On the recordSeptember 7, 2017
Mr. Chairman, today I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. As a former chairwoman of the State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee, I worked very closely with the U.S. Institute of Peace. From firsthand experience, I can tell you how important their mission is. They send staff to some of the most volatile areas of the world to promote peace. For instance, in Afghanistan, the Institute facilitated peaceful elections in 2014, despite Taliban calls for violence. Also, in 2015, the Institute facilitated a local Sunni and Shia agreement in Iraq that averted bloodshed and let 380,000 internationally displaced people return home. Let's not forget that it was under President Ronald Reagan that the Institute of Peace was created. Funding the Institute of Peace is an important investment. It is for these reasons that I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.
