.
  The State Department rewards program is the key program that led to 
the incident with Uday and Qusay Hussein and their untimely demise. It 
is this program which sometimes gets down to one basic fact: Who 
helping the United States wants to be a millionaire? We will pay this 
$15 million set of rewards, and it is this program that I think gives 
us the best chance to capture Saddam Hussein.
  But turning now to the foreign operations bill, this bill represents 
a bipartisan decision by the American people since World War II that 
foreign policy matters, a subcommittee created by the Marshall Plan 
that is designed to reduce or prevent war and to lower the number of 
casualties or deployments by the U.S. military around the world. This 
bill visibly helps us respond to new challenges, Iraq and North Korea, 
Iran and Liberia, by substantially reducing the chance that the U.S. 
military will be deployed in other places in support of our allies. And 
look particularly at the Middle East where the little democracy of 
Israel has not faced a direct threat to her existence in the 1980s or 
1990s, largely because of support from this legislation.
  One of the big questions that we face today is funding to support our 
war against HIV/AIDS. As a staffer in this Congress, I helped start 
this program in 1987 with a small earmark of $30 million. Since that 
time, our commitment has grown substantially. If we look in this bill 
and years prior, what has our commitment to AIDS funding been? In 
fiscal year 1999, $139 million; in fiscal year 2000, $200 million; in 
2001, $415 million; in 2002, $485 million; in 2003, $893 million; and 
in this bill, $1.27 billion, just in the foreign operations bill, just 
to fight AIDS, a substantial commitment, one that I am proud having 
seen in 1987, the start of this program that we have funded.

                              {time}  1600

  And it underscores one key point when we take on the commitment to 
treat someone with HIV, we need to fund a program that can sustain that 
commitment. If we provide money in ways that are not politically 
sustainable, we could have some sort of scandal in a provider that 
would undermine political support for this. That would lead to the 
international community withdrawing support for an HIV patient. By 
having a responsible uptick in our support for the fight against AIDS, 
we are understanding a key point. When we make a commitment to a 
patient with HIV, we are going to do so in a way that sustains that 
commitment because success right now in this battle is that this 
patient will survive, and therefore we need to continue funding our 
battle. If we do it in an unsustainable way or in an irresponsible way 
that undermines political support, bad GAO investigations, exposes on 
the fleecing of America, we will undermine political support. People's 
lives are at stake here, and that is why doing it in a responsible way, 
when we make a commitment to a patient we can keep that commitment.
  And to the chairman, I really thank him for his personal commitment 
on the HIV issue because he has really sustained one of the highest 
ideals.
  So when we look at the United States, we have to see what have we

[[Page 19194]]

done as compared to other countries. The nearest commitment of any 
other country to the 1.27 billion commitment in this bill is the 
government of the United Kingdom, which provided $313 million in the 
fight against AIDS. In fact, the United States gives more money to 
fight AIDS than all of the European Union and Japan combined. That is a 
monument to the idealism and foreign policy foresight of the United 
States. It is underscored in this bill.
  And to the chairman and to our ranking minority member I really want 
to take my hats off to them for sustaining this commitment. Hundreds of 
thousands of people's lives will be sustained by this, and this ramp-up 
in just several years from under $139 million to now $1.27 billion is a 
real testament to our idealism.
  I also want to thank the chairman for his commitment to cross-border 
programs in Tibet. We understand that there are 140,000 Tibetans 
outside China, 6 million inside China, and this bill sustains a 
political effort to enhance the authority and role of the Dalai Lama in 
Tibet, and I really want to thank them because there is no voice for 
the Tibetans inside China, and this bill underscores that voice and 
gives them a real role in their own country where an overwhelming 
number of Tibetans live, and I want to thank the chairman for that.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick), distinguished member of the committee.
  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Arizona 
(Chairman Kolbe) for his leadership in steering another bill to 
committee under difficult times. To the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. 
Lowey), our ranking member, who is committed to the international 
community and has shown that in the leadership, I thank her for 
yielding me this time and for crafting a bill that I will support in 
the end as we go through this debate.
  As most Members of Congress know and very few members of the country 
know, the foreign assistance bill is only 1 percent of the total budget 
of the United States of America. Our budget is $2.2 trillion, and as 
the leading power in the world, this foreign assistance bill is not 
quite 1 percent of that. A good sum and we should be there for the 
other countries of the world. This budget funds many countries of the 
world, as was mentioned by our chairperson. Israel, Jordan, and Egypt 
are fully funded, and I think they should be. Other countries of the 
world are not so taken care of, and I think we can do better.
  At a time when we find the budget shrinking, deficits soaring, and 
this year we expect a $455 billion deficit at least, we do have to make 
certain decisions in how we fund our Government, how we fund our 
domestic programs, how we fund education, health care, housing, and 
those things that Americans need. So I understand it when some 
Americans do not understand that we have a responsibility as a 
superpower in the world to help other countries less fortunate and who 
are strategic allies to this country of the United States of America. 
So the budget before us today crafted by both the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) is a 
good budget. It does have shortcomings, as was mentioned, and I would 
like to go over a few of those.
  The Child Survival and Health account needs to be more fully funded 
to take care of the problems of the world. We have heard much 
discussion and we will hear more today about the pandemic of HIV and 
AIDS. India with over 1 billion people, China with nearly the same or 
more people, the Caribbean, Russia, and other countries are now finding 
epidemic proportions of HIV and AIDS. We have servicemen and women in 
those countries who may be afflicted if we do not act now.
  The President was recently in Africa, and I commend him for going. I 
also commend him for beginning in setting up the Millenium Challenge 
Account. Any additional foreign assistance that we can give, and the 
President has shown that he understands this, as the superpower in the 
world, I believe we must do and I commend him for that.
  The HIV/AIDS epidemic is at pandemic proportions. All over this world 
where our servicemen and women now represent our Nation and in some 
instances fight to secure the world, we must as the superpower in the 
world fund this pandemic appropriately and we have not done that. 
Malaria, tuberculosis, maternal health, family planning we have to step 
up as the superpower in the world and help those countries as partners 
in this humane society that we live in. Postnatal care, those kinds of 
things that help various countries who are less fortunate and who are 
not able to help themselves, we should be there for them, and many 
times in this budget we are unable to do that.
  Agriculture, in many of those same countries, agriculture is how they 
not only feed themselves but are able to export their agriculture 
products, thereby making it a revenue base for their countries. It is 
our responsibility to join with them in partnership to help them with 
that. In some instances we do, but I believe that we can do better. The 
ESF account, the Economic Support Fund, that we also use to help other 
countries is also underfunded. It could be better and it is less than 
what the President recommended and less coming out of our budget. Those 
are just a few areas.
  We are the superpower of the world. It is up to us as leaders of the 
free world to maintain stability around the world where we can, and we 
must not forget the men and women who risk their lives every day for 
us, freedom in this country and around the world, to make sure that 
they have the best health care that they need to sustain themselves and 
their families.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), my good friend.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill. This bill 
appropriates $17.1 billion for foreign aid and export assistance, $1.8 
billion less than the President requested and $6.5 billion less than 
what we provided last year. And while I am disappointed that we fall 
short of the $3 billion that the President promised for combating 
global AIDS and HIV, I commend the committee for taking the first steps 
by appropriating $2 billion in fiscal year 2004.
  Last year 2.4 million Africans died of AIDS-related illnesses while 
nearly 30 million continue to live with the disease, irrevocably 
changing the lives of millions of women and children. I have spent a 
lot of time in South Africa. I have seen how this devastated this land, 
and we cannot only take the opportunity to go on trips and take 
photographs and believe that we are addressing the problems of Africa. 
Just as we have an opportunity with this bill to make a difference in 
those lives, to change those lives for the better and to offer some 
small measure of hope, we have an opportunity to make a real difference 
in the lives of millions of women and children in this country by 
extending the child tax credit to them. Six and one half million 
families, 12 million children were left out of the child tax credit 
expansion, almost 4 million single mothers, 56 percent of all single 
parents. Women are experiencing the very worst of the economic 
slowdown. Average annual earnings of low-income single mothers in 
decline for 3 years running, the unemployment rate of low-income single 
mothers rising twice as fast as the overall rate. Single and married 
women both are less likely than men to receive unemployment benefits to 
help them through their period of joblessness, and we are nearing a 
crisis level for these women and their families.
  Tax relief is supposed to be about lifting these families up and out 
of such circumstances. If we extend the child tax credit to these 
families, they will on average receive $276 in this year alone. To some 
it might not seem like a lot of money, but $276 can mean all the 
difference. Health insurance for the 9 million children in this country 
without health care, clothes on their backs, school supplies. Two 
hundred thousand military families, 900,000 Head Start

[[Page 19195]]

families, 42,000 families of those teaching in Head Start were left 
out. Just as playing a role in the battle against global HIV/AIDS, it 
is a matter of values, morals, something that we ought to be committed 
to doing. So is assisting women and the 12 million children in this 
country who need our help the most.
  So we want to call on the President to use his moral leadership to 
urge this House to accept the other body's bill and bring justice to 
these families. They deserve it. Let us give them that.
  Mr. Chairman, as my colleagues know, we went to conference on the 
child tax legislation on June 12. It is now July 23. The conference 
committee has never met.
  In light of the fact that 6.5 million American families, including 
our military families fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, will not 
receive their child tax credits when they are mailed out on Friday, I 
move that the Committee do now rise.
  The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) yield 
to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for the purposes of 
offering a motion?
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut 
for the purposes of offering a motion.


               Preferential Motion Offered By Ms. DeLauro

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
  The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
  The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 84, 
noes 318, not voting 33, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 423]

                                AYES--84

     Ackerman
     Alexander
     Allen
     Andrews
     Baca
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Ballance
     Bell
     Berry
     Bishop (NY)
     Brown (OH)
     Brown, Corrine
     Capps
     Capuano
     Carson (IN)
     Clay
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Crowley
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (IL)
     DeFazio
     DeLauro
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Eshoo
     Evans
     Filner
     Frank (MA)
     Grijalva
     Hastings (FL)
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Honda
     Hoyer
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jones (OH)
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     Kleczka
     Kucinich
     Lantos
     Lewis (GA)
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McIntyre
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Michaud
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Napolitano
     Pallone
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rodriguez
     Ross
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sandlin
     Schakowsky
     Slaughter
     Snyder
     Solis
     Stark
     Stupak
     Tanner
     Thompson (MS)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Woolsey

                               NOES--318

     Abercrombie
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Bachus
     Baker
     Ballenger
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bass
     Beauprez
     Becerra
     Bereuter
     Berman
     Biggert
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boswell
     Boyd
     Bradley (NH)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Burgess
     Burns
     Burr
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Cardin
     Cardoza
     Carson (OK)
     Carter
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chocola
     Coble
     Cole
     Collins
     Costello
     Cox
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (TN)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeGette
     DeLay
     DeMint
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Doolittle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Ehlers
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Farr
     Fattah
     Feeney
     Flake
     Fletcher
     Foley
     Forbes
     Fossella
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Goss
     Granger
     Graves
     Green (TX)
     Green (WI)
     Greenwood
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall
     Harman
     Harris
     Hart
     Hastert
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoeffel
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Hooley (OR)
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hunter
     Inslee
     Isakson
     Issa
     Istook
     Janklow
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MN)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Lucas (KY)
     Lucas (OK)
     Lynch
     Majette
     Maloney
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McGovern
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McKeon
     McNulty
     Meeks (NY)
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Mollohan
     Moore
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Neal (MA)
     Nethercutt
     Neugebauer
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nunes
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Osborne
     Ose
     Otter
     Owens
     Oxley
     Pascrell
     Paul
     Pearce
     Pence
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Portman
     Price (NC)
     Putnam
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (WI)
     Sabo
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sanders
     Saxton
     Schiff
     Schrock
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simmons
     Simpson
     Skelton
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Souder
     Spratt
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Sweeney
     Tancredo
     Tauscher
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Toomey
     Towns
     Turner (OH)
     Turner (TX)
     Udall (CO)
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Vitter
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh
     Weiner
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Wu
     Wynn
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--33

     Berkley
     Bishop (UT)
     Boozman
     Boucher
     Case
     Culberson
     Delahunt
     Dingell
     Dooley (CA)
     Edwards
     English
     Ferguson
     Ford
     Frost
     Gephardt
     Gerlach
     Gonzalez
     Hulshof
     Hyde
     Jefferson
     Kennedy (RI)
     LaTourette
     Menendez
     Platts
     Pryce (OH)
     Rothman
     Ryun (KS)
     Smith (WA)
     Sullivan
     Tauzin
     Thomas
     Wamp
     Young (AK)


                      Announcement by the Chairman

  The CHAIRMAN (during the vote). Members are advised that 2 minutes 
remain in this vote.

                              {time}  1703

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, and Messrs. BACHUS, INSLEE and COX changed their 
vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the motion was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Kolbe) has 12\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentlewoman from New York 
(Mrs. Lowey) has 4 minutes remaining.
  The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) is recognized.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Much time has passed since the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. 
DeLauro) spoke; but I did want to make one comment about her remarks, 
and I appreciate her support for the bill. She made a comment about how 
the level of funding in this bill is significantly less than last year. 
We need to remember that this is just about $1 billion more than the 
previous year's regular appropriation bill for foreign assistance. If 
we are going to consider apples to apples, that is what we need to 
consider.
  We have no idea what level of a supplemental appropriation request we 
might receive from the President that might be transmitted during the 
coming year for foreign assistance; but if we are going to consider the 
regularly funded, basic programs, apples to apples, we need to remind 
ourselves that we are $1 billion above where we were last year. This is 
the second largest increase of any subcommittee's allocation. Only the 
Subcommittee on Homeland Security has a bigger increase than this 
subcommittee received for its allocation.
  So we have been, I think, generously treated; and I think our 
programs are well funded.

