Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, once again, I just have to say how despicable it is to target dedicated public servants and to threaten their livelihoods.

The names are going to be dragged, as you know, through the political mud, and that is not fair. These people are public servants. This public servant has had 40 years in the public media.

She facilitated getting staff out of Afghanistan and has overseen the expansion of USAGM's audience to 410 million people.

Once again, if you have an issue with the policy, let's discuss that. Why in the world do you want to continue penalizing public servants who are representing the administrations that they serve and our country, of course, and their dedication to the United States and their careers?

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I will conclude by asking the question again with regard to who is willing to go into public service if their names can be dragged through the political mud, like the other side, the majority, is doing today.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would eliminate funding for the Art in Embassies program.

This program, established by President Kennedy 60 years ago, recognizes that art is a powerful tool of diplomacy. It offers ambassadors the opportunity to engage other nations in a different type of dialogue and connection. Many of the artists featured in this program are homegrown American artists.

The bill already includes restrictions and reporting on the Art in Embassies program to maintain oversight and accountability. This program is a public-private partnership, and eliminating its funding is just ridiculous.

Let me just mention the shutdown because we are waiting. Democrats aren't causing this shutdown. To use waiting for a shutdown or about to have a shutdown as an excuse for eliminating funding for the Art in Embassies program is just downright disingenuous.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree), the distinguished ranking member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, climate change has resulted in lives upended in Texas and Florida and has led to extreme flooding in California, Vermont, and throughout the country.

These amendments today really give me a lot of angst. It seems like we have so many climate deniers putting forth amendments which really don't believe there is a climate crisis.

This crisis poses threats to the stability of countries, heightens social and political tensions. It adversely affects food prices and availability, and this is according to our own military. I will say it again, our own military has said this. The need for foreign assistance will only increase if we do not address this significant driver of crises around the world.

No country can solve the climate crisis alone. This requires a multilateral effort. Secretary Kerry is lending his energy, talents, and experience as he collaborates with other countries to address these concerns. His relationships with foreign leaders are a benefit to the United States and our efforts.

Again, we should be thanking people who are serving the American people, not demonizing them for it. Funding the Special Presidential Envoy and its office is a requirement if we are to protect national security, strengthen the economy, and leave behind a safer planet for our children and our grandchildren.

Again, if I were a child today, I would be terrified about the future and what it holds for me in terms of whether we will actually have a planet for them to inherit.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, let me just say a couple things with respect to Secretary Kerry. He could be doing other things with his life, quite frankly, yet here he is trying to address this climate emergency, which is real, and he is trying to address this on behalf of our country and for future generations.

I really feel very ashamed of what is taking place here on this floor, especially as it relates to our public servants who are really trying to lead, trying to lead not only our country, but lead on a global scale to make sure that we have a planet for our children.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, once again, let me repeat this. It is really despicable to target dedicated public servants and threaten their livelihoods.

In this particular case, the amendment is targeted at someone on leave from the Department. None of us have the information to judge the situation.

As the State Department has said, it is a personnel matter, and it needs to take its course. It is not a matter for Congress.

Again, if my colleagues have an issue with the policy being pursued, then let's discuss that. We should not penalize public servants who are representing the administration that they serve and who have dedicated their careers to the United States.

Let me just remind you that the Iran nuclear deal did stop the enrichment of uranium in Iran, and the world, quite frankly, is less safe because of the previous President who pulled the United States out of the JCPOA.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would prohibit funds to move the United States Embassy in Israel out of Jerusalem.

The previous administration made the decision for the United States Embassy to be located in Jerusalem, and that decision is in effect.

Let's not change our focus on keeping the government open on October 1 by taking time to debate matters that really are not issues. These matters are not open.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, once again, this is a total waste of time. We are trying to keep the government open so that people's lives won't be disrupted.

I don't know why we are doing this, but I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and to focus on keeping this government open, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, President Biden's executive orders on climate change were issued to ensure the United States' focus on the climate crisis remains front and center. This is a climate emergency.

It is clear from the science that the most existential crisis the world faces is from the growing climate crisis. Without intervention, our warming planet will continue to have negative impacts on our country and throughout the world.

Climate-related foreign assistance can help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, droughts, and floods, and build an energy grid that is constructed for the next century, not the last one.

This is not something we can wait to worry about. This is an emergency, Mr. Chairman. Rising coastlines and hazardous temperatures mean that there are countries that might literally not exist in a generation because of the changes that are already happening.

Once again, I was in Egypt at the COP27 conference. This is all we heard about. This is an emergency.

Let me just say: The need for foreign assistance will only increase, and my colleagues know this, if we don't address the changes that we are seeing in the climate now.

Yes, to my friend and colleague, every now and then there are glimmers of hope on bipartisanship. I enjoy working with you and hope that we can get the repeal of these AUMFs to the floor, but let me just say we have to find where we can find common ground, and we are working to do that here in this body.

When it comes to shutting down the government, the President is not trying to shut down the government. I mean, every single hour there is a change in the goalpost from your side, not from our side. We just want to keep the government open so that people's lives won't be impacted.

