Supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time, and I rise today to support H. Res. 613, recognizing and honoring the tenth anniversary of Vietnam Human Rights Day.

Vietnam Human Rights Day serves as an important commemoration of the extensive struggle the Vietnamese people have endured for many years in their ongoing fight for basic human rights and freedom.

Ten years ago, the United States ended its trade embargo with Vietnam and normalized relations with Hanoi. While the U.S. continues to open diplomatic relations with Vietnam, we must remember that many issues remain unresolved, including human rights violations, lack of religious freedom, and government corruption.

I traveled to Vietnam in 1998 to learn about these issues firsthand, as well as to raise these concerns with high-level officials. In addition, the large Vietnamese-American community in the 11th district, which I represent, continues to update me on continuing concerns.

As a member of the Vietnam Caucus, I am dedicated to promoting awareness and public policy debates among the U.S. Congress, the American public, and the international community about the greater need for fundamental human rights in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

House Resolution 613 recognizes the important contributions made by Nguyen Dan Que, the author of the Manifesto of the Non-Violent Movement for Human Rights, and uncounted numbers of innocent Vietnamese for their nonviolent struggles for freedom and human rights.

Dr. Que is one of the most vocal advocates for freedom, democracy, and human rights in Vietnam. Since 1975, Dr. Que has refused to leave Vietnam, and he has turned down an offer to resettle in the United States or to live in exile. He has consciously chosen to stay in Vietnam to speak out and defend human dignity and the rights of all Vietnamese people. He is a profile of courage.

The Vietnamese Communist government has arrested Dr. Que three times for his unrelenting pursuit of human

dignity and freedom. He has been imprisoned off and on for nearly 20 years, beginning in 1978 through the present. During Dr. Que's captivity, he was imprisoned without trial, tortured, beaten, and put into solitary confinement in chains, accused of trying to overthrow the government, charged with espionage, and is now being held in strict incommunicado.

Undaunted, during his time he remained the strongest voice inside Vietnam for equality and dignity. On May 11, 1990, Dr. Que founded the Nonviolent Movement For Human Rights, issuing a manifesto that appealed to individuals and groups inside Vietnam and throughout the world for support of his moderate, nonviolent struggle to establish human rights for all Vietnamese people.

The arrests of Dr. Que, along with many others, demonstrate the ongoing human rights abuses and lack of religious freedom in Vietnam. We must continue to bring attention to these issues, generate pressure on Vietnamese officials, and hold the Vietnamese Government accountable.

It is only through the hard work and effort of individuals such as Dr. Que and the support of the international community that we can bring an end to human rights abuses and religious persecution in Vietnam. My resolution urges all Americans to share in the commemoration of Vietnam Human Rights Day and to have a greater appreciation of the role it has played in helping to defend and further the liberties and freedom of all Vietnamese people.

I am hopeful H. Res. 613 will serve as a small stepping stone towards the ultimate liberation and freedom of the Vietnamese people. However, at the least, I believe it will bring much needed additional awareness to the atrocities committed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam every day on its own citizens. I urge my colleagues to join me in the passage of this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of House Resolution 622, ``Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Peace Officers Memorial Day.'' Now more than ever our nation relies on the valor and commitment of our peace officers to protect our families and communities each day and in times of crisis. I am privileged to know many fine police officers, including my Uncle Les, a dedicated and long time officer with the Chicago Police Department.

Last year, 145 police officers were killed in the line of duty. While this is a significant drop from previous years, the death of any officer is a tragedy and loss felt deeply in our communities. I join with my colleagues in honoring the memory and sacrifices of these heroes, and I applaud the continued service of law enforcement and all public safety workers who face danger every day to protect our streets and our schools.

As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to support our nation's law enforcement officers and supply them with all of the tools and resources they need to ensure their safety and ours. Our support means action, not just empty rhetoric. The men and women in blue have asked us to take action on renewing the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, set to expire on September 13th. Indeed, a broad coalition of law enforcement advotates, including the membership of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, and the American Probation and Parole Association are among many others who have urged Congress to pass an extension of this legislation, which has proven an effective and life-saving law. To date, their call for this common sense remedy to gun crimes has gone unanswered.

