For Immediate Release

June 11, 2009

Contact: Catherine Ribeiro (Tierney): (202) 225-8020
Cell: (202) 641-1387

Tierney Supports Passage of the Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009 (the PEACE Act of 2009)

Congressman insists on funding conditions on military funding for Pakistan

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA), supported the passage of the Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009 (the PEACE Act of 2009) (H.R. 1886), which included language proposed by Congressman Tierney providing for improved congressional oversight of U.S.-Pakistan cooperation in addressing their mutual security interests. The measure passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a vote of 234 to 185.

Tierney, who is Chairman of the National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, worked to insert an amendment strengthening the determinations a President will have to make before funds are released under the bill’s provisions. The determinations will be assessments regarding Pakistani levels of cooperation. Due to Tierney’s efforts in coordination with the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Howard Berman (D-CA), the bill that was approved by the House also calls for a mandatory Government Accountability Office (GAO) report assessing those presidential determinations in order to inform Congress’ oversight. In addition, as a sign of Congress’ commitment to oversight of funds designated for Pakistan, Tierney negotiated to include the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as a reporting committee for the presidential determinations regarding Pakistan’s cooperation in areas of mutual security interests.

Yesterday, speaking at the Center for American Progress on the United States’ and Pakistan’s mutual national security interests, Tierney said, “Some controversy has been stirred over the question of conditions in the legislation. For my part, I support conditioning future military aid on cooperation in areas of critical mutual Pakistan-U.S. national security interests. The conditions are remarkably modest: in order to release funds for a particular fiscal year, the President must submit to Congress a determination that Pakistan is cooperating with U.S. efforts to dismantle nuclear supplier networks, and is cooperating in ceasing support for extremist or terrorist groups, closing terrorist camps, and taking efforts to prevent cross-border attacks against neighboring countries.”

“Since 2001, the United States has given Pakistan more than $12 billion in aid, making it one of the largest recipients of U.S. largess. The impetus for the inclusion of basic conditions in this legislation is – to speak bluntly – that at least some in Congress no longer wish to sit idly by and watch unfulfilled promises of cooperation while elements with the Pakistani army and ISI support the very extremists that constitute the mutual threat to both nations.”

The Chairman’s Subcommittee has devoted significant time and energy on the oversight of U.S. policy, programs, and resources related to our efforts in Pakistan and believes that the needs in Pakistan are acute and that the security situation is rapidly deteriorating. Next week, the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs will hold two hearings relating to Pakistan: first, “U.S. Contributions to the Response to Pakistan’s Humanitarian Crisis: the Situation and the Stakes;” and second, a joint hearing with the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, entitled “Afghanistan and Pakistan: Oversight of a New Interagency Strategy,” featuring Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, and the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Michele Flournoy.