[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 15789-15793]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4818, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT 
        FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the 
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 715 and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 715

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 4818) making appropriations for foreign 
     operations, export financing, and related programs for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other 
     purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed 
     with. All points of order against consideration of the bill 
     are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and 
     shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by 
     the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
     Appropriations. After general debate the bill shall be 
     considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. Points 
     of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply 
     with clause 2 of rule XXI are waived except: beginning with 
     the semicolon in section 565(a)(2) through ``501)'' in 
     section 565(a)(3). Where points of order are waived against 
     part of a section, points of order against a provision in 
     another part of such section may be made only against such 
     provision and not against the entire section. During 
     consideration of the bill for amendment, the Chairman of the 
     Committee of the Whole may accord priority in recognition on 
     the basis of whether the Member offering an amendment has 
     caused it to be printed in the portion of the Congressional 
     Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII. 
     Amendments so printed shall be considered as read. At the 
     conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the 
     Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with 
     such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous 
     question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and 
     amendments thereto to final passage without intervening 
     motion except one motion to recommit with or without 
     instructions.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln 
Diaz-Balart of Florida) is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of 
debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Frost), the ranking member of the Committee on Rules, 
pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During 
consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose 
of debate only.
  (Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 715 is an open 
rule that provides for the consideration of H.R. 4818, the Fiscal Year 
2005 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs 
Appropriations bill. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, evenly 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Appropriations. The rule also provides one motion to 
recommit, with or without instructions.
  I would like to take a moment to reiterate that we bring this rule 
forward in totally open fashion. Historically, appropriations 
legislation has come to the House governed by an open rule, and we 
continue to do so in order to allow each and every Member of this House 
the opportunity to submit amendments for consideration, obviously as 
long as they are germane under the rules of the House.
  This legislation before us appropriates over $19 billion for 
operations across the globe. This bill is fiscally sound, while at the 
same time compassionate and responsive to needs of millions of people 
plagued by disease, famine and disaster.
  H.R. 4818 bolsters the President's Millennium Challenge Corporation 
to $1.25 billion, nearly a quarter of a billion dollars more than in 
fiscal year 2004. This expansion of foreign assistance is meant to help 
bring economic security, basic tenets of democracy and the rule of law 
to some of the world's poorest.
  In May of this year, the Corporation began the first round of funding 
assistance by extending aid to 16 developing countries chosen from a 
total of 63 eligible nations. Each country that will receive this new 
funding is obligated to meet benchmarks for political, economic and 
social development, especially in transparency and anti-corruption 
efforts. Never before has the

[[Page 15790]]

