Political Quotes

“this amendment would very modestly increase the authorized funding level for the Peace Corps for fiscal year 1995 by $15 million. It would bring the fiscal year 1995 authorization level in the bill from $219.745 million to $234.745 million. In a real sense, this is simply a steady state budget to enable Peace Corps to continue its fiscal year 1994 programs into fiscal year 1995. Why do I say it is a steady state budget? Because, while Congress appropriated $219 million specifically for the Peace Corps for fiscal year 1994 it also urged and the Clinton administration concurred to the transfer of an additional $15 million in fiscal year 1994 funds to Peace Corps to pay in part for its new program initiatives in the former Soviet Union. I think we would all agree that with the political situation at such a critical point in Russia and in many of the other NIS countries that programs like those undertaken by Peace Corps are crucial to getting out the message about what democracy really translates into at the grassroots level. We should and must continue the Peace Corps initiatives in the NIS countries in fiscal year 1995. The additional $15 million in the Peace Corps budget will permit this to happen without jeopardizing Peace Corps programs in other parts of the world.”