of all different religions including christ jesus and that is the answer yes we have an obligation to our next door neighbor but i do believe that we should have at least compassion and the desire to help people in other countries if we can do that and we can do that easily and almost without effort and when you say almost without effort are we talking about money the first round of debt relief for seven countries cost the cost every american citizen fifty cents fifty cents but what did that fifty cents do it reduced and for mortality in those countries by nine percent nine percent what is nine percent well in some of those countries it was literally hundreds of of children survive that wouldn't of survived it also included many little girls millions millions of little girls that were able to go to screw who were never afforded that opportunity to before all for a cost of fifty cents this next round of debt relief is estimated to cost two dollars for every american citizen now how often could you reach in your pocket could you put two dollars down and could you see hundreds of thousands of children being given opportunity to read and write how many times could you reach in your pocket and all for two dollars and know that thousands of people would survive the night there was a catholic priest nun sister trujillo and nicaragua and she was asked some time how do these people survive how do they survive in such conditions and she said i came to say often they don't they don't survive and whether we pass this legislation or not all over the world in these poor countries tens of thousands of people won't make it through the night tonight they will die they won't see another day but if we pass this legislation we can be assured because we have a track record of success we can be assured that hundreds of thousands will survive in some of these countries and these are stories that are phenomenal over me in many countries for special needs children people with down syndrome people with severe physical limitations there was absolutely no services no services they were basically born into total hopelessness in those countries where we've afforded debt relief and their debt services have dropped their actually today services for those children for handicapped children anyone who has children little boys or girls or grandchildren that you take pride in when they start learning how to read when i start learning how to write if for almost nothing you can ensure that little building all over the world have that same right would you do something would think you would and you would vote for this legislation let me let me give you three reasons again why this is a is the right thing to do not from a moral standpoint but even from a good government economic standpoint first it's yielded results wherever we have done this we have benefited the united states of america has benefited these countries have benefited the citizens of these countries have benefited as i said the poverty rate and the sub african countries which we gave debt relief is down six percent over a million children today are receiving health care that weren't receiving it all for almost no cost to second and i think this is a  important and i want to try to find this this is a quote from the nine eleven commission and if you don't hear anything else that i cited day you're concerned about our country of concern about our security then realize that debt relief is i believe dollar for dollar the most effective program in assuring our national security because it helps to combat poverty and it is poverty that leads to the instability and hopelessness that creates terrorism and terrorist factions to breed and thrive the nine eleven commission and talking just about programs such as this said terrorism is not college by poverty indeed many terrorists come from relatively well off background yeah yeah when people lose hope when societies break down when countries fragment the breeding grounds for terrorism is created they go on to say where there's not basic education where the children are not afford education those are the very countries that the next terrorist threat will come from it's no accident that the u s enlisted afghanistan prior to the taliban taking over is the country with the fewest number of children attending public education or any of our education now we have a choice that we can stand aside and let these children go to madrassas where they're taught to hate america or we can help these countries help their own future generations by allowing them to go into public education systems which will not brainwash their children and the beneficiaries will not only be them it will be they will be those of us who've had children in the military i can tell you as the father of a young marine this bill is very important to me i believe that this bill as much as anything else allows long term and our next generations of us to keep more of our children from having to go over and try to combat these terrorist activities third it's cost efficient the u s share the expected first round of debt relief under this act as i said again will cost no more than fifty cents apiece for every man woman and child in this country during the debate on this bill we republicans i asked for and were readily joined by the democrats and i asked and for some changes in this debt modification from the ones that went on in prior years one is that we asked the president not to grant debt relief to countries that are not moving in the direction of democracy that are not committed to the rule of law which are committed to improving human rights and the constitutional rights of the fundamental rights of their citizens second there are countries that are gaijin human trafficking under this legislation they are not eligible for debt really they will either have to turn from those practices are they will have they will be denied even opt indeed to negotiate and third they cannot harbor or promote terrorism let me simply close by urging the members we all want to say for a country we want a freer america and for america to be secure in the present global economy we really cannot ignore the rest of the world we cannot just simply watches these countries slip and chaos and discord this legislation is much easy thing will