Benjamin Gilman: “what we are doing in the overall bill is making fundamental needed reforms to the foreign policy establishment, reforms…”

“what we are doing in the overall bill is making fundamental needed reforms to the foreign policy establishment, reforms that this House voted for with a strong vote yesterday evening, in defeating the Ackerman amendment. Mr. Chairman, we are cutting our budget for the international affairs function in line with today's budget realities. We are setting forth policies that address important foreign policy problems, from terrorism to nuclear proliferation to the situation in Cuba. We are doing both of these things in an effort that has earned the backing of groups as diverse as Citizens Against Government Waste and Americans for Tax Reform, from the Irish National Caucus and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to the Family Research Council and Phyllis Schlafley's Eagle Forum. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this measure. And just one added note. In addition, language has been offered by another senior member of our committee, the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Burton], which is included, that would cut AID's operating expenses by an additional 15 percent above the 10 percent reduction in the bill.”