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Knollenberg in new 9th congressional district.

JOE KNOLLENBERG

BORN: Nov. 28, 1933, in Mattoon, Ill.

AGE: 69

RESIDENCE: Bloomfield Hills

KEY CURRENT AFFILIATIONS: Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on

the District of Columbia; Appropriations Foreign Operations subpanel; Republican co-
chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus
EDUCATION: Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Ill., 1955, bachelor's degree in
social science
FAMILY: Wife, Sandie; sons, Marty, 39, Stephen, 35
WEB SITE: www.house.gov/knolienberg/

appropriations committee means that
you write the checks," he said. "The
authorizing committees don't do that."
According to Knollenberg,-he was
one of the leading representatives to
"insist" on the $3 billion annual
appropriation for Israel. The $200
million in aid that recently went to
Israel to help with the country's eco-
nomic woes because of terrorism "was
pretty much my call," he said.
"I've spoken out strongly about
what is taking place among the terror-
ists that inhabit the regions around
Israel," he said. "My opponent, should
he win, would likely not have a leader-
ship position. I am there now and I
will continue to do those things."
Coupled with support for Israel,
Knollenberg said he also has been able
to help the Arab community.
The Palestinians received a $50 mil-
lion humanitarian aid package from
the appropriations committee, "just
for the refugees, not to Hezbollah or a
government," Knollenberg stressed.
"We've had assurances it's not going to
anybody other than refugee assistance
and humanitarian aid. If there's a slip
someplace, we'll find out about it.
"I do draw the line at terrorism
because those folks who do the suicide
bombings are no different than those
who blew up the World Trade Center
[in New York City]," he said.

Knollenberg said the Jewish com-
munity's support comes not only from
his stance on Israel, but Iraq as well.
"Saddam Hussein snubbed his nose
at 16 United Nations resolutions. The
suggestions that he doesn't have these
chemical and biological weapons is
just silliness," Knollenberg said,
throwing support to President George
W. Bush. "He had them before, why
wouldn't he have them now?"

Unquestionably For Israel.

Fink, who joined the American Israel
Public Affairs Committee in 1988,
said his commitment to Israel is
"unquestioned." The Temple Israel
member said he would fight for the
long-term survival of the State of
Israel, and uses an Iraq scenario to
point it out.
"When the U.S: goes into Iraq, it is
essential that the military plan include
addressing Scud missiles that are based
on the western side of Iraq, not near
Baghdad," Fink said. "If the U.S. does
not address that, then we create a situ-
anon where we force Israel to expand
the conflict because Israel cannot
stand by like they did in the Gulf War.
"When the Bush administration.
moves forward, they have to have an
end-game plan," he said. "It has to
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10/4

2002

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