These organizations and the police officers they represent support the ban because it works. Before the 1994 Assault Weapons ban, one in five police officers killed in the line of duty were attacked with assault weapons. The year after the ban passed, that figure dropped to zero. This single statistic speaks volumes for its effectiveness. Another case in point: In 1991, assault weapons were used in eight percent all gun crimes. By 2003 it was only one percent. If we allow the ban to expire, our peace officers will be subjected to the proliferation of assault weapons and their lives will be needlessly placed in greater danger.

This past Sunday--Mothers Day 2003--thousands of women gathered on the west lawn of the Capitol to mourn the death of children lost to gun violence. This coming Saturday, 20,000 peace officers will gather at the same place to remember their fallen brothers and sisters. What better way to express our support for them than by renewing the assault weapons ban. I believe Congress should go a step further by closing the gun show loophole and enacting sensible safety protections. We owe it to the families of our fallen heroes to pass these life-savings measures.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Gentleman from Colorado for introducing this important resolution, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it. I also urge the leadership to bring the Assault Weapons Ban to the floor for a vote. That would be the most meaningful and effective demonstration of our support and to honor America's peace officers and their invaluable role in the safety of our families and communities.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 613, the resolution which recognizes the 10th anniversary of Vietnam Human Rights Day, which is today, May 11. I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for sponsoring this resolution and allowing me to be an original cosponsor; and I am proud to share with the gentleman membership in the Vietnam Caucus, along with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith). The initiatives of the caucus, including this bill, are examples of what we can accomplish when we decide to work together in a bipartisan manner.

Mr. Speaker, I represent the largest Vietnamese community in the world outside of Vietnam in Orange County, California. It is fitting then to speak on the House floor about this anniversary of Vietnam Human Rights Day. More importantly, it is the 14-year anniversary of the Manifesto of the Nonviolent Movement For Human Rights. This was written by a courageous and bright man, Dr. Nguyen Dan Que. I have had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Que. In fact, I went to his home in 1998 when I was in Vietnam. As we were meeting, his home all locked up, the military police came to the home to try to get me out of there. Of course we had locked up the house, and we continued our conversation.

One of the things that Dr. Que said to me was that it was important for America and Americans to continue to push for human rights in Vietnam. What type of human rights are we talking about here? Well, the right to assemble as we do here today, that is not allowed in Vietnam. The right to choose your own God and the way you want to worship that God, that is not allowed. You have to only do it through the official church or churches that the state of Vietnam approves. The right to free press. Every piece of paper written to be distributed must be done by the state in Vietnam. In fact, when I was meeting with the cardinal of the Catholic Church of Vietnam, he said one of the things that he cannot do is to hand out a newsletter to people that come to church on Sunday. The right to collectively bargain one's labor for decent wages and a decent place to work.

All of these things are not allowed in Vietnam, and this is what Dr. Que speaks to. He speaks to the human rights issues within Vietnam. I guess the most important thing that Dr. Que said to me that day in 1998 was that the reason we need to keep pushing for human rights in Vietnam is that it inspires and it gives hope and it gives courage to those within Vietnam who are fighting for basic human rights. Religious leaders like the Venerable Tic Kwzug Doh; a geologist like Gizug; and General Do, whom I had an opportunity to meet with, who had been a former communist and understood what was going on in the country and decided he would speak out; and, yes, Dr. Que.

Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of the dissidents within Vietnam who speak every day; and yet each and every one has been imprisoned, either taken away without charges or with false charges, or imprisoned in house arrest.

I hope today we will vote this unanimously to send a strong message that human rights are important in every country, and in particular for those who have not seen them for a long time.

Mr. Speaker, during the month of May, we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage to commemorate the contributions Asian Pacific Americans have made to the fabric of our communities and to this nation as a whole. I could easily spend this month, and longer, describing the tremendous accomplishments of Asian Pacific Americans.

