Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time and would be glad to allow Mr. Berman to recognize the Speaker.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to join with this House today in commemorating a milestone that few would have once thought possible, and in celebrating one of America's most special bilateral relationships. When the State of Israel was declared on May 14, 1948, some worried whether it would survive for even 6 months in the face of ruthless and relentless war from much of the Arab world. Naysayers worldwide fought against the establishment of a state for the Jewish people, and urged the United States not to recognize any such Jewish state. To our Nation's credit, the United States recognized Israel 11 minutes after it declared independence, leading the way for other responsible nations to follow. And despite predictions of gloom and doom, and the strongest efforts of its enemies, Israel did not perish. Indeed, Israel has flourished. Israel won three wars of self-defense on multiple fronts. It has survived not merely for 6 months but for 60 extraordinary years. Through it all, Israel has endured. And as the only democracy in the region, Israel continues to be a beacon of hope and a model for her neighbors. It has been said that the strength of a nation is determined by the caliber of its people. There is perhaps no better example of this truth than the State of Israel and the Israeli people, vivid examples of conviction, of courage, of faith. Indeed, through the blood and the toil and the creativity of its citizens, Israel has grown accustomed to dispelling established wisdom and exceeding expectations. Israel has proven that democracy, liberty, prosperity and innovation can indeed thrive in the Middle East. Today, Israel is a vibrant democracy where unfettered free speech fills the airwaves, and where Arabs serve in government, and have excelled in business and science. Israel has demonstrated that desolate areas of the Holy Land can be redeemed, and that the ``land of milk and honey'' can once again bloom and bear fruit. Israel has given the world a first-rate high-tech industry that pioneered wi-fi and instant messaging, and a medical industry that pioneered microscopic cameras that can be swallowed in a pill. And Israel has shown that a 2,000-year-old dream, the creation of a state for the Jewish people in their historic homeland, can indeed come true. Time and time again, Mr. Speaker, Israel has made the impossible a reality. Yet today, Israel once again finds itself besieged in every direction by dangerous regimes like Iran and Syria and by the rapidly arming and violent Islamic groups that those regimes sponsor like Hamas and Hezbollah. Today, Israelis live in fear, fear of the threat of their very existence represented by the pariah states of Iran and Syria. Innocent blood in Tel Aviv, in Jerusalem, and in other communities is shed regularly as a result of the jihadists from Hezbollah, from Hamas, and other such militant organizations. Palestinian suicide bombers have struck at crowded bus stops, at hotels and cafes and other civilian targets. And in a little town called Sderot, children play indoors because of Palestinian rockets, and ordinary people face the draining pressure that at any moment a rocket could be launched at them, killing or maiming them or their loved ones. Mr. Speaker, Israel's existence is indispensable to advancing America's most basic interests and values. For decades, our two nations have successfully collaborated on everything from science and business to defense and homeland security. As America goes forward, fighting for a free and prosperous world and against violent extremist groups who seek our ruin, Israel once again stands with us. And America will and must continue to stand with Israel for the next 60 years and beyond. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, at this point I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), an esteemed member of our Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am proud to yield 1 minute to the leader on our side of the aisle, Mr. Boehner of Ohio.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I thank the gentleman for the time. Mr. Speaker, I deeply regret the effort today to postpone timely action on the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. For over a year, advocates of this agreement have worked tirelessly with our counterparts to bring it to the floor for an up-or-down vote. We have the power to make a difference. We can make a difference not only here at home, but in Colombia and throughout the hemisphere as well. Colombia is a close ally, fighting our common enemy of drugs and antidemocratic regimes in the region. We must take a stand for our national security and against the growing influence of Iran and other rogue states in the hemisphere. The choice is clear. This rule change is nothing but an abdication of responsibility and a decision to leave the hard decisions for another day. With the Colombian FTA, American businesses will benefit greatly, our ally will be strengthened, and our interests in the hemisphere will be secured. I urge my colleagues to join me and vote ``no'' against this procedural vote.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity and spotlight the extraordinary leadership Dr. Emilio T. Gonzalez demonstrated while Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS. Since his confirmation in late 2005, Director Gonzalez managed an organization of more than 17,000 Federal and contract employees responsible for the accurate, efficient, and secure processing of immigration applications. During his tenure, USCIS underwent a period of unprecedented growth, revitalization, and expansion. The agency sharpened its fraud detection and national security efforts through the creation of the National Security and Records Verification Directorate and the deployment of Fraud Detection National Security officers to USCIS offices. The Nation's signature employment authorization program, E- Verify, grew to include 55,000 employer participants and has verified the work status of more than 3 million new employees. An ambitious facilities revitalization program was initiated by Director Gonzalez, with the goal to renovate or replace nearly 40 USCIS facilities over 3 years. Director Gonzalez is a shining example of the contributions and excellence that the Hispanic community has brought, and will continue to bring, to the service of our great Nation. Our grateful Nation is proud of his service, and I wish him the best in all his future endeavors. We will surely miss him dearly.