Patrick Kennedy: “I too want to join any colleagues in saying how important a bill like this is, and I only hope this Congress recognizes…”

“I too want to join any colleagues in saying how important a bill like this is, and I only hope this Congress recognizes how critical the kind of aid that is provided through legislation like this is in a time where we are trying to combat international terrorism. Terrorism feeds on instability. Terrorism feeds on poverty. Terrorism feeds on the loss of hope. And unless we build these economies, unless we provide stability to these countries, such as Sudan, which is obviously such a great tragedy, and I am pleased to see this committee work to try to address the needs of the Sudanese who are starving and dying every day. But in addition to that, Liberia; and I wanted to make a special note. Liberia has been racked with a civil war for over 10 years or more. A third of their population has been driven from their country. We need to continue to support the effort to connect and build Liberia so that the refugees that have been scattered all around the world can come home and help make that country a country that can move into the future.”