Transcripts For CSPAN2 House Appropriations Committee Debates 2021 State Agriculture Military... 20240712

We are live on capitol hill waiting for a house markup to get underway. The Appropriations Committee is working on 2021 spending for state Department Foreign operations, agriculture and military construction. This is live coverage on cspan2. Please be seated. We are ready to begin. My friends, ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. I call the meeting of the Appropriations Committee to order. I would first like to welcome all members to the first full Committee Markup of fiscal year 2021. This will be a markup season unlike any other. Not only are we going to complete our work in record time, but we will be joined by a handful of our colleagues who were unable to be here due to the pandemic. Before we begin i have a number of housekeeping announcements. First, we should all be mindful of our health, and take appropriate actions. Following doctor monahans guidance, everyone, everyone must wear a mask and provide social distancing. Also, this information was previously conveyed to your staff, but are want to reiterate that no food will be allowed in this room. Drinks are fine, if you have led. And please, throw away your own trash to minimize the spread of germs. We will take lunch breaks from one2 p. M. So if we has a chance to stretch their legs and get food, while i hope the scenaro does not occur, should we still be considering amendments into the early evening, we may take a dinner break as well. Many of you have stacks of paper in front of you, please let the staff know, and for the remainder of the markups, we can email you copies of amendment text. As those of you in the room can see, this is a very different set up than we are used to. With all of us spread out across a large room, when Armed Services held a hearing here last month, chairman aberystwyth joked that those on the other side of the room on the dais needed to wear bright colors so that he could see them chairman adam smith. During debate i ask that you please Pay Attention of our able clerk who will recognize members. To accommodate members who may want to watch the proceedings from the office and to give all of us more time to confer with staff outside of the room, we will hold open each vote for up to five minutes. Its everyone participating that they has voted and is comfortable moving on, we wont hold open the vote for the full five minutes. For those of you who are joining remotely, please be respectful of those in the hearing room, and do not talk over them when they have been recognized. And finally, you will all want to listen to this. We are currently scheduled to finish our work next thursday. Should we be able to move bills at a reasonable pace, i would like to move consideration of the tenth defense bill to tuesday and the Homeland Security bill to wednesday, which would allow was to leave town wednesday night. Im sure everyone would appreciate concluding our business a day early. Please keep this in mind during general an amendment debate. If we move swiftly i see no reason why we cannot accelerate the schedule. And now i would like to turn to my good friend, Ranking Member granger, for any introductory remarks she may have. Thank you, madam chair. I apologize. Madam chair, thank you for yielding. First, want to thank my friend mrs. Lowey for leadership for the Appropriations Committee. We are all sad and we are in our last markup season with her and the chair. I plan to spend more time later honoring mrs. Lowey but for now i want to honor her commitment to the congress and to the work of the committee. We begin our first full Committee Markup today during an unprecedented time in our country. Our attention is on a Public Health crisis, the resulting economic downturn, and the divisions that exist among the American People. Im glad we have mrs. Lowey at the helm of this committee to ensure that our progress stays on track. I thank her for what she sent to ensure that members participate in these markups in person and still complete our work safely. Mrs. Lowey and her staff have worked overtime to make sure our markups proceed in the normal fashion. They work through safety precautions and do procedures cooperatively with us to ensure our members and our staffs are safe. I appreciate her focus on moving bills through committee in regular order, even during this very irregular time. This will provide our members an opportunity to make their views known and offer amendments. I think the chair of our efforts, and i look forward to getting a work completed over the next week, and ideally back. I yield back. Thank you, kate. Now it is time to proceed with the business portion of our meeting. Where i would begin with a brief explanation of how this markup will work for those joining us virtually. Once you start speaking it would be a slight delay before you are displayed on the main screen. Speaking into the microphone activates the camera, displaying the speaker on the main screen. Do not stop your remarks if you do not immediately see the screen switch. If the screen does not change after several seconds, please make sure you are not muted. To minimize background noise and include the correct speakers being displayed, we asked that you remain on mute unless you have sought recognition. You will notice a clock on the bottom of your screen that will show how much time is remaining. When your time is up the clock will turn red and i may gently tap the gavel to remind members that their time is expired before recognizing another member. In terms of the speaking order, we will follow our practice of alternating between majority and minority. Finally, we have set up an email address to which members can send anything that wish to submit in writing at any of our hearings or markups, including documents to be inserted in the record by unanimous consent, amendments, emotions, other unanimous consent requests, and so on. That email address has been provided to your staff. I would remind all members that they must verbally request unanimous consent separately from sending the document or written uc request to the email address. I thank you for your patience and understanding as we all navigate this new technology and platform. Our first order of business is to consider the subcommittee allocations for fiscal year 2021, also known as the 302b. The allocations i am offering today are consistent with the levels agreed to last year in the bipartisan budget act of 2019 for fiscal year 2021, notably the last year of the budget control act. The allocations for you do not include additional spending permitted under current law for emergency requirements, disaster relief, and wildfire fighting, among others. Among those adjustments will be 12. 5 billion in critical funding for our nations veterans. 2018 Va Mission Act shifted the responsibility for providing care for our nations veterans to this committee, and ongoing coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated those requirements. This committee cannot meet the needs for the rest of the country or fulfill other veterans programs and leslie move a portion of these rising costs for veterans programs unless we move outside of the budget caps. A Bipartisan Coalition of members in both chambers has already recognized this need, and chairwoman Wasserman Schultz bill will reflect that reality. I heard a lot from my republican friends very subCommittee Markups about this being a violation of the agreement last year. It has been well reported that my counterpart, senator shelby, also understands that having the v. A. Mission act be funded outside of the caps preserves our commitments to veterans. Clearly this is not a partisan issue. Outside of the allocations we also provide muchneeded emergency funding for our nations failing infrastructure, including the nations antiquated Public Health infrastructure. When the budget deal was passed last year, the words covid19 and coronavirus only existed among scientists. It would have been irresponsible to ignore the millions of people out of work when this committee is integral in rebuilding the economy. Under these fiscal year 2021 sub allocations, each subcommittee would receive an increase from the fiscal year 2020 levels. These allocations would allow for historic levels in funding for the v. A. , an increase of over 12 billion last year to provide the benefits and medical care that our veterans have earned through their service to our nation. A 2. 4 billion increase for the labor health and Human Service and education subcommittee to help support working families improve Health Security and build a stronger future for all americans. A 1. 7 billion increase for the transportation, housing, and urban Development Subcommittee to rebuild our nations infrastructure and help more people find safe, affordable housing. And other increases across the remaining subcommittees that will help deliver for the people. As i promised when i became chairwoman, as we did last year, will be adopting allocations for all 12 subcommittees before we consider any bill. These allocations uphold our commitment to americas working families, and will allow us to complete an orderly process in this committee and on the floor. I urge my colleagues to support the slate of allocations before you, and i will now turn to Ranking Member granger for her remarks. Madam chair, thank you for yielding. I rise in opposition to the subcommittee allocations because they do not give a complete picture of all the spending in these Appropriations Bills. Instead of working with us to develop bills consistent with the budget agreement that was reached last year, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have unilaterally decided to include hundreds of billions of dollars in socalled emergency spending for things that really are not emergencies. Almost 200 billion for infrastructure, nearly 35 billion to respond to the coronavirus on top of the trillions already appropriated, and 12. 5 billion veterans and even though it was known last two that these costs would rise. In total, there is more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in addition deficit spending not included in these allocations. Designating spending as an emergency is nothing more than a budgeting device used to free up funds to be spent on lower priority programs. For example, we should not be contributing to the Green Climate fund or burdening critical sectors of our economy with more expensive and cumbersome regulations. Our spending is a court threat to Economic Security, and i am concerned about the path we are on. The Congressional Budget Office now estimates the budget deficit will top 3. 