bring forward this year for almost no money will i believe fundamentally improve lives all over this continent i'll over this world all over the globe but will also be a very good investment for the united states of america both economically and militarily and marley thank you  all the groups fighting hard to relieve poverty in much of the rest of world especially africa and they particularly one of the celebrate the anniversary of an amendment that was successfully authored by a very very doing a member of the house of representatives that mandated that in international financial institutions do attention be paid to matters of in the environment and human rights and decent standard to individuals and we have come a long way there and that was then known as the policy amendment because the watching the master work to see mr frank work with the then clinton administration the year two thousand when we were trying to get the millennium debt forgiveness he along with congresswoman maxine waters have really made a tremendous difference in all of this and they have talked about some of the differences made in the countries that congresswoman waters did earlier god bless us in this house you have to be able to serve with what congressman baucus has just been such a wonderful leader in the house a values based policies sensitive to the needs of people in the world and how that relates to the security of our country and how this is important from a standpoint of security and compassion but it makes good practical economic sense as well wonderful leader in this regard and it's an honor to call you colleague spencer baucus to distinguish ranking member of the committee and this is been a  bipartisan initiative from the start i appreciate the letter that was sent out by chairwoman waters and spencer baucus barney frank ileana ross layton to the breaker at the senior member of the financial services committee as well as carolyn maloney from that committee advocating for this jubilee act to be passed today and spelling out exactly what it does as mr baucus did so very clearly just a moment ago and also with all the record all the recognition to those on the committee and those who have worked on this issue thank you for bringing us to this moment on this day and i was very pleased and except congresswoman waters acknowledgement of our insisting that it be brought up today because today is the day we're we welcomed the holy father pope benedict to washington d c many of us have just returned from the white house where we were very proud of the welcoming ceremony presided over by president bush and mrs bush to welcome pope benedict and to be stirred by both of their words the words of our president and also of the holy father and in his remarks the holy father talked truth and justice and freedom he talked about respecting the dignity and worth of every person not regarding each others as brothers and sisters all god's children made beautiful and inspiring speech and really his speech was reflected in the remarks that spencer baucus made here in that same regard as what our responsibilities are to our brothers and sisters today as the holy father's birthday and he's standing as the president said he's spending his birthday with friends and in friendship we bring this jubilee act to the floor today at the first resolution to welcome him his holiness to america last week we all voted in strong support in a bipartisan way for he said if you want peace work for justice this is there's always been a connection here with this debt forgiveness that enables countries to do many more things to promote justice in their countries whether it's the eradication of disease of poverty limon aiding some of the factors that contribute to the fury of despair that leads to violence that makes the world less safe and this again  john paul the second this was a high priority the debt forgiveness for john paul a second when he was pope and he led the cardinals in american a conference of bishops to advocate for this but it's not just been a catholic initiative it's had it's been an interfaith an initiative in the country in the world and certainly in this congress so it's very exciting on this the holy father's birthday as we welcome  america we do so in a way as as mr baucus says it just gives the authority to negotiate for the improvements in the forgiveness of debt so that we can again do what is right for respecting the spark of divinity that exist in every person in the world that we can try to bring some justice to it we who have so much for those who also god's children need our help and give them hope and hope that people say to me where's hope i said hope it's right where it's always been hope sits right there comfortably between face and charity we are people  believe in the goodness of people and we have faith that the charity that that will evoke bring forth will help honor the hope that people have in the world so this is a great occasion it's again to welcome his holiness to stand up for all the people in the world and to do what he called us upon to do this morning he called upon us to do he said we must have the courage today i hope that we have a unanimous bipartisan show of courage to do what is right and again i thank mr frank mr baucus congressman waters for their relentlessness on this issue and the opportunity so such additional time as i'm a member is recognized recognizing the bipartisan nature of our efforts here on the floor today and in committee and over the past few years and this has been an issue that i think has brought the congress together that's not to say that members are not concerned about certain part members of every expressed you know will this work this may not work i'm not sure it will work well it did war it did work we now have a proven track record of accomplishment did we have failures yes did it work better in certain places and others yes were there places where perhaps it didn't work very well at all yes were there places that it amazed us is how well it worked and the answer again is yes let me tell a story that completely blindsided me and the baby about the white they were not accorded debt related they didn't have they don't have that much debt there so they were not one of the countries that we extended debt relief