United States concentrated aid grants to countries that have the 
capability for reform in this fashion. This program is really, I think, 
the future of U.S. foreign assistance and a most effective means to 
responsibly disseminate U.S. taxpayer money in the foreign area.
  The underlying legislation provides $2.2 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, 
tuberculosis and malaria. Combined with anticipated funding in the 
Labor-HHS bill, Congress will commit to fulfill President Bush's 
commitment to 14 countries on the African continent and the Caribbean 
by appropriating $2.8 billion. This continues the important mission to 
provide the training and technical assistance to private and voluntary 
organizations that work to eradicate that nightmarish disease.
  The United States already has a proven record on HIV/AIDS assistance, 
but this year's funding will go far beyond previous obligations. In a 
speech given yesterday, U.S. AIDS Coordinator Randall Tobias remarked 
on the $2.4 billion that this Congress provided in fiscal year 2004. He 
said, ``This year, America is spending nearly twice as much to fight 
global AIDS as the rest of the world's donor governments combined.''
  Our resolve to help all those across the globe who fight this disease 
is strong and serious. In addition to funding, the Federal Government 
enlists the expertise of various agencies, including the Food and Drug 
Administration, which assures that the medicines we send to Africa and 
the Caribbean are safe and effective to help those with HIV/AIDS.
  Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation also provides $2.2 billion 
for military and economic assistance to Israel. I think we have to 
continue to ensure that our friends and allies remain secure. A strong 
Israel is necessary, not only for the region, but obviously we are 
committed to do everything we can to see that Israel is safe and secure 
within its boundaries.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) and 
the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) for their leadership on 
this important issue. I urge all of my colleagues to support both this 
rule and the underlying legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the customary 30 
minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States has always fought for a peaceful, 
democratic and stable world, and now, more than ever, such a world is 
in our highest national interest. While the United States and her 
allies are making progress in the war on terror, Congress must remain 
committed to the ideals of peace and democracy and must do whatever it 
takes to maintain security here at home and elsewhere.
  That is why today, Mr. Speaker, I have come to the floor in support 
of H.R. 4818, the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. Along with 
defense and diplomacy, foreign assistance remains one of the strongest 
tools we have to ensure that the world is safe for peace and democracy.
  The bill before us today helps ensure that the United States is 
successful in this mission by providing $19.4 billion for our foreign 
policy priorities. Among its major provisions, the bill contains 
significant funding for pressing needs in the war on terror, such as 
the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and significantly increases funding 
for HIV/AIDS programs in the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
  The bill also provides significant aid to Israel. Specifically, the 
bill provides Israel with $360 million in economic assistance and $2.2 
billion in military assistance. Israel has always been a good friend 
and strong ally of the United States. She shares our common values of 
peace and democracy, and she continues to struggle to win the war 
against terror for the protection of her own people, as we do. 
America's friendship with Israel has never been more important, and I 
am pleased we can provide our friend and ally with this aid as we 
continue the joint struggle to achieve peace and freedom in the Middle 
East.
  Today we will consider the foreign operations bill under an open 
rule, which I support. However, four Members came to the Committee on 
Rules yesterday with important amendments that required waivers in 
order to be considered today and which I believe deserve serious 
consideration by this House. Unfortunately, not one of these four 
amendments was granted waivers. Each was defeated on a party line vote.
  The gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) and the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Maloney) brought important amendments dealing with 
women's health; the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) brought an 
amendment designating an additional $800 million in emergency aid for 
the global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; and the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) brought an amendment to help 
secure peace in the Middle East by transferring $325 million in aid for 
the Egyptian military into economic assistance that will improve the 
quality of life for the Egyptian people. The Lantos amendment, which we 
attempted to protect from a point of order, was not given an order.
  In recent months, Egypt has embarked on a major military buildup that 
may disrupt our efforts to bring peace to the region. It is my 
understanding that the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) may offer 
a modified version of his amendment which will not need a waiver today 
during debate on the bill.
  Although I am disappointed that four amendments were not protected, I 
am pleased that this bill is being considered under an open rule, and I 
plan on voting in its favor, as I do the bill. I urge my colleagues to 
do the same.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), a member of the Committee on Rules.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me the 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would first like to express my appreciation to the 
gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) and the ranking member, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), for crafting a foreign aid bill 
that attempts to balance competing priorities for economic development 
and security funding. In particular, I would like to express my support 
for the $400 million provided for basic education.
  Over the past 3 years, increased funding levels for basic education 
has made it possible for USAID to expand its education programs from 20 
to 43 countries. These increases have also had positive effects on 
other U.S. development priorities, such as preventing HIV/AIDS and 
promoting agricultural development and maternal and child health. It is 
my hope that over the next couple of years Congress will increase 
funding for basic education to $1 billion annually. I believe this is 
the kind of leadership and funding America must demonstrate to achieve 
universal education by the year 2015. I look forward to working with 
the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) and the ranking member, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), in achieving this goal.
  I would also like to touch upon one other priority in this bill that 
continues to trouble me deeply, U.S. policy and aid for Columbia. 
Yesterday, a representative from the United Nations High Commissioner 
for Refugees described the dire situation of the internally displaced 
inside Colombia and the increasing number of Colombian refugees fleeing 
to neighboring Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama.
  I have traveled to Colombia on three occasions over the past 4 years, 
and each time I have visited communities of the displaced. By most 
estimates, there are around 3 million internally displaced Colombians, 
mainly women, children and elderly. This bill makes $5 million 
available to help displaced Colombians, or approximately $1.66 for each 
displaced person. This hardly seems adequate to me.