7 trillion this fiscal year. Almost quadruple previous estimates. These are the highest levels in american history. Being fiscally responsible requires reviewing what is really needed in making difficult choices. If we fail to make tough choices, we are worsening our budget outlook and our ability to respond to the next crisis. We would also be jeopardizing future economic stability for our children and our grandchildren, the American People demand more of us. The additional deficit spending forced into these appropriations bill is shortsighted because there was no attempt to get consensus from republicans in the house, the senate, or the white house. Instead, it appears that this builds up and from the top down rather than bottomup, as our committee typically operates. These bills are full of controversial policies and questionable spending priorities. Similar to the extremely partisan bill that leaders of the Majority Party have put on the house floor this year. In closing im i despond in our field to come together at a time when the nation needs that about as much as anything we could possibly give them. We face a crisis unlike anything that weve ever faced and it saddens me that were in this place. This is a loss for all of us. The work of this committee is too important to let politics bog us down. I hope we can find Common Ground during the markup so over the next week in the months ahead i urge a no vote and yield back my time. Does any other member wish to speak on the allocations . Mr. Womack seeks recognition. The member is recognized. I think the chairwoman for recognizing me. Madam chair, i rise in opposition to the 302bs proposed here today. Last year both republicans and democrats negotiated a bipartisan budget act of 2019. We had to do that because we didnt pass a budget, and thats a serious breach of our duty as a congress but we establish Discretionary Spending caps for fiscal 20 and 21. We adhered to the scabs in fy 20 appropriation bills, and i can tell you its troubling to me, and it should be troubling to all americans that we are busting through those caps in 2021. Its fiscally irresponsible. It blows up all the good faith efforts in the terms agreed to by both parties. If theres not a better example as to why budget process reform should not be at the very highest of our agenda, then i think we are today makes that case. We are maxing out our credit cards, and were going to ask future generations to pay for this. At some point in time the congress has to wake up from its drunken stupor and begin to recognize what we are doing to future generations. No budget. The chance of passing Appropriations Bills and having them signed into law on time is, is incredibly to me, its just not going to happen. And we are wasting these opportunities. So, madam chair, i hope our college on the other side will recommit to the terms of the spending caps. I hope we will set aside the political posturing and and i e we can come together to prioritize fiscal discipline. I urge us to stay within the spending limits, Work Together to advance these bills, fund our government and serve the American People. With that i yield back my time. Does any other member wish to speak on the allocations . Are there any amendments to the report . If there are no amendments and no further discussion, i recognize ms. Kaptur for a motion to approve the 302 b allocation. [inaudible] madam chairwoman, move the Committee Approved the report on the 302 b allocations for fiscal year 2021. Question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair the ayes have it. Madam chair, i asked for a roll call vote. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favor of a recorded vote raise your hand. A sufficient number being in support, a recorded vote is ordered. The clerk will call the roll. [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] on this vote the ayes are 29, the nos is 21. The report is approved. I asked unanimous consent that the staff be permitted to make technical and performing changes to the report just approved. Seeing no objection, so ordered. Madam chair, i asked readers for the minority to file. So granted. We will now consider the fiscal year 2021 state and foreign operations bill. My friends, having served on this subcommittee for three decades as either chairwoman for Ranking Member for two decades, it is very sweet to mark up this bill for the last time before i retire at the end of this congress bittersweet. Since world war ii, long before any of our service here, foreign aid has been a key component of the United States Foreign Policy. During my time on this committee we have experienced pivotal moments that underscore the significance of the billions reallocate for foreign assistance to advance American Values in promoting freedom and democracy, and to support development and security around the world. On september 11, nearly 3000 americans lost their lives, including some of my constituents who perished on the sacred ground where the 21 hours the twin towers once touched the sky. We must look no further to recognize were living through another such moment. Coronavirus has claimed a staggering 540,000 lives worldwide, including over 131,000 americans, and is another stark reminder that circumstances and events half a world away can have serious consequences here at home. The foreign assistance bill embodies our common belief in in the absolute global engagement. This is not only a moral imperative, it supports the safety and security of all americans. As i reflect on this sub committees work, i can say without question that we have helped to make the world a better place. To highlight just a few achievements, we have stemmed the scourge of hiv aids, help revive food and shelter for families displaced by crises, intervened against atrocities, and advanced equity and opportunity for women so that they and their children might prosper. I am particularly proud of record levels of support for more than 80 million children globally, especially girls, to receive a basic education, which is the single greatest force multiplier in foreign aid. Im also proud that we have stood up for women, providing basic Health Assistance through International Family planning which enables them to contribute to improved health and economic outcomes for their families and their communities. It has been my honor to work with all of you on this bill. I am particularly grateful for the strong bipartisan partnerships on this subcommittee, and for the leadership of former chair hal rogers and kay granger. Mr. Rogers, todays bill is stronger for your input on shared bipartisan priorities, and i thank you for your partnership. Now i want to highlight the bill before us today, with a total of 65. 87 billion it rejects the president s go it alone approach to Foreign Policy, and expresses the committees concerns about timely obligation and prudent expenditures. It provides greater distinction between shortterm diplomatic, political initiatives, and longterm investments and development for which unexpected events should not trigger the conditioning of aid. It also provides enduring funds for transparent accounting for critical overseas contingency operations, or oco. The bill includes 47. 85 billion in base funding, 8 billion in oco funding for base requirements that otherwise would not be funded by the president s budget request. And 10. 018 billion in coronavirus emergency funding, the need for which cannot be overstated. The dire expectation for covid19 impact on our health and economy demand urgent and sustained action. To ensure this pandemic does not derail decades of development gains, the bill provides 3. 8 billion for development assistance. This includes 975 million to increase access to basic education, of which not less than 180 million shall be spent on Girls Education in areas of conflict. It also maintains our commitment to addressing Food Insecurity, improving water and sanitation services, putting an end to trafficking in persons, and promoting other longterm development objectives. That support thriving, healthy communities. This mark takes a holistic approach to Global Health programs by bolstering Health Systems in low and middle income countries, which face health risks and cumin a couple diseases that we know Communicable Diseases that we know to not respect borders. To sustain progress against hiv aids, tuberculosis and malaria, the mark provides 5. 93 billion for global hiv aids activities, including 1. 56 billion for the global fund, and clarifies the u. S. Commitment to maintain our 33 share. It also reverses the president s global gag rule and stops counterproductive restrictions on Family Planning and health funding, and provides 805. 55 million for Family Planning services, of which 55. 5 million is of the United Nations population fund. Also restores funding to the Worlds Health organization to ensure the United States maintains influence in the operations of an organization critical to the development and distribution of vaccines. To address policies will of the administration that harm our neighbors beyond our southern border, and drive migration, this legislation amends prioryear appropriation acts to significantly limit the to me, this is best demonstrated by the fact that she decided to chair this subcommittee while also serving as the full committee chair. I know the time and attention involved in carrying out the responsibilities that come with leading the full committee. Its demanding work physically and mentally. Yet, she still chose to make time for a busy state foreign operations schedule. Nita, i greatly admire your devotion to this work. We spent decades negotiating any number of issues, traveling to many corners of the globe and getting bills across the finish line year after year. Its been a pleasure serving with you in our various roles at full committee, and this subcommittee. We are also losing other import members of the committee, martha roby, tom graves, will hurd, and congressman joe serrano. You have all made indelible marks on this committee and this country and the world. I salute you all for your Tremendous Service to our nation, and wish you the best as you transition to your next endeavors. Turning now to the matter at hand. The bill includes a total of 55. 85 billion in nonemergency discretionary funding. This is an increase of nearly 1. 2 billion over the previous fiscal year. The bill also includes 10 billion and emergency funding for coronavirus response. Within the total, the bill includes funding for many key priorities that are critical to our National Security, and that we can all support. I think the chair for including 3. 3 billion in Foreign Military financing for our great ally israel, and for your steadfast support for their security. Im also pleased the bill maintains funding at the current level for Embassy Security. The attacks on our embassy in baghdad this year were a stark reminder of how we must do everything we can to support the safety of our Foreign Service officers working abroad in 260 plus installations. In addition to my appreciate the chair continuing funding to combat the flow of drugs into our country and to tackle transNational Crime overseas. The bill provides 1. 39 billion for International Narcotics control and law enforcement, level funding from fiscal 2050 l 2050s efforts go hand in hand for the work we do here at home in the relentless fight against drug abuse and addiction. Madam chair, were seeing another uptick in that death rate from overdoses of opioids since the advent of the covid19 problem as well. These are a few examples of investments supported in the bill by both sides. Thats why i am once again disappointed to the partisan policy riders included that are sure to end any bipartisan support. The sweeping measures included in the bill to overturn the president s policy of protecting life and Global Health guarantee, guarantees that the bill has no hope of becoming law and less these provisions are removed. The bill also includes controversial funding and language on climate issues, the United Nations, and a range of other problematic areas. Finally, i remain concerned about unchecked spending. Mr. Lomax comments earlier today. A special at this time of soaring deficits and debt. We need to carefully consider any increase in spending, at the longterm consequences of such actions. Before i close but also thank the staff on both sides of the aisle for the hard work, late hours. Susan adams and Jamie Mccormick but the minority staff, jeh johnson and austin gates from the first office, and from the majority staff, i want to thank steve and his team, erin, celia, dean, jason, marion stein and gene. The all been great help in putting this all together and we owe them a lot. Madam chair, i yield my time. I would now like to recognize Ranking Member granger for any opening remarks she may have on the state and foreign operations bill. Madam chair, thank you for yielding. During this time of instability around the world, its important to remember that our investments abroad can make us more secure at home. Fiscal year 2021 bill funds many programs that would do just that. The bill provides 3. 