Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2004
Oct. 28, 2003
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004
AMENDMENT NO. 1989
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, there are three additional amendments that have been cleared which we would like to act on individually.
There is a Craig amendment regarding reforestation in Afghanistan. I commend Senator Craig for recognizing a problem that we solved while we were in Afghanistan 2 weeks ago, which is the country has stripped a huge percentage of its trees. As a result of that, there is enormous erosion that they would not have otherwise had.
Senator Craig knows a good deal about reforestation. He jumped on that and has offered this very worthwhile amendment which would appropriate $5 million for a reforestation program in Afghanistan. I know Senator Craig is hoping this fund will be something like a challenge grant in which corporations and individuals in America and foundations in America that have an interest in reforestation would contribute knowing that at least up to $5 million of that money will be matched by the these USAID funds.
It is a very worthwhile project. I commend Senator Craig for recognizing this and coming up with a way to begin to deal with a huge problem related to the rebuilding of Afghanistan.
I send the Craig amendment to the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell], for Mr. Craig, proposes an amendment numbered 1989.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To facilitate a reforestation program in Afghanistan)
On page 75, line 15 after the colon insert the following:
Provided further, That of the funds made available pursuant to this section, not less than $5,000,000 shall be made available for a reforestation program in Afghanistan which should utilize, as appropriate, the technical expertise of American
Universities: Provided further, That funds made available pursuant to the previous proviso should be matched, to the maximum extent possible, with contributions from American and Afghan businesses:
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I might be listed as a cosponsor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate? If not, without objection, the amendment is agreed to.
The amendment (No. 1989) was agreed to.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
Mr. LEAHY. I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
AMENDMENT NO. 1990
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment by Senator Domenici relating to the International Law Enforcement Academy.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell], for Mr. Domenici, proposes an amendment numbered 1990.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
On page 32, line 7, before the colon insert the following: ", of which $2,105,000 should be made available for construction and completion of a new facility".
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I am unaware of any opposition on this side. I believe that is the case on the other side.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, we have no objection on this side.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate? Without objection, the amendment is agreed to.
The amendment (No. 1990) was agreed to.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
Mr. LEAHY. I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
AMENDMENT NO. 1991
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, finally I send an amendment by Senator Leahy and myself to the desk which provides assistance to the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development in Egypt related to democracy building.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell], for himself and Mr. Leahy, proposes an amendment numbered 1991.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To provide assistance for the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development in Egypt)
On page 17, line 17, after the colon insert the following:
Provided further, That of the funds made available pursuant to the previous proviso, $2,000,000 shall be made available for the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development:
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I am pleased to offer an amendmentcosponsored by the ranking member of the subcommitteethat provides $2 million for the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development in Egypt.
The Center is directed by Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim, a vocal champion of human rights and democracy in Egypt. My colleagues may remember that Dr. Ibrahim was arrested on June 30, 2000, on charges that included defaming the country's image. Many in Cairo and abroad believe that Dr. Ibrahim's arrest was a direct response by the Egyptian Government to his investigations into discrimination against the country's Coptic Christian minority and parliamentary fraud.
Dr. Ibrahim spent several years in jail and was finally acquitted this spring after a second retrial. However, imprisonment neither dulled his desire for democracy, justice or human rights in Egypt nor his passion for pursuing these fundamental rights in the face of repression from the authoritarian Egyptian government.
In fact, when my staff visited Dr. Ibrahim in prison almost 2 years ago he was just as feisty in support of democracy for Egypt as when he passed through Washington a few short months ago.
Given Dr. Ibrahim's noble cause, the amendment provides funding for the center for core support and programmatic activities that promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Egypt.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, which underscores that an important front in the war on terrorism includes the pursuit of freedom, democratic institutions, the rule of law and human rights in countries throughout the Middle East.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate? If not, without objection, the amendment is agreed to.
The amendment (No. 1991) was agreed to.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.