[[Page 15791]]

  Mr. Speaker, I have traveled to nearly every region in Colombia, and 
everywhere I go, Colombians of all political viewpoints, including 
mayors and governors, plead for funds to support community-based 
programs to generate income, provide basic healthcare, education and 
nutrition, and to bring some measure of economic stability and security 
to their towns and villages.
  Now, I do not mean to imply that none of these funds in this bill 
will serve these purposes, but we all know that precious little of U.S. 
aid is allocated for these types of programs in Colombia, especially 
when weighed against the need. The simple fact remains that the 
majority of U.S. funding for Colombia is military and security 
assistance for counterinsurgency and counternarcotics programs.
  Over the past 3 years, along with my distinguished colleague, the 
ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), I have offered amendments to cut military aid 
for Colombia, but the Committee on Rules refuses to consider amendments 
on their merit and grant some waivers for amendments to appropriations 
bills so that key foreign policy issues can be more fully explored and 
debated.
  For example, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and I have 
never been able to offer an amendment to the foreign operations bill 
that reflects what many of my House colleagues believe would be a 
better set of priorities for the hundreds of millions of dollars we 
send down to Colombia each year; or an amendment that would condition 
U.S. funding for Colombia's agreement with the paramilitaries to an 
assurance that paramilitaries with outstanding U.S. extradition 
warrants will serve prison time in the U.S. or Colombia.
  I cannot offer an amendment conditioning U.S. funding to ensure that 
the land paramilitaries took by violence be restored to the original 
inhabitants, who are now destitute and desperate displaced people or 
refugees.
  So I sympathize with my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos), and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), each of whom 
went before the Committee on Rules the other evening and were denied 
waivers to debate their important amendments.

                              {time}  1100

  We all know that foreign aid authorizing bills come out very rarely 
and, frankly, the aid for Colombia has never been authorized. It has 
always been presented to Congress in supplemental spending bills and 
the Foreign Operations and Defense appropriations bills and hardly ever 
has a designated line item in the bill. Over $3 billion has gone to 
Colombia since Plan Colombia was launched, all with very little debate 
and, in some instances, no debate.
  Mr. Speaker, in the future, I hope that the leadership of this House 
will allow Members to have a more comprehensive debate on whether and 
how to shape our new and different priorities for the military, 
security, and economic assistance we are sending to Colombia. I, for 
one, look forward to that day.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, before yielding to 
the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume to say that with regard to the issue of the 
displaced people in Colombia, it is an extraordinary human tragedy, and 
the reason that there are displaced people in Colombia is because of 
the terrorists. What this bill is trying to do, and it does in a very 
important way, is to help the democratically elected government of 
Colombia fight the terrorists.
  Also, there is aid for refugees in this legislation. I know the 
people of Colombia are very grateful for it. I had the privilege of 
visiting them some months back. But obviously, it is not only in the 
interest of Colombia, but of the United States, to defeat the 
terrorists, the cause of the displacement of hundreds of thousands of 
innocent people in Colombia; and we do not lose sight of that. Neither 
does, obviously, the government of Colombia, because the people there 
are suffering at the hands of those brutal murderers that are being 
fought day in and day out by the Colombian people; and, obviously, the 
American people, through this Congress, are helping the Colombian 
people fight those terrorists.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the chairman of the subcommittee.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to say that I think this is a good 
rule, it is an open rule, it is a fair rule. I think it is one in which 
we can carry on a good, healthy debate about foreign policy and our 
foreign assistance programs, and I hope this body will support it and 
we can do it quickly and hopefully get on to consideration of the bill 
very soon.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. Lowey).
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the rule, but I rise to 
express my disappointment with this rule.
  On a party-line vote, the Committee on Rules refused to make my 
amendment in order to provide funding on a limited basis to the United 
Nations Population Fund. I requested that it be made in order so that 
the full House would have the opportunity to discuss this matter of 
grave importance, not only to the poorest women and their families, but 
also to United States national security. Unfortunately, we are being 
denied the opportunity to debate this issue.
  Many of my colleagues think they have voted on this issue before. 
However, the debate we could have had today would have been different 
from those of the last 3 years.
  To begin with, this amendment would have maintained the Kemp-Kasten 
restrictions in the bill in their original form. As many of my 
colleagues know, these restrictions prohibit funding to any 
organization that supports coercive abortion and sterilization.
  The amendment would have provided funding for UNFPA in only six 
countries, all of which are strategically important to United States 
national security: Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Pakistan, Kenya, and 
Tanzania. If UNFPA is found to be supporting coercive practices in any 
of these countries, the amendment would have prohibited funding for the 
UNFPA program in that country.
  The amendment would have maintained prohibitions on funding for the 
UNFPA in China and would have restored a prohibition included in 
previous Foreign Operations bills that requires a reduction in U.S. 
funds to UNFPA programs for every dollar spent by UNFPA in a country 
which is alleged to support coercive practices. Currently, China is the 
only such country.
  Essentially, my amendment would have asked a very simple question: 
Should we let concerns about UNFPA's programs in one country, China, 
stop the United States from investing in a proven, multilateral program 
that could, in fact, reap benefits for United States national security?
  By improving the health of women and their children, reducing the 
rate of maternal deaths, and preventing the transmission of HIV/AIDS, 
UNFPA chips away at the demographic trends and public health disasters 
that threaten the stability of the world's poorest nations. As we all 
know, achieving global stability is a primary United States foreign 
policy goal. I am really disappointed that we will not have the 
opportunity to debate it today.
  I am also displeased that the rule did not grant waivers to other 
Democratic amendments. One such amendment proposed by the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Lee) would have provided an additional $800 
million in emergency funding to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and 
malaria. While we have provided $400 million in the bill for the Global 
Fund, an amendment equal to last year's bill and $300 million above the 
President's request, the Global Fund will require much more in order to 
meet current and future commitments. It is unfortunate, I say to my 
colleagues, that we will not be able to vote on this sound policy 
initiative today.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time