3 billion for israel, demonstrating our unwavering support for the security of our great ally and partner. It protects money for Embassy Security and counterterrorism programs. The bill also includes funds to advance Global Health, promote democracy and address human trafficking. Unfortunately, while there are areas where we agree, i have serious concerns about artists and riders that have been answered in the negative impact they could have partisan riders. As i said, the bill includes permanent changes in laws that would overturn the current mexico city policy. This is controversial language and i hope we can reverse it if the bill moves forward. Im also disappointed cdot longstanding provisions aimed at enhancing transparency at the United Nations were removed. These conditions were first put into place when i was subcommittee chair and should be included in this legislation. Finally, as ive expressed many times this week, i am concerned about the level of spending in this bill and many others. We have a budget agreement 11 months ago where we settled on spending caps. Now is not the time to reverse course without buyin from members on our side of the aisle. Too close i want to thank Ranking Members roger is, the former for his leadership on the subcommittee. Also what you think the hardworking majority and minority staff for the efforts, and i yield back. Are there any other members wishing to make general comments on the bill . Madam chair . Ms. Castor seeks recognition ms. Castor. I wish to thank china women lonely and member rogers as well as chairwoman lowey for this critical bill that undergirds americas leadership globally. I first would like to congratulate chairwoman lowey for her many accomplishments and know we are all grateful for leadership for this bill as well as the full committee. Her dedication to the advancement of liberty everywhere is well known and will be felt and remembered for years to, and need a low we will be dearly missed. During the covid19 pandemic it is clear that threats abroad can make the way to the homeland with over 132,000 death just in the United States, the administrations efforts have fallen far short of keeping the American People safe. Meanwhile, our nation continues to face of the global challenges of a belligerent russia, democratic erosion, rising authoritarianism and a more aggressive china. The chairwomans mark ensures the United States continued to carry liberties forward to robust diplomatic and Development Efforts and i am particularly please the bill provides increased funding to support ukraines Civil Society and anticorruption efforts. Ukraine is the skirmish law for the line in europe today and is taking steps backward on his anticorruption efforts. This includes purging the cabinet, the resignation of headed ukraines central bank and the politicization of the prosecutor general office. Thankfully, the bill sends a clear signal of just commitment to fight corruption in ukraine and will also allow for expansion of t ukraine programs to boost rural womens microfinancing, veterans psychosocial services, antaeus edition. The bill provides critical exchanges with the Civil Society in central central europe, pary hungary and poland, and im very thankful for the inclusion of the Exchange Program which will honor the western alliance legacy of the sling visionary mayor in poland. Im also deeply trouble with the Trump Administrations efforts to politicize u. S. Agency for global media by purging senior officials we must ensure that the firewall to protect journalistic integrity including the critical hungarian Language Services is maintained. This bill does just that. Finally i am concerned with consolidation across educational and cultural Exchange Programs. These mr. Scott efforts will reduce program effectiveness, its diversity and geographic inclusion. Im a please this issue has been addressed and i think the chair again and urge my colleagues to support this very important bill. I yield back. Mr. Fortenberry is recognize recognized. Thank you so much, madam chair. First let me know if this is a very important bill. Its really about three things. Our National Security, our diplomacy and our Development Outreach efforts here it captures the best of her mutual consideration and highlights some of her philosophical differences as we work through these important areas by want to note a couple of highlights in the bill, madam chair. First of all as you mention in your opening remarks the middle east partnership for peace. This is a new innovative way to use Development Finance and traditional people to People Programs that can make a real difference. Madam chair, as you well know any roadmap for peace needs a road, and any road needs the foundation. I believe this is the foundation at the plate this is a highlight and hallmark of your distinguished career, so thank you for this initiative. Secondly, i would also like to thank you for working very aggressively with Ranking Member rogers on the developing concept of Development Finance, which is also a new innovative way to use our limited for Affairs Funds to help as a force multiplier counter chinese predation in a new way and attack structural poverty and creates regenerative Economic Activity for the worlds poor. And finally as well well i wano thank you for including my work on plan haiti. Again, another new way for to help our neighbor to the south move past the trauma of the past and move toward a new future. So thank you, madam chair. Mr. Price is recognized. Thank you, madam chairman. I want to join colleagues on both sides of the aisle in thanking our leaders, chairwoman lowey and Ranking Member rogers for this collaborative bipartisan process that while it didnt be too perfect agreement has nonetheless produced a very fine bill. Thanks to the subcommittee staff on both sides for its dedication work on the bill and reported the bill rightly rejects the president proposed 20 cut to to the International Affairs budget and it provides critical funding to programs, policies and organizations that carry out u. S. Foreign policy and help lift up some of the most vulnerable communities around the world. Some of these organizations include the asia foundation, the u. S. Institute of peace, the National Endowment for democracy and its constituent institutes. Im glad to see the bill prioritizes program that helped build the capacity of democratic governing institutions. Combat corruption, protect Civil Society and promote the integrity of independent information. I am particularly grateful for the sport about democracy partnership, a Bipartisan Commission of the house which works with partner parliaments in emerging democracies around the world. Nation struggling with Financial Hardship as well as challenges to good governance. Madam chairman, i am very appreciative of your dedication and willingness to Work Together on this bill as youve done for so many years. This bill in particular we protected funding for smaller countries that may get overlooked or left behind, we look to resume critical funding for the northern triangle, for all of us. Supporting two state diplomacy in the middle east, protecting diplomatic corps. And and we supported our work at hdp. When jim colby chaired the subcommittee. We are very grateful and encouraged by the support that steadily came from the subcommittee for our work. And this is your final markup as state and foreign operations chair. You will get a chorus of tributes for the qualities of your leadership. Principled, compassionate, persistent, collegial. Those are important qualities that are once again evident in the bill before us. I salute you and look forward to working with you to see this bill through to passage. I think you. Miss lee is recognized. Let me thank, madame chairwoman, for putting this bill together as well as all of staff who have worked so hard to make this happen and thank you for your visionary and bold leadership as chair of this committee and our subcommittee. Through this bill, leadership to ensure global peace and security and thank you for your friendship. It has been a wonderful pleasure working with you and being a student of your ability and Strategic Decisions on how to put the bill together in a bipartisan way. I am pleased to support this bill which represents the best of American Leadership in finding problems that impact all of humanity, poverty, pandemic and conflict throughout the world, this contains viral investment to fight hivaids, to help african and caribbean countries which often times have been neglected. And peace through diplomacy. And to help the world combat the coronavirus. They have no respect for borders. The only way to help america is through international cooperation. It is imperative, including the world Health Organization. To prepare for future pandemic. They are taken up in the next week in the context of Racial Equity, the movement for Racial Justice, growing and understanding the role of systemic racism as played in the tremendous disparities confronting African Americans in this country. We view all our bills through Racial Justice to provide funding to meet this moment. As an example lack of diverse city in Foreign Service is a glaring example of what im talking about, approximately 9 to 3 as relates to africanamericans. This is unacceptable. During my last visit to many countries in africa a were very few africanamericans in our embassy and throughout our Foreign Service so this bill, thank you for making sure excuse me we have language as relates to diversity and our fellowship programs and internship programs which put us on a path to Racial Equity in our Foreign Service. This bill has traditionally been a vehicle for support efforts to defend human rights and provide redress for historic wrongs whether supporting the democratic transition in sudan and helping african mothers to provide children with education and nutrition we need to take part in a brighter future. Im proud to support this bill as one piece of an effort to support people everywhere the claim their rights and dismantle systems of injustice. Congratulations on your retirement for continuing friendship and our Work Together. Thank you. Mister cuellar. Thank you for your work in the diplomacy, how we treat our neighbors across the world. I want to mention a couple things i want to thank you in the Ranking Member, the support provided our neighbors to the south. Mexico, the funding you provide for justice reform, human rights, fighting crime and violence and facilitating trade between the us mexico is very important. I want to thank you for the money we started some years ago, with the Ranking Member and money for central america, strategy for engagement to make sure we address that issue and thank you for the funding for the International Broadcasting operation, voice of america. Some of you have seen the offices but we also need to make sure the voice of america puts resources in america because of the influence in china, russia and latin america but the funding and support in guatemala and mexico, in honduras, security for governance, Scientific Investigation and conservation. The last thing i want to thank you, i had an amendment by was going to introduce the basically said if there is any country that hosts a russian or chinese, why should we reward them by giving them funding on that. Your language, consensus language will be to have the secretary do a report on those countries and if anything needs to be classified give that report but we cant say we will put this money to fight the russian and chinese influence and at the same time reward countries that actually host those military bases, russian or chinese. I want to thank you for that. This is one of the last markups we had in this one. I want to thank you for your years of work you have done, served your district in an honorable way. Thank you. I yield back the balance. Mister case. I stand in strong support of state and for two main reasons. And funding on Defense International efforts for a Cohesive Strategy for interest and values and embracing the mantle of leadership across the globe. In doing so it was a fitting response to the myriad of compact challenges confronting our world immediately, the covid19 pandemic. Our airlines and partners are clear that in these difficult times they look to the United States to engage and lead. It is a National Interest to do so. This bolsters our commitments to diplomacy, Development Including investing 10 billion in International Preparedness response and recovery. The Cohesive Strategy for advancing interest and values in our own back yard. And those in between. Our greatest opportunities, defense capacity alone, while critical, maintaining leadership. They support the funding for implementing the indo pacific strategy. Along with new reporting requirement on climate security and greater focus on addressing illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. Equally important, crucial funding for organizations that have proven their ability over decades to knit together the countries and communities of the indo pacific in pursuit of common understandings and goals particularly the Eastwest Center in the asia foundation. In support of the us institute of peace direct focus on understanding and resolving difficult issues that arise from Great Power Competition in the indo pacific. A special note is 111 million appropriated for the peace corps. Anyone in the indo pacific will attest the peace corps remains one of the most effective projections of us leadership throughout the world. In addressing the indo pacific this bill focuses as never before on the Pacific Islands themselves. 