[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16985]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SULLIVAN

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 7, 2009

  Mr. SULLIVAN. Madam Speaker, I rise to state for the record that I 
was on official leave of absence from the U.S. House of Representatives 
on account of illness and unable to vote on rollcall vote 328 to H.R. 
2410, Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 
taken on June 10, 2009. Had I been present for the vote, I would have 
voted nay.
  I am strongly opposed to the irresponsible spending increases 
contained in the bill and favored a Republican substitute which was 
offered at the committee level which saved nearly $2.84 billion 
dollars, while tightening sanctions against Iran, adding new measures 
to increase foreign military funding for Israel, and supporting missile 
defense for Israel. In a time of national financial uncertainty, I 
believe it is irresponsible to create unnecessary new programs and pass 
such large funding increases. In addition, I have significant concerns 
about the potential for taxpayer funded abortions that could result 
from the passage of this legislation.