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“EXTENDING AUTHORITIES UNDER THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE FACILITATION ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8268-H8269 on Aug. 2, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
EXTENDING AUTHORITIES UNDER THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE FACILITATION ACT
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to that the Committee on International Relations be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 2161) to extend authorities under the Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1994 until October 1, 1995, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I do not intend to object, but I do want to state a continuing concern I have about our approach to this legislation.
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Mr. Speaker, the existing law of the Middle East Peace Facilitation Act now expires August 15 of this year. On June 29 we took up a bill extending the law for 45 days. Now we are back doing the same thing again, extending the law only until October 1, 1995.
Mr. Speaker, I would much prefer that the House be taking up at least a 6-month extension at this time, and I regret that we are not. At this time especially, I think we should be sending a signal of very strong support to the parties in the Middle East peace process. This short-
term extension I think has the opposite effect. It creates an unstable environment and makes a hard job for the Israelis and the Palestinians involved in the peace process even more difficult.
Mr. Speaker, having expressed that concern, since this bill is the only option before us right now.
My concerns have only increased about using this kind of approach on a bill critical to the Middle East peace process. If the act is allowed to expire, all funds for direct and multilateral assistance to the Palestinian authority will be cut off. Representatives of the Palestinian authority will not be able to maintain an office in the United States. Engaging in diplomatic activities relating to the peace process here in Washington would be impossible.
In short, allowing this law to expire could seriously jeopardize a fragile, but steadily progressing, Middle East peace process.
As I understand it, our reasons for extending this act for only 45 days at a time are related neither to Palestinians nor to Israelis. Instead, this act is being used in the other body as some kind of bargaining chip in negotiations on unrelated bills. I think this is a serious and potentially dangerous mistake.
On June 29 on the House floor, I expressed my hope that the next time we extended this law, we would do so for a longer period of time. Chairman Gilman said we were taking up only a short term extension because we would conference a more substantive Middle East Peace Facilitation Act prior to the summer recess. We have not. In fact, we have not yet even considered such a bill in committee.
Difficult negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians continue and an interim agreement is possible soon. Terrorism also continues to raise its ugly head. The Palestinian authority is moving to control violence but there is always room for more effort.
Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Emerson). Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I will not object, but we are now extending it a second time for another 45 days, and I guess my feeling is a little bit different than my colleague from Indiana. I believe that we cannot indefinitely have these extensions without holding Mr. Arafat's feet to the fire. I have submitted a bill along with the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton], the gentleman from New York [Mr. Schumer], and the gentleman from Texas [Mr. DeLay], which clearly lays out reasons and the threshold for Mr. Arafat and the PLO to comply with before there can be a continuation of funding for the PLO.
I would like to ask the Chairman if he can give me assurances that our bill will be marked up at committee, because I think there are many, many different feelings and opinions on the committee, and I think we should have the opportunity. I just want to say, I think it is especially critical because it seems pretty obvious to me that in the Senate, the State Department authorization bill is dead. So I think it is even more critical that we in the House come together and mark up my bill so that we can have a resolution of this issue, and I would like to just ask the Chairman if he would agree to mark up the bill.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. ENGEL. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, we certainly will take the gentleman's thoughts into consideration and we will be reviewing the request as we return to committee following the recess.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to just reiterate that I think it is critical that we do have a markup of the bill, that we hold hearings and have a markup of the bill. With the chairman's assurances that he will take a look at this, and I hope with the assurances that we will mark up the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the bill, as follows:
[[Page H8269]]
H.R. 2161
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES.
(a) In General.--Section 583(a) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103-236), as amended by Public Law 104-17, is amended by striking ``August 15, 1995,'' and inserting ``October 1, 1995,''.
(b) Consultation.--For purposes of any exercise of the authority provided in section 583(a) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103-236) prior to August 16, 1995, the written policy justification dated June 1, 1995, and submitted to the Congress in accordance with section 583(b)(1) of such Act, and the consultations associated with such policy justification, shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of section 583(b)(1) of such Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] is recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2161 temporarily extends the Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1994, which otherwise will expire on August 15, 1995.
That act was previously extended by Public Law 104-17, which we passed in June. H.R. 2161 extends the Act until October 1, 1995, and further provides that the consultations with the Congress that took place in June prior to the President's last exercise of the authority provided by the Act will suffice for purposes of a further exercise of that authority prior to August 16.
In consultation with our Senate colleagues, we have decided to extend the Middle East Peace Facilitation Act only through October 1 because we hope to complete action by that date on legislation that will include a longer term extension of the authorities of the act, along with strengthened requirements for compliance with commitments that were voluntarily assumed.
I urge my colleagues to agree to the adoption of H.R. 2161.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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