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The alarming rate of crime and violence in the Caribbean region cannot be ignored. Several countries have reached the point of crisis, while attempting to counter the social, economic and political repercussions of organized gangs and narcotrafficking. Murder rates in the Caribbean are higher than in any other region in the world, and have risen in recent years for many of the countries in the region. Recent increases in kidnappings have been observed in the region over the past few years, and assault rates, based on police reports, are significantly above the world average. Serving as seemingly insurmountable obstacles to the economic and social progress of countries in the Caribbean, the pervasive nature of crime and violence again cannot be ignored. We have a shared responsibility to confront this threat and engage in coordinated efforts that improve the quality of life for all of our communities. The security threats faced in the Western Hemisphere as a result of violence and narcotrafficking call for strong action on the part of our government. So far, our partnerships with countries throughout the hemisphere are demonstrating significant success in the fight against drugs and crime; such as the case of Colombia, where substantial improvements in security have yielded positive patterns of growth, stability, and investment. We have good reason to be optimistic, Mr. Speaker. The deadly flow of cocaine into the United States has seen a dramatic decline in the last few months. Purity levels are falling, and retail prices are rising. We must remain committed to defeating the perilous threats of crime and violence that endanger the youth and prosperity of our Nations today. Together, we must tackle these challenges and strive to further tighten the bonds that hold us together as nearby neighbors. I am confident that through future cooperation and coordination, we can continue to see success and support the true potential of our friends in the Caribbean. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H. Res. 838 extending this Chamber's welcome to Pope Benedict XVI who will be making his first visit to the United States next week in his role as leader of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict was elected to the Papacy just 3 years ago, succeeding Pope John Paul II, who had led the Catholic Church for close to three decades. The Holy Father's visit provides an opportunity to reflect on his life and his teachings. Pope Benedict has devoted his life to his faith and to the promotion of peace. From his early days as a priest, he has also sought to inspire others to always search for the truth. On May 28, 1977, over 30 years ago, he declared that his duty was to ``follow the truth and be at its service.'' On that occasion, he went on to say, ``In today's world the theme of truth is omitted almost entirely, as something too great for man, and yet everything collapses if truth is missing.'' Moreover, Pope Benedict has spent his years of service in the church in an effort to clarify the tenets of the Catholic faith. After serving as president of the commission that reviewed the Catholic Catechism, he presented a new Catechism to Pope John Paul II. To date, he has written 25 books, which are now used as reference sources for many who are interested in a deeper study of theology. He served as the adviser of theological affairs to the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council, a gathering of great importance that was the largest in the church's history. This council adopted significant changes in the doctrines of the Catholic Church and its central legacy--its reforms--were meant to ensure that the heart of the church and its mission would be focused on helping people. The council urged greater engagement by the church to elevate the dignity of all human life, to ease suffering, end poverty in needy countries, and to promote international peace. This council was also intent on encouraging reconciliation between those in the Catholic Church and those of other beliefs. Since ascending to the Papacy in April of 2005, the Pope has advanced those doctrines in church affairs, particularly in inter-religious dialogue. On September 7, 2007, Pope Benedict visited Austria, where he joined Jewish leaders in a silent tribute to the victims of the Nazi Holocaust, and he joined Vienna's chief rabbi in a memorial to the 65,000 Viennese Jews who perished in Nazi death camps. During his time in the United States, he will visit the Park Street Synagogue in New York City and he will meet with Holocaust survivor Rabbi Arthur Schneier. Monsignor David Malloy, general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said of this meeting: ``By this personal and informal visit, which is not part of his official program, His Holiness wishes to express his good will toward the local Jewish community as they prepare for Passover.'' In October of 2006, Pope Benedict met with the Dalai Lama in the Vatican. And when he visited Turkey, he prayed at the Blue Mosque, and he now plans to meet with Muslim scholars and religious leaders at a Catholic-Muslim seminar to be held later this year in Rome. Pope Benedict has underscored his support for interfaith reconciliation with statements such as the following: ``If friendship with God becomes for us something even more important and decisive, then we will begin to love those whom God loves and who are in need of us. God wants us to be friends of his friends and we can be so.'' Mr. Speaker, Pope Benedict's wise words of inspiration, hope, and peace can serve to guide all of us. It is my pleasure to rise in support of this resolution welcoming His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the United States. