Speech by Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Michigan), March 29, 2000

Speech by Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Michigan), March 29, 2000
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick).

(Ms. KILPATRICK asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule, a rule that will not allow Democrats by and large to offer amendments on this most important supplemental appropriation, the first one, I might add, for the 21st century. Eighty percent of the amendments are by the majority party. We were not able to offer many.

One of the most important amendments is an amendment that would provide treatment on demand for those Americans who found themselves unfortunately addicted to drugs, drugs I might add that more than any other country in the world Colombia supplies the heroin and the cocaine that has infested our families and our neighborhoods across America.

In this supplemental, we are providing $1.7 billion to Colombia and not a penny for drug treatment. I think it is horrible that the amendment by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) was not allowed, and I think we should vote against this rule.

Additionally, Mozambique. We are told that the assessment must be made for Mozambique. The assessment I understand will be done on Friday. I offered an amendment in committee, $60 million, $20 million for child survival, $20 million for development assistance, $20 million for international disaster relief, but withdrew the amendment because they said we had to have the assessment.

The chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), and the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan), have agreed that this money should come forth and the money is in the accounts now to be released for Mozambique. Release the money. It ought to be a part of the rule. We ought to be able to debate it. We are not able at this time.

Treat those Americans who are addicted to much of the drugs that come from Colombia. We are not allowed to debate; we are not allowed to offer it. It is a bad rule. Vote against it.

As of March 30, 2000, this document was also available online at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r106:H29MR0-104: