Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 2764, The Department Of State, Foreign Operations, And Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2764, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 20, 2007)

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Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida for yielding me this time.

I also join in the praise for the bipartisan work of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, the excellent work of Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Wolf.

Mr. Speaker, the job of the next President of the United States, whoever that may be, whatever party that person may represent, is very straightforward. They are going to have to reintroduce America to the world. They are going to have to reintroduce the America of cooperation, of working together, of multilateralism rather than unilateralism, of diplomacy rather than force, and strength through persuasion and cooperation.

This Foreign Operations appropriations bill is the introduction to a new relationship that America will have with the world and a new relationship that our appropriations bill will have with the taxpayers of this country. It really does two things. One, it restores accountability. That is best seen in the fact that it does not give a blank check on more money to Iraq that will go down the sink hole. Number two, it recognizes that we have to be a participant in cooperating with other countries in order to solve global problems.

Mr. Speaker, our Appropriations Committee is to be commended for this strong bipartisan work. Our image in the world has been tarnished by the foreign policies of this administration, from the war in Iraq to the rejection of multilateral agreements such to the Kyoto Protocol, the International Criminal Court, to human rights abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Through this appropriations measure, we have the opportunity to send the world a different message about America's priorities. We do that in this bill by allocating $6.5 billion to combat global health crises, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. We have provided needed help to those suffering from genocide in Darfur by investing $949 million in development assistance.

We offer needed food, water and shelter for refugees around the world, and we make good on our obligations to international organizations investing $334 million in multilateral programs to address the global challenges, and we pay $1.3 billion in U.N. peacekeeping operations. The bill also helps protect the American taxpayer and brings needed accountability from the administration.

I would also like to commend the committee for restoring funding for a small but extremely important initiative, the Middle East Regional Cooperation, or MERC program. Established in 1979 by my colleague from California, MERC provides grants for collaborative scientific research projects between Israel and its Arab neighbors. MERC grants have made it possible for many Vermont students to travel to the Middle East to conduct environmental research at an innovative program called the Arava Institute.

This incredible program, working together on difficult environmental problems, has allowed Vermonters and others to live and work alongside Israeli and Arab colleagues, working together on environmental problems that affect the entire region. MERC grants have made this experience possible, and I applaud the committee for working to make sure this invaluable program receives the funding it deserves.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to supporting important work in the Middle East, this bill implements needed changes to our policy in another conflicted region, Colombia, as was eloquently described by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern). This bill recognizes that it is time for change in our Colombia policy.

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