[[Page 19196]]

  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to my 
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend my colleagues, the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the chairman, and the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking minority member and my good 
friend, for their work to craft a fair and balanced bill. Representing 
the most diverse congressional district in the country, I know how 
important U.S. foreign assistance is to nations around the globe, and I 
have seen the success of our foreign assistance firsthand.
  This is a fair and balanced bill. I thank the chairman and ranking 
member for supporting priorities of mine, including the Middle East 
Children's Association and increased money for the International Fund 
for Ireland, in this legislation.
  Mr. Chairman, this is a good bill, but it could be a great bill. The 
President recently hopscotched around Africa talking about his global 
HIV/AIDS initiative, which this Congress passed. What he did not talk 
about, though, was that his request for funding for HIV/AIDS was $1 
billion less than the authorizing legislation provided. Think about the 
lives $1 billion could save.
  This bill includes $25 million for the U.N. Population Fund, but we 
all know that the money has about as much of a chance of being released 
by this administration as the New York Mets do to win a World Series 
this year; and this bill continues to mandate the onerous global gag 
rule which keeps funding away from groups such as Bangladeshi Rural 
Advancement Committee, or BRAC, and their work to improve child and 
maternal health. Mr. Chairman, while the administration should fulfill 
its commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, support UNFPA and remove the 
onerous global gag rule.
  There is much work in this bill, particularly to be done when we look 
at the Middle East. The selection of a new prime minister for the 
Palestinian Authority, along with the concerted effort of the European 
Union and Russia, along with Israel, shows that progress can be made in 
the Middle East.
  The support in this bill for Israel, as well as Jordan, a steadfast 
ally and proponent of stability, is worthwhile. I am encouraged by 
movements from countries such as UAE, Oman and Qatar to reestablish 
contact with the Israeli government, and I urge the government of Egypt 
to make the moves to take what is a cold peace with the Jewish state 
and turn it into a warmer and deeper relationship.
  I also want to take this opportunity on behalf of my colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), who is unable to be here because 
of the death of her mother, to express the support she has in this 
legislation for the State of Israel.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished minority whip of 
the House.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise as a member of the Committee on 
Appropriations that raised the issue of Egypt last year. I have no 
amendment to offer, nor will I do so; but as the Committee on 
Appropriations notes in its report accompanying the bill: ``Continued 
military cooperation between Egypt and the United States remains in the 
national security interest of both countries.'' I agree with that 
statement.
  Egypt, however, has one of the largest and most modern militaries of 
the Middle East, with approximately $4 billion in annual defense 
spending. Nearly one-quarter, however, of Egypt's people live in 
poverty, and the country has per capita income of just $700 per year. 
Yet a quarter of their defense budget we pay for.
  Half of Egypt's adults are illiterate, and official unemployment 
figures for 2001 were 12 percent, although unofficial estimates are as 
high as 15 percent. Only 3 percent of Egypt's land is arable, making 
the country unable to feed itself and forcing it to import roughly two-
thirds of its food.
  In this context, I am concerned about the mix of funding for Egypt, 
$1.3 billion in foreign military sales, approximately a third of that 
in economic assistance.
  Mr. Chairman, I am also concerned by the fact that in Egypt, which is 
a controlled government, some of the most virulent anti-Christian, 
anti-American, anti-Semitic information and anti-Christian, -U.S. and -
Semitic education occurs in the schools of Egypt, the madrasas.
  I believe Egypt has been an important ally of ours in trying to reach 
peace in the Middle East; but I also say, Mr. Chairman, as I did last 
year, that there needs to be significant focus on the issue of Egypt's 
participation in furthering anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian 
rhetoric and education within the confines of that country and also in 
failing to appropriately assist its population in dire need of a focus 
on economic assistance.
  I thank the chairman of the full committee for his tolerance, and I 
thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding for me to make this 
point. I hope my colleagues will continue to focus on it.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I would like to share my thoughts on two 
programs funded by the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill: the 
Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships (CASS) and the 
Inter-American Foundation (IAF). Both of these programs provided 
bottom-up development tools for our Latin American neighbors, and as 
chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Task Force on International 
Relations, I am proud and thankful to those members of the 
Congressional Hispanic Caucus that joined me and Caucus Chairman Ciro 
Rodriguez in a letter to appropriators supporting the critical work of 
these two programs.
  The CASS program, which is funded at $10 million in this bill through 
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), serves as a 
bridge between the United States and our neighbors in Central America, 
Mexico and the Caribbean by focusing on education and service to the 
community. CASS designs and implements international development 
programs to support sustainable socio-economic growth. These programs 
include technical training for employment, leadership development, 
business education, improving public policy and administration, and 
strengthening health and education. The CASS mission is to foster the 
direct involvement of disadvantaged populations in the economic and 
social development of their countries. The countries that are currently 
served include the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, 
Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
  I would like to extend my thanks to the Foreign Operations 
Appropriations Subcommittee, especially my friends and colleagues 
Chairman Jim Kolbe and Ranking Member Nita Lowey for including language 
in the Fiscal Year 2004 Foreign Operations committee report supporting 
the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships (CASS) program.
  Through the CASS program, young leaders are given the opportunity to 
come to the United States and receive education and training at 1 of 20 
participating education institutions, including El Paso Community 
College in my own district. Concentration is given to training to 
support broad-based economic development and environmental protection 
as well as programs focusing on skill enhancement to primary school 
teachers and healthcare workers to improve the region's rural schools 
and support the fight against infectious diseases. Each participant 
must develop a project for their home community and upon completion of 
their education and training in the United States return to their 
countries and implement their project.
  During their time in the United States these young people give back 
to the communities where they are residing through service and by 
developing close ties with their host families and other American 
students, leaving them with a positive and lasting link to the United 
States. They also learn to read and speak English. The CASS approach 
has led to an exceptionally high rate (98.2 percent average over the 
past 6 years) of participants who return to their home countries where 
they contribute to economic growth and social progress. Employment 
rates among alumni are 90 percent in countries where unemployment rates 
are often very high.
  Presently there are 405 CASS scholars in the United States in 12 
States where the network includes community, technical, and junior 
colleges, and 4-year universities and colleges. These U.S. community-
based institutions of higher education manage programs in the

[[Page 19197]]

designated fields of study and contribute financially through cost 
sharing of at least 25 percent of program costs. Though recent state 
budget cuts have undermined the ability of some institutions to provide 
the cost sharing funds, the program still thrives.
  El Paso Community College, located in my district, is one of the 
Hispanic-serving institutions involved in the CASS program. The college 
focuses on training rural health workers to deliver desperately needed 
services to some of the most poor and remote areas in the hemisphere. 
The program provides training and internships in a variety of areas 
such as infectious diseases, maternal and child health, environmental 
health, and community outreach. Students also spend time volunteering 
in the local community at health clinics and other social service and 
youth agencies. Upon their return home, they work with other rural 
healthcare professionals to improve and expand services in their 
communities.
  I would like to take a moment to share some specific success stories 
coming out of the CASS program at El Paso Community College.
  Ramona Caceres from the Dominican Republic and a CASS scholar at El 
Paso Community College during 2001-2002, has returned to her home 
country and is presently actively working in her community teaching 
first aid in a local school and has trained some of the teachers to 
perform eye exams. The program is known as ``Agudeza Visual''. Further, 
Ms. Caceres will soon be presenting her thesis and graduating.
  Mr. Carlos Sanchez, also a CASS scholar for 2001-2002 at El Paso 
Community College, is a Septima Clark award recipient and since 
returning to his home country of Honduras, has been working as a health 
promoter and within a year of assuming his job has been advanced to the 
position of regional supervisor.
  During this year's internship at El Paso Community College, four 
students worked on a joint project between the Pan American Health 
Organization (PAHO) and the El Paso City-County Health & Environmental 
Health District to prevent rabies in dogs in the county.
  These stories are just a few examples of the way which the CASS 
program is making a difference not only in Central America and the 
Caribbean but also within the United States.
  Unfortunately, this bill did not provide as much good news for the 
Inter-American Foundation (IAF) as it did for CASS. I am disappointed 
that this bill cuts appropriations to the Inter-American Foundation by 
about $1 million, to $15,185,000 for fiscal year 2004. I understand 
that the chairman of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee 
is a supporter of the IAF and did the best he could within the 
constraints of a low budget allocation.
  Established under the 1969 Foreign Assistance Act, the Inter-American 
Foundation (IAF) promotes entrepreneurship, self-reliance and 
democratic principles as well as economic progress for the poor in 
Latin America and the Caribbean. The IAF is one of the many tools we 
have to help our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere work their own way 
out of poverty. I hope that as this bill moves through the conference 
committee, funding for the IAF will be restored to its fiscal year 2003 
level.
  Mr. Chairman, the economic and social development of countries in the 
Western Hemisphere benefits us here at home. Programs such as CASS and 
IAF help our neighbors become stable, free, and prosperous. I therefore 
urge my colleagues to support these and other such programs in this 
bill and in the years to come.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Chairman, I was planning to offer an amendment to the 
Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill preventing tax dollars from 
going to the domestic shrimping industry's major foreign competitors. 
However, I have been informed that this amendment would be ruled out of 
order by the parliamentarian as legislating on an appropriations bill. 
While I am disappointed the House will not consider my amendment, I do 
wish to take this opportunity to comment on the merits of my amendment, 
which is based on language contained in my Shrimp Importation Financing 
Fairness Act.
  The United States domestic shrimping industry is a vital social and 
economic force in many coastal communities across the United States, 
including several in my congressional district. A thriving shrimping 
industry benefits not only those who own and operate shrimp boats, but, 
also, food processors, hotels and restaurants, grocery stores, and all 
those who work in and service these industries. Shrimping also serves 
as a key source of safe domestic food at a time when the nation is 
engaged in hostilities abroad.
  However, the Federal Government is strangling this vital industry 
with excessive regulations. For example, the Federal Government has 
imposed costly regulations, dealing with usage of items such as by 
catch reduction devices and turtle excluder devices (TEDS), on the 
industry. The mandatory use of these devices results in a significant 
reduction in the amount of shrimp caught by domestic shrimpers, thus 
damaging their competitive position and market share.
  Seven foreign countries--Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Ecuador, 
Indonesia, and Brazil--have taken advantage of the domestic shrimping 
industry's government-created vulnerabilities. These countries have 
each exported in excess of 20,000,000 pounds of shrimp to the United 
States in the first 6 months of 2002. These seven countries supplied 
nearly 70 percent of all shrimp consumed in the United States in the 
first 6 months of 2002 and nearly 80 percent of all shrimp imported to 
this country in the same period.
  Adding insult to injury the Federal Government is forcing American 
shrimpers to subsidize their competitors. From 1999-2002, the U.S. 
Government provided approximately $2,172,220,000 in financing and 
insurance for these foreign countries through the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation (OPIC). Furthermore, the United States' current 
exposure relative to these countries through the Export-Import Bank 
totals approximately $14,800,000,000. Thus, the United States taxpayer 
is providing a subsidy of at least $16,972,220,000 to the home 
countries of the leading foreign competitors of American shrimpers!
  Many of the countries in question do not have free-market economies. 
Thus, the participation of these countries in U.S.-supported 
international financial regimes amounts to American shrimpers directly 
subsidizing their international competitors. In any case, providing aid 
to any of these countries indirectly benefits foreign shrimpers because 
of the fungibility of money.
  In order to ensure that American shrimpers are not forced to 
subsidize their competitors, my amendment forbids taxpayer dollars from 
being used to support Export-Import and OPIC subsidies to the countries 
that imported more than 20 million pounds of shrimp in the first 6 
months of 2002.
  Mr. Chairman, it is time for Congress to stop subsidizing the 
domestic shrimping industry's leading competitors. Otherwise, the 
government-manufactured depression in the price of shrimp will decimate 
the domestic shrimping industry and the communities whose economies 
depend on this industry. I therefore hope that Congress will soon stand 
up for American shrimpers by passing my Shrimp Importation Financing 
Fairness Act.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support section 568 of H.R. 2800, 
the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2004. 
Section 568 gives the President the authority to reduce the debts that 
poor countries owe the United States as a result of prior loans under 
various foreign assistance programs. This authority is included 
routinely in foreign operations appropriations bills. The rules 
governing the debates on prior foreign operations appropriations bills 
always have protected this language from points of order.
  Unfortunately, this year, the Rules Committee reported and the House 
passed a rule that fails to protect subsection (a) paragraph (3) of 
section 568 from points of order against the inclusion of authorizing 
language in an appropriations bill. Section 568(a)(3) specifically 
gives the President the authority to reduce debts resulting from prior 
loans under agricultural programs and food assistance programs. The 
rest of section 568 is protected from all points of order, as it should 
be.
  As a Member of Congress who has been working on the issue of debt 
relief for poor countries for many years, I am especially disappointed 
that the Rules Committee did not protect section 568 in its entirety 
from all points of order. Section 568 is critical to enable the 
President to reduce and reschedule poor countries debts. Section 568 is 
especially important for poor countries that do not currently qualify 
for other debt relief programs, such as the Enhanced HIPC Initiative.
  The President recently reduced the Congo's debts using the authority 
included in section 568. The Congo is an extremely impoverished country 
that is emerging from years of violent conflict. The Congo lacks the 
political institutions necessary to develop the detailed economic plans 
and poverty reduction strategies, which countries must develop to 
qualify for participation in the Enhanced HIPC Initiative. The debt 
reduction provided under section 568 will free the Congo from the 
burden of substantial debt payments and assist the Congo in developing 
the political institutions necessary to qualify for other debt relief 
and foreign assistance programs.
  If section 568(a)(3) is stricken on a point of order, we will narrow 
the President's authority to reduce poor countries' debts significantly

[[Page 19198]]

and needlessly. Striking section 568(a)(3) would force poor countries 
that receive debt reduction to continue making substantial debt 
payments on debts that arise under certain foreign assistance programs 
while debts that arise under other foreign assistance programs are 
reduced. The President's authority to reduce debts should not depend 
upon whether a loan was issued under one foreign assistance program 
rather than another.
  The President must have the authority to reduce the debts of poor 
countries whenever it is appropriate. I urge my colleagues not to 
insist on a point of order against section 568(a)(3) and to support 
section 568 in its entirety.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, I rise in 
support of H.R. 2800, the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and 
Related Programs Appropriation Act, and its general spirit, but I feel 
that certain plans do not receive the attention that is required in 
light of the pressing needs of the international community at this 
time.
  The total $17.1 billion recommendation in H.R. 2800 is far below the 
fiscal year 2003 spending level of $23 billion for foreign operations 
and is $1.7 billion below the President's fiscal year 2004 request. At 
the $17.1 billion spending level, H.R. 2800 proposes to devote less 
than 1 percent of our GDP to foreign assistance.
  I commend the committee's effort to maintain the funding of the 
various programs enumerated in Child Survival and Health (CS/H). This 
includes an increase in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention and increased 
allocation of resources to UNICEF. If H.R. 2800 passes, provisions to 
this end should be allocated for immediate relief administration. The 
HIV/AIDS pandemic has claimed more than 28 million lives. Current 
estimates suggest that 42 million are living with HIV. As a region, 
sub-Saharan Africa has the largest number of individuals living with 
HIV/AIDS in the world. Of the 42 million people infected worldwide, 29 
million of them live in sub-Saharan Africa. A higher proportion of 
women is living with HIV infection or suffer from AIDS than men. As of 
2002, women in sub-Saharan Africa represented more than half, 
approximately 58 percent, of all adults living with HIV/AIDS.
  The infection rate is particularly high among young girls. In some 
African nations, infection rates are five times higher in young women 
then young men. AIDS now ranks as the number one cause of death in 
Africa and the fourth leading cause of death globally. These numbers 
are staggering and should strike a nerve in you each time you hear 
them. I am also certain that you all have heard these figures before. 
However it seems that we must constantly reiterate them in order to 
emphasize the dire situation that Africa is in today. AIDS is not only 
a threat to the health of populations; it is a threat to the social, 
economic, and political stability of nations as a whole. What we have 
failed to do, particularly in Africa, is chart a plan of action that 
attempts to address HIV/AIDS as a social crisis that affects all 
spheres of everyday life. This means that a promise of funds to address 
the problem is not good enough; there needs to be a targeted response 
that aims to address the multiplicative effects of HIV/AIDS in each 
sector. This includes making sure that young girls have access to 
educational opportunities and trying to develop methods by which women 
do not have to rely on their husbands for their economic stability. It 
is time to stop placing old Bandaids on fresh wounds and begin the 
process of healing our beloved Africa. Unfortunately, the Amendment 
offered by our distinguished colleague Representative Lowey that called 
for an additional $1 billion for the Children Survival and Health 
Programs Fund, HIV/AIDS programs, and to designate the entire amount as 
an emergency requirement did not make it out of Committee due to a 
shortage of five votes; nevertheless, I fully support her efforts to 
this end. Likewise, I would have supported the Amendment offered by 
Representative Kilpatrick that proposed an additional $5 million for 
the same items and reducing the ``Millennium Challenge Account'' by the 
same amount. Her proposal fell short by only one vote in Committee. 
H.R. 2800 contains $1.27 billion, or $30 million above the President's 
request. Taken together with funds included in the Labor, Health and 
Human Services bill, the House has approved a total of $2.074 billion 
for HIV/AIDS for 2004 which exceeds the President's FY 2004 request by 
$35 million.
  This bill, however, does not propose significant or definitive 
spending on war-related needs in Iraq and Afghanistan. Such spending 
increased the FY 2003 budget to $23 billion with facility in the name 
of national security. The committee report as to the need for funding 
for post-war reconstruction of Iraq noted the following:

       Events and more recent information obtained from the Office 
     of Management and Budget and the Coalition Provisional 
     Authority in Baghdad has reinforced the Committee's view that 
     additional appropriated funds will be needed in fiscal year 
     2004. No request for Iraq has been received, and no funds are 
     recommended in this Act.

