J.C. Watts: “I speak today to congratulate the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) on his leadership in crafting a bill that ensures…”

“I speak today to congratulate the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) on his leadership in crafting a bill that ensures that we are the strongest Nation in the world and not forget our duty to the rest of the world. Specifically, I congratulate him for his support of democracy and economic development in West Africa and in, particularly, the country of Nigeria. Nigeria is the most populous nation in West Africa with 120 million people; and, as such, it is the key to peace and prosperity in that region. After suffering through years of oppressive military rule, Nigeria is on the road to democracy. Today, the fledgling democracy, led by President Obasanjo, stands ready to lead Nigeria into a new era of prosperity. We should assist the people of Nigeria in their quest for democracy. As part of our support for democracy in Nigeria, we should support the work being done by our government through the Education for Development and Democracy Initiative. The Initiative was founded for the purpose of improving the quality and access to education, enhancing the availability of technology to lesser developed countries, and increasing citizen participation in government. These are all principles that support democracy and, therefore, deserve our support.”