Barbara Lee: “Let me just say once again that taking $1 billion from our State Department diplomatic programs is wrong. That is why I…”

“Let me just say once again that taking $1 billion from our State Department diplomatic programs is wrong. That is why I oppose this amendment. I think we need to increase funding for the Peace Corps, but, also, we need the State Department diplomatic programs to support the infrastructure and to support our diplomats. Why in the world would we take $1 billion from our diplomats? I, again, believe that we should increase funding for both. Here we are faced with a 12 percent cut, so no way. Again, I reluctantly oppose this. If we could find a new offset that is not going to take money away from our diplomatic programs, a billion dollars, then we could talk. At this point, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.”