  Given the latest escalation of the United States death toll between 
yesterday and today to at least 153 by way of the bombing of two 
Humvees near a United States military convoy in North Baghdad and an 
ambush, it is very likely that the need for Iraq reconstruction is 
certain to require definitive funding. The chief of American and allied 
forces in Iraq and Afghanistan GEN John Abizaid, who took over from GEN 
Tommy Franks, announced plans to create and install a force of nearly 
7,000 Iraqis to work with U.S. soldiers consisting of eight battalions 
of armed Iraqi militiamen, each with 850 men. The motivation behind the 
creation of this force is to ``lower the profile of American forces'' 
and to ``put an Iraqi face on things.'' Replacing the faces of deceased 
American soldiers with Iraqi faces doesn't solve the problem. The death 
of Iraqi soldiers at the hands of Saddam Hussein sympathizers and 
dissidents will nevertheless require our attention and resources lest 
we allow a situation similar to that in Monrovia to occur.
  Furthermore, H.R. 2800 will slightly increase funding allocations 
above that of FY 2003; however, the amounts requested will only scratch 
the surface of the emergent need due to famine and natural disaster in 
areas like Ethiopia. As we speak now, some 11-14 million people will go 
hungry in the coming months. Severe drought conditions destroyed over 
15 percent of the October-November 2002 harvest in Ethiopia. The 
resultant failure of root vegetables and green crops to grow has caused 
families that depend on subsistence farming to not only lack food, but 
also seeds for replanting next year. This situation makes the 
availability of genetically modified organism (GMO) seeds dangerously 
attractive to the hungry, inuring them to the host of side affects and 
ailments that have yet to be confirmed or denied by the Food and Drug 
Administration. As a result of the poor arability of the land and other 
adverse conditions, not only are the people's crops suffering, but 
their livestock as well. With the mortality rate steadily rising, those 
remaining are experiencing a lowered body weight, which results in 
reduced traction, power and milk production, which again will lead to 
insecure food sources. Unless veterinary services improve, the death 
toll will continue to increase as the livestock's immune system grows 
weaker resulting from poor conditions and common diseases. The combined 
effect of plummeting livestock prices and skyrocketing cereal prices, 
the poorer households face an even worse predicament in obtaining food. 
Their wage rate is reported to be 3 times lower in the current year 
than in the same period last year. According to recent studies, there 
were 35,000 people in Ziquala, 34,920 people in Ambassel, 16,300 in 
Wadla, 17,455 in Kewet and 156,200 in the three wards of South Gondar 
who are and will be in need of external assistance through the upcoming 
months. It strikes me as ironic that President Bush and the 
Administration took such pains to publicize the recent trip to Africa 
only to be followed up by a less-than-sufficient budget proposal by his 
House GOP counterparts.
  Finally, I would hope that some of the proposed FY 2004 funding can 
be channeled to an effort to mobilize women in the peace process. I 
propose that women play any and all roles that will give them an 
opportunity to use their leadership skills in the peace process. I took 
advantage of a unique experience when I served as an Honorary Chair for 
the Women's Partnership for Peace in the Middle East in Oslo, Norway in 
June of this year. I shared a panel when an unprecedented group of more 
than 70 women from Israel, Palestine, the United States, Europe and 
Asia met in Oslo, Norway at the Nobel Peace Institute to launch the 
Women's Partnership for Peace in the Middle East.
  The objective of the Oslo Summit was to set clear goals and devise a 
plan of action for achieving a greater role for women in peace 
negotiations in the region and in the overall effort to achieve peace, 
a movement largely devoid of women's perspectives and participation. I 
would like to see women play a more pronounced role not only in the 
establishment of business opportunity but also in the peace process, 
and this kind of forum offers a platform that is both transnational as 
well as international. In devising a plan to fund our foreign 
operations, it is critical that we include cost-effective measures of 
peacekeeping by deputizing our strong women leaders.
  Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, for the reasons stated above, I 
support H.R. 2800.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my support for H.R. 2800, 
the Fiscal Year 2004 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.

[[Page 19199]]

  While I am deeply disappointed that the bill provides less than half 
of the President's request for the Global AIDS Fund and less than two-
thirds of the money requested for the Millennium Challenge Account, I 
am encouraged by the launch of these bold new initiatives to provide 
vital assistance to the developing world.
  I also fully support the bill's bilateral assistance account, 
including $2.8 billion in economic and military aid for Israel, $1.9 
billion in assistance for Egypt, and $456 million for Jordan, which has 
long provided a measure of stability in the Middle East and reinforced 
the Camp David Accord and the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
  I have great ambivalence, however, over the bill's acknowledgement of 
President Bush's move to provide $20 million in direct aid to the 
Palestinian Authority Ministry of Finance.
  One the one hand, I believe the funds are necessary to reinforce the 
Road Map and the U.S. commitment to the governance of Palestinian Prime 
Minister Mahmood Abbas. Deposited to the Palestine Investment Fund 
(PIF), the money will shore up the work of newly appointed Palestinian 
Finance Minister Salam Fayyad and advance his effort to eradicate 
corruption and put Palestinian resources to work for development 
instead of violence.
  On the other hand, I am wary of providing direct aid while anti-
Israel incitement continues an the Palestinian terrorist infrastructure 
remains in place. What guarantee do we have that this money won't go 
into the same black hole as all of the other international aid funds 
contributed since the beginning of the Oslo process? How can we be sure 
the money won't end up financing terrorism or corruption?
  Since the signing of the Oslo Accord the international community has 
invested more than $4.5 billion to organize Palestinian infrastructure. 
For the past 3 years, Arab and European donors have been transferring 
$45 million to the Palestinian treasury every month. Yet, even in the 
quietest days of the peace process, the Palestinian economy languished 
with high unemployment and stagnant growth.
  Palestinian companies created to provide services for the Palestinian 
people have done nothing but line the pockets of Arafat's henchmen. 
Corporations set up by the Palestinian Authority to manage 
telecommunications, energy, and phone service to the Palestinian people 
have been proven to be nothing more than fronts for money laundering 
and terrorist activity.
  At the same time, the results of Finance Minister Fayyad's work has 
been impressive. Teamed up with a host of international monitors, the 
PIF has undertaken an ambitious and critically important task of 
auditing all Palestinian Authority companies, replacing and 
reorganizing management, and operating all of the restructured firms 
through a centralized and transparent system. The effort has quickly 
become a proven method to cut off Palestinian Authority funds that were 
being used for nefarious purposes.
  Before the PIF was created, there was no way to monitor Palestinian 
Authority revenues or expenditures. For example, until recently taken 
over and audited by the PIF, the Palestinian petroleum company had been 
regularly used to fund the terrorist activities of Fatah and the Al-
Aqsa Martyr's Brigade. Similarly, the PIF has stepped in to stop the 
Gaza phone company from cooking its books to write off ``expenses'' 
while never providing service to its customers.
  The steady stream of money for terrorism is finally drying up. The 
Israeli Government has already approved the PIF system to deposit 
Palestinian tax revenues that were long withheld until appropriate 
safeguards were in place to ensure the money did not end up in 
terrorist hands.
  It is our expectation that the direct aid to the PIF by the United 
States should be seen as a tenuous first step, as a confidence building 
measure. It is an expression of our commitment to help Prime Minister 
Abbas consolidate his mandate for a different Palestinian future. For 
too long, the Palestinian people have become dependent on terrorist 
organizations like Hamas and Islamic Jihad because Arafat's 
mismanagement denied them basic social services like education, water, 
and health.
  With this aid package, as instituted by President Bush, the United 
States hopes to set an example for the international community to 
direct all donations and investments to the PIF and distance themselves 
from Arafat's money trail of devastation and murder.
  I firmly believe, however, that the aid should not be viewed as a 
standing fund or a full resumption of ties to the Palestinian 
Authority. The President was only able to extend the grant with a 
waiver, which would still be required again before any additional aid 
could be considered. It is vitally important that Congress conduct 
vigorous oversight to ensure that the money is properly spent.
  We must also require clear benchmarks to evaluate when and whether 
additional aid should be considered in the future. The most crucial is 
that no additional aid should be considered before all security forces 
are under a centralized control of Prime Minister Abbas with all 
payroll payments to Palestinian Authority officers organized 
electronically and transparently through the PIF.
  President Bush's June 24, 2002, speech laid out the terms for a new 
Palestinian leadership untainted by terror to emerge. Progress can only 
be measured through security, cooperation and accountability.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The gentlewoman's time has expired.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I have no additional speakers in general 
debate, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 5-minute rule.
  During consideration of the bill for amendment, the Chair may accord 
priority in recognition to a Member offering an amendment that he has 
printed in the designated place in the Congressional Record. Those 
amendments will be considered read.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2800

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes, namely:

               TITLE I--EXPORT AND INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE


                export-import bank of the united states

       The Export-Import Bank of the United States is authorized 
     to make such expenditures within the limits of funds and 
     borrowing authority available to such corporation, and in 
     accordance with law, and to make such contracts and 
     commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations, as 
     provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control 
     Act, as may be necessary in carrying out the program for the 
     current fiscal year for such corporation: Provided, That none 
     of the funds available during the current fiscal year may be 
     used to make expenditures, contracts, or commitments for the 
     export of nuclear equipment, fuel, or technology to any 
     country, other than a nuclear-weapon state as defined in 
     Article IX of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear 
     Weapons eligible to receive economic or military assistance 
     under this Act, that has detonated a nuclear explosive after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act: Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding section 1(c) of Public Law 103-428, as 
     amended, sections 1(a) and (b) of Public Law 103-428 shall 
     remain in effect through October 1, 2004.


                        administrative expenses

       For administrative expenses to carry out the direct and 
     guaranteed loan and insurance programs, including hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles and services as authorized by 5 
     U.S.C. 3109, and not to exceed $30,000 for official reception 
     and representation expenses for members of the Board of 
     Directors, $71,395,000: Provided, That the Export-Import Bank 
     may accept, and use, payment or services provided by 
     transaction participants for legal, financial, or technical 
     services in connection with any transaction for which an 
     application for a loan, guarantee or insurance commitment has 
     been made: Provided further, That, notwithstanding subsection 
     (b) of section 117 of the Export Enhancement Act of 1992, 
     subsection (a) thereof shall remain in effect until October 
     1, 2004.


                overseas private investment corporation

                           noncredit account

       The Overseas Private Investment Corporation is authorized 
     to make, without regard to fiscal year limitations, as 
     provided by 31 U.S.C. 9104, such expenditures and commitments 
     within the limits of funds available to it and in accordance 
     with law as may be necessary: Provided, That the amount 
     available for administrative expenses to carry out the credit 
     and insurance programs (including an amount for official 
     reception and representation expenses which shall not exceed 
     $35,000) shall not exceed $41,385,000: Provided further, That 
     project-specific transaction costs, including direct and 
     indirect costs incurred in claims settlements, and other 
     direct costs associated with services provided to specific 
     investors or potential investors pursuant to section 234 of 
     the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, shall not be considered 
     administrative expenses for the purposes of this heading.


                            program account

       For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, $24,000,000, 
     as authorized by section 234 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
     1961, to be derived by transfer from the Overseas Private 
     Investment Corporation Non-Credit Account: Provided, That 
     such costs, including

[[Page 19200]]

     the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in 
     section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided 
     further, That such sums shall be available for direct loan 
     obligations and loan guaranty commitments incurred or made 
     during fiscal years 2004 and 2005: Provided further, That 
     such sums shall remain available through fiscal year 2012 for 
     the disbursement of direct and guaranteed loans obligated in 
     fiscal year 2004, and through fiscal year 2013 for the 
     disbursement of direct and guaranteed loans obligated in 
     fiscal year 2005.
       In addition, such sums as may be necessary for 
     administrative expenses to carry out the credit program may 
     be derived from amounts available for administrative expenses 
     to carry out the credit and insurance programs in the 
     Overseas Private Investment Corporation Noncredit Account and 
     merged with said account.

                  Funds Appropriated to the President


                      trade and development agency

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of 
     section 661 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 
     $50,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2005.

                TITLE II--BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE

                  Funds Appropriated to the President

       For expenses necessary to enable the President to carry out 
     the provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and for 
     other purposes, to remain available until September 30, 2004, 
     unless otherwise specified herein, as follows:


           united states agency for international development

                child survival and health programs fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of 
     chapters 1 and 10 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
     1961, for child survival, health, and family planning/
     reproductive health activities, in addition to funds 
     otherwise available for such purposes, $2,235,830,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2005: Provided, That 
     this amount shall be made available for such activities as: 
     (1) programs for the prevention, treatment, control of, and 
     research on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, polio, malaria, and other 
     infectious diseases, and for assistance to communities 
     severely affected by HIV/AIDS, including children displaced 
     or orphaned by AIDS; (2) family planning/reproductive health; 
     (3) health, nutrition, water and sanitation programs, and 
     related education programs, which directly address the needs 
     of mothers and children; (4) assistance for children 
     displaced or orphaned by causes other than AIDS; (5) 
     immunization programs; and (6) oral rehydration programs: 
     Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated under 
     this heading may be made available for nonproject assistance, 
     except that funds may be made available for such assistance 
     for ongoing health activities: Provided further, That of the 
     funds appropriated under this heading, not to exceed 
     $250,000, in addition to funds otherwise available for such 
     purposes, may be used to monitor and provide oversight of 
     child survival, maternal and family planning/reproductive 
     health, and infectious disease programs: Provided further, 
     That the following amounts should be allocated as follows: 
     $324,000,000 for child survival and maternal health; 
     $27,000,000 for vulnerable children; $840,830,000 for HIV/
     AIDS; $155,500,000 for other infectious diseases; 
     $368,500,000 for family planning/reproductive health; and 
     $120,000,000 for UNICEF: Provided further, That of the funds 
     appropriated under this heading, and in addition to funds 
     allocated under the previous proviso, not less than 
     $400,000,000 shall be made available, not withstanding any 
     other provision of law, for a United States contribution to 
     the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the 
     ``Global Fund''), and shall be expended at the minimum rate 
     necessary to make timely payment for projects and activities: 
     Provided further, That of the funds appropriated and 
     allocated for HIV/AIDS and the Global Fund under this Act, 
     not to exceed $870,830,000 may be apportioned to the Office 
     of the Coordinator of United States Government Activities to 
     Combat HIV/AIDS Globally (the ``Coordinator''), of which 
     amount: $400,000,000 shall be made available as a 
     contribution to the Global Fund; not less than $15,000,000 
     should be made available as a contribution to the 
     International AIDS Vaccine Initiative; not more than 
     $6,326,000 may be available for administrative expenses; and 
     not more than $50,000,000 may be made available under the 
     authority contained in section 1(f)(2)(A)(iii) of the State 
     Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956: Provided further, 
     That no United States contribution to the Global Fund may 
     cause the total amount of United States Government 
     contributions to the Global Fund to exceed one-half of the 
     total amount of funds contributed to the Global Fund from all 
     other sources: Provided further, That if, by June 30, 2004, 
     the application of the previous proviso prevents a 
     contribution of the full amount allocated for the Global 
     Fund, the amount that cannot be made available for the Global 
     Fund may be made available by the Coordinator, through 
     relevant executive branch agencies, for activities to combat 
     HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, or malaria, subject to prior 
     consultation with the Committees on Appropriations: Provided 
     further, That in carrying out the duties specified in section 
     1(f)(2)(B)(ii)(VII) of the State Department Basic Authorities 
     Act of 1956, the Coordinator shall ensure that assistance is 
     provided for activities in not fewer than 15 countries, at 
     least one of which shall not be in Africa or the Caribbean 
     region: Provided further, That of the funds appropriated 
     under this heading, up to $60,000,000 may be made available 
     for a United States contribution to the Vaccine Fund, and up 
     to $6,000,000 may be transferred to and merged with funds 
     appropriated by this Act under the heading ``Operating 
     Expenses of the United States Agency for International 
     Development'' for costs directly related to international 
     health, but funds made available for such costs may not be 
     derived from amounts made available for contribution under 
     the preceding provisos: Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, funds 
     appropriated under this heading that are available for child 
     survival and health programs, shall be apportioned to the 
     Office of the Coordinator, or the United States Agency for 
     International Development, and the authority of sections 
     632(a) or 632(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, or 
     any comparable provision of law, may not be used to transfer 
     or allocate any part of such funds to the Department of 
     Health and Human Services including any office of that 
     agency, except that the authority of those sections may be 
     used to transfer or allocate up to $35,000,000 of such funds 
     to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Provided 
     further, That none of the funds made available in this Act 
     nor any unobligated balances from prior appropriations may be 
     made available to any organization or program which, as 
     determined by the President of the United States, supports or 
     participates in the management of a program of coercive 
     abortion or involuntary sterilization: Provided further, That 
     none of the funds made available under this Act may be used 
     to pay for the performance of abortion as a method of family 
     planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice 
     abortions: Provided further, That none of the funds made 
     available under this Act may be used to lobby for or against 
     abortion: Provided further, That in order to reduce reliance 
     on abortion in developing nations, funds shall be available 
     only to voluntary family planning projects which offer, 
     either directly or through referral to, or information about 
     access to, a broad range of family planning methods and 
     services, and that any such voluntary family planning project 
     shall meet the following requirements: (1) service providers 
     or referral agents in the project shall not implement or be 
     subject to quotas, or other numerical targets, of total 
     number of births, number of family planning acceptors, or 
     acceptors of a particular method of family planning (this 
     provision shall not be construed to include the use of 
     quantitative estimates or indicators for budgeting and 
     planning purposes); (2) the project shall not include payment 
     of incentives, bribes, gratuities, or financial reward to: 
     (A) an individual in exchange for becoming a family planning 
     acceptor; or (B) program personnel for achieving a numerical 
     target or quota of total number of births, number of family 
     planning acceptors, or acceptors of a particular method of 
     family planning; (3) the project shall not deny any right or 
     benefit, including the right of access to participate in any 
     program of general welfare or the right of access to health 
     care, as a consequence of any individual's decision not to 
     accept family planning services; (4) the project shall 
     provide family planning acceptors comprehensible information 
     on the health benefits and risks of the method chosen, 
     including those conditions that might render the use of the 
     method inadvisable and those adverse side effects known to be 
     consequent to the use of the method; and (5) the project 
     shall ensure that experimental contraceptive drugs and 
     devices and medical procedures are provided only in the 
     context of a scientific study in which participants are 
     advised of potential risks and benefits; and, not less than 
     60 days after the date on which the Administrator of the 
     United States Agency for International Development determines 
     that there has been a violation of the requirements contained 
     in paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (5) of this proviso, or a 
     pattern or practice of violations of the requirements 
     contained in paragraph (4) of this proviso, the Administrator 
     shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations a report 
     containing a description of such violation and the corrective 
     action taken by the Agency: Provided further, That in 
     awarding grants for natural family planning under section 104 
     of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 no applicant shall be 
     discriminated against because of such applicant's religious 
     or conscientious commitment to offer only natural family 
     planning; and, additionally, all such applicants shall comply 
     with the requirements of the previous proviso: Provided 
     further, That for purposes of this or any other Act 
     authorizing or appropriating funds for foreign operations, 
     export financing, and related programs, the term 
     ``motivate'', as it relates to family planning assistance, 
     shall not be construed to prohibit the provision, consistent 
     with local law, of information or counseling about all 
     pregnancy options: Provided further, That nothing in this 
     paragraph

