House Proceeding 07-09-09 on Jul 9th, 2009 :: 0:45:40 to 0:50:35
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0:45:36 to 0:45:56( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: introduced the paul simon bill and i urge its support. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida. the gentleman from florida the gentleman from california. mr. cardoza: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield five minutes to the gentleman from illinois, my good friend, mr. jackson. the speaker pro tempore: the

0:45:40 to 0:50:35( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Jesse L. Jr.Jackson

0:45:57 to 0:46:17( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: gentleman from illinois is recognized for five minutes. mr. jackson: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank mr. cardoza for the time. i want to begin my comments by congratulating congresswoman lowey for drafting the bill before us today. i also want to thank ranking member granger for working with the majority and i want to recognize both majority and minority subcommittee staff for their professionalism and

0:46:18 to 0:46:39( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: tireless work in producing this bill. i rise today to voice my strong support of h.r. 3081, the state foreign relations and appropriations bill. there are a few things that we do on an annual basis that are more important and crucial to the success of u.s. f policy than passing this bill. u.s. foreign policy can only be successful if we make crucial investments in the three d's. defense, diplomacy and development. ideally, all three, defense,

0:46:40 to 0:47:00( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: diplomacy and development, shou be considered equal legs of the same stool. however, this is currently not the case. this year we're going to spend somewhere north of $500 billion for defense. this bill, diplomacy and development, only totals $48 billion. despite the fact that the allocation for this bill is $3.2 billion below the president's request and $1.2 billion below comparable fiscal year 2009

0:47:01 to 0:47:22( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: level, this is a well written and well measured bill. taking into account the concerns of both the majority and the minority. however, i am worried about some of the amendments that have been made in order by the rule that would eviscerate some of the vital programs in this bill in the name of fiscal discipline. i am worried, mr. speaker, because yesterday in the developing world, nearly 15,000 to 20,000 people died of extreme

0:47:23 to 0:47:43( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: poverty. today in t developing world, 15,000 to 20,000 people will die of extreme poverty. tomorrow in the developing world, 15,000 to 20,000 people will die of extreme poverty. extreme poverty, like malnutrition and disease, are claiming tens of thousands of lives every day, despite the

0:47:44 to 0:48:05( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: fact that we know how to save many of these livings. the bill before us has the real potential to reverse these facts. look what has been done to date with our foreign aid. small pock eradication began in the 1960's. control of river blindness in the 1970's. increased child immunizations in the 1980's, initiatives to fight the begin request worm and

0:48:06 to 0:48:26( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: leprosy in the 1990's and the effort to end polio in this decade. mr. speaker, let me point out some of the highlights of this measure. this bill improves our diplomatic capabilities by funding 1,000 w foreign service professionals and improves our service cabilities by funding 300 new usaid personale. it provides funds for both our

0:48:27 to 0:48:47( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: multilateral and bilateral peace keeping operations. it provides increases for global health programs that fight the scourge of hisk, t.b. and malaria. it provides development for programs, some of these funds are educating children and providing clean drinking water and sanitation around the world. the bill provides $224 million for liberia, a shing example

0:48:48 to 0:49:09( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: of post conflict country that is now on the road to recovery instead of becoming a potential failed state and a potential haven for terrorists. now i understand that some of the members plan to offer amendments to cut key increases in programs in this bill. but this is pennywise and -- penny wise and pound foolish. our foreign policy is to be successful. if it is, we can't use stix, we

0:49:10 to 0:49:30( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: also have to use carrots. we need to invest in diplomacy and development the same we way we do defense. i'm sure some will defend their amendments by saying tough economic times. we don't need to spend one dime overseas. the arguments, mr. speaker, are short sighted. the money we spend on development and humanitarian programs overseas is an investment in more stability, more security and more

0:49:31 to 0:49:52( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: sustainability. it is an investment in our long-term national security interests, it's an investment in safer, freer and more demoatic world. not only is there a strong rational reason to support this bill and oppose all of the amendments to cut these vital programs, there is a moral one as well . when we were debating the fiscal year 2008 foreign operations bill, chairman wolf, former ranking member, said it best when he said and i quote, i

0:49:53 to 0:50:13( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: believe this bill has the potential to do a lot of good. and i say that this bill will help a lot of lives not only here but around the world. this is the work of the lord, frank wolf said. this bill, he said, is really to feed the hungry, to feed the poor, the naked and the sick. almost a better title of this bill, frank wolved said, would

0:50:14 to 0:50:34( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: be the matthew 25 bill. i urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, mr. speaker, and to look closely at some of these amendments because some of these amendments would cut the lord's work by 5% across the board. others would cut the lord's work by $1.2 billion and other amendmts yet, mr. speaker, eviscerate programs that are designed to help the poorest

0:50:35 to 0:50:35( Edit History Discussion )

Jesse L. Jr.Jackson: amongst the poor.