Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006

PALESTINIAN ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2006 -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 06, 2006)

* Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with mixed feelings that I rise in support of this legislation. I support this bill because it is vital that the House stand in opposition to governments that pursue their objectives by spreading terror. Supporting such a government is fundamentally at odds with the values that make our nation great. At the same time, we must find ways to maintain humanitarian assistance and avoid a spiral into human suffering in the Palestinian territories.

* This legislation attempts to navigate that narrow course between providing assistance to the Palestinian people and rejecting the hatred that embodies Hamas. It is not an easy balancing act, but this bill does a good enough job to merit passage today.

* The United States is the single largest financial supporter of the Palestinian people. We provide $245 million per year in humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians. And let me be clear: That support for the Palestinian people can and should continue. But we can do that--and should do that--without supporting the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. This legislation does create an important exception that allows funds to go to the PA if they are dedicated to promoting democracy and human rights efforts. It also affords the president some flexibility to continue the flow of this assistance should he judge it to be in our national security interest. While I have real reservations about entrusting the current president with this authority, I nonetheless appreciate the importance of this provision.

* At the same time, I have several concerns about H.R. 4681, and believe that some modifications are needed before this legislation can become law. First, I am concerned that the bill does not account for future changes in the policies of the Palestinian Authority--whether it is Hamas or Fatah or someone else. For instance, should Hamas decide to become a responsible partner in the Middle East peace process--an unlikely prospect to be sure--or should a new government take its place, there is nothing in this legislation that would allow us to restart aid or lift the restrictions placed on them by this bill. With that in mind, I believe this bill should have included a sunset provision allowing Congress and the White House the chance to review in a year or two the impact that this legislation has on the PA and on the Palestinian people.

* While I do not foresee Hamas renouncing terror, recognizing Israel's right to exist, or accepting the Road Map as the basis for future progress in the Middle East, I do believe that Fatah and other parties may yet have the chance to govern the Palestinian Authority. Almost 15 years after the Oslo accords were signed, accepting these basic principles should not require extraordinary policy shifts. Indeed, support for these measures should be a basic view of any political party seeking to run the Palestinian Authority.

* The legislation before us today also could be strengthened by reducing some of the onerous reporting requirements that well-known non-governmental organizations will face if they are to continue to provide direct humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. I fear that we are unduly burdening organizations like Catholic Relief Services, whose record of providing social services to individuals in need without regard to politics or ideology is exemplary.

* This bill also has some provisions that are either redundant or run counter to the goals of the bill. For example, there is no need to prohibit PA government leaders from receiving U.S. visas, since Hamas members already are unable to receive a visa. Further, limiting the ability of non-Hamas government officials to travel to the United States could actually hamper the ability of our government to meet, advise or otherwise support non-Hamas members of the PA.

* Finally, Mr. Speaker, it is my very strong hope that as this bill moves through the legislative process, the provisions that allow the Secretary of State to withhold our UN dues in certain cases will be dropped. This section is neither warranted nor wise.

* And so there is room for improvement in this legislation. But the intent of this legislation is sound. And by passing this legislation today, the House can clearly reject Hamas and the terror that has ravaged the Middle East for too long.

* For more than a half-century, a cornerstone of our nation's stand in support of Israel, our closest friend in the Middle East. And it is that I will support this bill. It could be a better bill, and as it moves to a possible conference with the Senate, I hope it will be, so that Congress can speak with one voice on this issue.

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