OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2007

Date: June 8, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Foreign Aid Government Budget and Spending


FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007 -- (House of Representatives - June 08, 2006)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Obey-Hyde-Lantos-Green amendment to increase disaster assistance funding for Darfur by $50 million and to increase HIV/AIDS assistance by $50 million. In order to pay for this funding, this bipartisan amendment will cut $100 million in economic budget support for Egypt.

Mr. Chairman, when we provide money to any organization or government, we should demand accountability and results in return. However, we have heard over and over again that in just the last year the government of Egypt has imprisoned the leading opposition candidate in their 2005 elections, which were themselves marred by fraud; extended so-called emergency laws despite promises to repeal them, cracked down on pro-democracy groups, harassed and arrested members of the press, and suspended a United States Government funded program to promote democracy. This is simply not acceptable. Perhaps some tough love and leaner times will help refocus the Egyptian government on Democratic reforms.

While our funds are obviously finite, the need for true humanitarian assistance around the world is seemingly infinite. The World Food Program has recently had to cut rations for refugees in the Sudan due to a shortfall in funding. The global HIV/AIDS initiative is funded at $121 million below the President's request. I am sure that nearly all of us would rather see our taxpayers' money used to support refugees and children orphaned by AIDS than used to throw dissidents and reporters into Egyptian jails.

Just a day or two ago, I was arrested in front of the Sudanese Embassy as a result of all of the difficulty and the genocide and the instability taking place in Darfur. Certainly a little bit of additional money to help provide resources for those refugees, for those individuals whose lives are disrupted would go a long way. So I urge support for the Obey amendment.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov/

arrow_upward