[Peace] Blackwater legislation coming up at teh federal level

[Barbara kessel]

*For Immediate Release:*
May 14, 2008
Contact: Peter Karafotas
(202) 226-6898
 SCHAKOWSKY OFFERS AMENDMENT TO CUT OFF STATE DEPARTMENT FUNDING TO
BLACKWATER
 **


Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a founding
member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, offered an amendment today in front of the
House Rules Committee which would prohibit the State Department from using
funds from the Iraq supplemental funding bill for Blackwater.  If accepted
by the Rules Committee, the amendment would be offered to the Iraq
supplemental appropriations bill, which is expected to be considered by the
full House of Representatives tomorrow.

Congresswoman Schakowsky delivered the following comments when she presented
her amendment to the House Rules Committee.

"Thank you Madam Chairwoman, Ranking Member Dreier for providing me the
opportunity to testify on behalf of my amendment today.

My amendment would prohibit the State Department from using funds from this
supplemental funding bill for the Diplomatic and Consular Programs account
for current or future contracts with Blackwater Worldwide.

Very simply, my amendment would cut off State Department funding for
Blackwater.

Currently there are approximately 170,000 private contractors working in
Iraq and Afghanistan—a greater number than our own troops.  Many of these
contractors perform vital support services for the military like cooking and
serving food and base maintenance.  There are other contractors who are
overseen by the Department of Defense who perform military functions like
law enforcement, intelligence gathering, and training Iraqi troops.

This amendment is not designed to make a judgment about any of those
activities.  It is simply designed to end the contract with Blackwater
Worldwide for diplomatic security by the State Department.

Everyone knows about the horrible incidents involving Blackwater opening
fire on innocent civilians last September in Nisour Square, about a
Blackwater employee killing the Iraqi Vice President's guard, about
Blackwater releasing poisonous gas on a crowded intersection in Baghdad.
Nothing has been done in response to these incidents.

And these incidents have damaged our already-tattered image in the eyes of
the Iraqi people.  They have irreparably harmed our relationship with the
Iraqi government.  Prime Minister Maliki attempted to revoke Blackwater's
license to operate in Iraq in 2007, and last month he said that Blackwater
has "massacred"—that's his word—Iraqi civilians.

Despite the extremely serious nature of each of the incidents Blackwater has
been involved in, not one investigation has been completed.  And despite the
existence of so many ongoing investigations into Blackwater's actions, both
possible criminal actions and abuse of the tax code, the State Department
renewed Blackwater's contract last month.

I believe that we must not continue to reward and rely on a company that has
been implicated in the deaths of more than 17 innocent civilians and gross
violations of ethical conduct.

It is vital that we show to the American people and the Iraqis that we are
serious about reining in Blackwater.  For much too long, there has been a
perception, and to date really the reality, that Blackwater's employees are
somehow outside or above the law, even getting away with murder.  This has
created tension among our own military men and women who are paid much less
than the Blackwater employees who work right next to them and whom we hold
to the highest standards.  And it has frayed our relationship with Iraqis,
who view the company as a symbol of American hubris and disregard for Iraqi
civilians.

We cannot continue to allow Blackwater to run roughshod over the law and
jeopardize the safety, security and well-being of the U.S. military and the
Iraqi people.

I thank you very much for allowing me to offer this amendment here today."

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