We are trying to figure it out, but we have to have a partner in trying to figure it out. Hopefully, we will be able to pass a continuing resolution until we can get this resolved, hopefully, in a bipartisan manner.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, finally, let me just say our young people are watching. Our young people are relying on us to address this emergency in a way that is going to make sure that they have a planet to live on when they grow up.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, Ambassador Nuland has proudly represented the United States for 33 years and has been confirmed by the Senate several times.

Mr. Chair, if I were about to make a decision about my career, what I am hearing today would be really upsetting. I definitely would not make a decision to go into the Foreign Service, because my whole life could be destroyed if I made that decision.

It is really despicable that we are targeting public servants, threatening their livelihoods, and really making these amendments a disincentive for people of great talent to serve our country abroad. It is really a shame and disgrace.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman the United States once again became a proud member of UNESCO this past July. This decision was a huge achievement. It involved several years of negotiation, and it absolutely is in the United States' interest, something only the United States should be able to decide.

It is wrong to let another party make that decision for us.

Debates currently at UNESCO range from protection of world heritage sites to the evolution of artificial intelligence to the responsibility of nations to respect media freedoms to the equitable access to education, and importantly, the toll of the Holocaust.

The United States should be part of these discussions, making sure that our values are reflected.

We are fighting for our values. Already since we rejoined in July, we have been able to successfully advocate for the direct participation of Israel in a recent meeting in Saudi Arabia--a diplomatic achievement in everyone's interest.

Participation in international institutions like UNESCO are in the best interest of the United States of America.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, putting America first actually means our relationships throughout the world in terms of what we invest in and how we raise our concerns and our values and what we do to bring the world together in peace and security.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, stripping Palestinians of food, housing, healthcare, education, and opportunities to strengthen their livelihoods only threatens to ignite further unrest, instability, and distress. Such a cutoff would not only affect the West Bank in Gaza, but Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, as well.

Now, along with our Ranking Member DeLauro, I have visited UNRWA schools, and I can tell you that these young people are grateful to America for our support. Yes, our absence, of course, invites other countries.

I want these young people to remember who supports them and who is looking out for them.

This bill already puts oversight and accountability requirements on UNRWA before funding can be made available. A total suspension of aid would make it much harder for UNRWA to make sure that these controls are in place and to do proper monitoring, while at the same time cutting off essential services to the Palestinian people that currently are only provided by UNRWA.

This is morally wrong.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. A couple of facts. One, UNRWA reviews all host country textbooks used in its schools to ensure consistency with the United Nations' positions, educational appropriateness, and UNESCO standards.

Secondly, UNRWA has a zero tolerance policy with regard to staff neutrality violations and takes all such violations seriously, including those raised by organizations.

Investigations are launched with involved staff members placed on administrative leave pending investigation. Where allegations are found to be true and, thus, contrary to UNRWA's regulations and rules, appropriate disciplinary measures are imposed up to and including dismissal. Like any other organization which we provide resources to, UNRWA has accountability mechanisms in place and, in fact, follows up with regard to any charges that the gentleman has raised.

The damage that is going to be done through this amendment is a damage that is really damaging, first of all, to the children who benefit from UNRWA investments from this country, but it is also damaging to our leadership as it relates to being a real leader in terms of our efforts to seek global peace and security. That is what this bill really should be about.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my colleague's amendment, and I thank Representatives Massie and McGovern for offering it.

Cluster bombs are some of the most inhumane weapons on Earth. The United States should not use or stockpile these weapons, and we certainly should not be transferring them to any other nation.

Cluster bombs undermine our efforts to promote human rights and dignity everywhere. At a time when we are trying to mobilize the world in defense of human dignity in Ukraine, our cause is undermined by the continued existence of these weapons in the United States' arsenal.

Cluster munitions leave bomblets spread over an indiscriminate area, often lying undetonated for generations. Unexploded cluster munitions have maimed or killed countless civilians over the last few decades, including an outrageous number of children.

We are still spending millions of dollars to clean up cluster munitions used in Southeast Asia decades ago. We cannot be complicit in their further spread.

Nearly 125 countries have banned their use by signing onto the United Nations Convention on Cluster Munitions. For years, this bill, the SFOPS bill, has carried language severely limiting their transfer to other countries.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, let me reiterate that nearly 125 countries have banned their use by signing onto the United States Convention on Cluster Munitions.

For years, the SFOPS bill, our bill, has carried language severely limiting their transfer to other countries, but this has not proven to be enough. A complete ban is overdue, and I am proud to support this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support it.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I can't even imagine the dire straits that would lead me to send my child on their own on a perilous journey to face an uncertain situation at the United States border. No one does that willingly or without exhausting every other alternative.

I have been to the border many times. I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, a border town. I talk to everyone I meet and ask them about the circumstances and why they left their homes. Ninety-nine percent said they did not want to leave where they lived. No one wants to leave their homes.

For this amendment to suggest that countries are intentionally sending their youth away or that somehow this desperation would be improved by taking away the education, anticorruption, or nutrition programming that this assistance pays for is ignorant at best and cynical at worst.

The gentleman's amendment cut three times the assistance we provide to Guatemala. That is three times for the last full programming year. It cuts double the assistance for Honduras and Guatemala. It is un- implementable, and it is really very cynical and dangerous.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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