A resolution commemorating and honoring President Boris Trajkovski.

Mr. President, I am pleased to submit the People-to- People Engagement in World Affairs resolution with my esteemed colleague, Senator Chuck Hagel.

In the 1960s, during a troubled and divisive time for our country, President John F. Kennedy challenged Americans to ``ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.'' Today, the need is even more urgent for Americans to be active participants both in the United States and abroad.

This People-to-People Engagement in World Affairs resolution is a call to Americans to look beyond our borders to engage with the wider world at an individual, human level. It encourages Americans to seize opportunities to engage in the global arena--through participating in a professional or cultural exchange; studying or volunteering abroad; working with an immigrant or refugee group in the United States; hosting a foreign student or professional; participating in a sister- city program; and/or learning a foreign language.

It also asks the Secretary of State to coordinate with implementing partners in creating an online database that lists these opportunities for Americans.

In today's world, our challenges and opportunities are global in nature. Terrorism, the greatest threat to our national security, crosses all national boundaries and feeds off the gaps in intelligence and communication created by borders. Other important issues, such as the proliferation of WMD, human trafficking, poverty, environmental degradation, and diseases from HIV/AIDS to polio also have little regard for borders. These challenges require international cooperation, and Americans at all levels of society are instrumental in finding and achieving meaningful solutions.

This resolution encourages Americans to forge relationships with people outside of the United States to change not only how Americans view and act in the world, but how others view Americans. Presently, anti-Americanism is growing at a startling rate. According to the Pew Research Center, negative views of the United States among Muslims, which were once limited to the Middle East, have spread to populations in places like Nigeria and Indonesia. A growing percentage of Muslims see serious threats to Islam by the United States. Majorities in seven of eight Muslim populations surveyed express worries that the U.S. might become a military threat to their countries. And these disturbing trends hold strong even beyond the Muslim world.

This is dangerous for a number of reasons. Anti-Americanism undermines our ability to work effectively with other countries on our global problems. In addition, in our fight against terror, anti- Americanism can create a steady supply of recruits for terrorist networks, intent on our destruction. These terrorist networks have unfairly blamed the United States for the unemployment, the poverty and the powerlessness that so many around the world experience on a daily basis. They feed off erroneous perceptions of Americans, distorting our image to achieve their own objectives.

Americans must combat these misperceptions and turn mistrust into understanding. If we don't define ourselves to the people of the world, we run the risk that terrorist will continue to make America a scapegoat for other nation's ills. In order to show the world who Americans really are, diplomacy must occur at all levels of society and not only through U.S. government representatives. Artists, scholars, teachers, nurses, doctors, and business people all have a role in shaping this image and in presenting a different American face to the world.

Many Americans have been engaged for decades. In my own State of Wisconsin, my constituents have demonstrated altruism and curiosity daily. They have worked in the Peace Corps, trained dairy farmers in South America and Eastern Europe, participated in sister-city exchanges with the former Soviet Union, traveled to refugee camps in Thailand and hosted international students. Through these activities, my constituents have fought stereotypes and created openings for greater trust and cooperation. The need is greater now than ever before for more Americans to become involved.

I have been approached by Americans of all ages and all economic backgrounds to ask me how they can become more involved. This resolution is a response to those Americans and a challenge to many more to define our times and to shape our world. The creation of the online database as part of this resolution will assist Americans in finding the best way for them personally to participate. Americans will use their enthusiasm and curiosity to engage in the world where they can--through tutoring children, through assisting refugees who come to our country, through professional training, and through showing concern for the well-being of other outside of the United States.

This resolution is a challenge to Americans to make connections in their own way--to listen and show respect for others and their way of life. Americans can bridge the gap between

this powerful nation and people around the world who feel frustrated and powerless. We can change perceptions, change minds, and change the world we live in.

Mr. President, today I am submitting legislation together with Senator Mikulski that would recognize the achievements of The Garden Club of America on the occasion of its 91st annual meeting in Washington, DC, from April 24 through 27, 2004. This meeting in our Nation's Capital is especially significant because it occurs here only once every twenty-five years. This legislation recognizes and honors The Garden Club and the work of its 17,000 members to improve our country.

