A bill to convert the temporary judgeship for the district of Nebraska to a permanent judgeship, and for other purposes.

Mr. President, I rise to submit a resolution with my colleagues, Senators Harkin and Warner, commending the United States Institute of Peace on the occasion of its 20th anniversary and recognizing the Institute for its contribution to our Nation's capacity to manage international conflict by peaceful means. Since its founding by Congress, the Institute has been a pioneer in promoting the study and application of non-military approaches to the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict.

The Congress established the Institute as an independent, nonpartisan Federal institution dedicated to strengthening our national capabilities for conflict management and resolution. The resolution we are submitting today recognizes the importance of the Institute as a national and international resource for peaceful conflict management. It stresses that Congress looks forward to continuing to gain from the Institute's knowledge, teaching, and practical applications of conflict management as a way to promote the security interests of the United States and peace around the world. The resolution also expresses appreciation to the founding men and women of the Institute and support for the Institute from the American people. Finally, the resolution congratulates the Institute on its 20th anniversary and on its achievements in fulfilling its mandate from Congress.

Many in the Senate recall the personal dedication and efforts of our predecessors, led by Senators Spark Matsunaga and William Jennings Randolph who played essential roles in establishing the Institute. While Senator Matsunaga's bravery on the battlefield led to our country's awarding him a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, he was also a man who knew the importance of peace. In 1979 he set in motion many of the critical events that eventually led Congress to create the U.S. Institute of Peace. Senator Matsunaga's unyielding commitment to peace began long before he arrived in this chamber. In 1938, as a student at the University of Hawaii, he wrote an essay that included the sentence: ``If we want peace we must educate people to want peace.''

The founders of the Institute and the countless Americans who supported elevating the importance of peace education in our national dialogue would be proud of the way the Institute has grown and adapted to the ever-changing world. Today, the Institute is a national resource for education, professional training, and applied programs in peaceful conflict management and the practical application of conflict management strategies as a way to promote United States security and peace in the world.

Some of the vital work currently being undertaken by the Institute of Peace includes helping countries break out of cycles of violence and peacefully resolve their conflicts. At the same time, the Institute is educating new generations of Americans about novel approaches to conflict management, and enhancing curricular materials related to the changing character of international conflict and nonviolent approaches to resolving international disputes. Over the past twenty years, the Institute has used its knowledge and expertise to train American and foreign government officials, military and law enforcement personnel, humanitarian aid workers, and civic activists in the skills of professional peacemaking. It has awarded numerous grants and fellowships to individuals, universities, and non-governmental organizations of many nations to deepen the field of conflict resolution education and ensure its application to conflict situations abroad.

In its twenty year history, the Institute has played key roles in facilitating the management of critical conflict situations, such as assisting then President Nelson Mandela in the development of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and developing a detailed plan to handle accountability in the wake of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which became the basis for Rwandan Genocide Law. More recently, the Institute has taken an active role in facilitating peace processes in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. The Institute is using its expertise in Iraq in specialized areas where conflict resolution programs play a key role in stabilizing peace and nation building, such as training new ministries about conflict resolution techniques, working with the emerging judicial system to develop a reconciliation tribunal for former war criminals and human rights violators, facilitating inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue, and working with Iraqi universities to promote peace and conflict education. The Institute is also anticipating new opportunities for peace and conflict resolution activities on the Korean peninsula and in Sudan. In the years to come, Congress will be looking to the Institute to focus its skills and resources on peacemaking in the greater Middle East and throughout the Muslim world.

The Institute is a unique national treasure. We hope that our fellow Senators will join us in cosponsoring this resolution and stressing the United States commitment to peace.

Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution supporting the ongoing important work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in combating anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, discrimination, intolerance and related violence. As Co- Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I remain concerned over manifestations of anti-Semitism that prompted me to introduce S. Con. Res. 7, a bipartisan initiative that unanimously passed the Senate last May. That measure provided impetus to efforts to confront and combat anti-Semitic violence in the OSCE region, the subject of a May 2002 Helsinki Commission hearing.

The resolution I submit today is aimed at building upon these efforts. The OSCE and its participating States have done much to confront and combat the disease of anti-Semitism and intolerance, and I urge our government and all other OSCE countries to continue their efforts with vigor and determination. Much of what has been accomplished can be attributed to U.S. leadership, especially to the work of U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE, Stephan M. Minikes, and his team in Vienna.

Last month the OSCE convened an historic conference in Berlin focused on anti-Semitism and violence against Jews and Jewish institutions and tools to combat this age old problem. The U.S. delegation was represented at the highest level with the participation of Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. The conference brought together elected officials and NGOs from around the globe in common support of efforts to fight anti-Semitism.

The resolution I am submitting today follows up on several of the initiatives from Berlin. The conference was punctuated with the ``Berlin Declaration,'' a statement given by the Bulgarian Chairman-in- Office, Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, during the closing plenary session. In addition to declaring that ``international developments or political issues, including those in Israel or elsewhere in the Middle East, never justify anti-Semitism,'' the Declaration advanced efforts to monitor anti-Semitic crimes and hate crimes, as all OSCE participating States committed to ``collect and maintain'' statistics about these incidents and to forward that information to the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) for compilation. The resolution urges all participating States to ensure these promises are fulfilled, and calls upon the Bulgarian Chairman-in- Office to designate a ``personal envoy'' to monitor compliance with these commitments.

The resolution also speaks to the importance of confronting instances of racism, discrimination and xenophobia wherever it occurs. It is important to note that in September, the OSCE will convene a meeting on these matters, the Brussels Conference on Tolerance and the Fight against Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination. This meeting is very important, as no OSCE participating State is immune from these evils.

As Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I have been impressed by the efforts of the OSCE and its participating States to address issues of anti-Semitism and intolerance. However, the time for words has passed, and I urge all OSCE countries, including the United States, to take real action. This resolution highlights several areas where steps can and should be taken. I urge bipartisan support and speedy passage of this measure.