Nancy Pelosi

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I rise to request the extension of the time so that I can yield time to the distinguished Democratic leader for the 5 minutes so he can speak to the issues that we have been speaking to this morning, and I respectfully request the cooperation of the chairman in that regard.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Ms. PELOSI. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, when the gentleman says that I heed the Pope when he is talking about debt relief, but not when he is talking about a woman's right to choose, or words to that effect, my comments to the gentleman were he was mocking this as a scheme; and I said this is not a scheme, this is a plan that has been thought out and proposed by the G-7. Just to get to the Pope for a moment----

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am very, very dismayed by the comments that have been made by my distinguished chairman in this regard, because we can have a legitimate difference of opinion on an issue, but the course that this debate is taking is not worthy of this institution. We have a very serious policy decision to make. We have Members of this House who have worked very hard on this issue, and who know a great deal about the loan forgiveness program. The gentleman is correct. We do not want to promote irresponsibility. That has never been an issue. The fact, though, is that if you are lifting oppressive debt, much of it incurred by previous regimes, why should a country not be able to borrow from the poorest of the poor window of the World Bank that administers to the poorest of the poor, the IDA window, assistance for basic human needs? For basic human needs? Why should they not be able to start investing in their economies? It is very simplistic to say, oh, I tore up my credit card, or my son tore up my credit card. That is not an analogy that is even in any way close to this. This is about countries wanting to assume responsibility. This is about countries saying yes to the reforms that they must comply with when they are applying for loan forgiveness. This is a very strict standard that is applied to qualify for these loans as HIPC, highly indebted poor countries. So if we want to say that this is not an important enough priority to our country, then let us say that, but do not mischaracterize what is being proposed here and what is being supported across the board by religious communities throughout the world and which the administration supports. The Secretary of the Treasury does not support the chairman's position. Of course we all support responsibility; and that is what we are advocating, too. Mr. Chairman, I hope that we can have the tenor of the remarks return to a place that is more respectful of the hard work that has gone into this. I say that with great respect for the chairman and with great sadness, quite frankly. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), a member of the subcommittee.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I know we will see the gentleman from Alabama somewhere else along the way, so I wanted to commend him in that spirit.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, would the gentleman yield, since he referenced my name in his remarks?

Ms. PELOSI. Thereto to this particular amendment, having nothing to do with any other amendments that are related to this subject, Mr. Chairman?

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to make sure I understood the content of the proposal of the gentleman from Alabama. Is it my understanding that the gentleman is asking unanimous consent that all time reserved for this particular amendment only is 3 hours? Mr. Chairman, under my reservation, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan).

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding to me. I want to speak for my colleagues in commending the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan) for his leadership as chair of this subcommittee. While we may not have always agreed on the particular priorities, he has always been a gentleman and has always welcomed our input into the process. I know that, at the end of this bill, and as we come back with the conference report, if we do, there will be more time for us to praise him and wish him well, as the ranking member of some other committee perhaps. That was a joke, Mr. Chairman. In any event, in addition to all of the very fine staff that was acknowledged, who are acknowledged by the chairman, I want to add Beth Tritter, Charles Dujon, Kim Rudolph, Alan Dillingham, and Will Painter for their fine service to this process as well and associate myself with the remarks that the gentleman from Alabama (Chairman Callahan) made about the other staff members and how dependent we are in a very bipartisan way on their service. But I think I have the best chairman on the Committee on Appropriations, and he and the big chairman have always dealt fairly with us. We are going to miss the gentleman from Alabama (Chairman Callahan), Mr. Chairman.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), who is a senior member on the Committee on International Relations to close. (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy and a champion on international debt relief.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick), a very valued member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs. (Ms. KILPATRICK asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez). (Ms. SANCHEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks).

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson). (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. That is correct. Okay. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank).

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) who has been a leader in the fight against global AIDS.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume in thanksgiving for the beautiful testimony of our previous speaker, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus), and thank him for that statement and for his incredible leadership on this issue of international debt forgiveness. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson), a member of the subcommittee and an active champion for debt relief. (Mr. JACKSON of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Ms. PELOSI. Perhaps the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan) would like to yield some time to the gentleman from Virginia.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Although we have to be here obviously at 9 o'clock to begin the debate, as far as the other Members are concerned, it is not likely that our first vote will occur at 9 o'clock, but after we have a few more votes.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, a point of inquiry. Mr. Speaker, when will the votes be taken tomorrow that had been rolled? Since we only have a few, is it possible we can begin with debate to give Members more time to get in here tomorrow morning, since we went so late tonight?