James T. Callahan: “Mr. Chairman, the Committee on Appropriations has reported a 1997 foreign operations and export financing bill that is…”

“Mr. Chairman, the Committee on Appropriations has reported a 1997 foreign operations and export financing bill that is balanced, compassionate, and supportive of our national interest. It has bipartisan support. The bill the House is taking up today is within the subcommittee's 602 allocation, with $256,000 in budget authority left over. The bill is $1 billion under the President's request, and it is $458 million less than last year's bill, including all of the supplementals. Although the administration did not request it, we have restored a separate child survival and disease programs fund and have provided $600 million for the fund. Helping children and fighting infectious diseases such as polio and tuberculosis is our highest priority in this bill. There are no earmarks in this bill. The Democrat managers agree with me on this, and will oppose any earmark amendments. Our report language makes clear the overwhelming support for the requests for Israel, Egypt, Ukraine, and Armenia. On a general basis, this bill favors bilateral programs, undertaken in the name of the American people, over multilateral programs.”