Hearing of the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee - The Emergency Supplemental Request for Iraq and Afghanistan
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REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Thank you, Madame Chair.
MR. NEGROPONTE: Could I make a few points on that, Madame, because I think there were questions, really, embedded in that.
Number one, we will share with you the agreement that we have with the Palestinian Authority. Number two, we sent up a notification that we recognize the need for certifying certain points, which we know has to come up to you before we actually obligate the funds. So we hope -- and we would like to work with you to clarify this situation so we can achieve a release on your hold.
REP. LOWEY: I look forward to receiving the details concerning the accounting procedures, the expenditures that you expect to use the money for, and certainly the intentions of Mr. Abbas.
MR. NEGROPONTE: Who has -- as of the last account, has recommitted to holding talks and to the peace process, and we certainly are going to continue to encourage him to do that.
REP. LOWEY: I would certainly express our appreciation on this committee for any efforts that you make in moving the peace process forward. I'll turn to Mr. Schiff. Let me just say, we'll suspend after Mr. Schiff's questions, and vote and then come back.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Thank you, Madame Chair.
Mr. Secretary, as you know, the influx of Iraqi refugees, estimated around half a million, has put an enormous strain on Jordan's economy. These refugees who represent 10 percent -- a 10 percent increase in Jordan's population, have inundated Jordan's health care and education systems and have also acted as a spur to increased housing and energy prices. The global increase in oil prices has further exacerbated the situation in driving the kingdom's budget further into deficit.
Jordan is one of our key allies in the Middle East. They've been very quiet but unstinting in their support of our fight against al Qaeda and supporting our troops in Iraq for this. The country's been targeted by al Qaeda and has seen its economy and its society disrupted. I believe we have a strategic interest in ensuring that Jordan and weather this economic storm. Mu question is, would the administration support additional aid for Jordan in a supplemental?
MR. NEGROPONTE: Congressman, I don't know about the supplemental, but let me say -- let me say the following. First of all, among the Arab countries in the Middle East, I think there is no better friend than the country of Jordan. And we have a very, very close relationship. We cooperate with Jordan in all the ways that you just described. And so I would definitely agree with you on that point.
As was noted earlier in the hearing, the king of Jordan is in town as we speak, and he met with the president the other day. I attended that meeting, and the king -- His Majesty expressed an interest in a multiyear approach to our assistance to Jordan, which at the moment, is provided on a year-to-year basis, and the president responded that we would take a look at that proposal by His Majesty. So that's where we stand on it at the moment. As you know, the assistance that is provided to Jordan is substantial. It's on the order of more than half a billion dollars a year --
REP. SCHIFF: Mr. Secretary --
MR. NEGROPONTE: And I would expect this to continue in the foreseeable future.
REP. SCHIFF: I'm aware of that, but I'm also aware of how the circumstances in Jordan have changed as the result of the war in Iraq and the enormous refugee problem that they have. And I hope you'll keep an open mind to supplemental assistance.
MR. NEGROPONTE: I understand.
REP. SCHIFF: I thank you. And I have additional questions, but I'm going to have to run off and vote, so we'll recess until after votes.
MR. NEGROPONTE: Thank you.
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