to so i was surprised when the president that country sat down with us and one of the first things he said is please express our country's gratitude and this is one of the largest countries geographically and most of g g countries in africa right above us right above south africa and he said please express to the congress and the people united states my thanks for debt relief and the blessings of it is brought to this country and i said well mr president you didn't receive debt relief he said i don't know but the baby is is much better off today because of debt relief because some of our neighbors did neighbors were trying to destabilize our democracy they were trying to send rebels and our country and it stabilized our borders and we've been able to take money that we had from troops that we had positioned on the border and also money the united had supported to help them do that they don't no longer spend that money because their neighbors are more stable and they are not sending rebels across the border so here is an ally of ours that we've not had to spend money on to help defend them from anti democratic movement simply because the countries where those movement came from are more stable  again in places where we didn't even extend really we sayn tremendously beneficial things i want to recognize miss big or miss big or as ranking member of the subcommittee with the past few years has really taken a leadership bro in debt really she's knowledgeable on the issues she has been a real asset and i thank her recently she and i asked two members of the republican caucus who had been opposed to debt relief issues in the past we asked them to travel on a delegation to africa they now i've saying with now and i have many things that members of this body of talk about as saying what a little bit of money can do and how far can go i see not only the great made but i see the ability to address that need for what we in america cali almost an consequential amount and i wish every member before they took this vote could travel to latin america could travel to africa could travel to these countries in the middle east are asian and they could witness for themselves  many of the amazing success stories countries that whose people are better today than they were yesterday not because we not because we gave them money because this is not what debt relief about debt relief is about not giving them foreign aid it's about allowing them to help themselves taking their money and spending it on their own people so that they won't be coming to to us for a handout this is about a hand a totally different approach negotiate debt relief for developing countries especially those new democracies and let me note that much of the debt that we've heard about today that has caused such a horrible and i hadn't had such a horrible impact on the way of living in the standard of living of people throughout the developing world that debt is basically a result of dictatorship it is not a result of democratic governments making wrong decisions by and large we're talking about governments that have been run by authoritarians and gangsters who are put in their own people in debt i would suggest that anyone who loans money to a dictatorship should take notice and this is they are doing so at their own risk and however those people who establish democratic government and replace dictatorships should not be forced to bear the burden of having massive debt this is what keeps these countries down even once they've replaced their dictators for example in the soviet union once the soviet union was the communist party was displaced and they had free elections we insisted that they not renounce their debt we did not forgive their debt through the soviet union into a horrible economic chaos which was then democratic russia was paying for the sins of the of the communist dictatorship the preceded it we almost lost democracy in russia because we were insisting on debt repayment and the people didn't have any moral reason to pay that back now it's important i will have an amendment and i'm very grateful to barney frank for backing my ability to propose proposed the amendment that suggests that democracy that it be a democratically elected government and not just someone who suggesting they will be democratic in the future that gets this debt relief this gives the right kind of incentive and i would ask  six thirty four and i have to first thank our speaker for leading this house and doing the right thing on behalf of the poor and those year in ng for a better life i also must like my colleague congresswoman maxine waters f introducing this important legislation she's a true leader in the debt relief movement the world truly all of her a debt of gratitude for her consistent work effort never letting up on finding ways to relieve the suffering of the poor and also let me thank chairman barney frank for your leadership and for bringing this bill to the floor today in a bipartisan and in a timely manner and for your commitment to help those who need our help and to spencer baucus who has been committed to debt relief since i have been here because they fundamentally believe that this is the morally right thing to do and working together they have shown the world act of forgiveness and what that can bring in my travels to the developing world i have witnessed what mr baucus and what ms waters so eloquently described today as a result of this legislation an additional twenty seven countries could potentially be eligible for expand expanded that relief that speaks volumes to what can be done to alleviate poverty or help address such help address crises in the developing world especially in sub saharan africa such as the devastating a hiv aids pandemic these countries would have to meet strict criteria to guarantee transparency and their financial management systems and ensure that the savings are actually spent on alleviating poverty the bill would also ensure the involvement of civil society organizations so important to help set priorities for how this money should be spent the action we take t is not only the right thing to do for countries facing a crushing debt burden but expects volumes about our fundamental values as a nation and as a people this bill does not give people fish but