Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018
Floor Speech
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Mr. Chairman, I rise in respectful disagreement with my colleague who offered this amendment.
The United States Institute of Peace works to help prevent, reduce, and resolve violent conflicts abroad. The Institute works alongside our military, our diplomats, and development experts in some of the most conflict-affected and fragile environments, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Tunisia, South Sudan, and Ukraine. Eliminating the U.S.
Institute of Peace would hamper our efforts to stabilize these areas and to prevent further outbreaks of conflict.
The Institute also works with local leaders and other partners to find solutions to religious freedom and to mitigate the rise of extremism and persecution.
Let me point out, too, that the staffer the gentleman just mentioned in his remarks is no longer with the Institute. She is gone.
Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.
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Mr. Chair, this amendment would cut funding for the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Affairs account by $209 million. That is a 16 percent reduction in the fight against narcotics.
There is already money in the bill for TB, $241 million, which is the same as current levels, and that exceeds the last Obama request and the first Trump request for TB. It also includes another $1.35 billion for the Global Fund to fight a combination of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB, which includes additional funding for TB programs. So there is already money in the bill for TB.
This would cut the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Affairs account by $209 million, a 16 percent cut, when it is not really needed.
Funding for this account supports counterdrug and law enforcement activities, strengthens the rule of law, and increases border security.
Mr. Chairman, I just came back with my subcommittee from a trip to Ukraine and Georgia, and I understand by seeing it firsthand the importance of our assistance that helps governments combat corruption and improve the rule of law.
A portion of this funding also helps partners in our own hemisphere fight drug trafficking and violent crime before it reaches the border of the United States.
Undoubtedly, every agency can do more with more, but the allocation for this bill was cut by 17 percent from last year. And rather than cut every account by 17 percent, we deliberately and carefully considered each program, and directed the funding recommendations to reflect our priorities. Among those priorities is funding for TB, which is held at last year's level. This means, of course, that other accounts and programs took a disproportionately higher cut to make that possible.
I know the gentleman wants more funds for TB, and I sympathize with him in that desire. I can assure him that preserving last year's level of funding puts TB in a very rarefied position in this bill, because it is treated well.
Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on the gentleman's amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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I thank the gentleman from Texas for bringing this issue to our attention. The committee takes seriously reports of Americans abroad being treated unfairly, denied due process, or being used as political pawns.
Colombia is a friend and ally of the United States and an important trading partner. We expect the Government of Colombia to ensure our citizens are treated fairly in their courts. The committee will follow up on this matter with the Department of State to ensure our Embassy is engaged on this issue. And I thank the gentleman for bringing this matter to our attention.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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As I mentioned in my statement, Mr. Chairman, the bill before us today contains $3.1 billion in a Foreign Military Financing program funded for Israel, which fully funds the last year of the current memorandum of understanding with Israel.
This amendment would reduce the Foreign Military Financing program account by more than $80 million. In addition to Israel, this account provides funds for Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Colombia, and Ukraine. The President's budget request proposed deep cuts to this account, which we clearly rejected in the committee mark.
I should also note that the bill already provides over $6 billion for humanitarian assistance. I do appreciate the gentleman's desire to help the Ethiopian-Israeli community, but I cannot support an $80 million cut to security assistance. So I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida for raising this important issue. The plight of religious and ethnic minorities persecuted by ISIS has been, and remains, a priority for this committee, including the need for psychosocial support services to those affected by the crisis. That is why ample funding has been provided to assist communities affected by ISIS, including persecuted religious and ethnic minorities.
The fiscal year 2017 Security Assistance Appropriations Act provided over $1 billion for programs to counter ISIS and address the needs of those affected by ISIS. Funding was also provided in the fiscal year 2017 regular appropriations bill.
Finally, we included language on this very issue in the fiscal year 2018 bill, including designating $10 million for programs to protect vulnerable and persecuted religious minorities. The amendment, however, would reduce the Foreign Military Financing account by more than $70 million. This account funds our friends and allies like Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Colombia, Ukraine. The President's budget request proposed deep cuts to this account, which we clearly rejected in the committee mark.
In short, we have already addressed the gentleman's concerns, and I cannot support such a large cut to security assistance.
Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. Chairman, the overseas scholarship programs are popular among our Members because most of these programs support American educational institutions abroad.
Students that participate and receive an education based on American values help shape their societies. They are more likely to embrace democratic principles, counter extremism, and foster greater economic opportunity. These programs are an important part of the so-called soft power of America.
Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. Chair, I really appreciate the gentleman's concern, but not enough to support his amendment. As he knows, the administration proposed to close the United States African Development Foundation.
Given the significant reduction in our subcommittee's allocation, it would be very easy to agree to the administration's request. The bill before us, however, does not close the foundation, but instead doubles the requested amount.
If our conference allocation is more generous, then perhaps we can be more generous with the foundation. Until then, however, the bill, as reported out of committee, strikes, I think, the appropriate balance of assistance and diplomacy.
Mr. Chair, I urge a rejection of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I want to take this time briefly to address the concerns the gentleman from Florida has raised with regard to these organizations, many of which I share. That is why the base bill includes some pretty tough conditions on these organizations. In fact, these conditions have never been stronger with regard to the U.N. Human Rights Council.
No funds can be provided until the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that participation in the Council is, one, in the national security interest of the United States and, two, the Council is taking significant steps to remove Israel as a permanent agenda item and increase transparency in the election of its members to the Council.
We raised these issues, Mr. Chairman, with Ambassador Haley when she appeared before our committee. We all know she is actively engaging in these matters, and our conditions give her additional tools which she can use to get the Council to make some real reforms.
Next, the bill prohibits funds for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency until the Secretary can certify to the Congress that this organization is conducting regular inspections of its installations to ensure they are only used for humanitarian purposes and that the content of educational materials does not induce excitement. These conditions provide Secretary Tillerson with leverage to demand accountability and reform.
Also, we should be mindful that the President is reengaging with Israel and the Palestinians on a Middle East peace deal, which we all know is difficult and a very complicated task. Prohibiting funds to UNRWA at this time may have an adverse impact on those delicate processes the President and his team have before them.
This committee has and will continue to follow these issues very closely. It is a top priority, and the tough conditions in the bill reflect that.
I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me.
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