12 independent states, and associated jurisdictions that lie throughout melanesia, micronesia and polynesia as viewed from washington in the Foreign Policy. Decades of engagement reflect the values and objections, countries and peoples, yet it will be foolhardy to take these for granted. Especially as china aggressively extends the presence on all fronts. Last year i joined other members in cofounding the bipartisan congressional Pacific Island caucus and we will join others members in introducing hosting longterm Us Engagement in the pacific to establish a longterm us strategy for the Pacific Islands. We welcome membership and cosponsorship of our bill. The bill before us and accompanying report paved the way, including recommendations for security and developed assistance for strength in Maritime Security with National Crime and healthcare, address environmental challenges, reduce disasters, strengthening democratic governance. The reporting courage is the state department to increase diplomatic and development presence in the Pacific Island, leveraging the new Development Plan as corporations invest in the region and direct our us agency for global media to expand coverage through the region and bolster press freedom. Electively these provisions will not go unnoticed throughout the pacific and will reinforce our engagement in the Pacific Islands in the broader indo pacific. In closing i join our colleagues in expressing gratitude and admiration for your leadership and service. The bill before us today like those in years past reflect your powerful vision for americas role in the world as a force for good. I appreciate that you personally understood and embraced the indo pacific. Thank you for your stewardship of this bill, this committee and our Foreign Policy. Miss Wasserman Schultz is recognized. Thank you for your leadership on the bill before switch advances us Foreign Policy and uphold American Values abroad. We can assure you in south florida with our very significant and diverse population of people from different nations, we are the gateway to latin america and in south florida foreignpolicy is domestic policy. This is an important bill in the community. Over 130,000 deaths domestically and 500,000 deaths, time for america to step up in combating the coronavirus epidemic, it is an important step by coronavirus preparedness, we prioritize of Climate Change in international to be asians that allow the Global Community to address our planets greatest problem. But world Health Organization in the middle of this Pandemic Congress must be clear to action that we support International Efforts to develop a vaccine and strengthen Health Systems to be ready for future outbreaks. Im pleased this bill in paris, swimming are the backbone of the families around the world, for Family Planning. Many face countless obstacles for accessing healthcare by repealing the global gag rules and contributing to the population fund. When protecting the climate we are putting money where our mouth is including support for conservation, environment and Renewable Energy programs, this extends the hands to venezuela and people suffering and stability and economic pain at the hands of the dystonic regime. We expand aid to those struggling with an venezuela along with refugees fleeing economic collapse and provide assistance to colombia who has stepped up, as well as neighboring countries impacted refugee, and funding for democracy promotion, civil rights and Civil Society in venezuela, something available to assist the transition if circumstances permit. I look forward to supporting this bill and seeing it come to the floor. Before i yield back i would be remiss if i didnt acknowledge the incredible leadership and remarkable and historic tenure that you demonstrated. The mentor you have been to me, we will do this more fully in the markup schedule. As a jewish women, it has been one of the highlights of my career, the position of chair in this committee as its first woman and i am not 100 sure of this, to chair this committee. In the community, anything is truly possible. Thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. Thank you for your kind remarks. Miss frankel, wherever you are. Thank you, madam chair. I am here. Madam chair, Ranking Member rogers and the subcommittee staff, thank you for your hard work. It is an honor working with you, if we learned anything from the covid19 pandemic it is how connected the world is. One of the federal budget it is very important to our own security and allies around the world. Im sure we can agree the pandemic will make everything we want to do more difficult to implement so im supportive of the emergency funding of this bill. There are many good issues in this bill. My colleagues described many of them and i will highlight a few. 23 billion commitment for Security Assistance and understanding signed by the Obama Administration recognizing the important of the security of our longstanding ally. It also recognized the cooperative developing project to address favorability challenges such as water resources, agriculture and energy storage. The bill advances the proposition that when women and girls are healthy, educated and free from violence and have access to capital of the communities are more peaceful and we do this in many bipartisan ways to support the implementation of the peace and Security Strategy to ensure that goal by empowering women as equal partners in such things as conflict prevention, peace building or us Foreign Policy and national priority, basic education emphasizing the importance of prioritizing Girls Education, provides funds to combat genderbased violence, Child Marriage and human trafficking, promoting return on child health fighting hivaids, supporting violent extremism and terrorism and funds the office of global womens issues and the ambassador at large which will work to empower women and girls around the world and explains Economic Empowerment with the global developed of Prosperity Initiative and most important it repeals the very cruel, inane global gag rule, restores critical funding, very valuable. This is truly a bill, to see the world succeed. Seeing no other member wishing to make opening remarks. The reading is dispensed with. The amendment includes noncontroversial changes to the bill and reports which have been approved on both sides and the bill increases by 100 billion funding for the National Endowment to democracy and theres a commensurate reduction of 100 million in the Economic Support Fund account and modifies the bill language, the United States international Development Finance corporation to provide increased flexibility to the dfc and allocating funds across authorized activity. The report adds language to be taken by the department of state to better prevent cyberintrusion that protects personally identifiable information, Department Personnel clarifying the committees intent about procurement opportunities for certain cooperatives, Small Businesses and veterans, language concerning Food Insecurity and partnerships with the United States landgrant universities, the Labor Program addressing nato standards and protocols encountering Cyber Security incidents relate to urban refugee protection and expressing support for reforestation, programs in colombia. I would like to recognize Ranking Member rogers. Madam chair, i support the amendment. Are there any other members who wish to be heard on the amendment . Mister graves, i know we are going to acknowledge those we did not acknowledge at the beginning but since you were speaking i want to thank you for your service because i understand you will be leaving us as well. We have to have a special thank you for all those who are leaving but thank you for your service, mister gray. Let me congratulate you on three decades of Remarkable Service and the joy it has been to work with you as well. On the managers amendment, it was okay. Can you speak closer to your microphone . Is that the best . The best i have, the best i got. I will speak a little louder, Ranking Member rogers and Ranking Member granger, i want to thank each of you and your staff in working with me to include several priorities to address partnerships and Global Cooperation in Cyber Security in fiscal year 21, over the last few months, the Telecommunication Systems are to our daily lives and we understand the role we play in ensuring our allies stay cyber secure as well. I appreciate the committee, not only at home, in our own government but also on a global scale. This is included in the managers amendment, we should be working with nato allies, cybersecurity attacks, start asking the question, what actions might trigger an article 5 response in the future. It also means ensuring our state department, cyber standard and a full view of their it assets. I want to thank your staff, for your energy and assistance, has been recognized throughout the morning. It is important to include special thanks to majority Staff Members, Jason Wheelock as well, none of this can be done without everybodys help and minority Staff Members, Jamie Mccormick has gone above and beyond, helpful to me in my office and lesser known to many of you, great Staff Members i would like to thank. A lot of time, energy, my last appropriations season is one of the very best. Thank you for your many hours of hard work and thanks for giving me a chance, for your assistance. Thank you, mister graves. I appreciate your focus on cybersecurity. Dont know what your plans are in your next life but this is one of the issues that keeps me awake at night, worrying what is happening not just domestically but internationally come our elections etc. Weve done a lot in our bills in that regard but so much more to focus on. Thank you again and good luck on your retirement, i appreciate it. Okay. Are there any members who wish to be heard . Mister rogers. Madam chair. I have an amendment at the desk. Not yet. I am told not yet. Okay. We will get back to you. I recognize myself for one minute to close. I thank my colleagues for making the changes to the bill in the report and i ask your support. The question is on the amendment. All those in favor say aye, those opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair the eyes have it, the amendment is adopted. Any further amendments . What purpose does the member from kentucky rise . I have an amendment at the desk. The clerk will read the amendment. Page 260, paragraph c, funds appropriated funds appropriated under title iii made available for assistance for basic education as provided in this paragraph shall be referred to as basic Education Fund, end quote. Cant believe i was going to cut you off. That is so very