New Jersey congressman voices support for $180 M in aid to Ukraine

WASHINGTON - Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.), has announced his opposition to efforts to significantly slash U.S. assistance provided to Ukraine. The congressman is a new member of the powerful Appropriations Committee and serves on the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations which is responsible for crafting an annual bill to direct where U.S. foreign aid is spent.

"The United States must be a leader to help usher much-needed reforms that would benefit the Ukrainian people and bolster the pro-democracy movement in that country," Mr. Rothman said. "Cutting U.S. aid at this time is not the way to help the Ukranian people."

On June 28 the House Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, on which Mr. Rothman serves, moved to cap U.S. aid for Ukraine next year at $125 million. Last year Congress provided $180 million in U.S. assistance for Ukraine. In justifying the cut in aid to Ukraine, several subcommittee members cited Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma's failure to battle corruption in his country.

"The people of Ukraine are building a modern democracy and that takes time," said Mr. Rothman. "I am aware of the big challenges facing Ukraine and the problems which remain to be addressed by President Kuchma's administration."

On July 26 the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a foreign aid bill that provided $180 million in U.S. assistance for Ukraine. The next step for the House and Senate foreign aid bill is for them to be considered in conference, where the two versions of the bills will be reconciled. Rep. Rothman said he will work with the House and Senate conferees to encourage them to provide $180 million in assistance for Ukraine next year.

Mr. Rothman is in his third-term in Congress representing the people of New Jersey's 9th Congressional District, which includes the southern portion of Bergen County and northern portions of Hudson County. He has been a member of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus since his election to Congress.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, September 16, 2001, No. 37, Vol. LXIX

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