[[Page 15792]]

as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the 
chairman of the Committee on Rules.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule. It 
is, as the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign 
Operations stated, an open rule, which allows for any germane amendment 
to be considered.
  I see my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) here, and 
I would like to say that he knows very well that we tried very much to 
work with him to accommodate his desire to have an amendment as it 
relates to our policy towards Egypt; and I know that under this open 
amendment process, he is going to be able to offer an amendment that is 
different than the one he had intended to offer. But, as has 
traditionally been the case, we have provided protection for the bill 
as it has been reported out of the Committee on Appropriations, and 
then provided for an open amendment process not moving into this extra 
area of providing waivers for the amendments that the distinguished 
ranking minority member of the subcommittee mentioned.
  So I believe that the opportunity for a very fair and open and 
rigorous, and I know it will be a somewhat lengthy, debate, to the 
consternation of a few of my colleagues here, it will take place; and I 
think it is very important.
  Mr. Speaker, I remember very vividly when the President of the United 
States stood in his State of the Union message and talked about the 
need for us to ensure very important support for a number of 
initiatives. HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, malaria, all very important 
programs that are funded in this appropriations bill.
  I had the privilege of going last year to Africa and I met with 
leaders in west and north Africa; and the Millennium Challenge Account 
is a very important thing, providing an incentive for those nations as 
they move and take bolder steps towards political pluralism and the 
rule of law and free and fair elections, and all of the structures that 
follow that. And the Millennium Challenge Account, I believe, is a very 
important tool as we continue to encourage that kind of development and 
growth on the very important continent of Africa.
  I also want to say that as we focus on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and 
malaria and the issue of the Millennium Challenge Account, to me, Mr. 
Speaker, there is nothing more important in this bill than the 
important items that focus on the global war on terror.
  There are many people who are often hypercritical of the foreign 
assistance packages that come out of the United States Congress. We all 
know that it is a fraction of the overall Federal expenditures. But now 
it is, in many ways, even more important for us to focus on important 
foreign assistance. Why? Because since September 11 of 2001, we all 
know that our world here as Americans changed. The rest of the world 
dealt with terrorist attacks on a regular basis, but we know that 
September 11 clearly changed our world here. And that is why I believe 
it very important that we do everything that we possibly can to 
continue to provide strong assistance to our allies and those who are 
standing up to the global war on terror. And we know that there are 
many people who are part of that, many nations are part of that, the 
coalition is strong and growing; and I believe that this legislation 
that we are going to consider will go a long way towards building that 
very important support.
  So I congratulate both the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) and the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) for the hard work that they have 
put into this important legislation; and I thank my colleague, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart) who, as a Cuban 
American, understands how important it is for us as a Nation to do what 
we can to encourage political pluralism, democratization, free and fair 
elections, the rule of law, and all of those institutions which we all 
hope one day the people of Cuba will be able to enjoy.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lantos).
