Ronald Dellums: “If the distinguished chairman will yield, I thank the gentleman for his concerns and for his advice and assistance…”

“If the distinguished chairman will yield, I thank the gentleman for his concerns and for his advice and assistance concerning these and other important issues in our bill that related in part to foreign affairs. Relations among the executive departments are changing as a result of the end of the cold war and in accordance with the emerging challenges of the post-cold-war era. These issues raise complex legislative as well as policy considerations. The administration only recently came to a coordinated position on these issues, in some cases too late to be fully considered before our committee mark-up. As a result, some imperfections may remain that we would hope to remedy as the legislative process goes forward. Let me turn to the specific issues that are the subject of the amendments offered by the gentleman. Concerning foreign disaster assistance, on the question of the President's legal authority, Mr. Spence and I have accepted in modified form the gentleman's amendment, so as to make clear that the President does have authority to conduct these assistance operations with Defense Department resources.”