Katie Porter: “Mr. Chairman, for all the time I have been in Congress I have been a very strong supporter of the Voice of America and…”

“Mr. Chairman, for all the time I have been in Congress I have been a very strong supporter of the Voice of America and the surrogate radios. Two years ago, the Congress authorized the creation of Radio Free Asia, Asia Pacific Radio that would broadcast messages of hope and truth and freedom to the repressive societies in China, Burma, the Chinese in Tibet, in Laos, Cambodia, North Korea, and Vietnam. We funded Radio Free Asia for $5 million in 1995, in 1996, and we now have agreed to a funding level of up to $9.3 million in the amendment that I have offered. While there is a great deal of discussion about how Radio Free Asia will be organized and will conduct its business, there has been, I think, great progress made in the selection of Richard Richter as its chair and progress in pulling together a staff that I think will be very, very worthy of the surrogate radios that we have seen broadcasting in the past. I would say that this Congress and most particularly this administration has done very little to address the ongoing human rights abuses in that part of the world and that a surrogate radio, Radio Free Asia, Asia Pacific Radio, will go a great deal of the way toward preserving hope for those people who believe in freedom and democracy and human rights and the rule of law in a part of the world where all too often authoritarian regimes prevail. I would commend the adoption of this amendment to the House.”