James T. Callahan: “Mr. Chairman, I wish to point out to Members and to the author of the amendment that the intent of his amendment is…”

“Mr. Chairman, I wish to point out to Members and to the author of the amendment that the intent of his amendment is unclear. The amendment places a ceiling of $33.5 million on the amount of development assistance aid available to the government of India. However, the President's fiscal year 2000 budget request for all development assistance to India, including both aid to the government and aid directly to nongovernmental organizations, is only $28.7 million. In fact, about 85 percent of all aid funding to India goes through NGOs, not the government. Therefore, the amendment of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) would actually allow considerably more funding to the government of India than the President, the Secretary of State, USAID, and the committee is recommending. I do not think it was the intent of the gentleman from Indiana to increase funding for India, but based upon the reading of his amendment, it appears to me that it raises the level of assistance to India and he may want to withdraw it.”