However, today is the tenth anniversary of Vietnam Human Rights Day and we sadly must recognize that Vietnam has not come far enough in respecting the human rights of its citizens.

Just one month ago, on Easter Week, Human Rights Watch reported that peaceful protests by indigenous minority Christian Montagnards turned violent when police used tear gas, electric truncheons, and water cannons on protestors. Reports indicate that police arrested several individuals, many whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Worse yet are reports of torture, police beatings, and deaths associated with this crackdown on the Montagnards.

Today, my colleagues, Congressman Chris Smith, Tom Davis, Loretta Sanchez and I

are introducing a Congressional resolution recognizing the countless number of innocent Vietnamese ``who have been tortured, imprisoned, or held under house arrest by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.''

Also today, Congressman Smith is leading an effort, with over 100 cosponsors, to pass House Concurrent Resolution 378 to call on Vietnam to immediately release Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly and condemn the ``violations of freedom of speech, religion, movement, association, and the lack of due process afforded to individuals in Vietnam.''

Ten years ago, the Congress and the Senate passed a resolution designating today, May 11th, as Vietnam Human Rights Day, recognizing that ``the United States, as the leader of the free world, has a special responsibility to safeguard freedom and promote the protection of human rights throughout the world.''

Unfortunately, President Bush and his Administration have not heeded that responsibility to safeguard human rights. Although this Administration tells me they are ``deeply troubled by the restrictions that the government of Vietnam places on its citizens' freedom of expression, as well as other human rights,'' this Administration has been initiating a new friendly relationship with the communist regime in Vietnam without demanding protection of human rights as a condition of our friendship.

The Bush Administration's hypocrisy and apathetic attitude towards human rights is unacceptable. As long as the people of Vietnam are oppressed, abused, and imprisoned, our President should first demand protection of human rights before getting friendly with a communist regime that oppresses its people.

On this 10th Anniversary of Vietnam Human Rights Day, I urge our President to condemn the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for violating human rights and I call on the Vietnamese government to protect the human rights of its citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for pushing this through in time for the actual memorial.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the more than 20,000 peace officers from around the country who will come to Washington, D.C. this next week, and in fact all the peace officers, the 1 million or so peace officers of one kind or another throughout the Nation. They are coming for National Police Week to commemorate the lives, as we have already heard, the 145 peace officers who died last year in the line of duty.

Today, we recognize May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and pay tribute to the commitment, sacrifice, and public safety services these officers provide for all Americans on a daily basis.

As we all know, September 11, 2001 stands out as one of the most tragic days in American history. On that fateful Tuesday, we lost 72 police officers, the largest loss of law enforcement personnel in a single day in our Nation's history. While September 11 offered an extreme glimpse of law enforcement's services and sacrifice, similar acts of heroism, individual acts of heroism and valor, are performed every day in every community by police officers across our great Nation.

Last year, more than 145 officers are killed in the line of duty nationwide, and, thankfully, these police officers killed last year is well below the decade-long average of 166 deaths, and slightly less than in 2002. The deaths have decreased in each of the last 2 years, and, hopefully, this is a lasting trend.

Peace officers in every community have an admirable record of services and sacrifice, yet too many Americans lack true understanding and appreciation, I feel, of law enforcement's work. That is why I worked a few years ago to help establish the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C., and this week, 362 names of brave men and women will be added to the memorial, 145 from 2003 and 217 from prior years.

Unlike most other jobs, peace officers face unprecedented risks while bravely protecting our communities and our freedoms. I hope my colleagues will join me today in paying tribute to our Nation's fallen officers and expressing our gratitude for the work these men and women perform.

We feel very strongly here in the Congress, I think, about paying honor to the brave men and women in uniform. And when we say that, we usually mean those that serve in the Armed Services of our country. But there are other brave men and women in uniform we need to pay tribute to, and that is why I offer this resolution today.