[[Page 19201]]

     shall be construed to alter any existing statutory 
     prohibitions against abortion under section 104 of the 
     Foreign Assistance Act of 1961: Provided further, That 
     information provided about the use of condoms as part of 
     projects or activities that are funded from accounts 
     appropriated by this Act shall be medically accurate and 
     shall include the public health benefits and failure rates of 
     such use.


              Amendment Offered by Mr. Jackson of Illinois

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Jackson of Illinois:
       In title II, in the item relating to ``child survival and 
     health programs fund'', after the aggregate dollar amount, 
     insert the following: ``(increased by $150,000,000)''.
       In title II, in the item relating to ``child survival and 
     health programs fund'', insert before the period at the end 
     the following:
     : Provided further, That of the funds appropriated under this 
     heading, $150,000,000 is designated by the Congress as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to section 502 of H. Con. Res. 
     95 (108th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget 
     for fiscal year 2004
       In title II, in the item relating to ``development 
     assistance'', after the aggregate dollar amount, insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $200,000,000)''.
       In title II, in the item relating to ``economic support 
     fund'', after the aggregate dollar amount, insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $20,000,000)''.
       In title II, in the item relating to ``economic support 
     fund'', insert before the period at the end the following:
     : Provided further, That of the funds appropriated under this 
     heading, not less than $97,300,000 shall be made available 
     for assistance for sub-Saharan Africa: Provided further, That 
     of the funds appropriated under this heading, $20,000,000 is 
     designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to section 502 of H. Con. Res. 95 (108th Congress), 
     the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2004
       In title II, in the item relating to ``millennium challenge 
     account'', after the aggregate dollar amount, insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $200,000,000)''.
       In title II, in the item relating to ``debt 
     restructuring'', after the aggregate dollar amount, insert 
     the following: ``(increased by $300,000,000)''.
       In title II, in the item relating to ``debt 
     restructuring'', after the dollar amount in the second 
     proviso, insert the following: ``(increased by 
     $300,000,000)''.
       In title II, in the item relating to ``debt 
     restructuring'', at the end of the second proviso, insert the 
     following:
     , of which funds $300,000,000 shall be made available 
     pursuant to such title for the reduction of debt of the 
     Democratic Republic of the Congo.
       In title II, in the item relating to ``debt 
     restructuring'', insert before the period at the end the 
     following:
     : Provided further, That of the funds appropriated under this 
     heading, $300,000,000 is designated by the Congress as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to section 502 of H. Con. Res. 
     95 (108th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget 
     for fiscal year 2004
       In title IV, in the item relating to ``contribution to the 
     african development fund'', after the aggregate dollar 
     amount, insert the following: ``(increased by $10,709,970)''.
       In title IV, in the item relating to ``contribution to the 
     african development fund'', insert before the period at the 
     end the following:
     : Provided, That of the funds appropriated under this 
     heading, $10,709,970 is designated by the Congress as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to section 502 of H. Con. Res. 
     95 (108th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget 
     for fiscal year 2004

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask 
unanimous consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed 
in the Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on this 
amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The point of order is reserved.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, just before I present my 
amendment, I want to make an observation.
  The chairman said a few moments ago that this bill represents a $1 
billion increase over last year's numbers. The development assistance 
account under this bill is down from the fiscal year 2003 numbers, and 
it is down from the request in fiscal year 2004. The economic support 
fund in this bill is down from the fiscal year 2003 enacted and the 
fiscal year 2004 request.

                              {time}  1715

  The African Development Foundation is down from fiscal year 2003; and 
under the 2004 request, migration and refugee assistance is down, debt 
restructuring is down, peacekeeping operations also down, and the 
African Development Bank is also down.
  Mr. Chairman, I stand today because Africa is in a state of 
emergency. Africa is the poorest region in the world containing a 
majority of the world's poorest countries. One in three people in sub-
Saharan Africa do not get enough to eat every day, and only one in two 
people have access to clean drinking water. One in three children 
completes elementary school, and the average life expectancy in Africa 
is just 49 years, and the countries hardest hit by AIDS just 30 years.
  President Bush made a promise on March 14, 2002 at the Inter-American 
Development Bank. And on March 22, 2002, at the U.N. Financing for 
Development Conference in Monterrey, Mexico, the President said, ``The 
United States will lead by example. I have proposed a 50 percent 
increase in our core development assistance over the next three budget 
years. Eventually this will mean a $5 billion increase over current 
levels.'' And the President said further, and I quote, ``This is new 
money. This money is above and beyond existing aid requests in the 
current budget I submitted to Congress. I carry this commitment in my 
soul.''
  In other words, the President promised to add to, not take away from 
core development assistance accounts. Congress must not now make 
President Bush's promises look hollow. But the bill before us today 
risks doing that. The President proposed an $18.8 billion budget for 
foreign operations, while this bill funds at $17.1 billion. Development 
assistance in our bill is $25 million below the President's request and 
$60 million below the fiscal year 2003 level. The President's request 
for $300 million for bilateral debt relief for the Democratic Republic 
of the Congo, a nation in civil war, was not included in this bill.
  So my amendment, Mr. Chairman, seeks to restore and increase the 
critical development assistance funding for more than 600 million 
people in 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It seeks to make good on 
the President's commitment. My amendment adds a total of $680 million 
to the foreign operations bill. Two hundred million dollars of the $680 
million is offset by reducing the Millennium Challenge Account, which 
applies to only three countries out of 48 in Africa, from $800 million 
to $600 million to pay for development assistance for sub-Saharan 
Africa. Four hundred eight million dollars is declared emergency 
spending, of which $150 million is added to survival and health 
programs; $20 million is added to the Economic Support Fund, and 
earmarks $97 million in ESF funds for sub-Saharan Africa. Three hundred 
million dollars is added for debt relief in the Democratic Republic of 
the Congo, restoring the President's request. Eleven million dollars is 
added for the Africa Development Fund, again restoring the President's 
full request of $118 million.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment is clear and simple. It provides emergency 
spending for an emergency. I urge Members to support my amendment, and 
I also urge my colleagues to think long and hard about other 
emergencies on the African continent other than just AIDS.
  Now, Mr. Chairman, I understand that there is a bipartisan agreement 
not to call any votes between now and 6:45. I have missed only one vote 
in the last 8 years, 3,999 out of 4,000, and that means, Mr. Chairman, 
that I have been here through every temper tantrum, every motion to 
adjourn, every motion for the Committee to rise, every motion to 
recommit, every final passage, and every approval of the Journal for 
the last 8 years. And so right around 6:30 or 6:45, for the first time 
in the history of the United States Congress, we will have a motion 
that the Committee rise to help Africa.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Jackson amendment to 
add $480 million in emergency funds for Africa. This amendment would 
add $300 million for debt relief for the Democratic Republic of the

[[Page 19202]]

Congo, $150 million for child survival programs in Africa, $20 million 
for economic support funds for Africa and $10 million for the African 
Development Fund.
  This bill underfunds a number of accounts that provide assistance to 
the people of sub-Saharan Africa, the poorest region of the world. More 
than 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa survive on under $1 per 
day. Almost half of the continent does not have access to safe water 
sources. Only one in three African children completes elementary 
school, and one in three people in sub-Saharan Africa does not get 
enough to eat every day. Average life expectancy in Africa is just 49 
years. In the countries hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, life 
expectancy is just 30 years.
  As a member who has been working on the issue of debt relief for poor 
countries for many years, I am especially concerned about the lack of 
funding in this bill for debt relief for the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo. The Enhanced HIPC Initiative was developed to free impoverished 
countries from the burden of debts and allow them to invest their 
resources in AIDS treatment and prevention, health care, education and 
poverty reduction programs. Most of the funds necessary to provide debt 
relief to the countries that are eligible for participation in the 
Enhanced HIPC Initiative were appropriated in the years 1999 through 
2002. The President requested $300 million in fiscal year 2004 to 
provide debt relief to the Congo, but these funds were eliminated from 
this bill. The Jackson amendment would restore the $300 million 
included in the President's request and permit the Congo to benefit 
from the Enhanced HIPC Initiative.
  The President recently returned from a trip to several African 
countries. During his trip, he talked about American support for Africa 
and American programs that provide assistance for Africa's development. 
However, if Congress does not appropriate the funds to implement 
African development programs, American support for Africa will be mere 
rhetoric. The Jackson amendment would provide funds to these critical 
development programs that promote American goodwill in Africa, while 
assisting some of the world's poorest people.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson amendment.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I do make a point of order against the 
amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The gentleman will state his 
point of order.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I make the point of order against the 
amendment because it proposes to change existing law and constitutes 
legislation in an appropriation bill and, therefore, violates clause 2 
of rule XXI.
  The rule states, in its pertinent part, ``An amendment to a general 
appropriation bill shall not be in order if changing existing law.'' 
This amendment directly does change existing law, and I would ask for a 
ruling of the Chair.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Jackson) wish to be heard in rebuttal of the point of order?
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I do wish to be heard in 
rebuttal.
  My amendment does not offer any changes in existing law. My amendment 
simply allows emergency funding under the stated provisions. My 
amendment simply moves money around in an existing account, and under 
the House budget resolution there is a provision for emergency funding.
  And while part of my amendment is offset by a reduction in the 
Millennium Challenge Account, the other part of my amendment is 
perfectly within order in the context of emergency spending as approved 
by the House budget resolutions in the relevant sections of the 
legislation.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I would just make the simple comment that it 
is an emergency designation and that changes existing law.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. 
Lowey) wish to address the point of order?
  Mrs. LOWEY. Yes, Mr. Chairman. Although I certainly respect the 
chairman's point of order, I just wanted to make a few points before 
the Chair rules.
  I want to say, Mr. Chairman, that the gentleman does stress the 
urgency of the request that he has made in this bill. I have tried 
repeatedly to get an emergency amendment for $1 billion, which would 
match the authorization, bringing the current appropriation from $2 
billion to $3 billion for HIV/AIDS, and I certainly applaud the 
gentleman for making this point again. And I also want to applaud the 
gentleman for talking about the urgency of conditions in Africa.
  Certainly the chairman and I would have been delighted to have the 
appropriation recommended by the President, which was $18.8 billion, 
and it was unfortunate that the leadership cut our appropriation to 
$17.1 billion. We know the reality, based upon last year, that $23 
billion was the total amount that was appropriated for fiscal year 
2003. We know that this bill does not include funding for operations in 
Iraq. We know there will be other urgent needs in the year. And I just 
want to thank the gentleman from Illinois for again bringing these 
issues to our attention.
  We have the power of a great Nation to act, and to act and respond to 
these urgent situations I think is a moral imperative.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, if I can be recognized further 
on the point of order before you rule, I did offer this amendment in 
the Committee on Rules but it was not granted a waiver.
  And so, unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, I concede the point of order.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The point of order is conceded and 
sustained.


                  Amendment Offered by Ms. Kilpatrick

  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Ms. Kilpatrick:
       Page 5, line 22, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $300,000,000)''.
       Page 6, line 21, after the second dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $300,000,000)''.
       Page 30, line 5, after the dollar amount insert ``(reduced 
     by $300,000,000)''.

  Ms. KILPATRICK (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment that 
would begin to meet the President's pledge as he traveled to Africa 
less than a week ago. During the time in Africa, President Bush pledged 
to five heads of State and millions of people that he would fund the 
AIDS initiative at $15 billion over 5 years.
  On March 27, this Congress passed an authorization for that $15 
billion commitment over 5 years. In that authorization in March it had 
$3 billion as the first installment on that $15 billion pledge. My 
amendment offers $300 million to begin to meet the pledge, and again 
not fully funding the pledge, understanding the restraints that we are 
within.
  I offer this amendment because, as was mentioned before, the pandemic 
in the world and certainly in Africa on that continent, sub-Saharan 
Africa, 48 countries, over 700 million people with a high incidence of 
HIV and AIDS need the assistance. In addition, in India, with over 1 
billion people, China with similar populations, Russia, the Caribbean, 
there is a pandemic of enormous proportions all over the world. This is 
the number one country in the world. We ought to set the pace. I do not 
want our commitments to be taken lightly. The President has seen 
firsthand what this illness has done to families, to communities, to 
countries of the world, and I urge him to accept our amendment.
  We ask that the $300 million be offset, and I fully support the 
Millennium Challenge Account and commend the President for beginning 
the process of establishing it. The $300 million offset would come from 
the $800 million in this foreign operations bill, which would leave 
$500 million in the Millennium Challenge Account. And I might add, this 
House just passed the MCA account last week. The Senate has yet to act 
on this account. We do know that the bills will be sent to the 
President soon, he will sign them and he will begin initiating the 
administration in setting up the Millennium Challenge Account.
  I want to discuss what things have to happen before any of this $500 
million can be spent. The President will appoint a CEO, with support 
and advice

[[Page 19203]]

from the Senate, who then will hire a board and put a board in place to 
administer the MCA. They will then hire 150 to 200 employees to 
implement the things that the legislation requires. Twelve countries 
will then be identified that meet certain criteria in the bill. The 
proposals have to be drawn up, they have to be submitted, the countries 
have to respond again, and then the money has to be given out. We 
believe much of that $500 million will not be spent before the first 
quarter in this fiscal year.
  The pandemic stretches across these countries I have mentioned, over 
42 million people living with HIV/AIDS today. UNAIDS has already said 
to us that of all the monies coming into the U.N. for the pandemic, we 
will be $3 billion short of what we really need to address the 
pandemic. Given that situation, given the whole process that the MCA 
must go through between now and October 1 when we think it might be 
initiated and funded, right through the spring before all those steps 
can be taken and fully implemented, we believe that the offset matches 
and that there will be enough resources in MCA, which I fully support, 
to begin the process of establishing the Millennium Challenge Account.
  At the same time, people living with HIV and AIDS are dying as we 
speak. The money will not be pilfered, as one Member said earlier 
today. These are things happening on the ground in these countries 
around the world today. There are proven success stories in many 
countries around the world.
  So I urge my colleagues to accept the Kilpatrick amendment. It is on 
time, it is right now, and it is something that millions of people need 
all over this world as we speak. I want everybody to know again that 
the $3 billion shortfall that the UNAIDS says is needed is needed today 
and can be spent today.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to first of all thank the gentlewoman from 
Michigan for offering this, and I think the debate here is a very good 
and healthy one because I think it underscores some important policy 
differences and also allows us to have a full airing of this issue.