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman 
from Texas, for yielding me this time.
  First, I want to pay tribute to the bipartisan leadership of this 
very important subcommittee of the Congress. They have done a great 
job, and I want to commend them. I also want to thank the scores of my 
colleagues on the Republican and Democratic sides who have seen the 
wisdom of an amendment I will propose which will represent a 
fundamental change in U.S. foreign policy with respect to the Middle 
East. It is an amendment, the prime beneficiaries of which are the 
Egyptian people. I will explain.
  I am proposing to shift one-quarter of the military aid we are 
providing on automatic pilot to Egypt and shift that dollar-for-dollar 
for economic aid, for education, health programs, democracy-building, 
free media.
  Egypt is fortunate enough to have no military threat aimed at it. 
There are three neighbors Egypt has: the Sudan, which certainly is no 
military threat to Egypt; Israel, which has peace with Egypt; and 
Libya, which has just surrendered to the United States all of its 
weapons of mass destruction. Egypt is one of the most fortunate nations 
on the face of this planet in terms of its security situation. It has 
no threat against it.
  Yet, year after year, as if we were on automatic pilot, we are 
providing the Egyptian military with high-tech equipment amounting to 
$1.3 billion. It is one of the worst expenditures of our foreign aid 
program.
  My measure will shift one-quarter of that military aid to economic 
and social aid. Egypt will lose not one thin dime, but the Egyptian 
people will gain an enormous amount in their effort to enter the 21st 
century.
  I would like to suggest that this amendment, $325 million in military 
aid, traded for $325 million in economic aid, may be subject to a point 
of order. It is the absurdity of our system that if that point of order 
is sustained, I will be forced to offer an amendment shifting a larger 
amount, which will not be subject to a point of order.
  So I want all of my colleagues to clearly understand that my initial 
intent is to propose a shift of $325 million. That is all I wish to 
achieve. However, if I am blocked by parliamentary maneuvers from 
accomplishing this, I will be compelled to shift a larger amount, which 
I am sure the vast majority of my colleagues on the Republican and the 
Democratic side will support.
  Egypt desperately needs economic assistance. Per capita income in 
Egypt is less than $1,000. The majority of Egyptian women over the age 
of 15 are illiterate. The last thing this society needs is the ultimate 
in high-tech weapons in a security situation which is safe, which is 
unassailable. There is no threat to Egypt.

                              {time}  1115

  It would be the ultimate of irresponsibility for us to continue 
following the path of recent years and automatically appropriate $1.3 
billion in military assistance to Egypt.
  I will urge at the appropriate time all of my colleagues to support 
my amendment. This amendment has the support of civil society in Egypt. 
High-ranking members of the Egyptian parliament have advised me that 
they are hoping and praying that this amendment will pass because it 
will provide a major boost to economic and social development by the 
Egyptian people.
  I want to thank my colleague for yielding me time.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we reserve the 
balance of our time.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. Maloney).
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time 
and for his leadership on so many issues.
  Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed that the Committee on Rules did not 
accept an extremely important amendment that I had hoped to offer 
today. I went to the committee because the issue of funding the United 
Nations Population Fund is essential to the health and well-being of 
millions of women around the world. Women are dying, and the U.S. has 
turned its back on them.

