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December 19, 2003/Kislev 24 5764, Vol. 56, No. 13
Opposing wasteful spending, not IsraelREP. JOHN SHADEGGIn my nine years in Congress, I have always voted for aid to Israel. My record of support for the Jewish State has never been in doubt.Over the past year, I have co-sponsored five pieces of legislation related to Israel: supporting U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel (HR167), condemning the anti-Semitic remarks of Indonesia's prime minister (H. Con. Res. 409), calling for ending Syria's support for terrorism in Lebanon (HR1828), condemning all Palestinian terrorist attacks (H. Con. Res. 119), and celebrating the 350th anniversary of the Jewish community in the United States (H. Con. Res. 106). Just this week, I agreed to co-sponsor a resolution (HR478) expressing grave concerns about the unofficial "Geneva Accord" and reaffirming Congress' support for President Bush's "road map" approach to peace in the Middle East. In addition, I have signed public letters urging President Bush and the president of the European Union to crack down on terrorist groups like Hamas and to exclude Yasser Arafat from the peacemaking process because of his long-standing ties to terrorism. On July 24, I voted in favor of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2004, which included $2.6 billion in U.S. aid to Israel. The legislation passed the House of Representatives easily, but the Senate failed to act on it. Because of the Senate's failure, it was rolled into a massive omnibus spending bill, which passed the House on Dec. 8. While I strongly supported the money for Israel, the omnibus was riddled with wasteful and unnecessary programs. The United States national debt is almost $7 trillion, and we face deficits as far as the eye can see. As we wage a war on terrorism around the world and invest heavily in improving our homeland security, fiscal discipline has become more important than ever. When I came to Congress in 1995, the new Republican majority eliminated the practice of "earmarks" - personal pet programs inserted by individual members without proper congressional consideration. But nine years later, "earmarks" are back with a vengeance. This year's omnibus legislation included more than 10,000 of these pork barrel projects. The "earmarks" included scores of outrageous examples of pork, including $315,000 for Formosan Subterranean Termite research, $270,000 for sustainable olive production, $225,000 to celebrate Hawaiian statehood, $270,000 for potato storage, and $500,000 for a bike path in St. Petersburg, Fla. My vote against this legislation was a protest against reckless spending and the corruption of the budget process. Before casting my vote, though, I made sure that the bill had the votes to pass. The funds for Israel's defense were never in peril. I believe strongly in the ties that bind America to the Jewish State. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and is our closest ally in the region. Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the bond between the United States and Israel has grown stronger than ever. We now face the same scourge of terrorism and the same enemy - radical Islamists. When terrorists like Osama Bin Laden rant about "Zionists" and "crusaders," they are talking about Israel and the United States. They hate both of our nations for our freedom and our success. I regret that the irresponsible spending made it impossible for me to vote for the omnibus bill, but please know that I remain a strong supporter of the Jewish State. I will be a friend in the future, as I always have been. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) represents Arizona's 3rd District. |