the means to catch their own fish feed their families and live their lives in the manner that all god's children deserve is it any wonder that this bill has the support of over sixty groups led by the usa network backing this effort this coalition includes such a broad range of organizations from the faith community environmentalists labor international development groups and grassroots organizations so today and raising their voices and doing the hard work to help build this great bipartisan support for this bill that forgiveness is the right thing to do it is consistent with our ballot use as a nation and i urge my colleagues to support this i think and i thank the gentleman and mr chairman i rise in support of this legislation applaud chairman waters for her hard work on this legislation but mr chairman i must admit that i wanted to co sponsor this bill for a very long time but the bills introduced had a had a number of problems for me but i'm pleased to say that they've been resolved and i want to thank chairman frank for offering in the financial services committee a manager's amendment that address many of my concerns and allowed me to come become a co sponsor and also for the manager's amendment that will be brought up today so i'm pleased to join him and ranking member baucus and offer our offering and the manager's amendment today that makes  even better bill addressing the most important concerns including economic condition ality that the administration expressed in this in its statement of administrative policy issued on monday mr chairman over a decade of hard work and determination has produced results that for the poorest countries in the world poverty has been reduced and living conditions are improving today's bill recognizes and builds up on the previous work of this body and debt and development issues and i hope that this trend will continue and i served in two thousand and four and two thousand and five on the domestic and international monetary policy committee as the vice chair i was pleased to work with many members of financial services committee the administration and interested organizations to craft legislative language that event eventually authorized funding for the model a multilateral debt relief initiative r m d r i and m t r i this is unfortunately i think this week follow a bit short on our commitment but despite this short short fall the program is working for forty one of the poorest countries in the world twenty two have graduated from the hip it program ten are on their way and nine are be the process so i'm pleased that the bill under consideration today with both the committee and for a manager's amendment recognizes these facts and seeks to preserve and build upon the impressive progress made under m t r i and hippie so why do we need the well the fundamental purpose of today's legislation is to stablish a plan for phase two of the u s debt relief initiative and that's what we need to build sets out to forgive the debt and issue grants to the next group of the world's poorest countries twenty four in total which do not currently qualify under hippa self sufficiency and sustainable debt initiatives importantly it also seeks to prevent these countries from entering new lending post relief debt so that they don't squander the economic and social progress achieved through the debt relief i would like to note that the statement of administrative policy on this bill recognizes that debt relief should be tried tied to economic condition nowaday to ensure that it will promote death ek konami growth and provide real benefits to the poor in addition the bill including the manages men would ensure that countries eligible for debt relief don't have excessive levels of military expenditures don't support acts of international terrorism are cooperating with the u s on international narcotics control matters and are complying with the u s standards to eliminate human trafficking and working with the u s to stop illegal immigration to the us i worked really mention here for their guidance their compassion and encouragement of this bill it's an honor to work with them and as we've as i close just that the important part of our discussion today is to recognize that the ultimate goal of both phase one and now phase two of the u s international debt relief and poverty poverty reduction initiatives is to improve the life of the people of impoverished countries around the world and this is this is going to happen because of  thank you mr speaker and i would certainly like to thank representative waters representative baucus chairman frank and speaker pelosi for their outstanding stewardship and debt relief and for bringing this important measure to the flo  day when governments are burdened with overwhelming and unmanageable debt it's invent them from providing little mentary quality of life to their citizen citizenry that access to clean water modest shelter basic nutrition education and health care when citizens are living on less than a dollar a day civility democracy democratization of institutions innovation are greatly compromised or made improbable therefore it is not only our moral obligation to relieve debt but it's in our national interest to promote a sustainable world with cooperating partners in our efforts to address global problems such as pandemic diseases climate change and the prevention of genocide and terrorism i would urge all my colleagues to support h r twenty six thirty four and join in this day mr speaker let me begin by commending chairman frank for bringing this very important legislation to the floor and to his ranking member ms the baucus who has really been a real champion in these issues over the years consideration and our long history of working to help the work those countries to elevate its people out of poverty while the nonprofit organizations and members of congress and this really fought for debt relief many of us never imagine that we would still find ourselves here today unfortunately with the likes of dead advisory into nasional that associates and the burdensome i m f and world bank policies we must redouble our effort to prevent such policies and companies from pecking away at the hard won gains that we have made and continue to make as chairman of the subcommittee on