Hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations' State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee - Assessing an Effective Diplomatic Program in Iraq

Interview

Hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations' State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee - Assessing an Effective Diplomatic Program in Iraq

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

REP. DAVE WELDON (R-FL): Thank you, Madame Chairman.

And I apologize to the witnesses for missing your testimony. I was at a meeting with the minority Labor -- Health and Human Services subcommittee members regarding the current proposal that's being floated by the majority to link the Defense and the Veterans bills with the Labor -- Health and Human Services bill, and move that through as -- as some people are describing it, not as an omnibus, but a "mini-bus," which I guess, considering that this is the latest we've ever had in 20 years, in getting any of the appropriations bills to the president's desk, any effort that the majority takes to try to move the process along should be commended but, to me, this is a very bizarre combination, but anyway -- I'm sorry I missed your testimony.

But one of the things that emerged at that meeting was there were not provisions or plans being discussed with the minority, or with the administration, on how they intend to continue to fund our troops in the field, in Iraq and in Afghanistan. The president has asked for two different supplementals, and there's really been no action on either one. And the concern is the troops in the field are going to start running out of money in January -- at least that's one of the things that emerged at the meeting I just attended.

A lot of these projects that you're monitoring require on-going funding, and are there looming issues with funding as well, that you've been able to determine -- because of the tremendous delay in finishing our appropriations work, can you answer that question? Do you have any knowledge about that? Because as I understand it, I try to -- I was in the Army, I have friends in the Army, I still actually communicate with soldiers in the field via e-mail. They have -- they all have extensive access to e-mail, it's fascinating, and they're all telling me that the work that you monitor has played a critical role in the success that we've had, particularly in the Dalia (sic) Province, and Anbar Province, in terms of the rebuilding efforts, winning over the hearts and minds, so to speak.

And so my concern is, are we now going to get into a scenario where projects are going to grind to a halt if we do not get our appropriations work done?

MR. BOWEN: I think the two most salient points with respect to future appropriations in support of Iraq's recovery efforts are: One, around $5 billion that are -- that is pending or requested to provide additional funding to the Iraqi Security Forces fund. As I said earlier, provincial Iraqi control will be completed by next July. That means the training has to be done and completed. That means the Iraq police and the Iraq army has to be fully equipped and fielded, logistically supported. And our Iraqi Security Forces fund continues to advance that effort.

The second point is the economic support fund request that is targeted chiefly at supporting the PRT program, which is playing an important role in the Baghdad Security Plan, and in helping fund Provincial Reconstruction Redevelopment Council reconstruction projects across the provinces. Those are the kinds of "hearts and minds" winning programs that you referred to in Diyala and in Anbar. Ensuring that those two programs continue unabated, I think, is key to making progress on both fronts.

REP. WELDON: So if I understand you correctly, if you're very politically-invested in failure, one of the ways you can ensure it is cut off the funds to the attempt to be successful?

MR. BOWEN: Well, I think -- I think the Iraqi Security Forces fund and the Economic Support Fund are both helping make progress in Iraq on the security front and on the PRT front. And they both will run out of money over time, and the money in the pipeline that would sustain them is necessary.

REP. WELDON: I have one other question for you. Condoleezza Rice was quoted recently in the Press as saying that corruption is pervasive in Iraq. Can you comment on that? Or can you elaborate on that a little bit more?

MR. BOWEN: Yes. We have elaborated and commented on it at length over the last eight quarterly reports. It's "endemic," I think, is another word; it's "a second insurgency" is a phrase we've used, and it fundamentally arises from the fact that the Commission on Public Integrity, the Iraqi inspectors general, and the Border Supreme audit -- the three corruption-fighting institutions over there, really have had a steep hill to climb in trying to roll back the corruption that's there.

REP. WELDON: Thank you. I yield back.

REP. LOWEY: I thank you Dr. Weldon.

And before I turn to Mr. Schiff, Mr. Wolf and I had a discussion on the same issue previously before you arrived. And I just want to emphasize again that this president is spending $12 billion a month in Iraq.

His threats to veto all the appropriations bills, and we have completed our work in the House, the president has threatened to veto all of them because totally as a result of all the numbers and all the bills, we're up 22 billion (dollars) for issues like research at the National Institutes of Health, breast cancer research, diabetic research, health care for children. Someone has to stand up for the American taxpayer. Yes, I'm chair of this committee, and yes I want to get this bill through. But for the president to veto domestic bills when he hasn't done it in six years, now he wants to veto all the bills for a cumulative total of 22 billion (dollars) I think is wrong and inappropriate, and someone has to stand up for the taxpayer. So I wish you'd speak to the president. I know we serve on the committee that funds the National Institutes of Health.

REP. WELDON: Listen, my recommendation to you all on the majority side is pass it, send it to him, and then let him veto it, and then beat him up with that message. You know, when we took over in '94, we gave Clinton the bills, he vetoed it then, we went back and forth. It was ugly, but we finally got things done. But this is -- I mean, Thanksgiving's around the corner. Let's get the ball rolling.

REP. LOWEY: Dr. Weldon, I know we're going to have a happy Thanksgiving, and it's going to be happier than those who are fighting this war over in Iraq. But I do want to say that the decision as to when to send them is above my pay grade. But I would also suggest that for the president to put a veto threat on a totality of $22 billion for domestic concerns when he's funding Iraq at $12 billion a month is a message that I think the public should understand. So we can talk about it again.

Mr. Schiff.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source