Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the Bonior amendment that expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should provide immediate assistance through nongovernmental organizations to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. As this resolution points out, shortages of medicine and food exist throughout Iraq. Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi Government continue to maintain a virtual embargo against the Kurds in the north and the Shia Arabs in the south and, as a result, humanitarian supplies go only to regime supporters and the military. The U.N. sanctions regime, in contrast, exempts medicine and, in the case of foodstuffs, requires only that the Sanctions Committee be notified of food shipments. The committee also routinely considers and approves requests to send supplies for essential civilian needs. Regrettably, the supplies only seem to reach the so-called U.N.-protected areas. This amendment would attempt to meet the humanitarian crisis throughout the entire country. I urge its adoption.”