africa and global health and a stand how the redirection of monies towards debt servicing and vulture funds has crippled african countries attempt to improve upon development indicators sub saharan africa receives approximately thirteen billion in aid every year yet spent fifteen billion dollars in servicing auld and many times  this type of deficit spending perpetuates the vicious cycle that prevents african governments from truly creating their own solutions to the challenges that they face three billion people in nations around the world living on less than two dollars a day for some of these nations they are beholden to servicing debt instead of focusing their financial and human capital towards creating the necessary infrastructure is to educate and feed employing care for their people  debts that they are trying tying their hands they will be able to direct the necessary energies to alleviating poverty in their country debt cancellation works zambia is a prime example how money is free from servicing th service can be used to better the lives of people it is using it saving of twenty three point eight million under the multilateral debt relief initiative to increase spending on agriculture projects in irrigation and livestock disease control as well as a lemonade in fees for health care in rural areas the jubilee act will establish a agreement among the u s other countries and international financial institutions to provide debt cancellation for deserving eligible low income countries will also work to create a binding legal framework to ensure that entities particularly unscrupulous vulture funds will not be able to lay in wait in order to seize upon newly awarded debt relief i congratulate congresswoman waters congresswoman waters and representative lee and representative pain because they are leaders in this very very necessary important issue of debt relief and i want to tell you i admire their absolute stick to it having us on this important issue because seven years ago grassroots groups asked congress and the administration to release highly indebted poor countries from their overwhelming debt in many cases the debt was acquired under dictatorships and despotic regimes these emerging developing nations could not move forward while buried under seemingly crushing debt with bipartisan support and this is bipartisan in the way it's come to the floor pass the first time now it's improved upon and going forward again it's stronger than it was before in so doing we forgave debt owed by poor countries countries that were spending vast sums of dept service on debt servicing while forgoing investment into education or health care infrastructure and other social services some need desperately needed in their their small countries with this bill we're putting down a payment on the future of the developing world where getting more kids into classrooms or providing lifesaving health care we're building the pathways for entrepreneurship and i thank you again mr chairman for your leadership and i honor one more time like we all have congresswoman waters for her stick to it have enough and making these wonderful important issues come forward and pass positively thank you generally do you expect retire gentlemen  that objection this is a moving moment to come to the floor of the house and i was moved by the words of the house speaker quoting the pope and saying we must have courage and then of course the ranking member from alabama got up and said chairman frank that there were those who came back and said i've seen it with my own eyes and this is what this bill is about i about people understanding that extending the opportunity to teach individuals the ability to fish to reduce the debt give them a lifelong opportunity of survival let me thank chairman concept reduce the debt on the continent of africa and you give the opportunity to children and others to survive this is not a giveaway it is an effective tool to reduce poverty in some of the world's poorest countries had the privilege and honor of representing this nation in my visits to places like them bia zimbabwe south africa gonna in those early days nigeria and gola and places where you might not imagine the poverty listened to debt relief initiatives passed in one nine hundred ninety nine in two thousand and five are benefiting more than there's more than two dozen countries in africa and latin america just to the south of us  is using the fifty seven point nine million it has say from debt cancellation on primary education to ensure a future for children as well as much needed improvements in malaria control health care and infrastructure many of us take for granted our public school system but are you aware that children stay out of school because they don't have the fees they don't have the money so books they don't have the money for clothing in most african countries and maybe in latin american countries school is not free there is no concept of public school one of the poorest nations is using its savings of twenty three point eight million on agricultural projects and to eliminate fees for health care in rural areas and that cancellations enable programs in ugandan zambia to directly help the people this is the face of america and the face of our faith and it is saying that we care for the least of the old we are in fact a good samaritan and so today as we stand here this is a time of jubilee for this legislation not good short term solution i think that i thank the distinguished chairman and the speaker that forgiveness is a good short term solution but to be truly effective we must find a way to fix the broken system of international lending i'm very grateful that al financial services committee has been one of the most proactive in time of need there facing the economic crisis of americans they have not forgotten you they're facing the economic crisis around the world they're restructuring and looking at how we can unify our financial system here we are in fact the keepers of our brothers and sisters as i started out by saying we must have the courage that has been dictated to us and said to us today by the pope was visiting america and it's good for our colleagues who may doubt this legislation to go and see it with their own eyes once they do so they will understand