Jackson, Kolbe Take Whirlwind Trip to Sudan
September 15-September 21, 2004
Congressman Jackson and Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), Chairman of the Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittee, led a delegation to the Darfur region in Sudan.
The week before, Secretary of State Colin Powell called the humanitarian crisis in Sudan genocide in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Approximately 2.2 million of the 6.5 million people who live in the region have been affected by this crisis. They have been raped, maimed, seen family members killed in front of them, and watched their homes torched by government-supported militias. More than one million people have been forced from their homes, and 158,000 more have fled into neighboring Chad.
The Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that passed the House of Representatives contained $311 million to address the crisis in Sudan, and Congressman Jackson was responsible for getting an additional $95 million included in the Defense Appropriations bill specifically for Darfur. Mr. Kolbe, Chairman of the Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittee, is responsible for oversight of these funds. On their visit to Sudanr, the Congressmen observed humanitarian and security efforts underway in Darfur with U.S. funds, met with various Sudanese leaders and investigated future projects and needs in the region.
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