Date: 2004-07-15
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise today to speak out against H.R. 4818. this years Foreign Operations Appropriation Bill. I want to state my apprehension about what has been this Nations philosophy toward international aid. Perhaps I should say. I rise today to restate my concerns. as much of what troubles me about our foreign aid philosophy is unchanged from year to year. In fact. Mr. Speaker. none of my worries have been reconciled. In some cases. my fear has grown. A year ago I found myself in exactly the same position. I expressed grave reservations regarding the way the American taxpayers money was squandered abroad. I had reservations about sending so much of our money away when we have dire needs and deficits here at home. I had serious reluctance about giving money to the UN. an institution that is grossly inefficient. fosters antiAmerican sentiment. attacks our values and. I believe. furthers antiSemitism. I had grave reservations that our money was spent to prop up regimes that oppose the war on terror and. in some cases. even help terrorists. It is often said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. expecting a different result. After voicing my concerns. I waited and have yet to see a significant change. I am someone who is accustomed to results. Because I havent seen any. I am going to change my vote. Last year. I voted for the Foreign Operations Appropriation Bill. This year I am voting against. I am voting against the Foreign Operations Appropriation because I do not believe America should be sending money to nations that have turned their backs on our efforts in fighting the War on Terror when our young men and women are sacrificing on foreign soil. I do not believe we should be sending money to the UN until we can be sure that it was not propping up Saddams regime through the oil for food program. We should not send money to the World Bank when so many of its loans have been failures. and I do not believe we should be sending money to fight AIDS in Africa when we have Americans who need healthcare here at home. While I am voting against the Foreign Operations Appropriation Bill. I know there are worthwhile causes in the bill. I am torn about my vote. I have always been such a strong and staunch supporter of Israel. As the only established democracy in the Middle East. I have always wholefieartedly supported aid for Israel. As one of our strongest and unflagging allies in the region. Israel indeed deserves our support. Israel has been on the frontlines in the war on terror. The Israeli people understand Americas need to take the battle to our enemies. unless we want to be fighting it on the streets of New York. Our support for this nation is fully justified and I just wish there was more we could do. I would like to point out that there is hope. We have learned some of the lessons of our foreign aid insanity. I have much admiration for the Presidents Millennium Challenge Accounts. The Millennium Challenge Corporation changes the direction of our foreign aid. This assistance is based on criteria that reflects our values. In order to receive aid through Millennium Challenge Accounts countries must sign compacts that they pledge to govern justly. invest in their people. promote economic freedom and fight corruption. In addition to acknowledging to these principles in advance. these countries also agree to be monitored and will forfeit future aid if they dont make regular progress towards meeting these goals. There are 16 criteria by which countries agree to be judged and I am hopeful this results based approach will promote greater responsibility in our foreign aid programs. Mr. Chairman. I am voting against the foreign aid bill because too much of our taxpayers dollars are wasted on misguided and misdirected programs. It is my hope that in the future we will hold intemational institutions to higher standards of accountability and promoting freedom.