Testimony by Congressman Joseph Crowley
Foreign Operations Subcommittee
April 2, 2003

Thank you Chairman Kolbe and Ranking Member Lowey for the opportunity to address the Committee regarding priorities for America's international investments. To best differentiate my priorities, I have divided my request into three sections:

1. Bridging the divide between peoples
2. Promoting regional and global stability
3. Economic empowerment and self-sufficiency

Now, more than ever, it is vital to sow the seeds of democracy and peace as well as establish and maintain democratic institutions and cross cultural dialogue to best combat terrorism, injustice, and violent conflict in the long term. Promoting democracy and understanding, is, however, not merely achieved via legislation or battle but rather through appropriate training in democratic skills through bicommunal projects that bring together people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Bridging the Divide Between Peoples

That brings me to my first point of bridging the divide between peoples.

On my first priority, I would like to discuss funding for the International Fund for Ireland (IFI), "Project Children" and the Middle East Children's Association (MECA).

Concerning the IFI, I urge you to keep the current appropriation level for the International Fund for Ireland at $25 million, matching the authorizing legislation, the Northern Ireland Peace and Reconciliation Act, that passed the House on Monday, March 31, 2003. This bill increases the President's request for IFI by $17 million making it equal to last year's enacted level. The Fund is designed to promote economic and social progress and encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between Unionists and Nationalists throughout Ireland. The Fund directs its support to the most disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland and the six Southern border countries. With the peace process in Northern Ireland being in a critical phase, it is unwise and imprudent to reduce funding for such a crucial program.

This is a proven program that successfully brings together two communities and teaches them democratic skills, it helps foster friendships and understanding. Democratic dialogue is an essential tool to lead to the decommissioning of all parties, a fair police force and install a sense of unity and peace in Ireland. I thus believe that maintaining our current contribution to the IFI will show our ongoing commitment to the economic future of the region and assist its people at this critical juncture.

"Project Children" pursues a similar goal. It focuses on 10-14 year-old kids who come from neighborhoods in which the Irish conflict has taken a particularly heavy toll. Protestant and Catholic children come to the U.S. for six weeks of summertime where they are hosted by American families. The children are confronted with people from the opposite religious tradition and by engaging the kids in common projects events, "Project Children" helps to overcome the blinding prejudice that sparked the Irish conflict. I therefore request appropriate funding for this important initiative through favorable report language by your Committee. Indeed, "Project Children" is laying the basis on which a permanent peace can be built.

Turning to the Middle East, the Middle East Children's Association (MECA), based in Israel, was launched in 1996 as a joint endeavor by Israeli and Palestinian educators who strive to make the peace process a stable reality for both peoples. MECA was established as a response to this commitment by directing attention to the education systems of the two communities. MECA cooperates closely with leaders in the educational systems, teachers, and students. MECA provides time and space to discover and train tolerance, difference, human rights, democracy, and mutual respect. With the ongoing change of the social and political situation, MECA seeks to widen the education systems to firmly embed these subjects as integral parts of school curricula.
MECA sets up a framework for broad involvement of schools, teachers, and students in educational programs that support tolerance, mutual respect, and honest and open dialogue. Thus MECA functions as a professional-based factor in the Palestinian-Israeli dialogue, on the basis of interpersonal relationships and a forum of open communication between individuals. MECA further advances the role of educators across the region as promoters of a culture of peace and tolerance. I therefore respectfully request $100,000 for this important initiative.

Promoting Regional and Global Stability

Regarding my concerns on the need to promote regional and global stability, I would like to discuss appropriation levels for Cyprus and Armenia.

Regarding Cyprus, the Cyprus Bi-Communal Initiative is a crucial project as it supports regional and thus global stability. However, President Bush's Fiscal Year 2004 Budget request seeks to reduce annual funding for Cyprus from $15 million to $7.5 million.

This funding for Cyprus under the Economic Support Fund (ESF) is used for bicommunal initiatives, scholarships, and efforts targeted at reunification for the island. Funding should be maintained at the $15 million level for several reasons. First, after the failure of the recent UN-brokered peace talks by the Turkish-Cypriot leadership, U.S. support for bicommunal projects is even more necessary. Second, with Cyprus going to join the EU, confidence-building initiatives to re-integrate the Greek and the Turkish Cypriots on the island are critical. U.S. support for bicommunal projects, especially those that bring together young people from the two communities, is a decisive factor in the process of reintegration.

