Diaz-Balart Remarks During Floor Consideration of H.R. 2882, The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2882.

I want to thank the Full Committee Chairwoman Granger and Speaker Johnson for their work in getting this second set to the floor for consideration today.

I am proud to speak on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs portion of the bill today.

The bill includes a 6 percent cut from the FY23 enacted level.

We are at a critical moment in history. One of our most important allies is in its time of greatest need, and this bill answers the call.

It is the strongest pro-Israel State and Foreign Operations bill we have ever seen.

It provides $3.3 billion Foreign Military Financing for Israel.

Almost as important as what it funds, is what it does NOT fund.

The bill prohibits funds to UNRWA, which has become the de facto subsidiary of Hamas.

The passage of this bill means not one additional dollar from the American taxpayer will go to this deeply flawed organization.

The passage of this bill also prohibits funds to the antisemitic UN Commission of Inquiry against Israel.

The passage of this bill means no funds can be used to delist the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, or to implement a nuclear agreement with Iran.

Another top priority is countering Communist China, the bill includes $300 million Foreign Military Financing for Taiwan – the first ever direct appropriation for Taiwan FMF.

The passage of this bill prohibits the use of foreign aid to repay Chinese debt.

An important priority to strengthen our national security is supporting democracy around the world, and defending human rights and religious freedom.

This bill increases funding to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba, and establishes strict guardrails to ensure that this crucial funding supports the democratic opposition, not the terrorist regime’s chosen businesses.

We also stand strongly against the human trafficking of Cuban doctors.

This bill also supports those struggling for freedom in our hemisphere’s most repressive, anti-American dictatorships – Venezuela and Nicaragua.

Failure to pass this bill, we would lose provisions on the prohibition of funds for encouraging, organizing, facilitating, or promoting migrant caravans to the US border.

If this legislation were not to pass, we lose the protection of free speech by limiting how funds can be used under the pretext of “countering disinformation.”

If this legislation were not to pass, we would go back to current law.

We would lose the restriction that only the U.S. flag may be flown or displayed over a facility of the State Department.

Mr. Speaker, this bill reduces spending, reprioritizes funding toward our vital national security interests, and carries crucial limitations and smart policy changes to reign in the Biden Administration.

It is a dramatic improvement from current law.

Before I close, I want to thank the staff for their work on this bill.

Madam Speaker, this an important bill and critical time when American leadership is sorely needed. This bill delivers that.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.