Patrick Leahy

By fighting hunger and disease, we fight the despair that can fuel violent extremism and conflict.

Food security is a national security priority

I hope you can tell us what you expect from the changes to USAID's procurement process, because they need to fundamentally reform the way USAID does business.

We will be discussing the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) budget.

What you said was the right thing for our country and the right thing for those families.

I can with a clear conscience say that the work we have done there has made America safer and has created the possibility for a better future for the Afghan people.

I think it is a symbol of grandiose and unrealistic ambitions in that country.

I understand that. Perhaps you could provide for the record more fully how it differs from the money we have already given.

We ought to have our own request, and not Israel's or any other country's request.

A waiver is a waiver. We would amend the law to add a waiver to it.

Well, we can't do it. Our law doesn't allow us.

I have got to tell you, just as one Senator, I am finding it harder and harder to vote for money to continue these programs in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan.

It is going to be difficult to get a bill through this year.

I know this is your first appearance before the Congress on the President's fiscal year 2013 budget request for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs.

I also want to commend you for your efforts to pursue accountability for the perpetrators of war crimes in Sri Lanka.

I would hope that we would at least be able to amend the law. I think it would be more helpful to Israel to amend the law to give you the same kind of waiver we have given past administrations for similar laws.

I have one other question. We have the Leahy amendment, which prohibits aid to units of foreign security forces that violate human rights.

We live in an increasingly competitive and dangerous world.

I think our policy there needs to change.

Can we do more to engage with the Chinese on the whole range of issues, from climate change to human rights, piracy of intellectual property, and military cooperation?

There are so many things that need to be done in this impoverished country still recovering from an earthquake.

I agree with you that it is a good symbol when you land, but I suspect the symbol is even more yourself.

We were witnessing the power of citizens to force their governments to begin a transition to democracy.

Senator Graham and I have tried to work very, very closely in this subcommittee.

I am just pointing out that sometimes these laws, while they may have great symbolic significance to Members or certain lobbies can end up really hurting us in the end.