Nita Lowey

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson).

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

Mrs. LOWEY. Before I yield to my colleague, I would like to respond to my good friend, the ranking member, concerning his concern about the impact on the dissidents. I would daresay as an American who is proud of our values, if we open travel and communication and trade between the United States and Cuba, they would really understand what it's like to be an American. And I feel that's the best way to free the dissidents and to create an open and democratic society. Mr. Chairman, I am very proud to yield to my good friend, Mr. Delahunt.

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

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

Mrs. LOWEY. With great respect for my good friend and ranking member, Mr. Wolf, we have just provided $2.863 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for Iraq, diplomatic operations and reconstruction. In addition, there are $3 billion for unexpended IRF funds. This amendment is requesting $140 million in additional funding for democracy, rule of law and governance programs. The supplemental provided $250 million for democracy activities, $67.6 million for civil society, $57.4 million for targeted development, $125 million in governance programs, and $150 million in rule of law activities. The amendment is also requesting $16 million in additional funding for nonproliferation, anti-terrorism and demining activities. The recently passed supplemental provided $7 million for demining in Iraq. Additionally, nowhere in this bill is there language restricting funding for humanitarian activities in Iraq. In my judgment, the administration should substantially expend the funds we have provided before Congress provides additional funding for the same purposes. And lastly, if the situation on the ground changes and our assistance can be used to make substantial achievements, we can address funding for Iraq as the President has requested, $2.893 billion in emergency appropriations for diplomatic operations and reconstruction in Iraq in fiscal year 2008. So, my colleagues, my good friend is requesting $158 million for purposes that have already been funded in a $2.8 billion supplemental. And there is another $2.893 billion supplemental coming up in September. I know that $158 million can be used for the tremendous needs around the world. I strongly oppose this amendment, and I ask that my colleagues join me. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to the vice chair of this committee, my distinguished friend, Mr. Jackson.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, my colleagues, I have a question for Mr. Boustany, my good friend, and the ranking member. I believe, Mr. Boustany, that you recommended that we fund this $158 million. Yet this amendment takes the money away from the State Department. Ambassador Ryan Crocker is doing a superb job. We just appropriated $2.8 billion in the supplemental. The American people have requested, and this Congress has requested, that we see some response to the benchmarks, that we see some response on the part of the Iraqi Government to the benchmarks that have been put in place. So if I understand correctly, even though the supplemental funded, and I am not going to repeat it, every single category that my dear friend, the ranking member and my friend, Mr. Boustany, are advocating for, you want to fund $158 million with funds from the State Department which are supporting Ambassador Ryan Crocker and other ambassadors around the world who are doing such an amazing job representing us. Mr. Chairman, I really think there is a disconnect here. I want you to know that for those of us who are opposing this amendment, with great respect, again, to my ranking member, we feel that the supplemental that has passed and the $2.8 billion that is coming up in September requested by the administration can address these issues if, in fact, there is an understanding that they are not being funded adequately. So, again, I strongly object to this amendment. I strongly object to taking funds away from Ambassador Ryan Crocker and our other ambassadors around the world and representatives of the State Department. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, just for the record, did the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) suggest that we decrease the money for HIV-AIDS around the world?

Mrs. LOWEY. I thought you were suggesting that you didn't think that was a good idea; that it was more important to add to the $2.8 billion another $158 million and take it from the HIV funds. If I misunderstood, I apologize.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, so the gentleman believes that the $2.8 billion in the supplemental is not adequate and we must add $158 million now, even though there is another $2.8 billion supplement requested by the President for the fall. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my good friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, with great respect, again, for our ranking member and for my friend Mr. Shays, who I know has been to Iraq many times, I do hope that in light of the supplemental, which has been funded at $2.8 billion, and an additional supplemental which will be presented to the Congress in September for another $2.8 billion, we won't cut the rug from under our good friend, the competent Ambassador Ryan Crocker, and take this $158 million from the State Department for several lines that have been funded already in the supplemental. I won't go through that again. Mr. Ryan Crocker represents us, and I am so proud of his good work. I would like to support him and the other good men and women in the State Department around the world. So let's defeat this amendment. I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's amendment and ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will move $1 million from the Diplomatic and Consular Programs account to the United States Institute for Peace to reconstitute the Iraq Study Group. Although I feel compelled to point out the likelihood that by the time this bill is signed into law, the study on the effectiveness of the President's surge in Iraq will have passed, but, nevertheless, I support this amendment because I feel there is value added to reconstituting the Iraq Study Group, something that our ranking member continues to deserve kudos for establishing in the first place. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I just want to close by thanking Mr. Shays again and my distinguished ranking member, who deserves our praise for establishing the Iraq Study Group in the first place. I thank you both.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mrs. LOWEY. This amendment would cut $20 million from the contributions for international organizations. The question posed by this amendment is straightforward: Do you want to take funds away from an account that is saving lives every day around the world? Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld last year told Senate appropriators that U.N. peacekeeping was an example of the benefit of empowering partner nations, and it would cost the United States taxpayers almost eight times as much.

Mrs. LOWEY. Of course.

Mrs. LOWEY. I apologize, we were responding to another amendment. Would the gentleman please clarify your amendment so we can direct our debate to the appropriate amendment. Is this the one you are going to offer and withdraw?

Mrs. LOWEY. I would be delighted to respond to you then. I thank the gentleman for withdrawing the amendment.

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

Mrs. LOWEY. Would the gentleman from New Jersey yield?

Mrs. LOWEY. I really do apologize to the gentleman because the order of the amendments was changed.

Mrs. LOWEY. And international peacekeeping is very important to me, but as soon as I understand what your amendment is that you are going to withdraw, I would be delighted to comment on the gentleman's amendment. Could the gentleman redesignate the amendment? There seems to be a question. My comments were concerning the amendment to cut CIPA. May I have some clarification on what amendment we are discussing?

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I would like to respond to the gentleman from New Jersey. I do believe that nuclear nonproliferation must be a key focus of this committee and this Congress. In fact, in this bill because of the recommendations of so many members of our subcommittee and Members of Congress, we have increased money for nuclear nonproliferation efforts. So I look forward to working with the gentleman on this issue as we move ahead. However, I do think that your offset, taking money from U.N. dues, is actually unwise and not a very good policy decision. Many people have criticized the U.N., want to disband the U.N., want to cut off dues to the U.N., and then when we need the U.N., they wonder: What are we going to do if we didn't have a United Nations? I look forward to working with the gentleman from New Jersey in strengthening the committees of the U.N. and working together to face the tremendous challenges we have internationally. So I support the gentleman's concerns about nuclear nonproliferation, and I look forward to working with the gentleman; but I strongly oppose taking the money from U.N. dues. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson).