Sean Patrick Maloney: “I rise, as I have many times, in opposition to the Burton amendment, and for our continued support for the world's…”

“I rise, as I have many times, in opposition to the Burton amendment, and for our continued support for the world's largest democracy. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my strong opposition to this ill-conceived amendment. This legislation has many problems, but one of the bright spots is a continued commitment to our Indian allies. Unfortunately, this amendment will unfairly cut the critically-needed economic assistance funding for India included in this legislation. As an important ally and a nation committed to strong democratic government, India has worked hard to ensure that the human rights of all its citizens are protected. The Indian government has aggressively responded to assaults against religious minorities and has repeatedly expressed its commitment to ensuring tolerance. Recently, in response to attacks on Christians, Prime Minister Vajpayee reiterated his nation's desire to be inclusive of all faiths and to ensure equal justice under law for all Indians. We should support these efforts. India is also one of our key trading partners and the Indian government has worked hard to create a friendly environment for U.S. firms. As a result, U.S. investment in India has skyrocketed in the last ten years. Direct U.S. investment in India has increased from $500 million in 1991 to more than $15 billion today. Indin has demonstrated a commitment to continue this growth and I strongly believe that we must support their efforts.”