Third, in the Eastern Mediterranean, vital U.S. interests are at stake, and measures to foster greater stability help achieve key policy objectives. Fourth, keeping the appropriation at the $15 million level, which would be in line with appropriations in recent years, serves as a symbol of Congressional support for a Cyprus settlement and shows continuity in U.S. foreign policy commitments in the region. Showing support is now more important than ever.

Additionally, with respect to regional and global stability, I am concerned with the proposed reduction in foreign assistance for Armenia in the President's budget. In past years, Armenia has consistently received $90 million, and shown results. These funds have helped Armenia develop its economy and infrastructure, and have further strengthened its parliamentary process and led to democratic elections. Armenia is one of our strongest allies in the Caucasus region.

By maintaining previous foreign assistance levels, Armenia can offset the devastating effects of the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades and help to continue its political and economic transition. The costs of these blockades are estimated by the World Bank at up to $700 million a year, essentially a third of Armenia's entire economy. I believe that, by maintaining assistance levels, an economically viable Armenia will be a catalyst for stability and development in a strategically important region of the world.

Furthermore, U.S. assistance to Armenia helps the Armenian people expand their economic partnership with the United States by creating an economic and political environment conducive to greater U.S.-Armenia trade and direct investment. Additionally, I would recommend that U.S. assistance programs, such as U.S. AID, work with local indigenous organizations in Armenia, such as the Armenian Relief Society, to continue to build upon this nation's social, economic, and humanitarian successes.

Economic Empowerment and Self-sufficiency

On my final area of concern, that of economic empowerment and self-sufficiency, I wish to address funding for the "American University for Women in Asia" (AUW) in Bangladesh and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

AUW will be a world class, liberal arts college that will attract and educate intelligent and talented young women from diverse backgrounds throughout Asia and the Middle East. This project will contribute to our global fight against terrorism. The September 11 attacks altered the way we perceive the world, and the way the world views the United States. We have identified regimes that support terrorism and those who fail to respect the fundamental rights of its people, all to the detriment of the entire region. But we need to remind ourselves that this war against terrorism is not limited to the battlefield. Instead, we must fight this war in the classroom, too.

AUW will teach democratic essentials such as moderation and reconciliation, key weapons against extremism and intolerance.

In numerous countries of the Middle East and Asia, patriarchal oppression of women has remained constant. The establishment of this University will lay the foundation for gender equality in the future. Therefore, I request that the Committee continue to urge USAID to support this program through positive report language. This project has already received the endorsements of USAID, UNFPA, the administrator of UNDP, the State Department, and the European Union. It is my hope that we can add the endorsement of the United States Congress this year.

Funding for UNFPA is also essential in helping achieve the goal of economic empowerment and self-sufficiency, and this funding is not a partisan issue. In fact, the UNFPA's vital work has been praised from people of all political affiliation. Secretary of State Powell acknowledged that the UNFPA does invaluable work. For the Fiscal Year 2003, Congress provided $34 Million for the UNFPA program, but this funding has been frozen by the Bush Administration, due to claims that this money is being used to perform abortion abroad. The President's own task force, created to investigate this claim, found it to not be true. Unfortunately, this funding remains in limbo. In FY 2003, Congress again allocated $34 Million, but again I fear this funding will be held up indefinitely due to politics over policy.

The fact is that the UNFPA provides voluntary family planning and maternal health services to the poorest women throughout the world. The UNFPA promotes safe pregnancy for mothers and their babies. And it works tirelessly to prevent teen pregnancy and the spread of HIV and AIDS. It is of paramount importance that we remember what is being threatened here. The President is not threatening a partisan or political issue. The President is threatening an organization that saves lives. The UNFPA prevents - not provides - abortions around the world every day. And I ask that we remember that it can't save these lives without funding. I urge this Committee to fund UNFPA at its authorized level.

Thank you. I am prepared for any questions that you may have for me today.

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