that this is absolutely the right direction and might i just thank the appreciate first the work of congressman maxine waters and congressman spencer baucus to bring the jubilee act for responsible lending and expanded debt cancellation two thousand and seven to the floor and  particular my chairman barney frank who continues to be an american first an outstanding chairman of the finance committee and then all the other partisan stuff he does but it comes second and i appreciate that debt cancellation has proven to reduce poverty and save lives it sends a strong message that we care about the rest of the world is a sound economics and it is humane the debt cancellation support by congress in one thousand nine hundred ninety in two thousand and five its reach more than two dozen countries in africa and latin american as it's been described when uganda is using fifty seven point nine million freed by debt cancellation to increase spending on primary education malaria control health care and infrastructure that is good for every ugandan citizen its neighbors and the world at large today's legislation adopting an additional nine impoverished countries to the list of countries eligible for debt cancellation and making an additional fifteen countries eligible for relief is a very positive step the bill costs an estimated one hundred ninety seven billion if all nine countries enter into the agreement and one hundred one thousand main if the nom decides not to participate this is reasonable expenditure a wise investment and it's significant effort of goodwill by our country towards the world community while i support this legislation however debt relief by itself will not lead to reforms that are needed in many of these countries investment and foreign policy programmes to promote world stability is crucial and that is why oversight is so important many of us in this chamber believe responsible debt relief is not only the right thing to do but it's also our national security interest is in our national security interest particularly when coupled with reforms that will lead to substantial development developing nations that improve economically and help their citizens out of poverty and despair are much less likely to develop in ways that make them a threat to their neighbors and the greater world i urge passage of a char twenty six thirty four the  self congratulation but it really is a celebration of an important point namely that we are capable of dishy green week each other strongly and very important public policy issues without that enduring our ability to cooperate in other areas where we can agree and the committee on financial services has some very sharp divisions for example in the wall the federal government helping to build affordable housing and the rules that should apply there and the restrictions that should apply i'm very proud that that is not in any way interest from working together on these things which are both in the national interest and in the interest of  to may need someone to work later on but there's an important principle here during the ninety's in particular we had a great deal of turmoil in the world because as the international institutions the world bank and the international monetary fund and the provided some financial assistance to low income countries they also provided some very intrusive prescriptions about public policy and decision just you know if you're going to talk about democracy mr chairman you have to honor it you can't be for democracy only when you know you're going to agree with the outcome and for the international institutions with the backing of the american government all too often and other governments to have huge the need of these countries for assistance financial assistance as a lever to dictate what should have been left to the democratic process was harmful theoretically and practically it led to decisions being imposed which undermine popular support for the government and even for the concept of democracy so what we say in this legislation and i know the president raised some concerns about it there's a constitutional issue here we think we are very clear when the congress united good will come from foregoing them than we could do with collecting them in this situation because of the need for stability and peace in the world we have a right to set the terms under which it happens and we share in here that the shall be no intrusion into the democratic process we also say and it's perfectly consistent we do insist that there be a democratic process he says is not a bill that says no conditions it sets conditions that condition the democracy the conditions are no corruption transparency and democracy in the sensible to democracy in the sense of free speech and democracy in the sense of people knowing what's happening we do say we want to framework of honesty and openness which hasn't always been there we will talk a little bit later about some of the differences about interpretation that century calls in the right direction and i do want to know this is a decision that it is not appropriate in the of providing financial assistance for international institutions or other governments to dictate to the recipient government issues at all and any normal society be the subject of democracy i repeat my gratitude that we have got the word support for this i think there is an overwhelming consensus that reducing the debt of those countries which are trying to do the right thing for their people is of course primarily the interest of the poor children and the other poor people in those countries but also in our interest in trying to promote a stable and peaceful world or you'll back about to my time gentleman yield back this time all time for a gentle debate has expired pursuant to the rule you remember the nature of a substitute printed in the bill should be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five minute rule and should be considered read no amendment to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be in order except those printed and house report one can five eighty six h m m it may be offered only in the order printed in the report by a member designated in the report shall be considered read shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent of the