                              {time}  1730

  She has been a tremendous contributing member to our subcommittee. 
She is a passionate advocate for assistance to Africa on HIV/AIDS and 
development assistance, and I respect very much the gentlewoman from 
Michigan and her position. I do disagree with her position. Let me just 
take a moment to explain why.
  First of all, I want to just correct one statement that the 
gentlewoman made and that is that the Senate has not acted on the 
Millennium Challenge Account. They have adopted it as an amendment to 
the State Department authorization bill on the floor, the bill is still 
pending final action, but it has been adopted on the floor of the 
Senate. So I think we are working our way towards approval of it.
  This amendment would undermine what the President has laid out as one 
of his new initiatives. I am very excited about this. I was with the 
President in Monterrey when he talked about the new Millennium 
Challenge Account. I believe this is the most innovative and creative 
idea in foreign assistance since the Marshall Plan, maybe since 
President Kennedy's Partners in Progress program. There is no doubt in 
my mind that this is a new way of looking at foreign assistance and one 
which gives an opportunity for countries to be a part of our 
development of a foreign assistance program.
  Most of our traditional foreign assistance is delivered through 
contractors. We decide which countries we are going to go into. We go 
into those countries. We hire a contractor to help develop training of 
nurses, to develop curricula in high schools, but we decide what is 
going to be done, and a contractor from the United States does this. 
The Millennium Challenge Account says to these countries, if you show 
that you have a commitment through transparency, through a lack of 
corruption, through openness in the process, we invite you to come and 
apply, we invite you to get a substantial part of these new dollars 
that are going to be appropriated, and we invite you to show us that 
you can spend these in a way that leads to sustained development, that 
actually increases the standard of living for the people living in 
these countries. I think it is a very exciting way to look at 
development assistance.
  The President has made a commitment that it will not cut the basic 
development assistance that we now have in place. This is going to be 
added on, on top of it, so it is new development assistance. I think 
that is very important to keep in mind, Mr. Chairman.
  Let me just make a couple of other points here. The gentlewoman is 
right that this program is in its infancy, it is not even born, in a 
sense, yet, since the legislation has not been enacted into law. That 
is why we are not including in our appropriation as much as the 
President requested. The President asked for $1.3 billion. We are about 
40 percent almost underneath that at $800 million. But there is no 
doubt in my mind that we can deliver this assistance and really make a 
difference during the coming year. To cut it below that, not only do we 
have a statement from the White House that senior advisers would 
recommend a veto if we cut it below the $800 million amount, but I 
think it would be extraordinarily unwise.
  Perhaps one of the last points I want to make, Mr. Chairman, is that 
this legislation goes hand in hand with what we are trying to do on 
HIV/AIDS. You cannot separate development assistance from HIV/AIDS. The 
health infrastructure in a country, the basic education of children so 
that they can understand about prevention of HIV/AIDS, all of this goes 
hand in hand, hand in glove. They go together. So we should not think 
as though we are taking something away from HIV/AIDS. This is a 
complementary program for HIV/AIDS. It gives us a real opportunity to 
do something about it.
  I think we are going to hear probably that only three countries in 
Africa qualify. I do not know where that statement comes from, but that 
is absolutely not true. On the basis of income, which is the only thing 
in the bill we have passed, on the basis of income, many of the 
countries in Africa do meet that criteria. There is another set of 
criteria that is a more subjective one, that they have to get through a 
list of criteria before they would qualify; but there is nobody that 
yet has said exactly how those criteria are going to be applied. So it 
would be absolutely incorrect to say that only three countries in 
Africa could qualify. That is absolutely not true.
  Mr. Chairman, this is an amendment which would be, I think, very 
detrimental to not only HIV/AIDS in Africa but to development 
assistance. I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Kilpatrick amendment. I 
just want to make a point at the beginning to my distinguished 
chairman. Based upon the information I have received and we have 
received as a committee from the administration that MCA, and as you 
and I know we have received very little information, based upon the 
criteria that they have set out, only three African nations would 
qualify in 2004 and 2005, an additional three. I welcome additional 
information, but the administration has not been over to brief us.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. LOWEY. I yield to the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. KOLBE. That statement does not come from the administration. 
There is an individual with one of the think tanks here in town who has 
gone through this proposed set of criteria, proposed set, because it is 
not in the law, the proposed set of criteria that would be used and 
said only three would qualify. But the only thing in the law is the 
income. That is the only thing in the law.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Reclaiming my time, I understand that. And the reason we 
have had to depend upon think tanks for this information is that the 
administration, other than developing the

[[Page 19204]]

criteria, has not responded to us in a request for specifics. Why do we 
not leave it at that, and I will go on and make a few other points. I 
thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Chairman, I do support this amendment because the amendment would 
add $300 million to the Child Survival Account to fight the scourge of 
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and is offset by a corresponding cut 
in the Millennium Challenge Account. Along with the $2 billion already 
provided in this bill and in the labor-HHS bill, the amendment would 
bring the total amount appropriated for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria to 
$2.3 billion. I had hoped that my amendment to add $1 billion for HIV/
AIDS would be made in order, but it was not. I believe that this 
amendment is a step in the right direction and I urge my colleagues to 
support it.
  Nearly 3 months ago, the House voted to authorize $3 billion to 
fulfill the first year of the President's 5-year, $15 billion global 
AIDS initiative. Amendments to cut the $3 billion level were defeated 
soundly by the full House. And the President did leave the distinct 
impression during his recent trip to Africa that the full $3 billion 
would be provided in 2004, despite the fact that he only requested $2 
billion in funding. In fact, OMB's statement of administration policy 
on this bill, which arrived just a short time ago, threatens to veto 
the bill if we move funds from the MCA account for HIV/AIDS programs. 
Frankly, I find it outrageous that a veto is threatened over the fact 
that funding may be shifted from a proven, up-and-running program to a 
brand new initiative that has not yet begun.
  This threat does prove one thing, however. Clearly the President has 
no intention of reaching a $3 billion level for HIV/AIDS as was 
authorized in 2004. The rhetoric that surrounded the signing of the 
HIV/AIDS bill was hollow. Today we have an opportunity to prove that 
our commitment was real.
  HIV/AIDS is not only a humanitarian crisis; it is a grave threat to 
global stability. The African continent is being destroyed by this 
pandemic. Of the 42 million people infected with HIV, almost three-
quarters live in Africa. Life expectancies in Africa are falling 
rapidly and in some countries people are not expected to live past 
their forties. By the year 2010, there will be 40 million AIDS orphans. 
There are still many countries in Africa where condom distribution, 
access to HIV testing, and education programs is still not available. 
More resources are necessary and our capacity to plan and deliver 
programs can and must be expanded. The global AIDS bill recently passed 
by Congress requires that our HIV/AIDS programs begin a transition from 
awareness and comprehensive prevention to treatment and abstinence 
promotion programs. This will be an expensive undertaking, and it 
should not replace current efforts which emphasize a balanced approach 
to prevention and awareness. New efforts require new resources.
  These funds can be spent wisely next year. The most recent United 
Nations report, the subject cites the need for $8.3 billion for HIV/
AIDS programs next year, while estimating that only $5.3 billion will 
be provided by all donors combined, leaving a gap of $3 billion.
  The amendment also leaves open the possibility of an increase above 
the $400 million already in the bill for the Global Fund. Having more 
U.S. dollars in place for the fund will serve as an incentive for other 
donors to do more.
  The additional funds can be used next year to: speed expansion of 
Mother-to-Child transmission programs; accelerate the creation of 
viable treatment programs; establish drug purchase and distribution 
programs; expand the President's initiative beyond the 14 countries 
currently identified; and expand prevention programs.
  I support the offset included in this amendment not because I do not 
support the MCA initiative, but because all the funds provided in the 
bill cannot be used next year. Legislation setting the parameters for 
the new Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has just passed the 
House and may not pass the Senate anytime soon. There are many 
unresolved issues relating to Congressional oversight and eligibility 
criteria. The head of the MCC has not been appointed, no staff are in 
place, and no financial or contracting procedures exist. Under the best 
circumstances, it will take 12 to 18 months for the Corporation to be 
fully functioning. Passage of this amendment leaves the MCC with $500 
million for 2004, which I believe is more than enough.
  The additional funding for HIV/AIDS can be used wisely next year. It 
will make a real difference and save lives, and it will demonstrate to 
the world that when the United States makes a promise, we keep it.
  I urge support of the Kilpatrick amendment.
  Ms. HARRIS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words. I rise in opposition to this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, by opposing this amendment, I do not wish to minimize 
our constitutional duty to establish our Nation's spending priorities. 
Even when a President invokes national security as the basis for a 
funding request, we have the responsibility to scrutinize the 
underlying justification, disagreeing where we must.
  The fiscal year 2004 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act carefully 
balances the foreign policies of Congress and the President. 
Regrettably, this amendment alters that equilibrium without sufficient 
cause. President Bush has proposed two historic initiatives that will 
help win the war on terror through the power of America's compassion 
and the strength of America's convictions. By virtue of his plan to 
aggressively fight AIDS in the developing world and his Millennium 
Challenge Account proposal, the President has presented a comprehensive 
vision for a safer, freer, healthier and more prosperous world, a goal 
that we all share.
  Both of these initiatives deserve our enthusiastic support. 
Individually, neither of these proposals can achieve our critical 
humanitarian and strategic objectives. By cutting funding to the 
Millennium Challenge Account, we would seriously hobble this 
comprehensive reform of United States assistance to developing nations 
in this critical first year. In particular, we would risk losing this 
opportunity to demand action and accountability from recipient 
governments rather than mere promises. Nevertheless, this amendment 
inexplicably deprives the Millennium Challenge Account of its necessary 
funding. The amendment's sponsors have failed to provide us with a 
compelling rationale for this approach other than the general vital 
importance of fighting AIDS in the developing world. I do not dispute 
this basic contention. Yet we must not become so single minded about 
this objective that we sacrifice the most revolutionary foreign aid 
proposal since the Marshall Plan.
  America's ability to win the war on terror depends on how well we use 
our economic, diplomatic, and humanitarian tools at our disposal to 
relieve suffering, build stability, and promote freedom and prosperity 
around the globe. Congress, in agreement with the administration, has 
painstakingly allocated the resources necessary to achieve these 
objectives. The stakes are simply too high to sacrifice the reward of 
sound economic practices and good governance policies in recipient 
nations that the MCA would encourage.
  I urge my colleagues to preserve the efficacy of the President's 
visionary initiative by defeating this amendment.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite 
number of words.
  Mr. Chairman, it was not long ago here in this Chamber that the 
President of the United States stood right at the desk before you and 
he mentioned the word ``Africa'' twice in a State of the Union address. 
One of those times, well, we will leave that time alone, but the time 
that is important to us, the President came to this Congress and he 
said, I ask the Congress to commit $15 billion over the next 5 years 
including nearly $10 billion in new money to turn the tide against AIDS 
in the most afflicted nations of Africa and the Caribbean.
  Mr. Chairman, I was sitting right there where the gentlewoman is 
sitting, and I stood up and gave the President, along with this 
Chamber, the

[[Page 19205]]

most incredible standing ovation that was sustained by Members of 
Congress that I think we have seen in this Chamber in a long time. We 
considered the President's initiative to be bold on the question of 
AIDS for Africa. Now the rubber meets the road. The Subcommittee on 
Foreign Operations is offering a number that falls significantly below 
that which the President offered in his State of the Union address. 
Again, he mentioned the term Africa twice in that State of the Union 
speech.
  I stand in support of the gentlewoman's amendment. Make no mistake 
about it. The Millennium Challenge Account, the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation will benefit only three African countries out of 48. The 
chairman said that this is the most creative plan since the Marshall 
Plan. But make no mistake about it, the Millennium Challenge Account is 
not a Marshall Plan. There is a pandemic in Africa. Are we to assume 
that only three countries in Africa are confronting an AIDS pandemic? 
Or is the problem in all 48 sub-Saharan African countries? The 
gentlewoman seeks to take $300 million from a nontested, experimental 
program and move it into time-tested cures, remedy, and education for 
AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
  And so, Mr. Chairman, let us be clear. Since its discovery 2 decades 
ago, more than 18 million Africans have died of AIDS out of 25 million 
cases worldwide. Most of the African Americans in this Congress, who 
happen to be in the minority party, are supporting the Kilpatrick 
amendment.

                              {time}  1745

  A few moments ago we heard members of the Committee on Ways and Means 
come to this floor and talk about respecting each other, respecting 
people's perspective and respecting their homeland. Certainly when some 
of my other colleagues come to the floor and offer great testimonies 
about where their ancestors are from and what the Congress should be 
doing to offer help for their areas, we tend to listen and give 
deference to those Members of Congress. The Congressional Black Caucus 
is supporting the gentlewoman from Michigan's amendment, those of us 
who are descendants of Africa; so are we asking too much to ask our 
colleagues to shift resources from one untested account to a tested 
account that we are confident can make a difference in the lives of 
people that we care so dearly and so much about, or are we to be told 
what the fiscal responsibility of Congress is as it relates to foreign 
operations?
  Mr. Chairman, the gentlewoman is offering an amendment that is in 
order, that has been ruled in order by the Committee on Rules, and I 
would encourage my colleagues to support this amendment because it 
makes sense for Africa.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment, and I am 
going to repeat a point which the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman 
Kolbe) has already made and that is yes, the President has repeatedly 
said $15 billion over 5 years, but he has also made the point 
repeatedly that the first year of that program as we ramp up will be $2 
billion, and that is what is in this bill.
  Let me make another point. As we throw around the argument in this 
Chamber that we will have only three countries qualified for the 
Millennium Challenge Account, I am reminded that initially in the 
argument over the African Growth and Opportunity Act there was the 
argument that not that many countries would qualify. If we look at the 
results, there are either 38 or 39 countries today that qualify under 
the African Growth and Opportunity Act out of those 48 sub-Saharan 
African governments. So what we have seen is a reform, a series of 
reforms. We have seen more and more countries qualify as we move 
forward. So I do not think we should assume coming out of the gate that 
because an NGO argues we think it is only going to be three that that 
is necessarily the case. I do not believe that.
  I appreciate the gentlewoman's intent with this amendment. I chair 
the Subcommittee on Africa, and I think she and others are right. I 
think HIV/AIDS is ravaging many parts of the African continent, and I 
have seen its devastating impact there, and I think this pandemic is 
starting to ravage other regions of the world as well. So HIV/AIDS is a 
great challenge for Africa and is a great challenge for the world.
  As the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) has noted, the House 
has provided over $2 billion this year for fighting HIV/AIDS and 
related diseases and we will ramp up in that commitment over the next 
few years, and this is more than we have ever provided before, as it 
should be.
  But we need to be clear on another point. HIV/AIDS prevention and 
treatment programs are not done in a vacuum. Other efforts to combat 
HIV/AIDS cannot be effective if African and other developing countries 
do not have roads or electricity or if family members do not have jobs, 
if poverty remains widespread. So we need to use our limited resources 
to combat HIV/AIDS and to promote economic development, and our 
approach to Africa and the developing world must be comprehensive. 
Africa's many problems are, in fact, interrelated.
  The Millennium Challenge Account is the most innovative approach to 
development aid in years. Its approach of identifying and aiding those 
countries committed to economic development promises to ensure that our 
resources actually make a difference in promoting development in Africa 
and elsewhere and it promises to help create the conditions that allow 
for a more effective attack on HIV/AIDS.
  Last week the House passed legislation authorizing $1.3 billion for 
the Millennium Challenge Account for the upcoming fiscal year. That 
bill won strong bipartisan support. The bill that we are considering 
today appropriates $800 million. If we are serious about the Millennium 
Challenge Account, if we are serious about the most innovative approach 
to development aid in years, we should go no lower with its 
appropriation level. Those of my colleagues skeptical of development 
aid, and the track record for many development aid programs is not 
good, should view the Millennium Challenge Account as a critical 
undertaking. It promises to revolutionize the business of development 
aid. By defeating this amendment, we are supporting a promising 
departure from the past, and I ask my colleagues to defeat this 
amendment.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Today I rise in support of this amendment, and I would also at this 
point like to thank the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick) for 
introducing it and also for her very bold and committed leadership and 
her very hard work over the years in trying to ensure that we increase 
the level of assistance to help combat HIV and AIDS. We could not do it 
without her. We authorize, she appropriates. And she certainly has 
taken lead to ensure that millions of people in Africa have hope. I 
thank her.
  Over the past 2 months, in fact, it was about 2 months ago, the 
President of the United States signed into law H.R. 1298, the United 
States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 
2003. This piece of legislation, which passed the House overwhelmingly 
last May, provides $15 billion over 5 years. That is $3 billion a year, 
which is still not enough but that is all that we could negotiate, for 
global AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria programs in the developing 
world, especially in Africa and the Caribbean.
  Two weeks ago the President took this promise of money to the 
continent of Africa where he attempted to trumpet the compassionate 
side of United States foreign policy. For the most part, he was warmly 
welcomed by people who believe and expect that when the United States 
makes a promise to tackle a problem, particularly something as 
devastating as HIV and AIDS, which of course Secretary of State Colin 
Powell has repeatedly described as a greater threat than terrorism, 
people believe that we will follow through on our commitment.
  Unfortunately, that has not been the case so far, and I was very 
surprised

