Senate Floor Statement of Senator Lugar Lugar Floor Statement for Pakistan Legislation Monday, May 4, 2009 U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Dick Lugar made the following statement on the floor of the Senate today upon introducing the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act. For more information, the text of the bill and a bill summary, visit http://lugar.senate.gov.   I am pleased to join Senator Kerry in introducing the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009. Then Senator Joe Biden and I originally introduced this legislation in July 2008. I have been pleased to continue the bipartisan effort on this bill with Senator Kerry.    Senators Biden and Kerry and I have worked closely over the past year with the State Department, USAID, the Defense Department, and the National Security Council to craft this legislation. On March 27 of this year, President Obama announced a comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. In his speech he called on Congress "to pass a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by John Kerry and Richard Lugar that authorizes $1.5 billion in direct support to the Pakistani people every year over the next five years - resources that will build schools, roads, and hospitals, and strengthen Pakistan’s democracy." Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus have repeatedly advocated expanding our foreign assistance to Pakistan as an essential element of our national security. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both have testified that strengthening democracy and countering terrorism in Pakistan go hand in hand. Secretary Clinton said at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing last week: "As President Obama has consistently maintained, success in Afghanistan depends on success in Pakistan. We have seen how difficult it is for the government there to make progress, and the Taliban continues to make inroads. Counterinsurgency training is critical. But of equal importance are diplomacy and development to provide economic stability and diminish the conditions that feed extremism. This is the intent of the comprehensive strategy laid out by Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar, which President Obama has endorsed."   I take the time to detail Administration backing for this bill and its concepts because any U.S. policy related to Pakistan will require the cooperation and active support of both the Executive and Legislative branches of our government. It also will require that policy toward Pakistan be closely integrated with U.S. efforts throughout the region.   I do not regard the Kerry-Lugar bill as a Congressionally-driven initiative in which we are bargaining for the support of the Administration. Rather, Senator Kerry and I are trying to play a constructive role in facilitating a consensus position between branches that will undergird a rational approach to the region with the best chance of success. With this in mind, it is vital that the Administration’s message on Pakistan be clear and consistent. The Administration also must continue to actively consult with Congress on elements of strategy, not just lobby us for funds.   The United States has an intense strategic interest in Pakistan and the surrounding region. The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate last year painted a bleak picture of the converging crises in Pakistan. A growing al-Qaeda sanctuary, an expanding Taliban insurgency, political brinksmanship, and a failing economy are intensifying turmoil and violence in that country. These circumstances are a threat to Pakistan, the region, and the United States.             We should make clear to the people of Pakistan that our interests are focused on democracy, pluralism, stability, and the fight against terrorism. These are values supported by a large majority of the Pakistani people. If Pakistan is to break its debilitating cycle of instability, it will need to achieve progress on fighting corruption, delivering government services, and promoting broad based economic growth. The international community and the United States should support reforms that contribute to the strengthening of Pakistani civilian institutions.   This legislation marks an important step toward these goals. While our bill envisions sustained economic and political cooperation with Pakistan, it is not a blank check. It expects that the military institutions in Pakistan will turn their attention to the extremist dangers within Pakistan’s borders. The bill subjects our security assistance to a certification that the Pakistani government is using the money for its intended purpose, namely, to combat the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The bill also calls for tangible progress in governance, including an independent judiciary, greater accountability by the central government, respect for human rights, and civilian control of the levers of power, including the military and the intelligence agencies.   In providing substantial resources to enhance a strategic partnership with Pakistan, our bill contains provisions to help ensure that this money is spent effectively and efficiently. The bill stipulates that the Administration must provide Congress with a comprehensive assistance strategy before additional assistance is made available. This strategy is expected to detail clear objectives, enumerate projects the Administration intends to implement, and identify criteria that the Administration will use to measure the effectiveness of our assistance.   Once money begins to flow, the Administration must report every six months on how the money is spent and what impact it is having. In addition, the bill provides that before the Administration spends more than half of the $1.5 billion authorized in any fiscal year, it must certify that the assistance provided to that date is making substantial progress toward the principal objectives contained in the Administration’s strategy report. We also have asked the Government Accountability Office to review annually the Administration’s progress on stated goals. To ensure that sufficient resources will be available to oversee our programs in Pakistan, we authorize $20 million each year for audits and program reviews by the Inspectors General of the State Department, USAID, and other relevant agencies.   I look forward to working with the Obama Administration and Congressional colleagues on a policy toward Pakistan that builds our relationship with that nation and protects vital U.S. interests. I thank Senator Kerry for his partnership on this bill, and I yield the floor.   ###