amendment shall not be subject to amendment and shall not be subject to demand for division of the question it is now in only the following conditions that that objection the amendment is modified pursuant to house resolution eleven all three the gentleman from massachusetts mr frank and a member of polls will each control five minutes the chair recognizes gentleman from the gentleman from illinois ms begin to move in earlier to this amendment we reject the kind of conditions that try to set tax policy or education policy or resource policy within a country because if you go with democracy allow other countries to make them but we are right we thought to shed some conditions that affect us we should forward some conditions involving democracy and openness in to thank chairman frank mr baucus and miss biggert for their work on the amendment which addresses several concerns that members had with the version of the bill reported by the committee on the financial services with the adoption is the  better bill the manager's amendment clarifies the application of conditions for debt relief specifically it will ensure that countries receiving debt relief comply with explicit outlined conditions by doing so these countries will be held accountable more three more requiring greater cooperation with the u s on human trafficking preventing illegal immigration to the us and promoting democratic standards within the country benefiting from debt relief these additional members will have a positive effect not only on the recipient nations but on the us as well finally the managers and then makes clear that countries that have engaged in human rights violations and aided terrorism are excluded from receiving debt relief is a manager for barney has been very fair and back and my ability to have an amendment on floor and i will talk about that and next but let me know that when he stated that relief for these countries that we our goal is debt relief for these countries that are trying to do right for their people i think that in the manager's amendment and the congressman did reach out and try to find language that was agreeable but i don't think that we have reached that language i think there is still wiggle room in the language of the manager's amendment that would permit countries that did that are governed by authoritarian people who are claiming that they're going to have democratic elections is still there and our state department quite often supports those governments and would like to claim that they're heading in that direction like the government of ethiopia which then their last election through everybody won the elections in jail but now they're our greatest ally in africa say depart would love to have debt relief to a country like that we shouldn't be having served a majority of his time here undergo a public good ministrations he retains a deep distrust of the state department including the current state department and apparently his point is that he cannot trust the current state department to enforce democracy i am must have a democratically elected government the reason this is important is very clear the dictators and kooks and gangsters rule many third world nations and developing countries will simply steal more if we give them the chance those who steal from their people will steal from us debt relief to dictators is a license to steal i understand there are those who believe that we should not set such a high standard of having a democratically elected government is a prerequisite to debt relief well if dictatorships are overthrown it is postulated down that democratic reformers will need time to hold a free election well the monetary impact of a short time period in order to have a free election organized is minimal and the number of such cases are very very few but that's the worst case scenario the price of debt relief will in fact prevent foot dragging so there will be free elections at a quicker pace on the other hand a standard of requiring only a commitment to future and free elections opens the door to large scale manipulations and backtracking on democratic commitments by dictators or by those holding power after dictators have been overthrown give those in power in the third world countries a chance to put off elections and they will do just that giving them the wrong incentive and opening up the door to false promises of for future elections and giving them a benefit for it enables large scale theft this  just asking true democratic weren't reformers to hold elections before we get debt forgiveness we've seen it over and over again in the third world third world politicians claim they will hold elections but never quite seem to get there and if we don't act to close it this loophole will have a huge impact on the lao debt relief to governments that have not instituted and have no real intent of instituting democratic reform and yes i have no faith in our state department or this administration to enforce that rule that if they have if this is what they're really intent on democracy if our standard is that words are enough the tough guys of the world and who rule too many countries will lie and get their hands on the loot with our state department's approval surprise surprise that's why my amendment is important we should side with the democratic reformers not those who simply use the right words and i urge my colleagues to support this amendment which makes sense and reserve the balance of my time this time john from massachusetts mr chairman i seek recognition john has recognized me here and i know i'm taking the time in opposition i'm not so much an opposite him but i'm about as close anybody we're going to find here so i think i qualify i agree worry much and case by case basis i believe the general californian i would agree in each instance so and so i hope the memon is adopted i would make one point and as i thought about it it does reinforce the point that we should not be imposing on the recipient governments policy choices that a democratic governor or to make the flipside of a commitment to democracy is recognizing the validity of those decisions and i out so with that and i appreciate the germans it seems to me that that's something we know commitment obvious you may but we could work on i hope the members