[[Page 19206]]

and taken aback last week when I learned of a letter forwarded to the 
gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) from the White House asking him 
to keep the overall funding for global AIDS at $2 billion, specifically 
mentioned that the Global AIDS Fund should only receive $200 million 
this year. Actually it was $200 million less than what was in the bill, 
so thankfully I am glad that the committee did not heed this particular 
advice.
  But meanwhile let me just say in Paris, France we learned that our 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, was at the 
global AIDS meeting. He of course serves as Chair of the Executive 
Board of the Global Fund, and he was attempting to solicit greater 
contributions for that organization from other donor nations, which is 
a good thing, but we are leading the way.
  Let me just ask my colleagues what kind of message do these two 
actions really send to the rest of the world? Clearly, the 
administration's financial commitment to this issue does not match its 
rhetoric. Let me just quote the President's own words when he was in 
Nigeria on July 12. The President said, ``This week a committee of the 
House of Representatives took an important step to fund the first year 
of the authorization bill. The House of Representatives and the United 
States Senate must fully fund this initiative for the good of the 
people on this continent of Africa.'' The President said that in 
Africa. So today we are left to work with the foreign ops appropriation 
bill that is woefully underfunded coming in at even $1.8 billion less 
than the President requested way back in February. Unfortunately, this 
means that a variety of valuable foreign aid programs must compete for 
the same pot of money, including foreign aid initiatives that the 
President considers to be his own. This scenario could have been 
avoided really if the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. Lowey) which provided an extra $1 billion in global AIDS 
funding by way of an emergency designation in this bill had been 
approved in committee last night, if the Committee on Rules had made 
the amendments in order. Ever since the subcommittee allocations came 
out, we knew that we were likely to face a $1 billion funding shortfall 
for our global AIDS programs. That is why about 2 weeks ago 115 of our 
colleagues joined in sending a letter to the President, urging him to 
formally request an emergency supplemental appropriations of $1 billion 
for our global AIDS program so that we could avoid any potential cuts 
to any other foreign aid programs. So we sent this communication.
  I am still hopeful that the President will move to save millions of 
lives in Africa with the same kind of zeal that he has displayed 
earlier in pushing through tax cuts and in pursuing the invasion of 
Iraq. But in the meantime we must also do what we can to ensure that 
the promises made by the United States Government towards the people of 
Africa and the Caribbean are lived up to.
  Mr. Chairman, let me ask that we support the Kilpatrick amendment. 
The need for increased funding for HIV and AIDS is now. These 
additional funds can be spent to save lives, and we need to put this 
money into the account right now. I hope that the Members have heard 
the cry of the Congressional Black Caucus today.
  As you know the amendment before us would transfer $300 million from 
the Millennium Challenge Account to our bilateral AIDS programs within 
the Child Survival and Health Account of the Foreign Operations bill. 
This would reduce the overall funding level for MCA to $500 million, 
while boosting funding for our Global AIDS programs within this bill to 
$1.73 billion.
  As a co-sponsor and a strong supporter of the Millennium Challenge 
Account legislation that we passed last week, I had to make a difficult 
decision as to whether we could justifiably pull $300 million away from 
the initiative without jeopardizing its ability to get off the ground 
in its first year of operation.
  After careful consideration of the likely timing for the enactment of 
the MCA, the need to operationalize the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation, and future funding disbursements, as well as the urgency 
of the Global AIDS pandemic, I believe that this amendment is an 
acceptable tradeoff.
  Nonetheless, this kind of practice is not something we can engage 
upon year to year. The administration must back up its so called 
Presidential initiatives with more than just rhetoric. It must provide 
the funding. Otherwise, the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the 
Millennium Challenge Account, and our other initiatives will be nothing 
more than empty promises. The need for increased funding for HIV/AIDS 
is now. The additional funds can be spent to save lives immediately.
  I hope that you will support this amendment.
  Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite 
number of words.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to salute the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman 
Kolbe) for his great work on the foreign operations bill. I know it is 
a difficult task which he undertakes, and I want to commend him for the 
hard work and effort he has put in.
  I rise in opposition to this amendment, not because I think any less 
of the HIV fund. I do not. I care about it passionately. But I rise in 
opposition because I think so very much of the Millennium Challenge 
Account and the hope that it offers.
  Let me relate to the Members briefly an experience that I had not so 
many months ago. I had the great privilege of being an election 
observer in Kenya this past December. As some of my colleagues know, 
Kenya is a country I care about deeply. I once taught high school in 
Kenya and worked in an undeveloped region of that country. In the days 
right after the election when the new government was sworn in, a 
representative of that government in an interview was asked what his 
highest priorities would be, and he said that one of the first things 
he wanted to do was to try to determine what Kenya had to do to qualify 
for the Millennium Challenge Account. And I was overwhelmed by that. 
That is the answer. The answer to the problems in Africa and the 
underdeveloped world is for us to stand side by side with those 
countries that are embracing the values of fighting corruption, of 
commitment to education, of commitment to women's health, and that is 
what the Millennium Challenge Account is all about.
  We heard just a few moments ago that the Millennium Challenge Account 
is no Marshall Plan, and I agree. Of course it is no Marshall Plan, but 
I say respectfully that it just may be the single most important 
development in foreign assistance that we have seen in years, because 
what it does is it stands by countries that are willing to take on 
their problems. It makes money available for basic education. It makes 
money available for health care, for building clinics which will serve 
some of the very same people that we all in this body want to help with 
the HIV/AIDS fund. And it rewards countries that are committed to 
anticorruption.
  Just as importantly, it will create a new constituency for foreign 
assistance in this country because it is accountable foreign 
assistance. It is transparent foreign assistance. It asks for 
accountability. It demands results. It requires that countries that 
want to tap into this fund take certain steps themselves to show their 
commitment.

                              {time}  1800

  That, to me, is a wonderful, wonderful development.
  So, Mr. Chairman, I believe that we need to support the Millennium 
Challenge Account, because the Millennium Challenge Account is the hope 
for the future that we all have for those of us on both sides of the 
aisle who care so passionately about the plight of people, of everyday 
people, in countries like Kenya and Uganda and throughout the African 
continent.
  Now, it is true that in the first year only a few countries may 
qualify, but it is by design. This is not meant to be something that 
every country can qualify for. But what it is is a direction in which 
countries can move; and that, to me, is the hope that we have in 
foreign assistance, creating clear objectives, setting out those 
principles that we wish to reinforce and reinvigorate.
  To wrap up, I do believe that HIV/AIDS funds are important, and I am 
disappointed that we are not doing more. But, please, do not take money

[[Page 19207]]

from the Millennium Challenge Account. It is so vitally important to 
American policy. More importantly, it is so vitally important to the 
future of Africa and so many places in this world that have been 
ignored and left out for all too long.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite 
number of words.
  Mr. Chairman, we do not want to take money from the Millennium 
Challenge Account, but the reality is we are arguing that the money be 
spent in a higher priority.
  We appreciate the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick) making 
this amendment, bringing it to the floor. There is no higher priority 
right now for the United States.
  Many of us would hope that the Nation with the greatest wealth and 
power in the world would become the Nation of the greatest generosity. 
We may not be the most generous; but certainly if we do not rise to 
this challenge, then we will be indicted by the rest of the world, and 
rightfully so. We do not have the time to wait for another year.
  We know what is happening around the world. We know that every single 
day 15,000 more people are being infected with HIV, and it is growing. 
We know that 22 million people have lost their lives, over 36 million 
people are living with HIV/AIDS, and only 2 percent of them have access 
to life-prolonging therapies or basic treatment.
  Most troubling is what is happening to the children of the world, 
particularly the children in Africa. I know that the gentleman from 
Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) was deeply moved in Ethiopia, for example, 
when we went to the school that is run by nuns and saw the number of 
children, and realized that all of those children, before they become 
adults, they are going to join their classmates in the graveyard up the 
mountain. The nuns would tell us each morning there would be children 
delivered by parents to the door of this school, some by parents, some 
by sanitation workers, and those delivered by sanitation workers would 
be children who had lost their limbs because they were thrown into a 
dumpster, it was known there was no hope for them, and the dogs had 
gotten to them. These are things we cannot even imagine in this country 
of such wealth and prosperity, with such a high standard of living. But 
do we not have some responsibility when we can afford to do something 
better?
  We are very good at promising the rest of the world what we are going 
to do for them. The President has made many promises. He certainly did 
on his trip to Africa. Repeatedly he touted the fact he was going to 
spend $15 billion over the next 5 years on AIDS.
  I did not hear $2 billion; I heard $15 billion. I know in the minds 
of the people who heard that, they heard $3 billion a year, $15 billion 
divided by five. Somehow they got some hope that we realize what is 
happening to them, that we realize that 60 million Africans are either 
living with HIV, have died of AIDS, or lost a parent to AIDS.
  We are their source of hope. And while it is important to tell people 
what we are going to do for them, it is even more important to do what 
we say. And we know they expect us to deliver, because we have the 
capacity to deliver.
  It is heartbreaking what AIDS has done to the continent of Africa, to 
Asia, throughout the world really. And if the only argument that 
succeeds today is one of security, AIDS is a global crisis that 
threatens the security of every government and every nation, including 
the United States. It has destroyed societies, destabilized 
governments, and certainly has the potential to topple democracies. 
Many militaries are infected throughout the world with AIDS, and they 
are infecting the population.
  We are the ones who have to take the lead, the lead role. We take the 
lead role from a military standpoint, and we are very successful. The 
excellence of our military is unquestioned. But should we also not take 
the lead role in being the most moral country and using our resources 
to make a difference? And where else could we make such an enormous, 
profound difference than investing and saving the lives of people, in 
changing this fact, that 40 million more children will become orphans 
in this decade?
  That will happen, if we do not stop it. We can stop it from happening 
by acting today. We have no more time; we have no excuses. The 
Kilpatrick amendment should be funded.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Kilpatrick amendment to add $300 
million for global HIV/AIDS programs. I thank the gentlewoman for 
persevering, despite the fact that the committee did not do what it 
should have done in moving forward to get this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like to explain to my colleagues what it is 
like to be African American in this Congress and have to fight, 
scratch, and claw for everything that we get, domestically and 
internationally.
  Mr. Chairman, to be African American in the Congress of the United 
States and to watch the carnage in Liberia, to watch the children who 
lost limbs in Sierra Leone, to have watched the genocide up in Rwanda, 
with 800,000 bodies floating down the river, to watch a continent in 
trouble, not too many years away from just having attained 
independence, and a long way to go to perfect this thing called 
democracy; to watch them struggle; to see the men and women who die and 
the children, and have to come to this Congress and beg my colleagues 
to just do the right thing is not easy. It would be easier, Mr. 
Chairman, to just walk away and to say, I am tired of trying to 
convince my colleagues who claim to be about the same business that I 
am about: humanitarian efforts for the world.
  It is very difficult. But we continue to do this because we must do 
it. If we do not do it, nobody else will do it for us.
  So we are here today begging for $300 million to help fulfill the 
commitment that this President made for $15 billion over the next 5 
years to deal with the pandemic in Africa.
  We have got colleagues and Members who travel to Africa all the time. 
They come back from a CODEL and they tell us what they have seen and 
what they have heard and how they have gone to some clinic and how they 
have seen dying and starving children. But then, when they reach the 
Congress of the United States, they are willing to forget what they 
have seen and not to remember what they experienced and to do some kind 
of political maneuvering and compromising to hold back on the promises 
that they have made and the words that they have spoken.
  Mr. Chairman, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is having a devastating impact on 
Africa and the world. Over 60 million people have been infected by the 
AIDS virus since the beginning of the epidemic, and 42 million people 
are currently living with this dreadful disease. In sub-Saharan Africa, 
more than 29 million people are living with the AIDS virus, 4 million 
of whom are in desperate need of treatment.
  The HIV/AIDS epidemic has already curtailed the economic development 
of many countries in Africa. AIDS is responsible for shortages of 
skilled workers and teachers, high rates of absenteeism and labor 
turnover, and the death of workers and managers throughout business and 
government. Teachers and other skilled workers can be very difficult to 
replace. Tragically, in some parts of Africa, employers even find it 
necessary to hire two workers for every job opening because they expect 
one of them to die of AIDS.
  On May 1, 2003, the House passed H.R. 1298, the global AIDS bill, 
which authorizes appropriations of $3 billion per year over 5 years for 
global HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention efforts. This bill, which is 
critically needed and long overdue, was signed into law by the 
President on May 27.
  Unfortunately, the foreign operations appropriations bill for fiscal 
year 2004 does not fully fund the global AIDS bill. This bill includes 
only $1.4 billion for global AIDS programs. An additional $644 million 
was included in the labor-HHS appropriations bill, bringing

[[Page 19208]]

the total funding for global AIDS programs to $2 billion, not the $3 
billion that is authorized for fiscal year 2004.
  Mr. Chairman, HIV/AIDS has taken the lives of over 3 million people 
and newly infected 5 million more in the last year. The President and 
the Congress promised the world community that we would spend $3 
billion per year to fight this devastating disease.
  Mr. Chairman, I am tired of scratching. I am tired of begging. I am 
tired of trying to have to leverage everything possible. But I am going 
to continue to do it, along with my colleagues, because fair is fair. 
We need the money. Our people are dying. We ask you to simply do the 
right thing
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, in 1985 and 1986, Abbott Laboratories and others 
invented the AIDS test. It was our first look at the kind of less 
expensive ways to find the proteins that identified the HIV virus. In 
an unprecedented donation by private industry, Abbott and others 
donated the test to the World Health Organization that looked at 
whether the popular wisdom at the time was correct: Was this a Haitian-
New York-San Francisco epidemic, or was this something else?
  I received a phone call as a staffer for John Porter in this House 
giving me the first results of what the test showed. The indications 
from the Central Hospital in Kinshasa, Zaire, showed a 10 percent 
serial positive rate, which indicated that this was not a Haitian-San 
Francisco-New York epidemic. It was an African epidemic and had been 
going on for quite some time to get serial positive rates at that 
level.
  We reached out across the aisle to Congressman Bob Mrazek of Long 
Island, and John Porter and Bob Mrazek came together to say we should 
earmark a disease fund, the first ever in the foreign operations bill, 
to fight AIDS.
  Initially the leaders of the committee at the time fought us and said 
it would be over their dead body that we would start this program. So 
we arranged that. And to their credit, the leaders of the committee 
changed their minds. The Global AIDS Program was born in 1987 with an 
appropriation of $30 million. It is one of the proudest things I ever 
did as a congressional staffer working for John Porter.
  Since that time, the program grew considerably. I ran several 
hearings for this House on the Committee on International Relations, 
sometimes begging Members to actually come to hear the progress of our 
fight against AIDS, to hear Dr. Jonathan Mann, the legendary first 
director of the Global Program on AIDS.

