Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3057, Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2006
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3057, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - June 28, 2005)
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Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
(Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, the rule provides 1 hour of general debate evenly divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule also provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
I would like to take just a minute, Madam Speaker, to reiterate that we bring this rule forward under an open rule. Historically, appropriations bills have come to the House governed by an open rule, and we continue to do so, in order to allow every Member of this House the opportunity to submit amendments for consideration, obviously as long as they comply with all of the Rules of the House.
Madam Speaker, the legislation before us appropriates over $20 billion, an increase of $73 million, for operations across the globe. The bill is fiscally sound while, at the same time, compassionate and globally responsive to the needs of those plagued by disease and international disaster.
The bill bolsters the President's Millennium Challenge Corporation to $1.75 billion, nearly a quarter of a billion dollars more than in fiscal year 2005. The expansion of assistance is meant to help bring economic security and the rule of law to some of the most of the poorest nations of the world. The Millennium Challenge provides assistance through a competitive selection process to developing nations that are pursuing political and economic reforms basically in three areas, Madam Speaker: ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom. Economic development genuinely succeeds when it is linked to free market economic principles as well as to democracy and where governments are committed to implementing reform measures in order to achieve these goals.
Two years ago in his State of the Union address, President Bush announced the President's emergency plan for AIDS relief, the largest international health initiative in history initiated by a single government to address one disease. This bill shows Congress's continued support of the fight against HIV/AIDS, as it includes over $2.6 billion to continue the fight against that horrendous deadly disease.
Our resolve to help all those across the globe who fight this disease is strong; it is serious. In addition to funding, the Federal Government enlists the expertise of various agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, which assures that the medicines we send to the developing world are safe and effective to help those with HIV/AIDS.
In other foreign assistance, H.R. 3057 funds the Andean Counterdrug Initiative at the President's request, $734 million, $9 million more than last fiscal year. Economic growth in the area since the start of Plan Colombia is proof that the assistance we have provided Colombia has made a difference, a very important difference in that country. I myself visited in April of last year and was able to see the extraordinary progress that the Colombian government and the Colombian people have made against the narcoterrorists, and they constantly reiterate their gratitude to this Congress for the important assistance, Madam Speaker, that we have provided them and continue to do so.
However, we must not take progress in the Andean region for granted. If the United States turns its back on the region, a scenario may ensue which would require greater U.S. investment and involvement at a time when we obviously have significant responsibilities worldwide.
Madam Speaker, the underlying legislation also provides over $2.5 billion for military and economic assistance to Israel. We must continue to ensure that our friends and allies remain secure. I am fully convinced that a strong Israel is necessary not only for Israel, but also for the security interests of the United States. We are committed to do everything we can so that Israel is safe and secure within its borders.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 3057 was introduced by the gentleman from Arizona and reported out of the Committee on Appropriations on June 21 by voice vote. It is a good bill, essential to our continued commitment to the security and safety of all in the United States, and we bring it forth, as I stated before, under a very fair and, as a matter of fact, an open rule.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the gentleman from Arizona and the gentlewoman from New York for their leadership on this important issue, and I obviously would urge my colleagues to support both the underlying legislation as well as this rule.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
With regard to some of the many, many points that were made by my distinguished friend, and I am certainly not going to address them all at this point, but I would like to make two points with regard to this foreign aid bill which we are bringing to the floor today with an open rule. We are providing over $20 billion in foreign aid in this bill. That is an increase of $73 million over last year. We are fulfilling our obligations and being quite compassionate as we do so.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules.
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Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our support for veterans. A few weeks ago, as a matter of fact, on May 25, this House of Representatives brought to the floor, considered and passed by a vote of 425 to 1 the appropriations bill for the next fiscal year on military quality of life. The legislation included over $28 billion for the Veterans Health Administration, including $21 billion for medical services. Medical services were funded $1.6 billion above the current fiscal year. Over the last 2 years, funding for the veterans medical care has increased by 18 percent.
We are very proud of our support for veterans. And I would like to say, Mr. Speaker, that I know of no two Members of this House who feel and have more concern for the rights of veterans than the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), as well as the chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) of the appropriations subcommittee that funds veterans affairs.
So this matter brought to our attention now of a shortfall is of extreme concern to them. And as we speak, Mr. Speaker, a hearing is taking place to fully investigate the causes and the issues of this shortfall, a hearing is taking place by the appropriations subcommittee dealing with this issue, Military Quality of Life Appropriations Subcommittee, called for by the chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh). And so not only are we not ignoring the issue, we are proud of our record of support for veterans and will continue to support veterans in a way which will make us all proud.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
We will get to the bottom of this problem. We will solve it, and we have heard from the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the veterans issue to that effect. We will hear as well shortly from the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and when I say we are going to get to the bottom of this and solve it, it is coming from the history of the House of Representatives that in the last 2 years alone has increased funding for veterans medical care by 18 percent. We are very proud of our record, and we are going to continue to have a record to be proud of.
So having said that, I would simply like to remind any colleagues who may be following this debate that with this rule what we are doing is bringing to the floor the foreign aid bill, the foreign operations appropriations bill, which includes about $22 billion, the foreign aid bill, includes about $22 billion, and it is almost $100 million over the amounts that we appropriated for the current fiscal year. That is what we are bringing to the floor again, Mr. Speaker, with this rule.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that my good friend from Florida, as he was wrapping up his remarks, as always with eloquence, talked about the ``yes'' votes and the ``no'' votes, because just 1 month ago, Mr. Speaker, when this House brought forth the bill to fund the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the appropriations bill to fund Veterans' Affairs, there was a very interesting ``yes'' and ``no'' vote on this floor; 425 yes and 1 no.
So I simply want to put in context what has been said today. If we would be acting with such unfairness on the majority side, if we would be neglecting the interests of those men and women who we all hold in such admiration, then why was the vote to fund Veterans' Affairs 425-1 only 1 month ago?
As we have heard from the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, from the authorizing committee, and the chairman as well of the Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations on these issues brought to our attention subsequent to that vote of 425-1, they are being addressed. They are being delved into. They will be solved. And we will continue to be proud of our record of support for our veterans.
Now, with regard to what this rule does, the rule we have been discussing today, it brings forth for consideration by this body the foreign aid appropriations bill, over $20 million in foreign aid. A lot of important programs, humanitarian programs; support for allies and friends; for poor people throughout the world; for the sick and the infirm. It is a good piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker.
So at this time, Mr. Speaker, I would request that the underlying legislation, the foreign operations legislation, be supported, as well as the rule that brings it forth, which is an open rule.
The material previously referred to by Mr. Hastings of Florida is as follows:
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http://thomas.loc.gov