Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, in 2009, the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund was established in order to help Pakistan build its counterinsurgency capabilities. The bill before us reauthorizes the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund through the year 2013 and contains a special oversight requirement which conditions the use of more than 10 percent of any money appropriated to the fund until the Secretaries of Defense and State submit an updated report reflecting current conditions in Pakistan to Congress. That report will include details on how much money is to be used, metrics for success, a description of Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorist organizations inside the country, and it will have rigorous oversight provisions. I commend the Committee on Armed Services for continuing to do this important oversight. But the way the law is written, access to 100 percent of the funds appropriated for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund would be granted as soon as that report is submitted, leaving no time for Congress to actually review the report before these funds are obligated. I'm concerned that this report will simply be submitted to Congress, and it will be perfunctory in nature--the report is issued and, boom, the funds are gone before Congress has a chance to actually look at it. This amendment would simply add a requirement that once the Secretaries of Defense and State submit their report, a period of 30 days has to elapse before the money can be fully utilized.…”