                              {time}  1815

  He had run the Harvard School of Public Health, and he and his wife 
had really set the whole parameters for this battle in 1988 and 1989. 
We mourn the loss of Dr. Mann. He was killed when the Swiss Air 
explosion happened. And Dr. Peter Piot picked up where he left off to 
continue this battle.
  Well, it is, as they say, long work in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, long 
years until we suddenly became an overnight sensation. And now the 
appropriations for this program have exploded. I could not be happier 
to see hundreds of millions of dollars spent on this program, which 
started out with such small appropriations at the beginning.
  Now look at what our United States Congress has done with bipartisan 
leadership. We can see, starting from 1999 at under $200 million, a 
steady step up in appropriations, in this appropriations bill now 
totaling, with a 31 percent increase this year, at over $1.2 billion. 
It is very important that these appropriations increase; and it is very 
important that we provide more resources because, remember, under the 
enabling law that now governs this program, half of the resources go to 
treatment. But remember what that commitment is. We are making a 
commitment to treat people with HIV, and that means that they will 
depend on us, long term, for their survival. Once we make that 
commitment to their treatment, we cannot back out, because their lives 
are at stake.
  If my colleagues are as experienced as I in watching government-
appropriated programs, my colleagues know that we face a danger. If we 
spend money too quickly, too fast, we open ourselves to what I would 
call the fleecing-of-America danger, a GAO audit which undermines the 
political support for this program. And if the support for this program 
is undermined because some contractor in some country has irresponsibly 
spent money, lives could be lost.
  It is very important here that we honor the commitment in a steady, 
well-run way to take care of these patients, and we ramp up the program 
in a very responsible way so that each patient the United States takes 
responsibility for is one that we will maintain and honor that 
responsibility for. Think of what happens if we pull the plug on that 
patient. They die. And so in ramping up the appropriations in a 
responsible way, we honor that commitment, and for those that we make 
the commitment to care for, we will care for.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge support for the committee bill and for this 
responsible spending profile.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite 
number of words.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Kilpatrick amendment to 
increase HIV/AIDS funding for Africa. I am very pleased that the 
committee has seen fit to have already included a total of $1.43 
billion in global assistance to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and 
malaria.
  However, this amendment, and in many ways, it is a meager amendment, 
will allow another $300 million to be added to the funding as a way to 
get closer to the fulfilling of our country's promise of providing $3 
billion in funding for HIV/AIDS in 2004.
  According to the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS, more than 70 million 
people have already become infected since the outbreak of the disease, 
with an estimated 5 million new cases this year. The estimated 70 
million people infected stretches across borders. They do not stop at 
three countries or five countries or 10 countries. No, they include all 
of the countries, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic 
status.
  Eastern Europe and Central Asia now have the world's fastest growing 
HIV/AIDS epidemic. In Africa, six southern nations are facing famine 
because of the combination of drought and a dramatic decrease in the 
labor force due to being infected with HIV. Due to these horrific 
conditions, without work or food, there has been an increase of sex 
being used to obtain money and food. The Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS 
also mentions that if an estimated $10.5 billion is spent each year by 
2005, then approximately 29 million new infections could be prevented. 
We need to support the international programs that have been 
established and that are working.
  In the President's recent trip to Africa, he continuously repeated 
America's promise of $3 billion per year. Yet our Congress, under this 
appropriations bill and the labor-HHS appropriations, is only 
appropriating less than $2 billion.
  Mr. Chairman, an estimated 3 million people will die from HIV/AIDS 
this year. This gives no doubt that the great need for additional 
assistance is necessary.
  The time is not now to plunder and wonder or talk about what could 
possibly happen if we are spending too fast. I would say to my 
colleagues who worry about spending too fast that people are dying too 
fast. I would much rather be a part of the spending than be a part of 
the dying.
  Let us support the Kilpatrick amendment.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I just want to make it clear 
that these are the countries that are likely to qualify for the 
Millennium Challenge Account: Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, Senegal, South 
Africa, and Swaziland. But the 14 hardest hit countries that are not 
likely to qualify are Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, 
Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda,

[[Page 19209]]

and Zambia and are not likely to qualify at a time when the hardest-hit 
countries need these resources.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for making 
that point.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite 
number of words.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to lend my strong support for the Kilpatrick 
amendment of the fiscal year 2004 foreign operations appropriations 
bill. This proposal to provide an additional $300 million in funding 
for HIV/AIDS is critical, prudent, and timely.
  The United States of America has the opportunity to show both the 
resources and action and commitment to tackling the AIDS crisis on a 
global scale. As has been stated, an estimated 42 million people 
worldwide are currently living with the AIDS virus. Last year alone, 
over 3 million people died from AIDS, and another 5 million were newly 
infected. In selected countries on the African continent, AIDS will 
kill, kill one in two young people. Other regions of the world have 
been hit hard from AIDS as well. In fact, AIDS is the leading cause of 
death in many Latin American and Caribbean countries, with 2 million 
people living with HIV. Over 7 million people in Asia and the Pacific 
are living with HIV. There is no denying the immediate need for 
additional HIV/AIDS assistance.
  This international killer is indiscriminate in its targets. It 
respects no geographical boundaries and heeds to no race, no age, and 
no religion. AIDS has become the number one killer in communities 
throughout the world; and we must attack it with the precision, the 
determination, and the coordination it requires.
  This proposed injection of new funds is offset by using funds 
budgeted for the Millennium Challenge Account. We have an opportunity 
to put much-needed and available funds toward a dire and critical need.
  Mr. Chairman, I have heard from some of my friends on the other side 
of the aisle who are opposing this, they say that this will weaken MCA. 
I am convinced that when we look at this new foreign assistance 
initiative that has yet to be signed into law, that once the President, 
once it is signed into law, he will have to appoint a CEO with the 
consent of the Senate, he will have to hire 150 to 200 employees, there 
will be countries that have to be selected and proposals that will have 
to be reviewed and approved before any money starts flowing, which will 
probably not be until next spring. This amendment would leave $500 
million to fund this new initiative, more than enough money to get the 
program operating and to fund proposals from eligible countries.
  I firmly believe that we can today make a bold and creative statement 
about both our judgment and our commitment to the global AIDS crisis by 
taking this bold and creative step. We must show the courage to make 
decisions and the wisdom to spend money where it is needed and spend it 
now. There are programs on the ground, up and running, ready to engage 
the struggle against this disease. There are troopers on the front 
lines of the HIV/AIDS battle and they need our assistance, cooperation, 
support, and the funds. We should not let even the slightest 
opportunity slip by where we could have provided ammunition against 
this dreaded disease.
  Mr. Chairman, we stand for a lot in America. We spend almost $4 
billion a month fighting a war, and we talk about we want to make a 
difference in lives. Here is a chance for America to take the lead, to 
bring folks together and to say we are going to put our money where our 
mouths are. We are going to make sure that we save these lives. These 
lives. Because when we talk about trying to fight dictators and we talk 
about changing dictators, we want to change them because they are 
killing people.
  Well, this dreaded disease is killing people quicker than any 
dictator. We have the opportunity, if we only have the will, to put our 
money where our mouths are, and with this small $300 million, to say 
that we are going to make sure that we eradicate AIDS wherever it may 
raise its ugly head. Let us not just speak with words. Let us speak 
with deeds, deeds that can be heard around the world. Because if not, 
sometimes people say, for whom does the bell toll, and this is the 
boomerang. So for whom does the bell toll? It tolls for thee, if we do 
not wake up.

                              {time}  1830

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I stand in support of the Kilpatrick amendment. I just 
want to remind Members that we spent $4 billion monthly to rebuild Iraq 
and we are quibbling over $300 million to rebuild the lives of people 
who surely need them.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. 
Kilpatrick).
  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Watson) for yielding to me.
  This has been an excellent discussion as we talk about saving lives. 
There will be $500 million in the Millennium Challenge Account to 
implement for up to 12 countries, 74 of the poorest countries, the 
Millennium Challenge Account will probably address 12 of those, and we 
are happy for that.
  People are dying today. That is why we are here offering this 
amendment for $300 million to put into the pandemic that is around the 
world, centered in Africa. The epicenter is moving to India, Asia, the 
Pacific, the Caribbean, Latin America. What better time than now to 
stand up?
  Our President said 2 weeks ago that this House and this Senate must 
fully fund this initiative, $15 billion over 5 years. Unfortunately, 
this bill does not do that, does not recommend, does not fund $3 
billion, and this Congress and America now knows that the deficit for 
America for this year will be $455 billion at least, some predict will 
be more than that.
  The time is now. We must fund this initiative now. I thank all of my 
colleagues who are speaking out in support of this to save lives. 
Children are dying every day. People are dying every day.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to urge all of my colleagues to support this 
very important amendment being offered today by the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick). It increases funding for the global HIV/AIDS 
program by $300 million.
  Mr. Chairman, just 6 months ago in his State of the Union Address, 
the President committed to $15 billion in foreign assistance, spending 
over 5 years to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. On May 1 this House 
authorized this funding level by an overwhelming margin, 375 to 41. And 
then during his recent trip to Africa, the President repeatedly 
stressed his commitment to fight the disease on that continent and 
elsewhere around the world. Regrettably, the amount provided in this 
bill falls far short of the $3 billion necessary to begin making good 
on our President's commitment, on our commitment, 375 to 41.
  Mr. Chairman, the problem of HIV/AIDS is especially acute on the 
continent of Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 30 
million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Let me repeat that, 30 million 
people.
  Is there any doubt that if 30 million people in America were 
suffering, were at risk of losing their lives, were posing the 
incredible economic impact on our country that HIV/AIDS sufferers pose 
to America, is there any doubt that we would pass at least this $300 
million? Put another way, while the African continent accounts for only 
about 10 percent of the world's population, more than 70 percent of the 
worldwide total of infected people reside in Africa. And there are 
11,000 new infections in Africa every single day, 11,000 additional 
infected people every day.
  Mr. Chairman, recently I had the opportunity to travel to South 
Africa and saw firsthand the extent of this pandemic, the challenges 
facing African countries as they battle this scourge, and the dire need 
for assistance to implement prevention programs and to

[[Page 19210]]

provide treatment for those already infected. We are at a critical 
stage in the global war against HIV/AIDS. The human toll is difficult 
to fathom. The number of deaths worldwide is expected to double from 
last year's estimate of over just 5 million people, double-plus to 
nearly 12 million next year. In one year, an additional 7 million 
people.
  We ignore the political implications, Mr. Chairman, at our own peril. 
Without doubt this is a national security issue because this scourge 
only foments instability and unrest.
  As Secretary of State Colin Powell has stated, ``No war on the face 
of the Earth,'' Colin Powell said, ``is more destructive than the AIDS 
pandemic.'' He went on to say, ``I was a soldier but I know of no enemy 
in war more insidious or vicious than AIDS. Will history record a 
fateful moment in our time, on our watch, when action came too late?''
  Today, Mr. Chairman, we must answer that question with an emphatic no 
and heed the urgent call to action. We can answer that question with an 
emphatic no by an emphatic yes on this amendment. I urge my colleagues, 
not just for the people of Africa, not just for the people of the 
developing world who are more at risk for more health trauma than we 
are here, but for those of us here and our children and their children 
as we so dramatically learned in the SARS challenge. There are no 
national borders. There are no oceans wide enough to protect us, to 
insulate us. It is only in curing those who are afflicted that we can 
save ourselves. Vote yes on the Kilpatrick amendment.
  Mr. WYNN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Kilpatrick amendment to 
provide an additional $3 million in funding to combat the AIDS/HIV 
pandemic. I also want to take a moment to commend my colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick), for her outstanding 
leadership on this issue.
  I will acknowledge that the Millennium Challenge Account is 
important, but the HIV/AIDS pandemic is lethal and therefore must have 
a higher priority. I would also note that we are not attempting to take 
all the money from the Millennium Challenge Account. We leave a 
substantial amount and we are only asking for a mere $300 million to 
fulfill a commitment that this President has made and, by extension, 
that this country has made.
  Millions of people are dying. We are the world's only superpower. If 
we were serious about addressing the problems of this planet, about 
creating a better world, about ending human suffering, then we must 
proactively combat the HIV/AIDS problem.
  Last year more than 3 million people died from the virus. There are 
currently 42 million people infected. It is the greatest humanitarian 
crisis of our time. HIV/AIDS contributes to decreased economic growth 
by often killing the most productive members of society, young adults. 
Further, it is estimated that more than 14 million children will become 
orphans, a figure that could triple by the year 2010.
  If nothing is done, Africa will continue to struggle economically and 
we will continue to see unstable regions throughout the continent, 
fertile conditions for terrorism.
  In fact, recent reports from the World Bank show that the continuance 
of the AIDS epidemic in Africa dramatically will reduce economic 
growth, perhaps to the point of economic collapse. Millennium Challenge 
Funds will be for naught if we do not effectively address the AIDS 
crisis.
  The education of youth in Africa and around the world is essential 
for the development of African countries. Unfortunately, the virus is a 
huge obstacle that prevents young people from getting an education. 
Some are infected by the virus and die. However, many others are forced 
to take care of their younger siblings when their parents become ill 
and die. A vicous cycle is created in terms of a lack of education 
caused by the devastation of the disease.
  President George Bush returned from Africa after making a host of 
commitments and promises that included a plan that calls for $3 billion 
in HIV/AIDS funding for this year. This bill falls $1 billion short of 
that $3 billion commitment. It is, therefore, imperative that we act 
now to increase funding for HIV/AIDS to act now. Failing to provide 
adequate funding for HIV/AIDS will only result in more devastation. The 
greatness of America will not be judged by the extent of our material 
wealth, but rather by the extent of our compassion and our actions 
today to end human suffering.
  I urge support of the Kilpatrick amendment.
  Mr. WATT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Kilpatrick amendment, in 
strong support of it in fact. I cannot think of many occasions when I 
have had more phone calls than following the President's State of the 
Union Address and letters from people throughout my Congressional 
district, some of them Republicans and Democrats, applauding the fact 
that the President was finally beginning, it appeared, to take some 
steps to live out or live up to his commitment to be a compassionate 
conservative.
  My response to them was, well, I am also delighted by the statements 
that the President made in his State of the Union Address about making 
a substantial commitment to fight HIV and AIDS, but we should be not 
too effervescent about this because I had seen by that time a President 
who had gotten all of the rhetorical benefit out of making a pledge to 
leave no child behind, and I had seen this House coalesce, Republicans 
and Democrats alike, around that commitment to leave no child behind 
and to pass an authorization bill only to find the President come back 
in the next round appropriations or budget round and not put money into 
his budget to honor the commitment that had been made.
  I expressed concern to my constituents who called that the same thing 
could occur with respect to the commitment to HIV and AIDS. I never 
really expected that to happen, but if you look at what is happening 
now, the exact same thing seems to have happened. We have gotten a 
statement of commitment from the President for a $15 billion fund over 
5 years. We have gotten an authorization passed by a bipartisan 
coalition in this House to that $15 billion, and now the gamesmanship 
starts to be played because straight out of the chute the commitment is 
not being funded at the level at which it was made.
  Now, I am a big supporter of the Millennium Challenge Fund, and so it 
is not an easy vote to talk about taking money from the Millennium 
Challenge Account and transferring it to this purpose. But I do 
understand that if we do not do this up front and now, we will be 
paying more later and more people will be dying later.
  I am told that by spending $3 billion in 2004 and 2005, the U.S. can 
prevent an additional 2.3 million people from contracting the HIV virus 
in those 2 years alone, which means that the U.S. will save 
approximately $1.3 billion per year on the anti-retroviral therapies 
those individuals would eventually require for their treatment. So even 
if one looks at this as a business proposition rather than as a 
compassion proposition, spending money early to save money later is 
kind of like making a commitment to preventative medicine as opposed to 
reactive treatment, a last ditch method, which is not uncharacteristic 
of our policies in this country but I think is very short-sighted on 
our part.
  Congress has passed the authorization, but the public should know 
that an authorization means absolutely nothing without money 
appropriated to fund what has been authorized. I think we have got to 
live up to it. I encourage my colleagues to support the Kilpatrick 
amendment as an important step in that direction.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the 
requisite number of words.
  Mr. Chairman, as we are debating on the floor of the House the war in 
Liberia is raging and lives are being lost.

