Nita Lowey: “we have expressed our real concerns about these cuts and I strongly oppose this amendment. In addition to the cuts that…”

“we have expressed our real concerns about these cuts and I strongly oppose this amendment. In addition to the cuts that have been mentioned by my colleagues, I wonder if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, the gentlewoman from Colorado in particular, really understands the impact of this across-the-board cut. First of all, this bill has already been cut 2 percent from the President's request. Two percent. Now you are recommending another half percent. You support a $120 million cut for Israel, Mrs. Musgrave? You support a $120 million cut in aid for our ally Israel? You support a $250 million cut for HIV/AIDS? You support $200 million for foreign military financing; and my colleague, Mr. Israel, talked about the impact on the military that these cuts would cause. My colleagues, this is a bill that is in the national security interest of the United States of America. We have heard many people on the other side of the aisle that we have to fight it over there. We don't want to fight it over here. Well, when you are funding HIV/AIDS, when you are preventing avian flu, when you are funding our colleagues in the war on terror, we are fighting it over there rather than fighting it over here. I strongly, strongly, would not support the cuts which you are recommending. I strongly oppose them. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.”