Dick Lugar: “I rise to call attention to report language in the Senate version of the Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary…”

“I rise to call attention to report language in the Senate version of the Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies appropriations bill, which directs the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to spend 20 percent of its budget on ``nation-building'' activities in four war-stricken areas. The language appears in the committee report. Although the language is not mandatory, it sends a strong message that compliance by NED is expected. I believe that the language should be deleted. I would like to commend the work of the chairman and ranking member of the CJS Appropriations subcommittee, Senator Gregg and Senator Hollings, for providing the NED with the resources to conduct its vital work. NED and its four core institutes do an exceptional job in assisting grassroots democrats in more than 80 countries around the world. NED has a strong track record, developed through involvement in virtually every critical struggle for democracy over the past fifteen years. NED supported the democratic movements that helped bring about peaceful transitions to democracy in Poland, the Czech Republic, Chile, and South Africa. NED is also playing an important role in supporting some of the newer democracies, such as Indonesia, Nigeria, Croatia, and Mexico. I am very familiar with the work of NED and its institutes because I serve on NED's Board of Directors.”