nice. I want to thank you for that very elegant amendment. Madam chair, i offer this amendment to give credit where credit is due, this amendment designates the funding made available in the ask for basic education as the basic Education Fund. Our distinguished chair admired and respected around the world, in the pursuit of Global Development and she is passionate about these issues, the top priority is basic education. She has educated many of us on the fact that basic education is fundamental in building Successful Development programs. Madam chair, your efforts indeed have been heroic and your passion to all of us and to the world. This amendment is continued to remind all of us to carry on your good work in your name and we shall. I yield. Rising today, is that right . The chair and i took turns, Ranking Member of the state foreign operations subcommittee and no one can say theyve done more to advance a cause of basic education especially for the most vulnerable. Her legacy will be a generation of educated girls that have the power to shape their future and hours, the subCommittee Markup, when we get back to traveling to see programs, to meet with women in leadership roles, in our country and other countries around the world. Chances are they have been touched in some way by the dedication of need a lloyd, i will support the Education Fund and it is wonderful to be with you. I would like to say i am speechless but im not speechless. I am not sure, in pakistan. I dont know if anybody here was on that trip to pakistan and it was so dangerous we couldnt even tell the authorities until we were almost there but to seize to see those young women all dressed in white, so appreciative of our help and all they asked us for, can you get us computers . This is very very meaningful to me and i am very very grateful. As i have said many many Times Education is the greatest force multiplier in foreign aid. We are losing our greatest opportunity by not insuring the 300 million children who are out of school, have this basic right. Now with the closure of schools facing billions of young people and recordsetting conflict and displacement, it is particularly important to address the Educational Needs of children and young people in crisis and conflict settings. When i joined congress, we were spending 67 million on basic education. Im incredibly proud this bill today includes 975 million for these programs. Now room to cut, ladies and gentlemen. Im sharing this information because im so proud of the work of all of us in this room. 975 million for these programs. Dont give up on these young people and get them back into school. Numbers even greater than before the current crisis, they are our best hope that leadership, new discoveries and a safe planet, and so i am so grateful to all my colleagues particularly my good friends, congresswoman granger, this means so much to me. Any members wish to be heard on the amendment . If there is no further debate the member from kentucky is recognized on the amendment for one minute to close. We understand fully the commitment of this lady over her entire career to the betterment of people around the world who are in desperate need. There has been no better champion for those people than our chairman. We salute you and we wish you godspeed in your next venture. I yield back. The question is on the amendment offered by the member from kentucky all those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. I am very touched. [applause] [applause] let me say there have been other speeches but im so moved, so touched and so appreciative. As i look around this room, in addition to congressman rogers who introduced this amendment this wasnt the time to make speeches but i cant resist telling how much i love and admire all of you and what i will miss most is the interaction of exceptional people, sometimes our constituents dont get it. Those who served here understand how special you are because you devoted your time here to trying to do the right thing, to make this a better place and most of the time we Work Together to try and serve children, adults, seniors, trying to make this world a better place. I am very very grateful and as my friends and colleagues know it begins with education and when we travel we have done some good traveling, visit schools and see these young people and you say to yourself there is hope. If we can keep educating and investing in the education of young people may be someday, some of the horrors of war and hunger and destruction, i hope we live for that day. Thank you, i am very grateful. [applause] the amendment is adopted. I was never good at parliamentary procedure. Amendment is adopted, good appreciation. The chair recognizes herself for amendment number 2. I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading. It would strike the secretary of states authority to suspend assistance to West Bank Gaza based on a determination. Makes clear that not less than 225 million shall be provided for development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian People in the west bank and gaza. Is one of the most ardent supporters of the us israel relationship, and longtime champion with his real security. It leave the administrations cut off to the Palestinian People over the last two years perpetuated the instability, threatening any prospect for the viable peace process. This committee should improve the situation on the ground by first restoring us assistance for food and clean water, education and healthcare, especially as covid19 cases are on the rise in the region meeting these basic needs is not only the right thing to do, frankly, it is in israels interest as well as our own interests, the amendment better aligns the house mark with the letter and spirit of previously and acted authorizing provisions to assure that economic assistance the west bank and gaza past last year with strong bipartisan support including among the leadership of the Foreign Affairs committee so i urge your support. I recognize mister rogers. Madam chair. I rise in opposition to the amendment which would strike a certification requirement on aid to the west bank and gaza. The state foreign operations bill, in all corners of the globe, the new funding designated for the west bank and gaza under Economic Support Funds, the change proposed in the amendment striking a common sense determination and reporting requirement related to security cooperation. Make the bill less likely to become law by weakening oversight of the program that is heavily scrutinized. I urge a no vote on the amendment. Are there any other members wishing to be heard on the amendment . I would like to thank the chairwoman for offering this amendment. Humanitarian and humanitarian assistance to civilians in the west bank and gaza is critical to supporting infrastructure for the Palestinian People and children, especially for the education of children. Emergency food assistance, access to clean water, clinical screening for cancer are some of the essential services that have been severely impacted by the decision, for the Palestinian People. This is not helpful for the peace process. It is an determined the process for peace and it is harmful to the security of israel. Ive been thankful for your leadership in fighting back against these cuts. This amendment only strengthens the legislation towards movement of peace around this world in the middle east and as you point out, education for children. Thank you for this amendment and i yield back. Any members wishing to be heard on the amendment . If theres no further discussion i will close. Im not here to needlessly stir divisions within the committee or score points on the subject of israel. We can debate the israelipalestinian conflict all day, sadly we will not solve it here today. I was committed to solving it before i Left Congress but it has taken a little longer than i thought. No way i thought we could resolve it today. What we can do is make sure lifesaving, critically needed assistance is not politicized by our administration or the pa and delivered through trusted ngos directly to the Palestinian People. In so doing we can ensure the United States regains our position as a defender of stability and peace in an area of the world which we care so passionately. That is all my amendment seeks to do. I urge your yes vote. If there is no further discussion the question is on the amendment. All those in favor say aye. Was there and echo . All those opposed say no. The eyes have it. The amendment is adopted. For what purpose does the member from kentucky rise . I have an amendment at the desk. The clerk will read the amendment. Ask unanimous consent to dispense with reading of the amendment. The reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Member from kentucky is recognized for five minutes on the amendment. Im grateful the bill maintains some of the longstanding prolife provisions. I offer this amendment to address the most controversial language in the bill and restore language that protect the sanctity of life. First the amendment strikes two provisions in the bill that prohibits the president s expanded mexico city policy that affirms our nations respect for unborn life. By requiring foreign ngos to agree if they want american tax donors to support their work that they will not reform or promote abortion as a method of Family Planning. Second, the amendment strikes a requirement to provide 55. 5 billion to the Un Population fund or un sba. Instead prohibits any from going to that organization. Un sba consistently violated the most basic respect for human life through its support for coercive abortion, forced sterilization in china. Severe human rights abuse in its own right. Third, the amendment strikes the requirement to spend not less than 750 million on International Family Planning Programs. This is an unjustified increase of 175 million. The language added weakens the longstanding casting provision on coercive abortion was considered noncontroversial year after year. Fifth and finally retains language for Global Health and agreed upon texts in current law. Altogether the amendment would bring the bill closer to fiscal year 2020 bill that was negotiated by both parties, no higher priority than these common sense measures that protect the unborn. I urge a yes vote and yield back. I recognize myself and tries in strong opposition to this amendment. First of all, i deeply respect my Ranking Member but we fundamentally just disagree on this issue. We agree on many many things in this bill but this is an area where we fundamentally disagree. A womans ability to thrive is dependent on her health and participation in society. The house mark we are considering will improve her opportunities. Let me review what countless studies have already shown. Reproductive Health Services prevent unintended pregnancies, prevent Maternal Death and abortion, reduce the rate of infant and child mortality, and power women to stay in school and join the workforce, create stronger and healthier families and improve economies but as we sit here today, more than 200 million women around the world still lack access to modern contraceptives. If we want to build the selfreliance of countries, one of the most costeffective measures is to increase access to Family Planning. This bill makes common sense changes to do just that. Weve known from past implementation of the global gag that this increases mortality, it leaves 2 more abortions, not fewer. The administration took this disastrous policy and made it worse by expanding it to all global Health Assistance politicizing the provision of basic health needs. Since the expansion, implementers have been forced to close facilities often in undeserved areas, cutting off thousands of men, women and children for services for hivaids, malaria, Maternal Health and more. This madness has led to chaos and confusion, creating a Chilling Effect in which organizations unnecessarily change or eliminate vital Health Services for fear, fear of running afoul of the United States government