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) who is the author of this resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong and enthusiastic support of this resolution which forcefully criticizes the current bloody crackdown that is taking place in Tibet. This resolution also condemns Beijing's almost six decades of suppression of the religious, linguistic, economic, and cultural rights of the people of Tibet. It was my great honor, Madam Speaker, to sponsor legislation which resulted in the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor that we can bestow in the United States Congress, to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, last October. My late friend and colleague from across the aisle, Congressman Tom Lantos, and I worked together to ensure that His Holiness received the official recognition that he so richly deserves. The Dalai Lama, who is also a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has won the admiration of all of us, not only for his spiritual guidance, but also for his principled stand upholding the human rights of the captive people of Tibet. Beijing's cynical and crass campaign to denigrate His Holiness both inside and outside of Tibet has drawn the anger of both the Dalai Lama's followers, as well as people of good will throughout the globe. Beijing has called His Holiness ``a splittist'' and ``a wolf in monk's clothing.'' The Chinese Embassy even recently sent out a computer link to offices here on Capitol Hill ludicrously comparing His Holiness to Nazis. The people of Tibet can no longer silently bear these continued insults directed at their spiritual leader, a man respected as an advocate of peace, of compassion, and good will. A boiling point was reached on March 10th, the anniversary of the 1959 uprising in Tibet and subsequent flight of the Dalai Lama into exile in India. When demonstrators broke out in Lhasa, Beijing responded with an iron fist. In implementing a bloody crackdown, Beijing ignored its past pledge to the International Olympic Committee to improve the human rights situation in China prior to this summer's Olympics. Chinese authorities even denied foreign diplomats and journalists all access to Tibet. With increasing numbers of American tourists traveling to Tibet every year, the United States has a legitimate interest in having diplomatic access to Tibet for consular services. But there should be no further openings of more Chinese consulates in the United States until China stops its repression of religious and ethnic minorities and stops violating the fundamental human rights of its own citizens. The crackdown continued until April 3, when Chinese troops fired into a peaceful crowd of demonstrators outside a Tibetan temple in southwest China. The crowd had been protesting the arrest of two monks who were found in possession of photographs of the Dalai Lama. Eight were killed, including members of the Buddhist clergy. But the Chinese regime has not only been responsible for shedding innocent Tibetan blood, in Darfur, in Burma, in North Korea, and inside China itself, bloody repression continues unabated. This lack of liberty will further diminish the light of the Olympic torch. The progression of that torch from London and Paris to San Francisco has become a focal point for those who would raise their voices concerning the immense human rights abuses of the Chinese regime. What has begun in Tibet will not stay in Tibet. Already there are reports of unrest among the Uyghur minority as well. Beijing's continued repression and denial of human rights will become the chief focal point of international attention in the summer of the Beijing Olympics. And, Madam Speaker, if the present repression continues, the Beijing games will indeed become the ``Genocide Olympics.'' I urge all of my colleagues to join in vigorous approval and support for this resolution. With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, and I ask unanimous consent that my good friend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) be allowed to manage the remainder of our time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chairman, I thank my good friend, the new chairman of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Howard Berman. He has got a tough act to follow, because we all loved Tom Lantos. The gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) had a hard act to follow, but, boy, did he fill those big shoes very well. So, thank you, Mr. Chairman. This has been your first trial by fire, and you came out looking so well because you accommodated the concerns and the anxieties and the worries that so many of our Members had. I want to thank on a bipartisan level all of the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, from the most conservative to the most liberal. We were able to forge a compromise that reached a broad consensus on this vital and complex legislation. We couldn't have done it without the leadership of Chairman Berman, but also without his very able staff and the staff on our Republican side of the aisle as well. The foundation of this bill, as Chairman Berman has pointed out, is the 2003 Leadership Act, which was the first comprehensive U.S. emergency response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and which stands as a noble legacy of our two former chairmen, Henry Hyde and Tom Lantos. They understood, as do all of us, that millions of lives around the world depend on our country's willingness to battle this pandemic together. It does honor to our country that 5 years ago we undertook this true mission of mercy. