Letter to Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Dicks

Letter

Today, Congresswoman Kathy Hochul sent a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee to recommend cutting funding to a costly Police Development Program (PDP) in Iraq that has proved unnecessary. Hochul cited the need for adequate funding for domestic projects and the PDP's inadequacies as rationale for reducing funding.

"This is about priorities. At a time when our nation's debt is out of control, and our own domestic infrastructure is crumbling, we should not be investing U.S. tax dollars in programs overseas that are both ineffective and unwanted. I urge the Appropriations Committee to consider the more pressing needs at home and cut funding to the PDP," Congresswoman Hochul said.

In her letter to the Committee, Rep. Hochul referenced a recent New York Times article titled, "U.S. May Scrap Costly Efforts to Train Iraqi Police." The article details many of the flaws of the PDP, including the programs ineffectiveness and doubts amount Iraqis' about the need for the program. Despite documented failures, the State Department has requested $850 million in funding for the PDP in FY 2013.

The PDP is funded through the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INCLE) account for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).

The text of Congresswoman Hochul's letter is below:

May 16, 2012

The Honorable Hal Rogers
Chairman
House Appropriations Committee
H-37 U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Norman Dicks
Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee
1016 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Dicks:

I am writing to request the Appropriations Committee to cut the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INCLE) account for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). The State Department has requested $850 million in this account to fund the Police Development Program (PDP) in Iraq. At a time when our own country is experiencing a significant debt crisis, Congress should focus its resources on effective programs that benefit our own priorities here at home such as infrastructure improvements, education and law enforcement.

A recent New York Times article titled, "U.S. May Scrap Costly Efforts to Train Iraqi Police", noted that the U.S has already spent $500 million on a program that Iraqis do not want, and the American Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction warned could become a "bottomless pit". In fact, several Iraqi officials, including the head of Iraq's Interior Ministry Adnan al-Assadiare, questioned why so much money should be spent on an unwanted program. Not only are few asking for the PDP, but many are arguing it is deeply flawed.

As a Congress we must appropriate money responsibly, and this program appears to be a wasteful use of U.S. tax dollars. I understand that the U.S. still plays an important role in the region, but it should not be at the expense of government efficiency. I urge the committee to significantly reduce funding for the Iraq Police Development Program.

Sincerely,

Kathleen C. Hochul
Member of Congress

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