Mario Diaz-Balart

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Chairwoman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I am proud to speak on the fiscal year 2024 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill for floor consideration today. Anybody who has read the bill knows that it is pretty straightforward. If you are a friend, an ally of the United States, this bill supports you, but if you are an adversary or you are cozying up to the adversaries of the United States, then, frankly, you are just not going to like this bill. I am extremely proud of this legislation, which was carefully and thoughtfully developed over many, many months. In my judgment, it reflects the values and the interests of most Americans. We carefully reviewed all the organizations and programs that receive U.S. taxpayer dollars in this bill. And among the key factors--let me be very blunt-- it is whether investments advance our national security interests, whether they can show demonstrated results and our need to reduce the national debt and to reduce spending in a responsible way. So the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill totals $51.5 billion. It cuts $8.2 billion; that is a 14 percent reduction, below the 2023 enacted level, and $17 billion or 25 percent below the President's request. In fact, it is $2.7 billion below the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and it is even $288 million below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level. So because of those cuts, of those responsible reductions, we are now able to prioritize funding for the national security threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. Look, it is time that the U.S., that we get serious about that maligned destabilizing negative actions of the Communist Chinese Party around the world. This measure, this bill does precisely that in an unprecedented manner. Let me talk a little bit about that. The bill includes $4.4 billion, which is $1 billion above the President's budget request to fund programs to counter the threat of the Chinese Communist Party around the world. For the first time, this bill includes half a billion, $500 million, in foreign military financing for Taiwan--first time ever. These funds, as everybody knows, are critical to support our friend and our democratic ally, which is on the front lines of China's bullying and China's constant threats. This bill provides unwavering support for our democratic ally, Israel, and other key partners around the world. Another priority is to strengthen efforts to counter fentanyl production and trafficking. I don't have to tell you all that deadly opioids, particularly fentanyl, are affecting every area, every district, every neighborhood in our entire country. Madam Chair, three hundred Americans die every single day because of fentanyl poisoning. We must and we do use every tool to combat this horrific deadly epidemic. Obviously, the migration crisis at the southern border is really just symptomatic of the administration's lack of a clear strategy toward the Western Hemisphere. That is as nice as I can say it. Mr. Chairman, for too long countries cozying up to our adversaries have been rewarded, rewarded, and this bill puts a stop to that practice. This bill also recognizes the growing threat of authoritarian regimes even here in our own hemisphere and around the world. Therefore, it fully funds democracy assistant accounts in support of freedom and human rights where they are most threatened. Now, before discussing funding for the United Nations, I just want to remind folks, Members, and also anybody who might be watching, who is running the show at the U.N. It would be hard to even make this stuff up, but, unfortunately, remarkably what I am about to tell you is true. So Russia was chair of the U.N. Security Council during the month of April. Yeah, you heard me right. Iran is currently an elected vice president of the U.N. General Assembly. Communist China, whose genocide against Uyghurs and their bullying around the world is notorious, and Cuba, one of the world's oldest, most brutal dictatorships, both of those countries sit on the U.N. Human Rights council. Yeah, you heard me right. North Korea--well, I can't even begin to talk about the atrocities of that dictatorship--is a member of the World Health Organization, while Taiwan, a responsible democracy, has been blocked from membership of that institution by Communist China. You can't make this stuff up. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to anybody that no funds are included in this bill for the U.N. regular budget. Now, my dear friends on the other side of the aisle argue that by cutting some of the funding to the U.N., the U.S. has given up its leadership. I could not disagree in stronger terms. You see, simply continuing to unconditionally channel funds to a deeply flawed organization, despite multiple failures and, frankly, appalling, even continuously antisemitic actions by that institution, that is actually abandoning our responsibility to the U.S. taxpayer, and it ensures that nothing changes in that institution that I just mentioned. Actions need to have consequences, and the U.N. finally will feel the consequences of their irresponsible actions because of how we deal with them in this bill. This bill also prohibits funds for the Green Climate Fund and the Green Technology Fund. We also address a frivolous expansion of State Department bureaucracy. This bill eliminates funding for special envoys and special representatives that are not authorized or have not been confirmed by the Senate. If they are that important, then for God's sake, have them authorized by Congress or at least confirmed by the Senate. Finally, this bill includes all longstanding pro-life protections, which includes a prohibition on taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions abroad, and it builds on those requirements by applying the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy to all global health funding. It is not surprising that after this bill was released, my colleagues on the other side immediately released a press release condemning it. Now, what might surprise you is what the minority party in their written press release actually chose to highlight that they are objecting to in this bill. Their press release criticized that this bill prohibits funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology--Heck, yeah, we prohibit