Nita Lowey

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. My amendment makes several modifications to the bill. Specifically, it would increase funding for safe water and sanitation programs by $25 million and democracy programs by $10 million. It would provide $300,000 for the implementation of the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan to eliminate racial and ethnic discrimination and promote equality; increase funding for maternal health programs by $10 million; and ensure proper use of taxpayer dollars by increasing funding for oversight of Department of State and USAID programs by $8 million. These additions would be offset by reductions to the Department of State Capital Investment Fund and USAID's Capital Investment Fund. The amendment would also restrict foreign military financing to Sri Lanka, but I would note that the base bill includes up to $1 million for demining activities under the nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, demining, and related programs' account to continue the work with the Sri Lankan Government to help the displaced Tamil population return to their homes. Lastly, this amendment includes a restriction on first- class travel by employees of agencies funded by this act. I am pleased to have worked with Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Henry Cuellar, Alcee Hastings, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Jim Marshall and Gwen Moore to address these concerns. I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LOWEY

Mr. LOWEY. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. As we close this debate, I want to thank Kay Granger again, the ranking member of this committee, who has been an invaluable partner in creating what we think is a very, very good bill. I also want to thank Mr. Kirk for his leadership not only in the committee but certainly in his role in presenting this bill today. We really have an outstanding subcommittee. Again, it's because the subcommittee members and the staff on both sides, who I acknowledged in my opening statement, and the ranking member; as well as the Chair of the overall Appropriations Committee, Mr. Obey. Everyone contributed to making this a really important bill. I just must say in closing that, for me, it's a real privilege to be a Chair of this committee, to wake up every day and know that you can contribute to the great challenges we have internationally; and every day we are presented with an additional challenge that we have to face. As the leader of the free world, the United States of America has a key role to play, and I know that all the members of this committee understand our responsibility. So this is a good bill. I appreciate your support. I hope we can get support from the majority of Members on your side of the aisle and our side of the aisle because this is an important bill; and as we move forward, it's extremely important that all of us support these efforts.

Mrs. LOWEY. If the gentleman has no more speakers, I am prepared to close if he wishes to yield back the balance of his time.

Mrs. LOWEY. I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to a leader in this Congress who understands the importance of water, in addition to bicycles, and has been a tireless advocate for a whole range of important causes, my good friend Mr. Blumenauer.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah).

Mrs. LOWEY. I thank the gentlewoman.

Mrs. LOWEY. Yes. There are a number of organizations that have provided health, education, and other assistance in the region and should be considered as potential alternatives to governmental entities. I expect the State Department to continue to use a competitive bidding process to ensure that the most appropriate and effective organizations receive U.S. Government assistance.

Mrs. LOWEY. Yes. It is the committee's intent to support these types of activities.

Mrs. LOWEY. Yes. The committee is aware that this region is home to most of the displaced ethnoreligious minorities in Iraq.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. I thank the gentlewoman for her kind words and for her support for women's health at home and abroad. Healthier mothers will enjoy safer pregnancies and childbirths, enabling them to better care for their children. Bolstering maternal health initiatives can help reduce the 4 million newborn deaths each year in the developing world. The committee has directed USAID to undertake a detailed review of its maternal health portfolio, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on this important issue.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes for a colloquy with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey). I am pleased to yield to Ms. Woolsey.

Mrs. LOWEY. I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California, an outstanding member of the committee, Mr. Schiff.

Mrs. LOWEY. Reclaiming my time, yes, it is the committee's intent to support these activities. And I yield to the gentleman.

Mrs. LOWEY. Reclaiming my time, first, I thank my friend for raising this important issue. Yes, it is the committee's intent to fully fund Afghanistan's nonproliferation, antiterrorism, demining, and related programs at the President's requested level. We agree these programs are vital to our success in Afghanistan. And as we developed the bill, our funding assumption was, unless otherwise noted, that the President's full request for Afghanistan was met. I yield to the gentleman.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) for a colloquy.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to an outstanding member of our committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to an outstanding member of our committee who has made major contributions and has helped make this bill the good bill that it is, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman).

Mrs. LOWEY. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) who has been an outstanding member of the committee and has made it a great bill because of her important work.

Mrs. LOWEY. I would like to yield for a unanimous consent to my distinguished colleague from New York (Mrs. Maloney). (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield to a distinguished member of the committee, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), for a unanimous consent request. (Ms. LEE of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)