Since its founding in 1913, The Garden Club of America has grown to include 195 member clubs in 40 States and the District of Columbia. It is a recognized leader in the fields of horticulture, conservation, historic preservation, civic improvement, and has significant influence in the protection of America's environment.

Right here in the District of Columbia we can witness the results of The Garden Club's labor. Indeed it played an instrumental role in the founding of the National Arboretum and the development of the Archives of American Gardens at the Smithsonian Institution.

Perhaps even more importantly, The Garden Club has become a significant impetus for community service across the United States. The scope of The Garden Club of America goes well beyond its numerous publications, its public plant and flower shows, and its national medalists. It is a source for the exchange of ideas and a platform for the betterment of our communities across this great country. The purpose of The Garden Club of America is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening, but also to share the advantages of association through educational meetings, conferences, correspondence, and publications, and to improve the quality of the environment through conservation and civic improvement.

As a Marylander I know first hand of the contributions The Garden Club of America has made to our State. Ladew Topiary Gardens is a prime example of the edification and enjoyment that stems from the support of The Garden Club of America. Since 1971, Ladew Gardens has used its 22 acres of gardens to educate children, entertain families, and promote the importance of beautiful landscapes within our communities. Every spring and summer, hundreds of families congregate in the gardens to enjoy the Sunday concerts, afternoon picnics, and self-guided educational nature walks. And every year, hundreds of families leave the gardens with an exhilarated appreciation for America's outdoors, and an enriched desire to conserve that beauty.

The Garden Club of America has asked for very little in return for its dedication to America's beautiful landscapes. I am submitting this legislation today in the hope that we in the Congress can recognize this significant contribution as The Garden Club of America holds its annual meeting here in our Nation's Capital. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. President, on Thursday, February 26, 2004, President Boris Trajkovski of Macedonia, whom I have known for many years, was tragically killed when a plane carrying him and eight others crashed in southern

Bosnia. His death is a tragic loss not only for his family and those who knew him well, but for the people of Macedonia, the broader region of Southeast Europe, and, I believe the world at large.

I rise today to express my condolences and deep sympathy to the people of Macedonia, the family of President Trajkovski, and the families of the eight others who were killed. I submit a resolution, cosponsored by Senator Lugar and Senator biden, which honors the memory of President Boris Trajkovski and recognizes the significant contributions he made as President of Macedonia.

President Trajkovski was a principled man, a courageous leader, and someone that I have come to call a friend since I first met him during a visit to Stankovic refugee camp in Macedonia in 1999. His leadership was instrumental following the crisis in Kosovo in 1999, as Macedonia worked with the international community to meet the needs of thousands of refugees fleeing the neighboring province. President Trajkovski's deep respect for human rights and commitment to the rule of law played a significant role in the signing of the Ohrid Framework Agreement in 2001, which successfully secured peace in the country following an outbreak of violence earlier that year. Following the signing of the peace accord, he remained committed to the implementation of the agreement--a process that continues today.

I have had the privilege of visiting with President Trajkovski regularly during the last several years, when I traveled to Macedonia in May 1999, February 2000, and again in May 2002, and on several occasions when he traveled to Washington, DC--often in conjunction with the National Prayer Breakfast. An ordained minister in the Methodist Church, President Trajkovski was a man of faith, principle, and character, and his leadership will be greatly missed as Macedonia continues to move toward membership in Europe's democratic institutions.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to President Trajkovski's wife, Vilma, his children, Sara and Stefan, and the people of Macedonia. While Boris Trajkovski will be sorely missed, he leaves a legacy of courageous and principled leadership, progress, and commitment to democratic reform that put Macedonia on a path toward membership in NATO and the European Union. That legacy lives on.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution, which honors the life of a man deeply committed to working toward a peaceful and prosperous future for the people of Macedonia and Southeast Europe.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 314, submitted by Senator Voinovich today.

I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.