funding to that institution--or that we prohibit funding to the EcoHealth Alliance or gain-of-function research. And quoting from my colleagues on the Democratic side, their criticism of this bill, that we reduce funding for ``any lab controlled by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela.'' I am quoting from their press release. Heck yeah, we are cutting funding for institutions from those countries. These countries are, in essence, on the official list of the United States foreign adversaries, and three, by the way, are on the State Sponsor of Terrorism list. Does any taxpayer think that taxpayer funds should be going to labs in those places? Really? My colleagues on the other side of the aisle also expressed in writing concerns of what they call partisan riders that specifically highlighted the provisions on funds in this bill to the government of the PRC and the Chinese Communist Party; and, also, that we prevent lending from international financial institutions to the PRC. They put that in writing. Well, one thing is true. They got that right. They caught me. We are eliminating funding to adversaries of the United States of America. I would argue it is about damn time we did that. I look forward to hearing my colleagues on the other side of the aisle explain why U.S. taxpayer money should be funding those programs, and, by the way, why writing a blank check to any organization is a demonstration of leadership. It is not. Mr. Chairman, before I close, I thank the staff from the Appropriations Committee for their amazing work on this bill: Susan Adams, who is here with me; Craig Higgins; Jamie McCormick; Trey Hicks; Meg Gallagher; John Muscolini; Clelia Alvarado; and Joe Cutler; and equally from the minority side--and I always butcher her last name, and I apologize because I will probably do it again--Erin Kolodjeski, Laurie Mignon, and Lillian Wasvary. I thank members of my personal staff from my office: Cesar Gonzalez, Gisselle Reynolds, and Autumn Morley. I thank our Chairman for bringing this crucial legislation to the floor, which supports our allies and protects our national security in a smart, efficient, effective, and thoughtful way. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 4665, and that I may include tabular material on the same.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I want to be very clear that I have heard now that somehow this bill damages the reputation of the United States. No. Do you know what damaged the reputation of the United States, Mr. Chairman? That irresponsible withdrawal from Afghanistan that showed the entire world what bad leadership is all about. This bill confronts our adversaries--$1 billion more to confront China than the President could do while we spend a lot less money. It stands by our friends. It confronts our adversaries. The problem about credibility is not with this bill. It is with the President of the United States that, at best, is confused. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. Mr. Chairman, I have great respect for the ranking member of this subcommittee because, I will tell you what, she is consistent, and we have developed a very good relationship. You have heard it right now. Yes, this bill prohibits funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the EcoHealth Alliance, gain-of-function research, and it also prohibits funding for any lab controlled by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela. We have a difference of opinion. I believe that taxpayer money going to labs controlled by these countries is just not something we should be doing. There is an absolute difference of opinion on that. If anybody believes that U.S. taxpayer money should be going for those things, then you are going to have a problem with that part of this bill. If you, however, believe that U.S. taxpayer money should not go to fund those labs controlled by those countries, I would then ask you to support this bill. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I think we have discussed some of the issues in this bill. I think it is a very positive bill. It supports our allies, and it confronts our adversaries. It also controls wasteful spending. Wasteful spending is one of the reasons we have inflation at the highest level we have had in decades. Mr. Chairman, since the ranking member has yielded back her time, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 723, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this bipartisan en bloc amendment, which represents amendments with support from both sides of the aisle. The amendment includes 15 noncontroversial amendments that advance the priorities of both sides, including support for Taiwan and addressing the passport processing backlog, which is happening everywhere in the country. Mr. Chair, I would respectfully urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, we spoke on the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I respectfully rise in opposition. The gentleman from Arizona brings up, I think, really legitimate reasons for his concern about the out-of-control spending and, frankly, what this administration has done. However, because of that, the operating account of USAID in this bill has been significantly reduced below the FY 2019 enacted level. As the gentleman is aware, we get to the point if we do further reductions, that this account, frankly, stops our ability to actually do some serious oversight. While I agree with his concerns, I don't think this is the right way to do that. Further reductions to this account would mean less oversight, less efficiency, and, frankly, I think fewer positive outcomes. By the way, in the manager's amendment, we reduce it even further. I totally understand and look forward to working with the gentleman about his concern. I think we are addressing it in this bill. Again, it is one of those issues that I understand where he is going, but I think this is not the right way to do it, so I respectfully oppose the amendment.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this amendment. Look, this is a horrifying practice of literally just mutilating women around the world. An estimated 200 million women and girls have undergone this form of female genital mutilation, including, by the way, ones who are 15 or younger. Mr. Chair, I don't have to tell you about the extreme psychological and physical harm that this does to these young girls and women. I thank my colleague, Representative Jackson Lee, for condemning this practice wherever--wherever--it is occurring. Anywhere in the world we should object to minors, young girls, young women, having genital mutilation performed for whatever reason. