Herb Kohl: “In the last month, we have heard many voices expressing many views of what it means to be American and at war. Among…”

“In the last month, we have heard many voices expressing many views of what it means to be American and at war. Among those disparate voices, there are strong, common themes: our pride in our brave troops; our burning hatred for tyranny and injustice; our undying compassion for the poor and hungry of the world. Our amendment speaks to the last of these. It states simply that, even in times of war, America will remain a compassionate leader in the world community and a passionate combatant of hunger and hopelessness throughout the world. To reiterate, I offer this amendment because through the Department of Defense and other agencies, $269 million from our largest international food program, Public Law 480, and the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, have already been obligated to meet the urgent necessity to feed the Iraqi people. That $269 million is derived from funds appropriated or made available last year for other world hunger needs in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Korea, and North Korea. We need to replenish that money which has been used to feed the people in Iraq.”