Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “I rise today to object to some language that is in this conference report having to do with assistance to Lebanon. There…”

“I rise today to object to some language that is in this conference report having to do with assistance to Lebanon. There was an attempt early on with an amendment to eliminate most of the money for Lebanon, and I guess wiser heads prevailed. I want to offer my thanks to the chairman of the full Committee on International Relations for working out an arrangement that will allow for the country of Lebanon to be authorized for $35 million. The language I object to is that they have carved out $10 million that cannot be used for the country, $10 million of the $35 million, until there is a certification from the President that a certain group that is in the country is no longer a threat. I think this is a mistake to have this kind of language in there. The country of Lebanon is 3 million people. It is a peace-loving country. It is caught in the switches between other countries who are involved in disputes. To single out this country for this kind of certification I think is without merit. I wish the language were not in there. The $35 million is walking-around change compared to the money that is authorized for a lot of other countries. Lebanon certainly does not deserve this kind of treatment from this Congress.”