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to strongly support this amendment.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, as the designee of the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), I move to strike the last word.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, something that has to be recognized on this floor is that my colleague from Georgia who is presenting this amendment has been transparent, open, and clear from day one, and that is something that is not always seen in this body. I think we need to recognize that, and I think that is something that has to be respected regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with her. I think that is something that has to be recognized. Now, I just want to take the opportunity to talk a little bit about the bill. I clearly recognize my colleague's frustration--and it is not only her--about the administration's lack of transparency, lack of articulation, lack of a strategy how the funds have been used, the communication from A to Z, I get that. While there are no funds directed for Ukraine in this bill, there are a lot of directives in this bill for accountability for any assistance going to Ukraine. Let me just take a moment to read the list of requirements that must be completed before one single penny would be used to go to Ukraine from this bill now or later or whenever: A strategy within 90 days. We have not gotten that from the administration; In-person monitoring of all programs; Cost-matching requirements, making sure that other donors must do more, more than the United States before one penny can go out; A certification that comprehensive oversight mechanisms are in place; A notification to Congress so we can assess how those funds may be used; An obligation report every 90 days accounting for all moneys provided; An oversight report every 90 days detailing any allegations of waste, fraud, and corruption, and how those will be addressed; Finally, and I think this is key, all reports must be clearly posted on the internet so that every American can see where their taxpayer dollars are going. The reason that I am so optimistic and so gung ho about this bill is that we need to pass this bill in order to have these requirements in order to not have a blank check. I am looking at not only the short term but also the long term. We need to have accountability. We need conditions. We need oversight. We need to take away as much flexibility from the administration. That is precisely what we are attempting to do in this bill. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Florida for this amendment because he raises some very important issues regarding the Paris Agreement. Even if it were true that global emissions would result in this global apocalypse in the distant future, the truth is that most developing countries are irrelevant in any climate model used to speculate about temperatures 100 years down the road. These countries have emissions that are nearly undetectable when compared to the real culprits, which are China and other countries in Asia which, by the way, are exempt for the most part from this climate accord. So while our bill already prohibits funds for the Green Climate Fund, the Clean Technology Fund, and other vehicles that could be used to carry out this Paris Agreement, I agree with the gentleman that we should ensure that no parts of this wasteful spending, this virtue signaling, is allowed to continue. I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and I strongly support his amendment.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding but more importantly for bringing up this very important issue. I think this particular czar, envoy, is really emblematic of a serious issue. Here we have a person who travels the world, as the gentleman has mentioned, in jets going to royal coronations, royal weddings, lavish receptions in elite capitals around the world, and then lectures the rest of us and pats himself on the back. I thank the gentleman for bringing this issue up. That is why in this bill we prohibit funding for all special envoys that are not authorized in law or that have not been confirmed by the Senate. That eliminates 33 positions and their associated staff. This is potentially the most dramatic example of wasteful spending, of virtue signaling while, frankly, wasting taxpayer money. I commend the gentleman for bringing this to our attention. It is difficult to find a more obvious example of waste than the one that we are dealing with here, so I strongly support the gentleman's amendment, and I also thank him for emphasizing it, for bringing this issue forward.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, as the designee of the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), I move to strike the last word.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I rise to discuss a very serious concern about the lack of cooperation from the Government of The Bahamas. It is something that concerns me and Congressman Graves, my colleague from Louisiana. I greatly appreciate the gentleman's concern and his impassioned and relentless search for answers that unfortunately still remain after a horrific tragedy that happened to one of his constituents. Obviously, I share his concerns, and I am grateful that he is standing up. I am prepared to work with him so that we get the answers that he deserves, that his constituents deserve, and that all of us are entitled to. Again, I thank him for bringing this very important issue to the attention of the House. This is something we will continue to pursue. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, I again thank the gentleman for bringing this forward. It is important that everyone realizes that we are going to continue to work on this. There needs to be transparency and we need to get answers. The gentleman has my commitment that I will do everything and anything that I can to work with him to get those answers and to make sure that the family of this American who was lost much too soon understands that everything has been done to get those answers. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for bringing this to the floor, and I yield back the balance of my time.