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to reaffirm that commitment by our vote here today. Since the passage of the original Leadership Act of 2003, extensive emergency treatment and prevention programs have begun to slow the advance of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The success of these programs is well documented. I would like to cite some specifics. According to the office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, more than 1.4 million people infected with the HIV virus are now being treated with the necessary drugs to fight this disease. PEPFAR has supported HIV testing and counseling for 30 million people, cared for million 6.7 million, and, as the chairman pointed out, including almost 3 million orphans and vulnerable children. We are on our way to achieving the 5- year goal of preventing the infection of 7 million people. PEPFAR has supplied medicines for approximately 800,000 expectant mothers, preventing an estimated 157,000 infant HIV infections. What a successful program. The legislation before us keeps faith with the core principles of the Hyde-Lantos Act. We have modified the original blueprint by adding or adjusting a number of provisions based on 5 years of real-world experience regarding what works and what doesn't. In addition to medicines and sophisticated methods of treatment, the 2003 act mandated that a more comprehensive approach be used that took into account local values and indigenous cultures, and the act before us does that. With respect to this balanced approach, the wife of the President of Zambia said it best recently when she said, ``There are several ways in which we can reach the young people. One of the effective ways is abstinence. It brings back dignity and self-responsibility to young people, because they know their bodies are not supposed to be abused and they learn to say no.'' The compromise bill before us removes the specific directive in current law so that implementation, as the chairman has pointed out, can be better refined to reflect the varying circumstances in host countries. Nevertheless, the bill before us continues this comprehensive approach by requiring that the AIDS Coordinator provides a balanced approach for prevention activities for sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS and to ensure that abstinence and faithfulness programs are implemented and funded in a meaningful and equitable way. The agreement that we have is carefully crafted and designed in the area of reproductive health and family planning to ensure that HIV funding for prevention is not misused to promote programs beyond the scope of this bill. We can do that, if you wish, in other bills. But the bill ensures also that those working to fight these diseases are not required to choose between their conscience and receiving the assistance they need to carry out their work. Also we worked a lot on the prostitution and the sex trafficking pledge. The bipartisan agreement maintains the existing certification requirement that any group or organization receiving PEPFAR funds explicitly oppose prostitution and sex trafficking. The U.S. Agency for International Development has implemented this prohibition by requiring that any group that receives funding sign a pledge affirming its opposition to these practices. Let me be clear: Neither current law nor the pledge itself prevents organizations from working with prostitutes or other high risk groups, but it does mandate that that assistance to these individuals not be mistaken for approval or support of the activities that take their terrible toll on their bodies and that can only be described as destructive to human dignity. We had issues with accountability and national security, and although this bill is absolutely motivated by the altruism of the American people, I believe that this legislation ensures that our interests are protected as well. For example, U.S. contributions to the Global Fund will be subject to more stringent oversight than is currently provided by calling for the Fund to meet even higher benchmarks of transparency and accountability. The legislation also includes a prohibition on taxation of our assistance by foreign governments to ensure that assistance intended to the afflicted not be siphoned off by unaccountable bureaucrats. The bill also strengthens our national security. The HIV pandemic is first and foremost a health issue, but it also is one of the most significant global, economic, and security threats of our generation. General Charles Wald, the Former Deputy Commander of the US-European Command, has called HIV/AIDS the third greatest threat to our national security. Together, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria kill millions of people during their most productive years, between the ages of 16 and 50. And in the hardest hit countries, the AIDS epidemic alone is killing a generation of parents, of teachers, of health care workers, bread winners, peacekeepers, shattering the economic and the social life of villages, communities, and, indeed, nations. Losses on this scale have staggered the economies of the hardest hit countries. Without further prevention, without further treatment, without further care efforts, the AIDS pandemic will continue to spread its mix of death, poverty, and despondency that is further destabilizing governments and societies and undermining the security of entire regions. Our former House colleague from Wisconsin, Mark Green, who now serves as the United States Ambassador to Tanzania, wrote to me following the committee's passage of this bill highlighting this security aspect. He said, ``In tearing apart the social fabric and leaving a generation of orphans, the scourge of HIV/AIDS could spread and create a long-term breeding ground of radicalism.'' PEPFAR programs in turn help to counter these precursor conditions. As General Wald has said, ``In addition to the obvious humanitarian efforts of PEPFAR, the program is one of our Nation's development activities that can help strengthen the social structure that keep communities and nations secure.'' The threat is not just in faraway lands, but in our own back yard. Many countries in the Caribbean have been particularly hard hit. This bill places a new emphasis on assistance to this region. It adds 14 Caribbean countries to the existing list of nations in which the Global AIDS Coordinator is given explicit statutory authority over HIV/AIDS programs. Let me add that, although all of us share the goal of reducing the further spread of this pandemic, this is also a personal issue for me both professionally and morally. South Florida, which falls within my congressional district, ranks first in the State of Florida in the number of AIDS cases. Roughly 19 percent of the State total for those living with HIV reside in my district. So, I am all too familiar with the human