October 18, 2003 - Appleton Post Crescent: Petri against Iraq bill

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: October 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: October 18, 2003 - Appleton Post Crescent: Petri against Iraq bill

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Petri against Iraq bill





Rep. Petri (right) joined with RPCV Congressmen Rep. Mike Honda, Rep. Jim Walsh, and Rep. Chris Shays for a Peace Corps recruitment meeting with young congressional staffers. Rep. Petri served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Somalia.

Read and comment on this story from the Appleton Post Crescent that RPCV Congressman Tom Petri broke with most House Republicans on Friday and opposed an $86.9 billion spending bill or military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan:
For Friday’s vote, he drew on his experience working in Somalia as a volunteer in the Peace Corps and later for the U.S. Agency for International Development. “He became convinced that an awful lot of our foreign aid activities are ill-conceived, wasteful and counterproductive,” said Petri’s spokesman, Niel Wright. “Since $21.4 billion is a lot of money, and probably just the beginning, he wanted to be convinced we have a plan for success and not just a lot of ill-conceived quick fixes.”
Petri, who voted last year in favor of giving President Bush the authority to go to war, was one of only six House Republicans to oppose the spending bill. Read the story at:

Petri against Iraq bill*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Petri against Iraq bill

By Brian Tumulty
Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac, broke with most House Republicans on Friday and opposed an $86.9 billion spending bill.

The money was for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Three of the state’s four House Democrats — David Obey of Wausau, Tammy Baldwin of Madison and Jerry Kleczka of Milwaukee — also opposed the bill.

The measure passed the House in a lopsided 303-125 vote with the support of Democratic Rep. Ron Kind of La Crosse and Republican Reps. Mark Green of Green Bay, James Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls and Paul Ryan of Janesville.

Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, both Democrats, joined in support of the Senate version that passed a few hours later 87-12.

Unlike the House version, the Senate bill requires half of the money for reconstructing Iraq be in the form of a loan instead of an outright grant.

That difference and others will have to be worked out by negotiators from both houses.

Petri, who voted last year in favor of giving President Bush the authority to go to war, was one of only six House Republicans to oppose the spending bill.

For Friday’s vote, he drew on his experience working in Somalia as a volunteer in the Peace Corps and later for the U.S. Agency for International Development. “He became convinced that an awful lot of our foreign aid activities are ill-conceived, wasteful and counterproductive,” said Petri’s spokesman, Niel Wright. “Since $21.4 billion is a lot of money, and probably just the beginning, he wanted to be convinced we have a plan for success and not just a lot of ill-conceived quick fixes.”

In the Senate, Kohl issued a statement explaining that he supported amendments to improve the package and decided, in the end, the funding could not be delayed.

“We owe our fighting men and women in the field our full support and we owe the Iraqi people a fighting chance to rebuild their nation,” Kohl said.



October 10, 2003 - RPCV Sam Farr votes against Iraq aid





Read and comment on this story from California Online on RPCV Congressman Sam Farr who was among 14 Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday who voted against a bill approving nearly $87 billion for rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The Administration's attempt to rebuild Iraq ... has been failing because it has not concentrated on building capacity in Iraq," Farr said. "Rather, this bill awards contracts to companies politically friendly to the president, and fails to insist on full disclosure of how that money is being spent."
Read the story at:

Farr votes against Iraq aid*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Farr votes against Iraq aid

House panel OKs bill

Staff and wire reports

U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, was among 14 Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday who voted against a bill approving nearly $87 billion for rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Republican-led committee approved the legislation by 47-14, paving the way to likely approval by the full House next Wednesday or Thursday. All 14 "no" votes were from Democrats, but 15 Democratic members voted for the measure.

"The Administration's attempt to rebuild Iraq ... has been failing because it has not concentrated on building capacity in Iraq," Farr said. "Rather, this bill awards contracts to companies politically friendly to the president, and fails to insist on full disclosure of how that money is being spent."

The bill has about $65.3 billion for U.S. military expenses in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, and $21.6 billion to rebuild those two nations and aid other countries including Liberia. Most of the money from both categories is for Iraq.

The split among Democrats underscored uncertainty within the party over the legislation.

