Henry Hyde

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word. If I might address the gentlewoman from California, I believe she understands that we support the gentlewoman's amendment, except section 301 as originally offered because of difficulties in interpretation and implementation. We are prepared to accept the remainder of the gentlewoman's amendment and praise it as a worthy addition to the bill. But I cannot accept 301 as originally offered. If the gentlewoman has a modification of that, we would be pleased to accept that.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the learned gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney).

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield the balance of my time to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts), a member of the committee.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the Vice Chair of the Committee.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights of the Committee on International Relations.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, the majority is very pleased to accept the two amendments offered by the gentlewoman en bloc. They are worthy additions to the bill, and we accept them.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the remainder of the bill be printed in the Record and open to amendment at any point.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I have a bipartisan amendment that I am very pleased to present. It was worked out with the cooperation, and that word describes the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) perfectly, the ranking minority member. This is primarily technical, but it does make several substantive changes in the bill. For example, it deletes language which would require that $15 million of the amount authorized in the bill for counternarcotics be made available for use by the United Nations Drug Control Program. The amount of $15 million remains authorized, but it would not be earmarked. This was the only earmark in the bill. We fully expect that at least that much money will go to the United Nations Drug Control Program, which has been very helpful in our counternarcotics effort. This amendment also modifies language in the committee-reported bill to conform the amount of assistance authorized to be appropriated for Afghanistan for fiscal year 2002 to the amount proposed to be appropriated in the House version of the Supplemental Appropriations Act. That is $300 million, instead of $200 million, which was authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2002 in the version of H.R. 3994 reported by the Committee on International Relations. In addition, this amendment deletes language which requires that if the President designates a coordinator of assistance for Afghanistan, that individual shall be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate. This amendment was requested by the administration, which has already named a coordinator, who is now in place. The administration does not want to pull that individual off his job to wait the many months a Senate confirmation may well require. Finally, Madam Chairman, we included in this en bloc amendment several recommendations made by Members. At the suggestion of the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), we included language that would assure, to the maximum extent practicable, that our President utilize research conducted by U.S. Land Grant Colleges and Universities in the area of agriculture and rural development. A similar amendment was included at the suggestion of the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) that our President encourage the donation of appropriate excess manufacturing equipment by United States businesses for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Also at the suggestion of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), we expanded the assistance for voluntary refugee repatriation to include humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons. Finally, at the suggestion of the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), we made it clear by adding a new subsection that money should be used for programs for housing, rebuilding urban infrastructure and supporting basic urban services. I again would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and other Members for their significant contributions. I urge Members to vote in favor of this amendment.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul). (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I want to enthusiastically accept the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos). It improves the bill greatly. It emphasizes the importance of creating a secure environment in Afghanistan to ensure that humanitarian agencies will have access to meet the emergency needs of the Afghanistan people, and it calls on the President to develop a plan to address security concerns in Afghanistan. To those people who might think this is too prescriptive, too interventionist, I think otherwise. I think it is only prudent to suggest to the President that we are authorizing a lot of money and we have a lot of things to be done, and we are expressing our hope and our request really that he come up with a strategy for employing the funds and the resources we are authorizing, because it is vitally important that we not flounder over there, that we know what we are doing, and that people think about an orderly way to bring security and stability to that part of the country. This is prudent, it is wise, and I hope my colleagues will accept it. Madam Chairman, I congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for adding it to our bill.