cost of this disease, and hope for the day when its ravages are safely confined to the past. Although not all Members will fully agree with every aspect of this complex compromise, it does contain the bipartisan approach that we have maintained throughout the years of work on HIV/AIDS in our committee. We have an opportunity, indeed, a responsibility, to continue the lifesaving work that began 5 years ago. This legislation is a means by which that can happen. But the dry text of the legislation, nor the posters behind me, cannot adequately capture the human drama for which we are trying to write the exit strategy. The poster behind me shows where PEPFAR has worldwide activities, the number of countries where it has positively had an impact. The second poster shows the number of adults and children estimated to be living with HIV just this last year. And, the third poster shows some of the faces of the children whom this legislation has saved. Let me read, to conclude, from a Washington Post op ed authored by our chairman, Henry Hyde, 5 years ago. Mr. Hyde wrote, ``Not since the bubonic plague swept across the world in the last millennium has our world confronted such a horrible curse as we are now witnessing with the growing HIV/AIDS pandemic. ``This pandemic is more than a humanitarian crisis. ``To those who suggest that the United States has no stake in this pandemic, let me observe that the specter of failed states across the world is certainly our concern. ``The AIDS virus is a mortal challenge to our civilization. ``It is my hope that each of us will be animated by the compassion, and, yes, the vision, that has always defined what it means to be an American.'' Madam Chairman, endless numbers of children have already been orphaned and deprived of the protection and the love of their parents. We cannot make their world whole again, but there is much that we can do to comfort and care for them and to prevent others from suffering the same fate. I ask my colleagues to join us in supporting this bill in a strong bipartisan manner, and thereby allow our country to continue our mission, our mission of mercy, for the waiting millions. And with that, Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, first of all, I would like to thank Mr. Carson for his well-reasoned and important amendment. We all had the honor of serving with his grandmother, Julia Carson, for many years in this body, and I know that Congresswoman Carson is looking down at her grandson and saying she is mighty proud. So thank you so much for your amendment, and thank you for carrying on in her great legacy by presenting wonderful topics and themes for us to discuss on the floor. I fully support the Carson amendment because it focuses on building human and institutional capacity in PEPFAR host countries. It directs the global AIDS coordinator and the USAID administrator to expand their plan by strengthening health systems of host countries by encouraging post secondary educational institutions, particularly those in the African continent, to collaborate with the post secondary educational institutions here in the United States, including historically black colleges and universities in training health care workers. As other provisions of this bill made clear, an important component of the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, is the strengthening of the educational capacity in host countries to train health care workers. The Carson amendment does exactly that. I congratulate him for it. He is a welcome addition to our Chamber. I would like to yield to Ms. Lee of California who has been working on this issue for a long time, Madam Chairman.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition to the amendment for purposes of debate.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I actually support the McCollum- Jackson amendment, which would add Malawi, Swaziland and Lesotho to the list of countries in which the Global AIDS Coordinator is given explicit statutory authority. Malawi, Swaziland, and Lesotho all face major HIV/AIDS epidemics and have received significant resources through PEPFAR in the first 5 years of implementation. By giving the Global AIDS Coordinator explicit authority over the U.S. Government's HIV/AIDS programs in these countries, the Congress is signaling that it believes the U.S. Government should continue to come alongside these nations' governments and their citizens to support them in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and I commend Ms. McCollum and Mr. Jackson for offering it. I would like to yield the remaining time, Madam Chairman, to our chairman, Chairman Berman of California, as well as Mr. Payne of New Jersey, with Mr. Payne of New Jersey first.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition to the amendment for purposes of debate.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I also support Mr. Fortenberry's amendment which would ensure that audits by the Global Fund Inspector General include information on subcontractors. The U.S. government is the largest contributor to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Since the fund was created, the U.S. has appropriated and pledged $3.5 billion for contributions to the Global Fund, representing nearly one-third of the total budget of the Global Fund. It is an important component to the world's response to these three diseases, and has made progress on issues of transparency and accountability in recent years. As the bill makes clear, continued support to the Global Fund should be based on the Fund's ability to meet certain transparency and accountability benchmarks. This amendment builds on and clarifies the underlying text in order to ensure that the audits conducted by the Global Fund's Office of Inspector General cover both primary recipients of grant funding and subrecipients who perform smaller pieces of the grants. These audits are important. I thank the gentleman for the time, and I support the Fortenberry amendment on Inspector General audits at the Global Fund.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Chairman, I would also like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield to the gentleman from California.