Barbara Lee: “First of all, let me just say, in responding to Mr. Smith, it is really long overdue to stop partisan attempts to…”

“First of all, let me just say, in responding to Mr. Smith, it is really long overdue to stop partisan attempts to scapegoat and score political points over UNFPA. The fact remains that UNFPA vigorously opposes any and all coercive practices and only supports access to safe and voluntary family planning. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply false. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the resources and programs in this bill which provide us the unique opportunity to restore America's global leadership that has been missing in recent years. Together we can address the greatest challenges facing the United States and provide vital support to the world's most vulnerable people. I want to take a minute to just thank our staffs on both sides of the aisle. As a former staffer, I know how these bills get put together, the length of time that they put in, and the real forthright and straight-up honest negotiations, given our differences. I think the bill is a very good bipartisan bill, and I think it is, in many respects, due to our staffs' relationships and their respect for each other.…”