Some say the wisest course is to support robust reconstruction efforts as the best way to extricate U.S. troops. But others have focused on the spending package as a proxy for challenging Bush's overall policy in Iraq.

"The administration has also been insensitive to the Middle East culture, and has not invested nearly enough in education and training for Iraqis," Farr said.

Congressional GOP leaders hope to have a final version of the bill on Bush's desk by the time potential donor nations hold a conference in Madrid, Spain, on Oct. 23 and 24.

In the latest sign of global antipathy to U.S. Iraq policy, the White House moved quickly Thursday to squelch speculation that the meeting would be postponed.

Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said the meeting, "will take place as scheduled." But European officials fear the conference could be a disaster if a new U.S.-sponsored United Nations resolution encouraging international aid to Iraq is not passed first.

Californian staff writer ANNE RILEY-KATZ and THE ASSOCIATED PRESS contributed to this report.

Originally published Friday, October 10, 2003



October 8, 2003 - RPCV James Walsh has concerns over Bush request for Iraqi, Afghan funds





Read and comment on this story from Knight-Ridder Washington Bureau that RPCV Congressman James Walsh, considered one of the most influential members of Congress, has concerns over Bush's request for Iraqi, Afghan funds:
"There have been so many instances where the money has been misspent," said Rep. James Walsh, R-N.Y., a member of the Appropriations Committee. "We have to keep our hands as deep in this as possible, and that means having strict oversight, because when the stories about $500 hammers come out, I am going to be the one who is going to get hell to pay for it" from constituents.
Read the story at:

House committee to vote on Bush request for Iraqi, Afghan funds*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



House committee to vote on Bush request for Iraqi, Afghan funds

By Sumana Chatterjee

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - The House Appropriations Committee is set to vote Thursday on a freshly scrubbed version of the Bush administration's controversial request for $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Top House Republicans on the committee cut $1.62 billion from President Bush's request for $20.3 billion for Iraq's reconstruction, including $9 million to develop Iraqi ZIP codes and $153 million for garbage trucks. But they added $251 million for stronger flak jackets and other equipment to reduce U.S. troop casualties.

Many lawmakers in both parties worry that in an era of soaring U.S. budget deficits, American taxpayers will object to giving Iraq billions of dollars for reconstruction instead of lending the money, to be repaid once the country resumes oil sales.

"The Bush administration's plan would provide approximately $872 per person for the entire population of Iraq. The U.S. foreign debt was expected to exceed $2.7 trillion this year, and that means the average American would be shouldering more foreign debt than the average Iraqi," said Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

Some lawmakers also want to keep tabs on the money because they fear it could be misused.

"There have been so many instances where the money has been misspent," said Rep. James Walsh, R-N.Y., a member of the Appropriations Committee. "We have to keep our hands as deep in this as possible, and that means having strict oversight, because when the stories about $500 hammers come out, I am going to be the one who is going to get hell to pay for it" from constituents.

Walsh joined 16 other lawmakers on a trip to Iraq, where they heard that soldiers were paying up to $650 out of their own pockets to upgrade the Vietnam-era flak jackets. The troops also said they wanted equipment that would help reduce casualties, such as portable devices to stop terrorists from detonating explosives by remote control.

The Defense Department did not equip soldiers properly, the panel's leaders concluded, so they added $251 million for body armor and other special devices. Congress has to make up for the Defense Department's "lack of planning," said Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash. "They just didn't have enough of them, but they should have."

Republicans on the Appropriations Committee also cut funding for programs they feared would be long-term drains on the U.S. budget, including $150 million for a children's hospital in Basra. Still, $793 million is slated for health clinics and hospitals in Iraq.

They also slashed $253 million from water and sanitation projects, cut money for such cosmetic improvements as airport parking lots, and eliminated $10 million to modernize business practices of the Iraqi television and radio industry.

The bill would provide $3.2 billion for Iraqi police and security forces, but lawmakers cut $50 million that the administration sought for buildings, vehicles and equipment for police. They also rejected $400 million to build two prisons at $50,000 per bed.

House appropriators did not eliminate all of the bill's contentious items. The measure would still grant $14.8 million for psychological programs to sway Iraqi public opinion in favor of the American occupation, and it would provide $19 million to develop wireless Internet systems.

It also would allocate $100 million for a witness protection program.




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