Political Quotes

“While the Kolbe amendment is based on the idea of promoting more assistance for people in Latin and South America, the result of this amendment will be middle income countries like Russia and Turkey becoming eligible. The administration vigorously opposes the bill if this amendment were adopted, so I urge its defeat. It is harmful and it is opposed by the widest possible assemblage of interests, Republicans, Democrats, NGOs, U.S. Conference on Catholic Bishops and, I am told, the White House. It is well-intentioned, but it would disrupt the compromise that the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and I worked on for many months. This plan sets aside MCA assistance for the poorest countries in 2004 and 2005 and opens up eligibility for lower middle income countries in 2006. The Kolbe amendment would make middle income countries around the world eligible for MCA in 2005, countries that are less in need of MCA assistance than the poorer countries. Low-income countries have much greater needs; and if they meet the other criteria proposed, we will be helping more people on the road to human development and economic growth. For instance, the infant mortality rate in low-income countries is 69 per 1,000 live births, but in lower middle income countries it is only 27 per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy in low-income countries is only 56 years, whereas in lower middle income countries like Turkey, it is 70 years.”