Thomas Daschle: “I come to the floor, as I did earlier this spring, to commend the efforts of a South Dakotan who is having a direct…”

“I come to the floor, as I did earlier this spring, to commend the efforts of a South Dakotan who is having a direct impact on America's international interests. Last Thursday evening, I was proud when the Senate confirmed Lori A. Forman, born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD, to be Assistant Administrator of USAID for Asia and the Near East. She is the first South Dakotan nominated and confirmed to serve in the Bush Administration. The Assistant Administrator for Asia and the Near East, ANE, has a tremendous responsibility. Stretching from Morocco in the West to the Philippines in the East, the ANE region is large and diverse and covers a wide range of issues of critical importance to the U.S., including the challenges posed by terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The region is also home to vital economic interests. As a market for U.S. goods and services, it is second only to Europe. Countries in the region provide 50 percent of the oil consumed in the United States and control vital shipping lanes for the world's commerce. As the world witnessed with the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, instability in this region has direct and significant ramifications for global economic interests. Furthermore, the region poses a development challenge for the United States. According to the World Bank, the ANE region accounts for more than two-thirds of the world's extremely poor.”