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Rep. McDermott Announces Support for HR 1886 India Caucus Co-Chair Co-Sponsors PEACE Act April 29, 2009  Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, announced today that he would co-sponsor HR 1886, the Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009. The PEACE Act was introduced by Rep. Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The legislation would provide billions of dollars in military, economic and humanitarian aid to Pakistan over the next several years and it includes benchmarks and accountability. “Fundamentally we have got to change the way we have practiced foreign affairs over the last eight years and the PEACE Act is a statement and a step in the right direction,” Rep. McDermott said. McDermott said he agreed with the President’s call for $1.5 billion in development and construction aid to Pakistan over the next five years, which is the centerpiece of the legislation. The congressman also said the bill strikes a good balance between providing military aid to Pakistan while remaining sensitive to concerns by India about the kind of military hardware that would be available. For instance, McDermott said the bill restricts Pakistan from buying additional F-16s beyond those already contracted for: “I agree with India’s concerns that new F-16s could pose a threat and they aren’t very useful for counter-insurgency.” McDermott said he was especially pleased by language in the bill to strengthen Pakistan’s public education system and added that education is the foundation block for the stability and destiny of every nation.
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