David Obey: “I think there are many good things in this bill, and I especially want to say that I think that the debt relief…”

“I think there are many good things in this bill, and I especially want to say that I think that the debt relief provisions in this bill are long overdue. They will not cost the American taxpayers, because this is debt on the part of destitute countries that would never be repaid anyway. This is simply fessing up to the fact. I would simply like to take one moment to make a comment on one region of the world that is funded heavily in this bill. I do not believe that any Member of this House has been more supportive of the peace process or more insistent that the legitimate concerns of the Palestinians or the Arab world be brought into account in dealing with our problems in the Middle East, but I cannot begin to describe how dismayed I am at the way Mr. Arafat, and I believe even more so, a number of Arab governments have refused to recognize the opportunity presented to them by the extended hand of Mr. Barak, the leader of the State of Israel.”