Tim Kaine, James Lankford Debate Proposed Cuts To Faith-Based Organizations In GOP Rescissions Bill

Forbes Breaking News

During remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) debated Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) on a bill to protect funding for faith-based organizations.

Transcript

00:00Chair, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

00:04Clerk will report.

00:06Senator from Virginia, Mr. Cain moves to recommit the bill H.R. 4.

00:10I ask the further reading be dispensed with.

00:13Without objection.

00:14Mr. President, my amendment would require the bill to come back with no cuts to faith-based organizations

00:21in the International Development Account and the Migration and Refugee Assistance Accounts.

00:27These two accounts on the refugee side provide service to lawful immigrants to the United

00:33States, overwhelmingly by faith-based organizations in this country, and the development assistance

00:40is disaster relief by faith-based organizations.

00:43Whose funds are being cut by this?

00:46Catholic Relief Service has been doing this for 80 years.

00:49Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, World Vision, World Relief Corporation of the Evangelical Association,

00:55Lutheran Social Services, Lutheran World Relief, the Episcopal Church, Bethany Christian

01:01Services, Jesuit Refugee Services, Samaritan's Purse.

01:04This is a war on faith-based workers who are providing services in many instances for decades,

01:10even over a century.

01:12I would ask the support of my colleagues that we not cut faith-based organizations doing

01:18work in accord with their faith.

01:19Mr. President, I rise to be able to speak in opposition to this motion to recommit.

01:29It would kill the entire bill, and I understand that's the intent of it, and I can appreciate

01:32that.

01:33The senator from Virginia is my friend, and the list that he listed off of faith-based

01:38organizations I strongly support, and so does he.

01:42This particular section that is being reduced is being reduced about 25 percent of the total

01:50amount, so I can speak with great confidence this is not cutting off all those faith-based

01:55entities.

01:56What this is doing is adjusting for the dramatic shift that has happened on our southern border.

02:01Much of the refugee work that's been done has been assisting refugees moving through Central

02:06South America, Mexico, into the United States.

02:10A year and a half ago, we had a quarter million people a month that were illegally crossing our

02:16border or asking for asylum at our border.

02:18Now we have many days less than 200 even attempt.

02:22The need has dramatically dropped from what it was 18 months ago.

02:26This adjusts that account by 25 percent, does not eliminate faith-based organizations.

02:32There's great needs around the world, and I'm incredibly grateful to the faith-based organizations

02:38that do remarkable work that partner with our government.

02:44Senator from Virginia.

02:45I just ask that you join these organizations who support my amendment, and I ask for the

02:50yeas and nays.

02:51Is there a sufficient second?

02:54There appears to be.

02:56Clerk will call the roll.

02:57It's also...

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