Patricia Schroeder: “my inclination is to back foreign aid, but this year I cannot because over half of it goes to programs about which I…”

“my inclination is to back foreign aid, but this year I cannot because over half of it goes to programs about which I have great concern. First, over a quarter of the total amount is going to military assistance. Why? In this post-cold-war world, I think we need to reform that program. Over a seventh of the total amount goes to Egypt and Egypt is a country where female genital mutilation is very widespread. I'd like to see much more progress toward eradication before we send such sums to Egypt. The multilateral institutions which get so much money in this bill need a lot more reform and attitude adjustment before I'm willing to give them such sums. Without the changes, the money will not be well spent. We are having such trouble keeping our commitments at home. Most countries are judged by how they live up to their own promises first and when it comes to America's children, her future, we get failing grades. We should fund those priorities first.”