adopted the gentleman yield back time gentleman from california i appreciate the thought very much and again i appreciate the fairness and i've been treated whether i'll show my bar partisanship a little more that i've been treated more fairly and i number of my republican colleagues have been treated more fairly since the democrats have become the majority that i was treated by my own leadership at a time gentlemen you sure ideals i know the gentleman joins me in looking forward to continued use of such treatment well i won't go that far but i do appreciate the fact that there's been this effort to reach out and treat people fairly on our side of the aisle and so i reserve the balance of my time if i have any left done i yield back that was my home and he was back this time the question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from california those in favor say  california will be postponed it is now in order to consider memet number three printed in house report one thousand and five eighty six for what purpose the gentleman from florida writes this is the chairman i have an amendment at the desk and that number three printed to house report number one candidate's five eighty six offered by mr hastings of florida pursuant to hospice aleutian eleven o three the gentleman from florida mr hastings and a member for haiti the current situation in haiti a nation that has been historically afflicted by the natural disasters is increasingly desperate volatile in recent days wells and of haitians have flooded the streets of port au prince and other cities throughout the country in desperation to decry rapidly escalating food prices in a nation where three quarters of the population lives on under two dollars a day the cost of staple foods in haiti has skyrocketed fifty percent within the last year haiti is not only the poorest country in the western hemisphere but it also ranks third behind somalia and afghanistan as a nation with the highest per capita daily deficit in calorie intake recent anger over food prices threatens the stability of this caribbean nation already haunted by a chronic congo the humanitarian crisis in haiti underscores the importance of quick and deliberate leadership by the united states haiti still is scheduled to pay almost fifty million dollars in two thousand and eight to unilateral financial institutions this amendment would put congress on record encouraging the expedited cancellation of haiti's international debt to help alleviate poverty and increased ability in haiti the united states government cannot and should not turn a blind eye again to the struggles of this undeveloped underdeveloped impoverished nation applaud president bush's recent announcement that he would release two hundred million dollars in u s emergency food aid to help alleviate food shortages in developing countries including in haiti but these funds are not nearly enough to assist with the media long term humanitarian crisis they fall far short of putting haiti on a sustained path requested and president bush could grant i ask our former colleagues to support this amendment and that they join us in supporting our haitian friends on yesterday two hundred forty seven agents were sent back by the coast guard in the haiti i reserve the balance of my time general reserve the time thank you to share in opposition i claim time in opposition although i don't know connecticut rather i'm not in opposition i don't want to be silent to the very real  concerns that my colleague from florida has expressed haiti is a country that is in tremendous property and while his resolution speaks to really package of the forty three in the past you know i hope folks in the administration are listening to his concern that i think is shared by so many so while this legislation deals with countries  to be added to the list to be negotiated i think is right in pointing out a concern that i think many on this side of the share this is a country in desperate need of help and it is a very  congresswoman maxine waters i salute the gentleman for this of forthright and vital acknowledgement and since of congress in this bill this is chairman people are starving in haiti haitians are starving are in the streets they are crying out for relief and as was said earlier this is the poorest country in the western hemisphere president preval has made a commitment to this nation and he has worked hard on political stability  we have seen incarcerated persons who are held as political prisoners be released but i think it is crucial that we join in a unified voice today to acknowledge that we stand against the starvation and the financial crisis that is in haiti this is an important statement to cancel the debt to all international financial institutions and also such debt cancellation can be provided cannot be provided to urge the institution handling of this matter in addition thank my good friend all from connecticut all for his statement and whose all support of this amendment this is an important initial step towards  responsibilities in this matter that they can discharge and appeal goals way beyond just the american responsibility i ask the international community to weigh in and deal ten five eighty six can manage my information that the author did not intend to offer it pursuant to clause six of rule eighteen proceedings will now resume on those amendments printed in house report one ten five eighty six and which further proceedings were postponed in the following order amendment number one as modified by mr frank of massachusetts m m a number two by mr roebuck or of number one printed and house report one can five eighty six as modified offered by the gentleman from massachusetts mr frank which further proceedings were postponed and on which the age prevailed by voice vote the kirkaldy designate the amendment and then number one printed in house report number one ten dash five eighty six offered by mr frank of massachusetts it's as as modifying the record devoted then requested those in support of requests for recordable will rise and be counted a sufficient number having risen a recorded vote there's off ordered those in favor the amendment will vote though the polls vote no members will record their votes by the chronic device this will be a fifteen minute vot