Nita Lowey

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I yield to my good friend, Mr. Skelton, for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mrs. LOWEY. I thank Chairman Skelton for his hard work on this project. We included the SIGIR provision in our appropriations bill to ensure that this subject does not fall out somewhere in the process. You and I agree completely on the importance of the SIGIR office. I look forward to working with you to make sure that the version ultimately included in the National Defense Authorization Act conference report achieves the goals our respective bills laid out. It is my intention to drop section 696 of the State, Foreign Operations appropriations act in conference so that we do not end up with competing versions of the same language.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word to enter into colloquy with Mr. Blumenauer.

Mrs. LOWEY. I yield to Mr. Blumenauer.

Mrs. LOWEY. I appreciate the gentleman's interest in this issue and applaud your work over the past few years. As you have stated, the committee bill increased funding for safe water by $100 million and placed priority on long-term and sustainable safe water programs. The report provides clear direction to the agency that funding must be provided in accordance with the strategy based on the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act. Finally, we share the gentleman's concern about the reliance on emergency programs to meet this recommendation, and will work with the agency in the coming year to ensure that this does not happen again. I thank you for raising these issues today. I look forward to working together on this issue in the coming year.

Mrs. LOWEY. I yield.

Mrs. LOWEY. I thank the gentleman. And I know of Mr. Payne's important work on water, in Africa in general, so many other issues. And I thank you.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mrs. LOWEY. I am delighted to yield 3 minutes to my good friend, Mr. Payne, who is really an expert on Africa and all phases of African development, and has a keen interest in water. And I thank you for coming.

Mrs. LOWEY. I yield 1 additional minute to Mr. Blumenauer.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I am pleased to yield to my good friend, Mr. Cuellar from Texas.

Mrs. LOWEY. Thank you very much for your kind words and your important interest in this area. And I look forward to continuing to work with you.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment. I agree with the intention of the amendment. And I thank my friend for raising this important issue. As we know, tuberculosis is taking a terrible toll on men, women, and children in the developing world, with approximately 3 million people dying every year. The recent highly publicized case of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis has brought this issue to the forefront, and the additional funding of this amendment will be used to strengthen the global tuberculosis treatment and care network. I appreciate the gentleman's interest in this issue and would be happy to accept this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield to my good friend, the vice chairman of the committee, Mr. Jackson.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, we accept the amendment.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mrs. LOWEY. I thank my good friend for your important work in Africa and for your observations. I rise to accept this amendment, and I agree with the intention of the amendment. I really do thank my friend for raising this very important issue. This committee made global health a priority in this fiscal year. We provided a total of $6.517 billion for global health. And I do agree with the gentlewoman that strengthening the public health infrastructure should be central to our global health strategy. So I do appreciate the gentlewoman's interest in this issue, and I look forward to working with you.

Mrs. LOWEY. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

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

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to accept this amendment. I thank the gentlewoman again for raising an important issue. I agree with the intention of the amendment. Liberia certainly has been a priority for us. And we support the very important work that the President is doing there. We provided a total of $30 million in the Development Assistance account, $30 million above the President's request, and I would be happy to accept the gentlewoman's amendment.

Mrs. LOWEY. I will yield.

Mrs. LOWEY. I thank the gentlewoman. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly rise in opposition to this amendment because, as I have explained to Mr. Shays, I believe this is a really critical program. I would love to work with you on it. This amendment would provide $50 million in funding for Community Action Programs. There is no funding in this particular bill for Iraqi operations and reconstruction. As I explained to the gentleman, the reason there is no funding in this bill is because of the $2.8 billion in the supplemental and the $2.8 billion requested in September for the supplemental. I want to make it very clear that I agree with the gentleman that the Community Action Program and NGO partnership with USAID does really good work. In fact, CAP is the only program of its kind to operate outside the Green Zone in Iraq. I have been a strong supporter of their efforts. I have met with them repeatedly. I know of their good work. By working from the community level up and assisting Iraqi moderates who have eschewed sectarian and insurgent violence, the CAP partners directly engage Iraqis in reconstructing their own communities. They create employment. They build nationwide grass-roots constituency for democracy. Congress identified CAP as a priority when it appropriated $100 million specifically for CAP in the fiscal year 2006 supplemental. Additionally, we just provided $95 million for CAP in the 2000 supplemental. I want to make it clear to my good friend from Connecticut that we put the money in after I met personally with representatives of CAP. I understand the important work that they are doing. I have spoken to the CAP partners. They agreed that they do not need any additional funding in the regular fiscal year 2008 bill. They tell me they have enough to continue operations. As difficult as it is there, they are continuing operations through fiscal year 2008 at the current pace of operation. They also noted that they worked very hard to stay under the radar in Iraq, which is what makes their great achievements possible. I want to make it clear that they have no interest, from my conversations with them, they don't want to be the foil in an Iraq funding debate. We have made it clear. Mr. Chairman, I want to make it clear once again that the reason we are not providing additional funding and we cannot provide additional funding to the CAP in this bill is because of the $2.8 billion in the supplemental, the $2.8 billion that is being requested. The CAPs have made it clear they don't need the money now. They are operating under the radar. If we are providing zero funding for Iraq in this bill, they don't want to be part of this debate. This is not a partisan issue. They are doing very important work. It has nothing to do with any of the other debate on Iraq. It is what is needed now. There are tremendous needs around the world that we are trying to fill in this bill. So, again, with great respect for my good friend, Mr. Shays, we have worked together on many issues. I appreciate your concerns. I agree with your concerns, but not in this bill; and I look forward to continuing to work with you as we move ahead. I thank the gentleman.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, in closing, just to address my good friend, Mr. Shays, I agree with everything you said. I agree with all the good work that the CAPs are doing. That is why we appropriated $100 million and then another $95 million. But I want to make it clear, at least from my interaction from the CAPs, and I have had many discussions with the CAPs, they don't need the money now. They are operating under the radar. They are doing good work. And with the supplemental in 2008 that is coming up in September, they don't need the money now. They certainly welcome, if it is necessary, some additional funding to them. Mr. Chairman, I would be happy to yield to the gentleman from Connecticut.