Harry Johnston: “I rise in strong opposition to the Penny-Kasich amendment. This amendment would unfairly and drastically cut U.S.…”

“I rise in strong opposition to the Penny-Kasich amendment. This amendment would unfairly and drastically cut U.S. development assistance to Africa, the poorest continent on Earth. U.S. aid to Africa is already disproportionately low compared to other parts of the world. To cut assistance further would be seriously detrimental to all we seek to achieve, both politically and economically, in Africa. The proposed $200 million cut in the development fund for Africa, a 25-percent cut, would force termination of many desperately needed programs such as poverty reduction, child survival, basic education, and nutrition. I emphasize to Members that this most basic level of program is at issue. Do we truly want to cut this type of assistance to a continent stricken by famine, disease, and civil war? To quote from AID Administrator Brian Atwood's testimony this morning, Penny-Kasich would be 'devastating for South Africa.' The South African election, scheduled for late April, will cap a remarkable transition from apartheid to nonracial democracy. Yet South Africa will need immediate assistance to ensure that the enormous transition is successful. Does this House really want to endanger the future of nonracial democracy in South Africa? The American people, even in this anti-foreign-aid atmosphere, know right from wrong. The American people know morality from its opposite. The right vote, the moral vote, is to defeat Penny-Kasich.”