Date: 2003-07-15
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. House Resolution 316 is a structured rule that provides for the consideration of H.R. 1950. the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005. The Committee on Rules worked well into last evening in order to ensure a rule that is fair. that grants opportunity to this Congress to debate the major issue of the day in this field. In fact. out of the 75 or so amendments submitted to the Committee on Rules. 42. 42 were made in order by this rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate evenly divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on International Relations. The rule provides for a motion to recommit with or with.out instructions. Mr. Speaker. House Resolution 1950 was introduced by the gentleman from Illinois and the ranking member. the gentleman from California . along with the gentleman from California . The legislation authorizes $9.6 billion in fiscal year 2004 and $9.5 billion in 2005 to address the need of the State Department and their executive operations. The legislation includes significant language and funding to ensure International security through important assistance programs and activities. To highlight the need for this critical legislation. Mr. Speaker. we really need to look only 90 miles south of Florida to soe the evils of an oppressive dictatorship. The regime there in Cuba is the only dictatorship in the western hemisphere. and it works to subvert the message of freedom not only on the island of Cuba but elsewhere in the world. As we have seen this week. there are reports that the Cuban dictatorship is jamming U.S.-based broadcasting to Iran. This demonstrates the need. once again. to reinforce our message of freedom to the entire world. I think the world has recognized. at least recently since the very brutal crackdown in March of this year by the Cuban regime. where many of the countrys most wellknown and many of the most courageous prodemocracy activists were thrown in dungeons. that the nature of the Cuban regime is one that must be condemned and certainly that it must be isolated. This legislation includes an increase of funding at $15 million for democracybuilding programs while authorizing countless other programs such as continued radio and television capabilities to make sure that the message of freedom reaches the people of Cuba. I would like to commend the chairman and ranking member for recognizing the needs for international broadcasts not only for Cuba but for many other places in the world that are still under tyranny. While I think it is essential to address dictatorships such as the one in Cuba. many other people are also fighting for essential and inalienable rights. For years designated terrorist organizations in Colombia. for example. have plagued efforts by the people of that country to live in a peaceful democracy. I think proactive action must be taken to ensure that armed rebels in Colombia such as the FARC and the ELN are not continued to be allowed to disrupt peace with impunity. H.R. 1950 provides funding to further secure. among other things. Mr. Speaker. United States embassies throughout the world in order to maintain a strong diplomatic presence for the United States abroad. We made in order. and later today the House will be considering. an amendment by the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman HYDE) and the gentleman from California (Ranking Member LANTOS) to authorize the Millennium Challenge Account. a very important initiative 6f President Bushs. This historic expansion of foreign assistance will serve to bring economic security and some basic tenets of transparency to countries throughout the world. That Millennium Challenge Account will be administered by a government entity held responsible for results and benefiting from the flexibility to provide innovative solutions to the problems of poverty and oppression. The main goal of that account will be to assure that U.S. foreign aid is targeted towards transparency and breaking down corruption where U.S. foreign aid goes to. Funding for this important program is phasedin under this legislation. beginning with $1.3 billion next fiscal year and uontinuing with $3 billion in fiscal 2005 and $5 billion in 2006. By the last fiscal year. this challenge account will be financially able to assiut all those countries currently counted by the World Bank as what it terms lowermiddleincome countries. I am proud that the Committee on Rules did its Job to provide a full and fair discussion through 42 amendments. Mr. Speaker. so we should let the debate begin. This is a good bill. H.R. 1950. and this rule is fair. and it provides for much debate on many important issues. Through this legislation. the House will continue its important work to fund important State Department actions while. I believe. beginning the journey to relieve burdens on those across the globe that need assistance. I would like. to thank the gentleman from Illinois . the chairman. again. and the gentleman from California . the ranking member. for their great leadership. As I said yesterday in the Committee on Rules. for me. it is an honor to be able to serve in this legislative body with both. of them. I urge my colleagues. Mr. Speaker. to support both the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.