Establishing the House Democracy Assistance Commission for the 110th Congress

ESTABLISHING THE HOUSE DEMOCRACY ASSISTANCE COMMISSION FOR THE 110TH CONGRESS

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 24 to reauthorize the House Democracy Assistance Commission. This type of parliamentary development program was initially seen as a tool to help 12 emerging democracies rise from the grasp of communism in Central and Eastern Europe in the mid-1990s.

The Solomon-Frost Task Force assumed that successful democratic transitions in former Communist countries depended on direct involvement and at a modest cost were able to help these parliaments become effective legislatures and play a crucial part in a democratic system.

One of the most evident impacts of the program was the goodwill it generated towards the U.S. Congress and the American people among these East European countries under the Iron Curtain.

As the need has continued to grow and our world continues to evolve, former Speaker HASTERT recognized the necessity of having this program once again. The House Democracy Assistance Commission has given the U.S. Congress the ability to guide fledgling democracies into strong, stable institutions of government by creating relationships between members of both bodies.

Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity to travel to Lebanon, Kenya and Liberia on a trip not too long ago. And we were greeted in Kenya by a big guy. I am a pretty big guy myself; I am not used to looking up to people. But this individual was probably 6-5, 6-6. He was the staffer that was in charge of taking us around the capital making sure that we got where we were supposed to be.

And then we had the opportunity to journey outside of the capital out into the countryside. We flew out, and this same individual greeted us in his Masai warrior outfit. And we had the opportunity to visit with the Masai, see how they ran things. But, Madam Speaker, that is how you change the world, with the relationships, helping others build the institutions that underpin democracy. That is how you change the world.

Again, I want to thank Congressmen PRICE and DREIER for their leadership, for the tremendous job that they have done, to Speaker Pelosi for going forward and agreeing to getting things along as far as they have on this, former Speaker HASTERT for his vision, and then most importantly, to the staff that does such a tremendous job of helping out and making all of those things possible.

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