denying these basic Health Services to poor women around the world, this would cut off us support for the Un Population funds, it is impossible that the United States provide assistance to every country in the world, partnership will extend our reach to millions of women who often have nowhere else to turn for lifesaving Health Services. Unfpa is one of the few agencies able to work in countries like venezuela where in march they help deliver 90 tons of water, hygiene, sanitation, Education Supplies to the country including 28,000 personal protective equipment gifts for Health Workers on the front line of coronavirus. Unfpa is one of our most critical partners in humanitarian settings like syria, yemen, where often the only provider focused on ensuring women and mothers get the services they need. My colleagues would like you to believe unfpa provides assistance through abortion to support chinas one child policy. I want to make it clear this is simply not true. Unfpa does not provide such services and has not conducted a credible investigation to support these claims. Attacks on Womens Health must stop. Thats why this bill prioritizes saving lives, strengthening health system, maintaining Global Health leadership over politics. I urge my colleagues, think about this issue, think about the women who have nowhere to go to get this help, please oppose this amendment. I yield. I rise in support of this amendment. The policies putting forward by this administration to protect life. This amendment ensures the current policy stays in place to make sure organizations that provide abortions do not receive federal funding. It returns Global Health authorities to current law reflecting the bipartisan compromise that has been in place for many years. Funds for unfpa stopped because of Agency Practices and policies but have strong protections in place in this bill to ensure life is protected and i urge a yes vote. Mrs. Lawrence. Thank you, madam chair. As the cochair of the democratic womens caucus i rise in strong opposition to this amendment, this will jeopardize critical and lifesaving International Family planning and reproductive Health Programs. There was a time in the United States where women would die at a very young age because of lack of ability to plan their pregnancy. The United States will be working to promote the rights of women and girls, not take them away. That is what we should be doing. With covid19 the risk for women and girls, the risks they face are rising so it is urgent we provide information and services to protect their health and safety. In yemen a country facing a humanitarian crisis, unfpa is the sole provider of Reproductive Health supplies for the entire country, the work in jordan where i had amazing opportunity to travel, to visit the refugee camp and see the introduction of Reproductive Options for women. We witness a woman have a baby who was 19 years old and on her fifth child. ReProductive Health is something that allows a woman to be healthy herself and provide for the family and the children that she will have and can see. Jordan, turkey, continues to be incredibly important, the work of unfpa. Especially as they continue to help millions of refugees. In the refugee camp in jordan alone, unfpa operate a maternity clinic where 12,000 babies have been born without a single Maternal Mortality death. When women have the ability to decide if, when, and how many children to have a are better provided, better positioned to provide for themselves and their families. ReProductive Health is healthcare, Womens Health care is healthcare and healthcare is a basic human right. Time to take the politics out of healthcare and support policies that will advance health and rights for all, we are not the bidding viagra or vasectomies. It is always the right of the women and it is time to stop it. I strongly urge my colleagues to reject any efforts to reject this amendment and i yield back. I rise in strong support of my colleague from kentucky Ranking Member rogerss amendment, donald trump made his intentions very clear. I think his quote was i will vote against any legislation that weakens current prolife federal policies and laws are encourages destruction of innocent human life at any stage. Not that i might, but i will veto. Additionally the bipartisan budget agreement for fy 2020 and 2021 stated there be no deals included in these appropriation bills and this language violates that agreement. The underlying bill is bad policy, violates a bicameral agreement so i urge my colleagues to support the gentleman from kentuckys amendment and i yield back. Ms. Frankel is recognized. Thank you, madam chair. My, my, my, attacks from my friends on the other side of the island Womens Health never seems to end. It is not bad enough the republicans have defunded parenthood in america but now it seems you will go to the end of the earth to prevent women from having full access to reproductive care. Women must be in charge of our own bodies to determine if and when to bring a child into this world, no one knows the circumstances of life, especially the life of a young woman in kenya or yemen or venezuela. We can all agree about the value of life but what his wife saving about cutting off contribution, Maternal Health care, nutrition services, hivaids, tuberculosis treatments . This inning, cool amendment does that. At access to all safe Legal Options the patients care. Listen to this. If a woman goes into an hiv clinic in zimbabwe where they do not, they do not provide abortion services, and even asked the doctor where she can get an abortion, if the doctor answers truthfully, the clinic will [inaudible] study after study has shown a global rule has force providers to either reduce services or shut down making it harder for women to access contraception. This leads to more unintended pregnancies and more abortions. So give me a break. Youre trying to stop abortions by causing more abortions. Insult to injury, a recent study estimated even a a 10 reductin in access to health care during the covid19 pandemic could result in 15 million unintended pregnancies, 28,000 maternal for toddlers titles and the death of 116,000 new boards. And a look, frontline is fighting providing critical care. Prior to defunding the us was the secondlargest donor to second larger donor to mention response. So, madam chair, lets be clear what the work of the unfpa, heres what it does. It supports Productive Health in youth and more than 150 countries which are home to more than 80 of the worlds population. It supports the health of pregnant women, especially the one billy who faced lifethreatening complications each month. Supports modern contraception to benefit 20 million women to you for it supports the treaty of thousands of healthcare workers to ensure 90 90 of al childbirth are supervise it supports the prevention of genderbased violence which affects one in three women. Supports female genitalia mutilation which harms 3 billion euros annually. And it supports the end of Child Marriage which affects investment c70 million over the next five years. During the covid19 pandemic the unfpa has critical contraception, medicines and supplies. It has erected multiple healthcare units in dozens of countries to bring healthcare e to peoples doorsteps. Continue to work in the worlds most Fragile Community settings. And heres what unfpa does not support. It does not support and does not manage programs of coercive abortion or involuntary sterile sterilization in china. Yet this is the Health State Department has justified a a limited all u. S. Funding to this Critical Agency through its global operations. Under state department has yet to even visit unfpa China Program [inaudible] so i ask you wheres the proof . This republican amendment is not about life when you diminish the service of this critical energy. More girls will have their genitals cut, more young girls will be brides and more women will die in childhood. U. S. Support for u. S. In p. A. Is most important but now a more important than ever. My colleagues, when women have access to health care they need, the world would be a better place. Defeat this amendment and stay alive. I yield back. Thank you. Ms. Lee is recognized. Thank you, madam chair. First but he said associate myself with all the remarks that have been made from the members who oppose this amendment. The Trump Administration is undertaking a effort to deny women around the world the freedom to get information that they need to make decisions for themselves about their ability and their desire to plan their families. The administration is going so far as to try to even oppose this policy on groups that do not receive u. S. Funding and to all Global Health programs as the chair said. Unfpa programs help prevent abortions and reduce maternal and infant deaths. For the life of me i cant understand how republicans would want to cut off funding for unfpa, oppose conference of sex education, oppose access to Family Planning and oppose access to abortions. I mean, its mindboggling to believe that this assault on women continues. This amendment rather than recognize the sanctity of life, of womens life and childrens life, it says to women that her and her families life, really, they really dont matter. Its really a shame and disgrace to be this disingenuous. I remember being in in northern uganda several years ago, and we visited a family in a village. The family had five children, and we talked to them and this is a bipartisan delegation, about their Economic Security and what would help them most in terms of lifting themselves out of poverty. And they said access to Family Planning. They had five children, and they said it would be their desire to be able to plan for the next child if, in fact, they decided to have another child, that they wanted to take care of those five children that they had before the contemplated having another child. They needed help with Family Planning. So, madam chair, this amendment really is an amendment that denies the sanctity of life for women and men and children, and, in fact, it is a a matter of le and death for poor women throughout the world. And so i urge a no vote and i hope at some point women become a priority for republicans in terms of their right to make their own decisions about amber planet, about contraception and about how to want to live their lives, when and how they want to raise their children. Thank you again and i urge a no vote. Ms. Wasserman schultz is recognized. Thank you, madam chair. In the other room i would rise but i speak out in opposition to the rogers amendment. Because sadly this is an attempt to undermine Womens Health to access Family Planning around the globe. It is wrong for the United States to force the Healthcare Provider in another country to choose between giving the best medical advice patients are face or giving up critical funding assistance. The global gag rule rule was bd u. S. That are funny for ngos that provide information, referrals, services or advocacy for legal abortion is wrong. It is not just wrong. It is deadly. The consequence of the global gag rules have been dangerous. They include unintended and high risk pregnancies as many of my colleagues at of banking, unsae abortions and hire Maternal Mortality. As the world confronts covid19 and ensuing its negative effects on women around the world, we must strike down this harmful policy. Additionally the fact that this amendment proposes to rivet funding to unfpa, in the middle of a pandemic an organization that approves the health of people in over 150 countries, its shameful. Without 302 b s finds countless women will be left without access to Family Planning services and resources that prevent genderbased violence which is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Finally the inability to access critical Reproductive Healthcare puts providers and patients at nsa risk of contracting at spreading coronavirus. Slashing bilateral Family Planning funding in this bill isnt just at that woman and at the family, its also