[[Page 19211]]



                              {time}  1845

  The Congo is in political and war conflict. Lives are being lost in 
Ethiopia and Eritrea in that region as relates to the famine; and many, 
many conflicts are matched with the devastation of HIV/AIDS.
  Although the heads of state of the various nations of Africa would 
want me also to talk about the vibrant people, the culture, the 
intellect, which I celebrate, I think today is important on being 
serious, focused, and deadly committed.
  I applaud the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick) for being so 
committed, for realizing that we are in a crisis, and whether or not it 
is uncomfortable to move with an amendment that challenges the 
Millennium Challenge Account, it is an absolute necessity.
  Let me also include my appreciation and support for the Jackson 
amendment that focused on debt relief, dollars to the Congo, moneys 
with respect to child survival accounts, and as well dealing with the 
crisis that we face. Rome is on fire, maybe not literally, but I cannot 
take promises to the bank. We cannot eat promises as the famine is 
raging. Mothers who are transmitting HIV to babies cannot stop the 
transmission with promises.
  All of us have gone to the floor and said that we are supporters of 
the Millennium Challenge Account because the concept is meaningful, but 
the gentlewoman makes a point. The program is authorized, but not up 
and running. Five hundred million will be left even after the $300 
million is subtracted; and if we take the President at his word on July 
12, 2003, just a week or so ago, this week a committee of the House of 
Representatives, the President's words, took an important step to fund 
the first year of the authorization bill, $3 billion. The House of 
Representatives and the United States Senate must fully fund this 
initiative for the good of the people on this continent of Africa. 
These are not my words. These are the words of the President of the 
United States, in a continent that is ravaged with the devastation of 
AIDS; and he said it just a little over a week ago, and he said it to 
people who are in need, who are basically on their knees.
  Frankly, I am in great disagreement that the President has not yet 
acted on Liberia, a completely different story from Iraq. The Liberian 
people are begging for the President's assistance or the American 
people's assistance, peacekeeping and humanitarian troops. How can we 
make our promises and be considered of substance if we do not support 
the gentlewoman's amendment and the Jackson amendment?
  Clearly, if we are going to only fund three nations out of the whole 
continent that the Millennium Challenge at this point can seem to 
address their needs, then why not address the needs right now of the $3 
billion that we need for HIV/AIDS?
  Mr. Chairman, we can say many things today; but the truth is that 
Africa, the continent, is the poorest region of the world, contains the 
majority of the world's poorest countries, and none of us have 
experienced the kind of poverty where one in three people do not get 
enough to eat in spite of the fight we have for many of our urban 
districts. We are talking about a compounded continent that has issues 
of famine, along with issues of health, along with issues of housing, 
along with issues of water, along with issues of various other diseases 
like malaria and tuberculosis who are asking for relief today, and $300 
million is fair; and I cannot imagine why my friends on the other side 
of the aisle can stand with a straight face and say that we have done 
all that we can do in making good on the President's promise.
  Today, I do not challenge the President's commitment. I believe the 
Millennium Challenge has very good intentions, and there are 
constituents of mine who want to work with that particular account; but 
we cannot with a straight face accept the mandate of the President and 
not vote for the gentlewoman's amendment and the Jackson amendment.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number 
of words.
  Mr. Chairman, I too join my colleagues in support of the amendment of 
my colleague from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick) to increase funding for 
bilateral assistance for HIV/AIDS under the child survival and health 
programs account by $300 million. It is time for this Congress to step 
up to the plate and come through with this important pledge to the 
developing world.
  Mr. Chairman, the President's AIDS initiative grew out of the efforts 
of the AIDS community, the faith-based groups and the Congressional 
Black Caucus, all of whom sent letters to the President urging him to 
announce the initiative that he did in January of this year.
  We have been long pushing for more funding on this issue and for the 
plight of Africans. Currently, 29.4 million are infected; 2.4 million 
Africans died last year. There are 3.5 million newly infected. The 
Caribbean, where my district is located, is second only to sub-Saharan 
Africa with over half a million people living with this disease.
  This world is in the middle of a monumental, life-and-family-
destroying, economy-breaking, AIDS pandemic. This situation calls out 
desperately for us to help. Yet without this amendment, we will fall 
short in our promise and our obligation as the richest country in this 
world to meet our very first year, the very first year of the 
President's promise of $15 billion over 10 years.
  Yet today we are far ahead of what the President actually requested 
which came to us far short of his commitment that was made, thanks to 
the prodding of the CDC and many other Members, but this amendment is 
needed today to add the $300 million to fully meet our commitment and 
make this country keep its promise.
  I attended the international AIDS conference over a year ago. It was 
very embarrassing to be an American in Barcelona then and at the 
conference hear the dire projections of 45 million new cases within a 
few years. As we sat at the plenary among many of the 15,000 
participants, up on the screen for all of us to see was the United 
States at the rock bottom of the chart in terms of meeting our 
commitment of .7 percent of GDP, and we are the richest country in the 
world.
  Today we can fix that. A recent U.N. report revealed that AIDS will 
cause early death in as many as one-half of the young adults in the 
hardest-hit countries of southern Africa, causing population imbalances 
without precedent. In one country alone, Botswana, it is predicted that 
two-thirds of their 15-year-olds will die of AIDS before age 50. As bad 
as that impact is now, though, Mr. Chairman, the full blow is still 
some years off. The loss of life at a time in their lives when men and 
women would be their most productive in these countries which are only 
now beginning to come out from the deep effects of colonialism and 
tyrannical rules will be disabling.
  These communities are bleeding. They are hemorrhaging. This pandemic 
needs to be addressed appropriately, and it needs to be done now.
  We have an opportunity today to make a difference for our neighbors 
in Africa and other countries of the world by supporting the Kilpatrick 
amendment. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.
  Mr. Chairman, I think that some of the things that have been said 
need to be responded to. Mostly there has been talk. I am pleased to 
have been part of action to deal with the AIDS problem, particularly on 
the continent of Africa and around the world.
  Part of this Republican Congress, rather than talk, has acted, and 
under the direction of our President, rather than talk, who has acted; 
but to give complete details in response, I am pleased to yield to the 
gentleman from Arizona at this time.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding just a 
brief moment.
  We have had a number of speakers in a row on the other side speaking 
in support of the Kilpatrick amendment, which I appreciate, and I 
appreciate the passion and the arguments that have been made; but I do 
not want to

[[Page 19212]]

allow some of the statements that have been made to go without at least 
understanding that there is another point of view here, that the facts 
are at least a little bit different.
  The statement was made that this Congress has not been living up to 
the commitment that was made by the President in terms of funding for 
HIV/AIDS. If we are looking at the funding in this bill this year, we 
are more than meeting the President's request for funding for HIV/AIDS; 
and indeed in almost every single year since 1987, the Congress has 
exceeded the President's request for money to combat the international 
HIV/AIDS problem.
  We are again exceeding that amount this year that the President has 
requested. It is not the amount that is in the authorization bill; but 
let me say it one more time, a plane does not take off at 30,000 feet. 
It does not take off at 500 miles an hour. It takes off more slowly. It 
gains altitude and it gains speed. This program, this new initiative of 
the President needs some time to get up and running.
  We are doing everything that I believe should be done this year. Is 
it enough? No, it is not enough; but it is what we can do and what is 
reasonable to do, given the state of the problem.
  Let me just remind folks that in the last decade the enacted levels 
of funding for HIV/AIDS, the international HIV/AIDS has increased 2,525 
percent. Let me repeat that, a 2,525 percent increase in funding in the 
last decade. In the last year, the amount of money enacted by Congress 
was 46 percent over the previous year in HIV/AIDS funding. In 2002, it 
was 40 percent over the previous year, and in 2001, it was 40 percent 
over the previous year. There are not many programs that have received 
such an increase.
  This year we are looking at a new way of delivering some of this 
assistance, and it will take some time to make sure that is up and 
running and running correctly; but, Mr. Chairman, I would submit to my 
colleagues that we are doing the responsible thing. We recognize, all 
of us, Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate, Americans all 
recognize the moral obligation we have to fight this pandemic around 
the world, not just in Africa, but in our own continent; not just in 
Africa, but in Asia; not just in Africa, but in Eastern Europe.
  This is a pandemic that is worldwide. We need to be sure that we have 
the resources to fight HIV/AIDS, and I believe that this bill does 
provide these funds, and I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Kolbe) for his response and his explanation and also his compassion for 
all the people who suffer from this horrible disease, but we do 
regretfully recommend that we oppose this amendment.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chairman, I support the Kilpatrick amendment to add 
$300 million to the Global AIDS Fund under the Child Survival and 
Health Programs Account of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill 
for fiscal year 2004. I applaud my friends Carolyn Kilpatrick and 
Barbara Lee for their valiant work on this issue.
  There is no denying the need for increasing AIDS and HIV funding in 
Africa. AIDS and HIV have reached pandemic proportions--these diseases 
are literally killing a continent and leaving a generation of orphans 
in their wake. As a global community, we are at a crisis stage with 
these diseases, and adequate funding for the prevention and treatment 
of infectious disease, especially HIV and AIDS, must come before it is 
too late. As the richest and most scientifically advanced nation in the 
world, we have both the power and the responsibility to take the 
necessary actions to help eradicate HIV/AIDS and other dangerous 
infectious diseases worldwide.
  Mr. Chairman, today more than 30 million Africans are living with 
HIV. Last year, an estimated 2.4 million new infectious occurred, while 
3.5 million people lost their lives to the disease. This is a problem 
of epidemic proportion. I can only imagine the pain and suffering of 
the millions of families, orphaned children and those afflicted with 
this disease waiting for relief in any form. The time for action is 
now, lives are wasting.
  But Mr. Chairman, this is no secret to my colleagues. Just a few 
months ago, this House voted overwhelmingly to support the President's 
commitment of $15 billion over the next 5 years to help the 30 million 
suffering from the horrible pandemic of AIDS in Africa. This meant that 
when the appropriations cycle rolled around we should ante up $3 
billion. We all coalesced behind this issue on a bipartisan basis, the 
CBC lent its support, the President signed it into law and we walked 
away saying we were going to help save those suffering and facing more 
suffering.
  Instead today we're forced to choose between two good programs--the 
Millenium Challenge Account and the Global AIDS fund. It seems that 
this is always the choice on the great programs--programs that help the 
most people--people who need so much and have so little. That fact 
notwithstanding, I say to my colleagues that the Global AIDS fund is up 
and running and it works. The same cannot be said of the Millenium 
Challenge Account, only because it is new and not yet up and running. 
But even with movement of the $300 million to the Global AIDS account, 
we're still leaving $500 million in the Millenium Challenge Account. 
Until this program takes off, I believe this is more than sufficient 
funding.
  Mr. Chairman, we can give more money next year to the Millenium 
Challenge Account when it is ready to do its much needed intended work 
in Africa--but the 30 million suffering today on that continent cannot 
wait. Each day another 11,000 people are newly infected. Each day 
thousands more die.
  In Africa, it is estimated that more than 4 million people have a 
sufficiently advanced stage of HIV/AIDS to warrant anti-retroviral 
treatment. However, currently only 50,000 are receiving it. This is a 
statistic that the Global AIDS fund is intended to make better, now.
  Lastly, Mr. Chairman, unlike other unfunded mandates, like the No 
Child Left Behind Act, the President has said that he supports fully 
funding this program at $3 billion. At the urging of the CBC, AIDS 
activist groups and the faith-based community, the President devised a 
plan to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. He eventually realized 
that these diseases know no borders and the U.S. should play a pivotal 
role in helping to try to stem the tide of destruction they bring. The 
House Republican Leadership should not break its promise to the Global 
AIDS fund and the African continent. I urge my compassionate 
conservative colleagues to put their money where their rhetoric is and 
show compassion by adopting the Kilpatrick amendment.


         preferential motion offered by mr. jackson of illinois

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I offer a motion.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Bass). The Clerk will report the 
motion.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Jackson of Illinois moves that the committee do now 
     rise.

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson).
  The question was taken; and the Chairman pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 63, 
noes 342, not voting 29, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 424]

                                AYES--63

     Ackerman
     Alexander
     Allen
     Andrews
     Baca
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Ballance
     Bell
     Berman
     Berry
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Brown (OH)
     Brown, Corrine
     Capps
     Capuano
     Carson (IN)
     Clay
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     DeLauro
     Dicks
     Doggett
     Evans
     Filner
     Frank (MA)
     Grijalva
     Hastings (FL)
     Hinchey
     Honda
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Kaptur
     Kilpatrick
     Kucinich
     Larson (CT)
     Lewis (GA)
     McGovern
     Napolitano
     Oberstar
     Owens
     Pallone
     Reyes
     Ross
     Ruppersberger
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sandlin
     Schakowsky
     Snyder
     Solis
     Stark
     Taylor (MS)
     Thompson (MS)
     Towns
     Van Hollen
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Woolsey

                               NOES--342

     Abercrombie
     Akin
     Bachus
     Baker
     Ballenger
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bass
     Beauprez
     Becerra
     Bereuter
     Biggert
     Bilirakis
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Bradley (NH)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Burgess
     Burns
     Burr
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Cardin
     Cardoza
     Carson (OK)

[[Page 19213]]


     Carter
     Case
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chocola
     Coble
     Cole
     Cooper
     Costello
     Cox
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (TN)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLay
     DeMint
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dingell
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Ehlers
     Emanuel
     Engel
     English
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Farr
     Fattah
     Feeney
     Flake
     Fletcher
     Foley
     Forbes
     Fossella
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Goss
     Granger
     Graves
     Green (TX)
     Green (WI)
     Greenwood
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall
     Harman
     Harris
     Hart
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hill
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoeffel
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Hooley (OR)
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inslee
     Isakson
     Issa
     Istook
     Janklow
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Kanjorski
     Keller
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MN)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kildee
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kleczka
     Kline
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Lucas (KY)
     Lucas (OK)
     Lynch
     Majette
     Maloney
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McCotter
     McDermott
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Menendez
     Mica
     Michaud
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Mollohan
     Moore
     Moran (KS)
     Murphy
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Neal (MA)
     Nethercutt
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nunes
     Nussle
     Obey
     Ortiz
     Osborne
     Ose
     Otter
     Oxley
     Pascrell
     Paul
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pelosi
     Pence
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Portman
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryun (KS)
     Sabo
     Sanders
     Saxton
     Schiff
     Schrock
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simmons
     Simpson
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Souder
     Spratt
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stupak
     Sweeney
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thompson (CA)
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Toomey
     Turner (OH)
     Turner (TX)
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Vitter
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Wu
     Young (AK)

                             NOT VOTING--29

     Aderholt
     Berkley
     Bishop (UT)
     Collins
     Davis, Tom
     Dooley (CA)
     Edwards
     Emerson
     Ferguson
     Ford
     Gallegly
     Gephardt
     Hyde
     Jones (OH)
     McCrery
     Miller, George
     Moran (VA)
     Neugebauer
     Ney
     Olver
     Pastor
     Rangel
     Rogers (MI)
     Ryan (WI)
     Smith (TX)
     Sullivan
     Thornberry
     Wynn
     Young (FL)


                Announcement by the Chairman Pro Tempore

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Bass) (during the vote). Members are 
advised that 2 minutes remain in this vote.

                              {time}  1920

  Messrs. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, CALVERT and MEEKS of New York 
changed their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the motion was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
LaHood) having assumed the chair, Mr. Bass, Chairman pro tempore of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2800) 
making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and 
related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for 
other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.

                          ____________________