Nita Lowey: “I would assure my good friend, who is the Chair of the Foreign Operations Committee on Appropriations, who is totally…”

“I would assure my good friend, who is the Chair of the Foreign Operations Committee on Appropriations, who is totally frustrated because extraneous provisions are constantly being tacked on that cannot get through the Senate, and instead of the normal process where people could agree to drop it, they are standing firm, and that is why aid to Israel, aid to other critical parts of the world, again, I hate to use the word, are being held hostage to those who want to eliminate all family planning. That is just one example. There are other extreme provisions that have been tacked on, and I know many of us feel, although I am an abortion advocate, I do not want to have to debate this on the floor anymore. Abortion provisions are being tacked on to appropriations bills. So if you are saying that the President has to be held hostage and agree to some of those extreme provisions or we cannot open the Government, I would just say to my good friend, that is wrong.”