Andrea Joy Campbell: “I am strongly in favor of this resolution. I emphasize the importance of allowing free market economics to provide the…”

“I am strongly in favor of this resolution. I emphasize the importance of allowing free market economics to provide the means of economic development and freedom for the people of Africa. One of the most striking things that I have studied over the last couple of years...is that the horrors that have occasionally surfaced, such as in Rwanda, such as in Burundi, are in countries that are internally focused, that do not have large links of trade with the world, that are not largely export-oriented, that are at best self-sufficient in a good year. The key to diminishing the likelihood of such occurrences is to give Africa the opportunity to be looking to the world, and not just internally where the strife has arisen. ...those of our colleagues who mistrust American aid to African governments sometimes are right, and sometimes they are wrong, but they ought to be supportive of this bill in that it does not give money to a government. It rather empowers the individual to build his or her own economic future. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this bill and urge all of my colleagues to do so.”