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman emeritus of the Committee on International Relations. (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HYDE. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for these thoughtful remarks and for his interest in this bill; and with regard to the issue of coordinator for Afghanistan policy, I fully agree with the gentleman of the importance of this position. Where the State Department and I disagree, however, is on the question of mandating such a position. As I am sure my colleague knows, the State Department has appointed an individual to this position who is already performing the onerous task of coordinating aid and policy relating to Afghanistan. It seems to me, therefore, that in this instance mandatory language appointing a coordinator is unnecessary. With regard to the issue of a broader comprehensive aid program that extends beyond the borders of Afghanistan and into central Asia, it is a laudable objective and is something I would be pleased to work with the gentleman in crafting solutions toward this end.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill, H.R. 3994, the Clerk be authorized to correct section numbers, cross-references, and punctuation, and to make such stylistic, clerical, technical, conforming, and other changes as may be necessary to reflect the actions of the House in amending the bill.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I have been around here for some time; this is my 28th year. Every year we talk about the military budget and military hospitals. I am convinced that the purpose of a military hospital is for military medical readiness and to save lives; to save lives, not to take life. Now, we have heard lots of words about the pregnant woman and her discomfort, and I sympathize with that situation very much so, but not one scintilla, not one thought, has been given to the unborn child. How many of my colleagues have held a newborn baby in their arms? That is what we are talking about. We are talking about abortion, not reproductive rights. Reproductive. There is nothing reproductive about an abortion. It is contra-reproductive. An abortion kills a little baby once it has begun its life. There is no choice involved except a dead baby or a live baby. That is the choice that is involved. Now, we know what an abortion is, even though we want to euphemize it by saying reproductive choice, the product of conception. The little baby is not killed; it undergoes demise. We know all of the beautiful euphemisms. But the other part of this equation is simply the fact that the American taxpayers contain millions of people who resist, as a matter of conscience, participating in this killing of an innocent, vulnerable, defenseless, unborn child, and their tax dollars are involved, because tax dollars have built the hospital, tax dollars maintain the hospital, and the consciences of those people ought to be respected. Vote no.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 412 of offer my deepest condolences to all Canadians, especially the families and friends of Sergeant Marc D. Leger, Corporal Ainsworth Dyer, Private Richard A. Green, and Private Nathan Smith, who gave their lives in the service of defending freedom and security in Operation Enduring Freedom on April 17, 2002, in Afghanistan. Eight other servicemen were also wounded in this incident. This tragic accident reminds us that our coalition partners remain willing to send their men and women in uniform in harm's way so that our freedoms may prevail. These Canadians have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of all peace-loving people, and my prayers are with their families and loved ones during this difficult time. After America was so brutally attacked, I addressed the House of Representatives during consideration of H.J. Res. 61, which expressed the sense of the House of Representatives and Senate regarding the assault. I quoted Winston Churchill, whose words are just as salient today as they were then. He wrote, ``Civilization will not last, freedom will not survive, peace will not be kept, unless a very large majority of mankind unite together to defend them.'' Canada has always been our country's closest ally and friend. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11th, she has offered her steadfast loyalty and support in defense of the values that define and unite us. Canada's leadership during this trying time is invaluable to the American people. We will continue our common defense in unity to defeat the enemy who wishes to destroy freedom. May God bless Canada and her fallen soldiers who served her with such courage and dignity. We indeed are a safer Nation because of these soldiers and those who continue to serve in our Nations' Armed Forces. I want to commend my colleague from New York, Mr. Houghton, for this important expression of sympathy. I urge my colleagues to support this passage. Canada shall remain our closest ally and friend.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble).

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn), my very learned colleague.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton).

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support the pending resolution offered by my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) and by many of our colleagues. For a moment, Mr. Speaker, put yourself in the position of the Prime Minister of Israel and more importantly in the position of the mothers and fathers of Israel. And I speak of Jews and Arabs, for both have been victims. Having concluded an agreement under which the parties foreswore the use of force to settle political disputes, you are suddenly subject to violent acts, including eventually the nearly daily horror of homicide bombings. You realize those acts are not opposed and actually seem to be supported by the leadership on the Palestine side. What are you to do? You just take action to defend yourself, your people, your children; and that is what Israel did and the American people support it. We must, of course, think beyond the current situation. The administration has done a good job at diffusing this crisis and minimizing the loss of life, but now they must arrive at a method to determine once and for all if Chairman Arafat, given sufficient pressure and incentive, can exert the required leadership. If not, someone with authority must take his place; but for now he is the leader of the Palestinian people and for their sake, if not his, we must go the extra mile. This will require a reconstruction on democratic grounds of the Palestinian Authority, a new deal for the Palestine people from their leaders. Good government, open markets, not corruption, cronyism and monopolies must prevail in the Palestinian areas. The gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and I have now determined that we must add to the political and security steps that are part of the administration's plans. We must add an economic component to provide a prospect of a better life for the people of the region. A new Marshall Plan is needed to provide stability in the region, and I hope to develop a proposal in the near future with the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos). The leadership of President Bush has been enormously helpful; and I am proud that he, the Congress, and the American people are standing up for our friends in the Middle East at this crucial moment in its history. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman). (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific.