Congress has taken little initiative to deal with some of the fundamental issues that would allow for the mobility.

If you are not prepared to break your partnership with a corrupt regime, then I think you are doing a disservice.

We are sending our own messages as loudly as we can, including at this hearing, that we want to see greater funds for democracy and governance.

My concern is are we giving countries a free pass who are partners in our counterterrorism campaigns, on human rights and poor governance?

So you are willing to pull out of a country if you cannot get the cooperation you need from their leaders?

There is a common theme of poor governance. And that is an issue that provides a vacuum and that vacuum is usually filled with instability and recruitment of extremists.

I am not satisfied that the United Nations has done everything it needs to do.

From fiscal year 2013 to 2015, the security assistance budgets for Africa have gone up from a half a billion to a billion.

I strongly support that.

if we do not deal with the underlying causes, it will be short-term success.

It is not a choice of either/or. It has got to be both.

The U.N. mission in Mali is the deadliest peacekeeping mission that we have anywhere.

I think border issues are--it is a good point and we need to concentrate.

Civility begins with building strong and stable democratic processes, addressing individual and collective grievances...

I have not seen the same degree of effort and energy in regards to concerns on the poor governance and violations of human rights.

if you have a corrupt regime and you are doing some good work in that country, but at least part of that is going to support a corrupt regime, are you prepared to pull out?

I think speaking out more publicly against some of these violations, but also taking actions that can assure or reassure the vast majority of Africans in these countries that when the United States says that democracy is one of its core…

If the host country believes that they are always going to have a partner regardless of their own activities, you lose the ability to change the underlying problems within that country.

I would think that democracy and governance funding is a clear indication of our commitment to good governance and human rights.

The amount of escalating violence in this region is a major concern and requires the attention of this committee, of the United States Senate, and the American people.

I ask unanimous consent to speak for an additional 10 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Hearing none, it is so ordered. ____________________

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Thank you for dealing with how we deal with lead poisoning, which Senator Boxer pointed out is not just limited to Flint.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to make sure we got through the business part in case people had to leave for other voting sessions, because I am strongly supporting this bill.