[[Page 15793]]

  I offered an amendment that would have ensured that the money in this 
bill will go to UNFPA and go to help young women and girls who are 
suffering from obstetric fistula, a terrible condition that occurs 
during prolonged labor and leaves the women leaking urine for life.
  Unfortunately, on a party line vote, the Committee on Rules voted not 
to protect my amendment.
  I assure my colleagues that I have made every effort to compromise on 
this issue and to break this logjam.
  In April of this year, I wrote a letter to the President, signed by 
many of my colleagues, asking him to put aside our differences and 
reach a compromise that would help millions of women and girls around 
the world by funding UNFPA's work on obstetric fistula. Sadly, I 
received a response ignoring the facts.
  Mr. Speaker, women are dying around the world, and this body can do 
something about it. It is time that we did.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick).
  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I first want to commend the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), my chairman, and the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. Lowey), our ranking member, for the fine job they have done 
on this bill. It is not a perfect bill, but it is a bill that we can 
live with and work for. There is much distress around the world, and 
this bill begins to address some of that.
  I, too, am a little upset about a part of the rule that did not allow 
for some very serious debate, as well as some help, for the children 
and the women who live around this world who need attention that this 
bill, unfortunately, because of our limited means, is unable to 
address.
  I do commend the rule for continuing the process and that we fund 
Haiti and begin to help that Western hemisphere's poorest country to 
begin to get back to normal.
  Also, the Sudan, as my colleagues know now, in the Darfur region of 
the Sudan, genocide is taking place, and this bill begins to address 
that, but I wish and hope that we will withhold our money to Sudan 
until they, the leadership in Khartoum, addresses the Darfur problem. 
It is unfortunate, and I hope that we move forward in that regard.
  HIV/AIDS is a pandemic in the world. In just completing the World 
Conference in Thailand, we heard many, many stories about it and what 
is happening in the world. Africa, Asia, the former Soviet Union, 
India, it is a pandemic that must be addressed. This bill offers $2.5 
billion for that, the largest we have ever appropriated. We wish we 
could do more. It is unfortunate that one of the amendments offering 
$800 million more is not going to be able to be offered today, but 
overall, it is a good bill, not a perfect bill. We must do more to help 
our neighbors around the world.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone).
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Subcommittee on 
Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs, the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the chairman, and the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member for their support and 
leadership in ensuring funding for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. I want 
to particularly thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), my 
co-chair of the Armenia Caucus, for all that he did in the 
subcommittee.
  Through their support, $65 million was allocated to Armenia in 
economic assistance, and an additional $5 million was allocated in 
military assistance and $5 million was secured for assistance to 
Nagorno-Karabakh. I am pleased with these levels of aid, and I would 
like to reiterate my steadfast support for maintaining these levels as 
we go to conference.
  I am particularly pleased with the fact that parity was restored in 
the levels of military aid given to Azerbaijan and Armenia. When the 
Bush administration's budget was released, I was quite troubled that 
the FMF request for Azerbaijan was four times as high as the request 
for Armenia. This imbalance simply could not be allowed. When the 
President waived section 907 of the Freedom Support Act in the 
aftermath of 9/11, a commitment was made by the Bush administration of 
parity in any military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Because 
Azerbaijan continues to blockade Armenia and also has threatened 
Armenia militarily, it is more important than ever to maintain parity 
in military aid between the two Nations.
  Additionally, it is essential that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh 
receive the aid and assistance that they need.
  I support the language directing the USAID to spend $5 million in 
fiscal year 2005 for programs in Nagorno-Karabakh. This support is in 
our country's interests and will help alleviate the conditions of the 
people there.
  Lastly, I would like to thank again the subcommittee for maintaining 
a high level of economic assistance to Armenia in order for the country 
to overcome the dual blockade by Azerbaijan and Turkey, which continues 
to impede Armenia's economic well-being. Despite the dual blockades by 
Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia continues to implement economic and 
democratic reforms, which have met with considerable success. While 
Armenia continues to make important reforms, as long as Armenia suffers 
from blockades on its east and west borders, continued and robust U.S. 
assistance is necessary to help minimize their impact.
  I want to thank the subcommittee again.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentleman from Florida 
that we have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance 
of our time and urge adoption of the rule.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  I thank all of our colleagues who have come to the floor to debate 
this important rule. This measure before us that we bring to the floor 
is extraordinarily important and should be supported by the 
overwhelming majority of our colleagues today.
  I particularly am proud of the leadership that the President has 
provided and really the congressional leadership has also joined in to 
create an unprecedented assistance program to fight HIV/AIDS in the 
world. I think we all have to be very proud of that, and it is a very 
significant part of the legislation that we bring forward with this 
rule today.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the 
previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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