antiscience and antilife. I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and i yield back. Ms. Kaptur is recognized. Thank you, madam chair, and also rise in opposition to the rogers amendment that would cut critical funding to protecting womens Health Programs through the International Family Planning Services as well as the u. N. Population fund, especially during this pandemic women and children around our world need access to Health Care Services and counseling now more than ever. I think its important to state for the record that based on past experience our country has helped prevent nearly 800,000 abortions, prevented nearly 5000 Maternal Deaths, and treated over 60,000 cases of serious Mental Illness and prevented more than 77,000 infant deaths. Now, this language would affect women who are impoverished the most. No funding for the u. N. Family Planning Program would actually mean women living in poverty would be reduced even more, even more. And its a sort of disdain for them and their voices are not very loud. Im thinking of three places and him go to very quickly where i have traveled. Some of us wanted the fence codel to egypt not so many years ago but what i cant forget are the neighborhoods in cairo, the conditions women were living in and Muslim Brotherhood was taking over the health clinics, if you could call them clinics, in that major city. And i thought, you mean we cant do better than this . The u. S. Embassy sat behind sandbags and and i thought we e not winning. Healthcare is critical. In the west bank when i traveled there i saw babies, children who were blue babies and were it not for certain programs that exist as well as private philanthropy we would be losing even more children, more infant children there and brothers, simply impoverished women with no decent healthcare. Finally, in ukraine, to talk to young women who have diabetes with no insulin and trying to bear a child, trying to live a life in a place like that, i really joined with my colleagues in opposing this measure as being antiwomen, antichildren, and antilife. I yield back. If there is no further debate, a member from speeders id like to speak on it. Mr. Harris speaks of recognition seeks recognition. Mr. Harris is recognized. Thank thank you very much, ai want to add my voice to those in support of this amendment. Opposition to spending u. S. Taxpayer funds, funded International Organization that supports abortion. Its just that simple. Its not about Family Planning. Its not about contraception. This is about abortion. Garmin International Agencies that provide Family Planning, committee International Agencies that provide contraception. They can receive the funding. This agency, the 302 b s, supports abortion. Both explicitly and implicitly. The support of the china one child policy for years, a policy that was a forced abortion policy, forcing women, not giving them the choice but forcing women to have an abortion. That was wrong, and consistently and continually since then the 302 b s has supported abortion internationally 302 b s. Thats what this debate is about. This debate is not about what you support women come not about whether you support children come not about whether you support life although it is, to those children were killed by abortion, its not about Family Planning. Sad about contraception. It is about abortion. Its just that simple. I yield back. Ms. Watson coleman is recognized. Thank you, madam chair. I rise in opposition to this amendment. I do have some adjectives that i think i can associate with this, with this amendment that expose it for what it is. It is elitist, contradictory, complicity of, its deceitful, arrogant, its a necessary and its counterintuitive. On the one hand, we give rise invoice to eliminating poverty, elevating education, supporting economic development. Yet were standing here defending the opportunity for women and for families to make a decision about what the family should look like, what they can and cannot afford, to have to d to do. I think that this is so wrong and i think its just a further exposure of the duplicitous notice that we continue to deal with with our members from the other side of the aisle as a relates to a Womans Health care and a right to make decisions best herself and her family. With that i yield back. If there is no further debate a member from kentucky is recognized on the amendment for one minute to close. Madam chair, in closing let me reiterate that this amendment would strike a most controversial language in this bill and restore language that protects the sanctity of life. I urge a yes vote and yield back. The question is on the amendment offered by the member from kentucky all those in favor say aye. All those oppose say no co. The nos have. The amendment is not adopted. Madam chair, i request a recorded vote. A recorded vote is requested. All those in favor of a recorded vote raise your hand. A sufficient number being in support of the recorded vote is worth. The clerk will call the roll. [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] on this vote that gays are 21, and maize are 29. The the amendment is not adopted. The yes. What purpose does the member from texas rise . Madam chair,amendment the clerk will call read the amendment. Amendment to state for operations, the committee is concerned with high number of committed by the International Boundary and Water Commission. Without objection three of the amendment is dispensed with. Thank you, madam chair. [inaudible] the member from texas is recognized for five minutes on the amendment. Thank you, madam chair. [inaudible] statute got passed by congress in 1935. 1935. It is with the national by Water Commission to allow them to lease or dispose of property on the u. S. Mexico border. That was in 1935. In 1954, the u. S. And mexico built a damn of the u. S. Mexico border. When they built that and vision 90 fitful, the reservoir displayed displaced land owners on both sides of the waterfront like about the u. S. Side. So the rangers and the residence of that county walked off this property so, therefore, was International Boundary Water Commission as for the statue of 1935, leased out some property for grazing purposes for the rangers in only one county. Thats where lake falcon is at. Over a period of years this work became laborintensive and, therefore, working with the International Boundary Water Commission, the commissioner come were asking that we provide them 250,000 so they can be able to comply with the leases, renew them, amend them, do whatever they need to do. So its just allowing to do what they were authorized under the statue in 1935. It supplies on the one county in asking just for the money so they can go ahead and work on this program itself. Thats it. Ask members for consideration on this amendment. Are there any members, other members, wishing to be heard on the amendment . If theres no further debate, the member from texas is recognized on the amend for one minute to close. [inaudible] the questions on the amendment offered by a member from texas. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes have it. The amendment is passed. Madam chair, i have an amendment. Yes, for what purpose does a member of texas rise . As anonymous consent to dispense with the reading of the amended. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Madam chair, i offer this commonsense amendment today to advance our shared goal of more effective and transparent International Organization. The amendment would restore conditions in the bill that had been a place for the last ten years and that were highly effective in getting reforms accomplished. When i chaired the state for operations up upgrade i added e requirement that some funds held back until the secretary of state was able to certify that each of the International Organizations funded in the bill would be the conditions on transparency and accountability. It was a successful tool and we saw progress. Give an example. The United Nations Development Program also known as undp was notorious for the lack of transparency despite the best efforts of state Department Officials seeking reforms. Once the conditions were added at a portion of the funds were held back, they finally began to cooperate. Now we have all the financial audits on a public website. Unfortunately, the bill before us no longer requires that funds be withheld. Instead, it asks for a report. My recommendation would be to put the teeth back in this provision. In addition to those longstanding conditions, the amendment seeks to find a path forward on the world Health Organization. The amendment places reasonable requirements on funding to address concerns that have been expressed on both sides of the aisle. There is broad agreement even before this pandemic that reforms were long overdue at w. H. O. Before i close i want to address the concern we may hear in response to my amendment. Some may say we should not be counted off funding to the w. H. O. During a pandemic. This amendment doesnt do that. It doesnt cut off funds. This simply says that w. H. O. Has to take steps to conduct an evaluation of the coronavirus outbreak and chinas role in it, and they have to be pursuing reforms of the International Health regulations. This is not impossible ask. This is what we should demand of an agency in such a critical position to protect Public Health. I urge a yes vote on this amendment, and i yield back. I recognize myself and rise in opposition to the amendment. I have long placed the utmost importance on oversight and transparency at the United Nations, which is white house mark continues stringent Accountability Measures to the United Nations and other intentional organizations. However, over the last three years the administration substantial delays and abuse of the withholding included in previous bills has slowed down the timely obligation and disbursement of funds at the United Nations and other International Organizations, such as unicef and nato, depend on. Needless delays in dispersing funds, as well as politically motivated reviews of International Organizations, only serve to weaken our stand on the world stage and dean the United States a far less reliable partner deems that only with my colleagues amendment allow the administration to continue withholding critical assistance, it would also allow the Trump Administration misguided policies toward the world Health Organization to continue. I refuse to let this committee the part of the charade to the w. H. O. Over the pandemic. Despite the protests of hundreds of global experts around the world, including our own Domestic Health experts, President Trump has chosen politics over the leading Global Health organization in the midst of this pandemic. Worse yet, this is not only about coronavirus. The lack of participation in the w. H. O. Will affect our progress on polio, our preparations for the next flu season, and even our voice at the table to ensure that the w. H. O. Emerges as a Stronger Organization once we are through the current crisis. Congress needs to ensure that our leadership on Global Health indoors. Finally and most regrettable, read the congress cannot trust this administration not to abuse the Withholding Authority because that is exactly what they have done for the halfbaked policy. This administration is forcing us to take these actions in the bill by continue to not act in good faith. So i urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. Are there any other members wishing to be heard on the amendment . Yeah. Who . Ms. Lee seeks recognition. Yes, thank you, madam chair. I also urge a no vote on this amendment. Pandemics, they dont respect borders. We have learned this time and time again. With hiv, with h1n1, with ebola and now again with covid19. The only way to truly defeat covid and help america and the world recover is through international cooperation. Likewise, soviet of the problems we face in the world today require us to cooperate with others. For example, i, to come have many concerns about chinas behavior, their