Ted Poe: “I come down here every year on this type of amendment. When I came to Congress 14 years ago, I went to Afghanistan and I…”

“I come down here every year on this type of amendment. When I came to Congress 14 years ago, I went to Afghanistan and I went to Iraq. I visited with our troops. Since that time, I have on my wall 40 Americans of all races and most branches who have been killed in Afghanistan or Iraq. When I was there in Afghanistan, I was down on the border with our troops and the British troops. They are on the border to protect Afghanistan from the terrorists coming in from Pakistan. I don't understand why we continue to pay Pakistan money. This legislation doesn't cut the whole fund. It cuts $200 million of the $700 million fund to get the attention of the Pakistanis so that they can't keep playing it. I am sure the Pakistanis are glad that I am leaving Congress. I won't be back here next year to offer this amendment. But really, I have great respect for the chairwoman and the ranking member on this issue, but I think that we should not pay Pakistan to continue to hate us because they will do it for free. I think we should do it to protect our troops that are on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. And that is just the way it is. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.”