Rep. Nita M. Lowey Holds a Hearing with Public Witnesses

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Rep. Nita M. Lowey Holds a Hearing with Public Witnesses

(CORRECTED COPY: CORRECTS HEADER)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS HOLDS A HEARING WITH PUBLIC WITNESSES

MARCH 29, 2007

SPEAKERS: REP. NITA M. LOWEY, D-N.Y. CHAIRWOMAN REP. JESSE L. JACKSON JR., D-ILL. REP. ADAM B. SCHIFF, D-CALIF. REP. STEVE ISRAEL, D-N.Y. REP. BEN CHANDLER, D-KY. REP. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, D-N.J. REP. BARBARA LEE, D-CALIF. REP. BETTY MCCOLLUM, D-MINN. REP. DAVID R. OBEY, D-WIS. EX OFFICIO

REP. FRANK R. WOLF, R-VA. RANKING MEMBER REP. JOSEPH KNOLLENBERG, R-MICH. REP. MARK STEVEN KIRK, R-ILL. REP. ANDER CRENSHAW, R-FLA. REP. DAVE WELDON, R-FLA. REP. JERRY LEWIS, R-CALIF. EX OFFICIO

WITNESSES: PUBLIC WITNESSES TESTIFY

[*] LOWEY: The Subcommittee on State Foreign Operations and Related Programs will come to order.

I want to welcome each of our distinguished witnesses -- good morning -- to the Subcommittee on State Foreign Operations and Related Programs hearing on the president's fiscal year 2008 international affairs budget request, and I recognize that each of you have a busy schedule. I want to thank you for presenting your views today regarding the president's budget request and funding requirements for the programs and activities of the subcommittee.

Each of our public witnesses this morning, along with those submitting written testimony, represents a sector and/or programmatic interest, but together they provide a critical commentary for this committee to consider as we craft our bill for the next fiscal year.

Unfortunately, our time constraints require us to limit the number of witnesses presenting oral testimony and to limit the time. I know that Mr. Wolf and I would love to spend an hour with each of you, if you or I had that time. We're interested in reviewing all outside perspectives, and we'll include the hearing record of the written testimony of individuals and organizations submitting testimony to the subcommittee regarding the fiscal year 2008 budget.

While I have a number of concerns about the president's budget request for fiscal year 2008, I was pleased that for the first time the administration's request for state foreign operations is considered part of the national security budget.

Our diplomatic and development programs, as we know, are our first line of defense. Access to clean water, health care, education, a chance to improve one's position in life deprives terrorists of a base from which to recruit.

The president is seeking a total of $34.9 billion in funding for State Department operations and foreign assistance funds within the jurisdiction of this subcommittee, an increase of $3.7 billion or 12 percent over what Congress appropriated in FY 2007. I strongly agree with the need to increase our international affairs budget. If it were up to me and Mr. Wolf, we'd probably double it. Correct, Mr. Wolf?

But I'm disappointed that funding for essential programs like family planning, child and maternal health, and other development funding was actually decreased. Our development aid is central to the war on terrorism, and the request, unfortunately, minimizes the importance of these programs.

I look forward to hearing your testimony this morning. If you could limit your formal remarks to five minutes so that we can provide each of our witnesses this morning with sufficient time to make his statement. Your full statement will be made part of the record. OK.

Chantal Santelices, the director of Georgetown University's Center for Intercultural Education and Development?

SANTELICES: Chairwoman Lowey, Congressman Wolf, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to testify today. I am here to testify about a program which I am glad to say has had the support of this subcommittee for many years, the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships, or CASS.

CASS was instituted just over 20 years ago at the recommendation of the Appropriations Committee, and I hope that you would agree that the program has lived up to and exceeded the expectations of the committee.

There are over 5,000 CASS alumni living through Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, and they are making important contributions to their home countries, and at the same time they are powerful friends and advocates of the United States in their community.

Before I share with you two examples of the kind of impact CASS alumni are having, I want to touch on some key points that I hope the subcommittee will consider as you weigh lending your support yet again to CASS.

We target to receive CASS scholarships those who come from disadvantaged populations, indigenous people, women, ind...

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