covid response, the record and human rights, treatment of hong kong residents, the treatment of many, many minorities and threatening policies towards their neighbors. Neighbors. But how can the United States rally the world, including our allies to put on united front against such behavior when we isolate ourselves and refused to engage in institutions like the United Nations and the world Health Organization that we help create . And that are valued by so many of our allies. I believe my colleagues look at the consequences of this kind of amendment, that they would reject it not only as illsuited for the moment we are in by the something that undermined our own objectives by offering a pixar urge a no vote. Thank you again, madam chair. Are there any other members wishing to be heard on the amendment . Doctor harris seeks recognition. Doctor harris is recognized. Thank you very much, madam c. I will be brief. Theres a reason to vote against this amendment because of the world Health Organization wording. You just have to read for yourself or all the world Health Organization has to do is take steps to conduct an investigation in exactly what in the world happened the resulted nap in the deaths of 130,000 americans. Thats all there to do. Theyve had to conduct they just had to take steps to see what went on and at the daycart meaningful reforms on National Health regulations including the process declared a public of emergency of International Concern because clearly that was not declared in a timely fashion. In this case resulting in the deaths of 130,000 americans. If were going to contribute to the world Health Organization we should ask for them to act responsibly and to address our concerns on this issue. I yield back, madam chair. Mr. Price seeks recognition. Mr. Price is recognized. Madam chair, i rise in opposition to this amendment. It is of course appropriate for this committee to oversee the use of u. S. Contributions to the world Health Organization and ask hard questions about that organizations performance. We are obligated to do that. But thats not really what this amendment is about. It is not appropriate, it is not appropriate, in fact, it is inappropriate and destructive to scapegoat the world Health Organization for a worldwide pandemic which our government itself has mismanaged, and to summarily in cooperation and funding to the world Health Organization in a way that will make the world wide pandemic and the ability to deal with it in measurably worse. That is a terrible idea. Thats what this administration has perpetrated. Its what this amendment would facilitate. We simply cannot ignore the context. This is not this amendment is not occurring in a vacuum. We have to ask about the consequences i think in a very searching way. And that leads me to strongly oppose the amendment. I just, for purposes of clarification, from the amendment it states clearly that funds appropriated by this act that are made available to the world Health Organization shall be withheld from obligation until the secretary of state certifies and reports to the appropriate Congressional Committee that the world Health Organization is taking steps, and then i would continue, to conduct an impartial but the money is being withheld, according to the amendment. Is there any further comment . [inaudible] ms. Herrera beutler seeks recognition. Ms. Herrera beutler is acknowledged. Thank you, madam chair. Just to clarify they so what you just said, the funds are withheld contingent upon then taking steps to you can drive a truck to that language, its solicitor all they had to do is demonstrate they are taking steps here theres no massive, you know, immediate report do. Theres no overburdening bureaucratic work to be done. Like, they can literally, like have a meeting and show were going to take this seriously here we believe that this is worth looking at, and have to provide that. Taking steps, i mean, thats not exactly technically difficult in which to achieve. Thats a pretty low bar, and for us to say that thats too difficult to ask of this organization when clearly they did not respond, there was a lot of question about how the responded to the crisis in the early days and what information they provided. I think this is a pretty low bar to to say hey, can you guys move in the right direction . I just wanted to clarify that, added you urge adoption of the amendment. I yield back. Is there if there are still for the debate, a member from texas is recognized on the amendment for one minute to close. Thank you, madam chair. By supporting this amendment we can help the w. H. O. Series about reforms while also improving their effectiveness as an organization during this historic time. There should be no disagreement over this amendment that it advances the goal of more effective and transparent International Organizations. I urge a yes vote. The question is on the amendment offered by the member of texas. All those in favor say aye. Those oppose say no. The nos have it. The nos have. The amendment is not adopted. Madam chair, i ask for a roll call vote. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favor of a recorded vote raise your hand. A sufficient number being in support, a recorded vote is ordered. The clerk will call the roll. [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] while we are waiting for the vote, i would like to announce we have one additional amendment. After we vote on that amendment and the bill, we will break for lunch and return at 2 p. M. To consider agriculture and military construction, v. A. One more amendment, and afterward we vote on that we break for lunch. On this note the nays are 21 and the nays are 29. The amendment is not adopted. For what purpose does the member from kentucky to write . Tragedy i have amendment at the desk and ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading thereof. The clerk will read the amendment. I asked for unanimous consent to dispense with the reading. Without objection the reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Madam chair, by amendment would strike controversial new subsidies for International Climate funds, and instead put those resources to better use by restoring full funding to the calendaring chinese influence find. There is too much noise. Madam chair, the committee is not in order. My friends, we have one more amendment. Lets all listen to the amendment and then we can go and have lunch. Thank you for your attention. Under the Obama Administration there was an aggressive regulatory rampage on Domestic Energy production and consumption. The impacts were harshly felt in the heart of appalachia, and my Eastern Kentucky congressional district. The final nail in the coffin was the paris agreement, aiming to ensure that cold could not even exported to developing countries in need of affordable energy. 12,000 jobs in my district were gone in what seemed like the blink of an eye. It was a catastrophe. We are still trying to rebound. In the negotiations leading up to the paris conference, participants called for a Green Climate fund that would collect 100 billion a year by calendar 2020. Although congress has yet to appropriate a single dollar specifically allocated for the great climate fund, the u. S. Contributed 1 billion under the previous administration. Requiring an additional 500 million be spent on International Climate activities cut such as the great climate fund, is an ill advised use of taxpayer funds. This amendment proposes a smarter investment come one we can all agree on. The countering Chinese Influence Fund. As a know the chair is keenly aware, chinas growing hard and soft power of is of increasing concern to the u. S. And our allies. Its aggressive stance in the South China Sea and on the Indian Border is deeply worrisome. Beijing has just also adopted, already implementing, deeply unpopular National Security law that effectively invalidates the one country to systems protections promised to hong kong for 50 years in 1997. In order to counter the wideranging efforts by the chinese government, the communist government to undermine the interest of the u. S. , its partners and allies, we need a resource commitments commensurate with the nature of that challenge. This amendment would help further that very important goal. So on this on the amendment, mm chair, i asked for a yes vote, and i yield back. I recognize myself and rise in opposition to my friends a minute. Climate change is a real threat that the United States cannot win alone friends amendment. The Green Climate fund is the best vehicle we have to fight a global problem on a global basis. If the United States refuses to participate, we are demonstrating that we are not serious about this global threat. Climate change is a threat multiplier that increases the risk of conflict, hurting the global food supply, causing displacement and migration, a leading to major shortages of water. We have a moral responsibility to ensure our children and grandchildren inherit a clean, healthy future. We also have National Security obligation to protect the citizens who sent us here. Any alternative is unacceptable. I share my colleagues interest in countering chinese maligned influence, and that is why this bill includes over 200 million to do just that. We already appropriated 300 million into the state departments new countering Chinese Influence Fund last year. Year. However, we have yet to see the state department obligate significant resources from this new fund, and adding even more money in this years of bill would only add to the pipeline. Climate change is as real a threat to our National Security as india geopolitical challenge. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. Are there any members wishing to be heard on the amendment . If there is no further debate, the member from kentucky is recognize for one minute to close. Madam chair, in closing, this amendment would strike unwarranted contributions to International Climate funds, and instead plusup our efforts to Counter China to the level from last fiscal year. I urge the support of the amendment, and i yield back. The questions on the amendment offered by the member from kentucky. All those in favor say aye. All those oppose say no. The nos have it. The amendment is not adopted. Madam chair, i ask for a recorded vote. A recorded vote has been requested to all those in favor of a recorded vote raise your hand. A sufficient number being in support, a recorded vote. The clerk will call the roll. [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] on this vote the nays is 21 and the nays is 29. The amendment is not adopted. Are there any further amendments or discussion . Scene nine, i recognize the gentlewoman from ohio for a motion, and ask for your support for this bill. Madam chair, i moved to favorably report the state and foreign operations appropriations act 2021 to the house. The question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those oppose no. In the opinion of the chair the ayes have it. Madam chair, i asked for a recorded vote. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favor of a recorded vote raise your hand. A a sufficient number being in support, a recorded vote is ordered. The clerk will call the roll. [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] on this vote the ayes are 29, the nos are 21. The motion is agree to. I asked unanimous consent that the staff be permitted to make technical and conforming changes to the bill and report just approved. Seeing no objection, so ordered. [inaudible] fine. [laughing] the vote is passed. I thank you very much for your cooperation. This is a very moving moment for me, and i look forward to working with all of you on the next bills, and thank you again to my dear friends, mr. Rogers and ms. Granger. [applause] thank you very much, and please come back at 2 00. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]. [inaudible conversations] the hells Appropriations Committee taking a break here, working on 2021 spending force date Department Agriculture and