A resolution to honor the people of Georgia on the first anniversary of the Rose Revolution.

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the republic of Georgia, America's ally in the war on terror and partner in Iraq.

I am not sure if you are aware of this, but the republic of Georgia has dispatched 150 of its troops to participate in the coalition that liberated Iraq and is now assisting in the rebuilding of that country. Last month, the Georgian government announced that it would nearly quintuple its number of forces in Iraq.

In recent weeks, much has been heard and seen of the political crisis in Ukraine. A little more than 1 year ago, a similar crisis befell Georgia following its November presidential election. As with Ukraine, the election results appeared rigged in favor of the ruling party candidate.

As we all know, the people of Georgia, through a group of brave, young reformers, patriots, and democrats, brought about historic political change in that country. Known now as the Rose Revolution, the forces of democracy, led by Mikhail Saakashvili, prevailed in Georgia and forced then-President Eduard Shevardnadze to resign. During the past year, President Saakashvili's government has dramatically reformed the Georgian government, instituting far-reaching political, economic, and legal reforms. And, just last month, the U.S. Senate passed S. Res. 472 honoring the 1-year anniversary of the Rose Revolution and recognizing the achievements the Georgian government has made in democratizing that country.

I would like to focus the remainder of my remarks on a small region in the republic of Georgia called South Ossetia, a place I'm sure relatively few Americans have heard of. But the potential for violence in this region was highlighted by the vicious terrorist attack in September of this year against a school in North Ossetia--in Beslan, Russia, just over the border from Georgian South Ossetia.

In 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved and many republics gained independence, including Georgia. But almost since the beginning, some in Russia did not accept the end of the Soviet empire. Russian overt and covert pressure worked to undermine the new-found sovereignty among bordering countries. No former republic was subject to more pressure than Georgia. Russia refused to withdraw its troops--a refusal that continues even today, some 13 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In South Ossetia (in north central Georgia), as well as in Abkhazia (in western Georgia), disputes broke out shortly after independence. In both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Russian forces aided ethnic separatists as a way to weaken Georgia. They sent arms, money, ``volunteers'' and military advisers. In South Ossetia, Russian President Boris Yeltsin negotiated a ceasefire in 1992 and forced Georgia to accept Russian and North Ossetian ``peacekeepers.'' In 1994, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (now the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe or OSCE) took responsibility for diplomatic efforts and monitoring in South Ossetia with the full support of the Georgian government. In 1999, the OSCE added monitoring of the Chechen-Georgian border, and later the Ingush and Dagestani portions of the Georgian border.

For 10 years following the OSCE's involvement in South Ossetia, several things happened. First, it became clear that the OSCE was unwilling or unable to take effective measures to resolve the separatist conflict--chiefly because Russia has a veto in the OSCE. The ``peacekeeping'' force has the Georgians out-numbered and out-gunned by South Ossetians, North Ossetians, and Russians. Any effort to expand the OSCE beyond its limited monitoring role or limited geographical area is opposed by Russia. The OSCE mission is unable to monitor Russian violations of Georgian airspace and only rarely uncovers illegal arms shipments. While individuals working in the OSCE mission perform admirably under difficult conditions, the unavoidable fact remains: the OSCE mission in Georgia is deeply and structurally flawed.

The second major development was in the economy of South Ossetia. Deeply isolated from the rest of Georgia but having a land link to the Russian Federation, South Ossetia became a giant smuggler's market--in effect criminalizing its entire economy. Cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, arms, and foodstuffs all came in duty-and-tax free. A massive open-air black market operated with impunity in Tskhinvali, the provincial capital of South Ossetia. Profit from the contraband smuggling and sale was distributed among Russian border guards, Russian military officers, and corrupt South Ossetian officials. Some foreign diplomats even suggested this smugglers paradise was positive because it provided employment and low-cost goods.

Earlier this summer, Georgian President Saakashvili decided the long- festering status quo was unacceptable--as it would be to the head of state of any democracy. What leader could tolerate separatists armed and sustained by a foreign power, the same foreign power that refuses to withdraw its own illegally stationed troops? What leader could tolerate a massive contraband market supplied directly from Russian

territory and operating under the noses of international monitors? What leader could tolerate threats against ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia while foreign ``volunteers'' from Kuban, Abkhazia and Trans-Dniester arrived to fight Georgians--as happened in July 2004? What leader could tolerate separatists whose loyalty is to a foreign country and whose closest connections are with the intelligence services and criminal mafias of that country?

It should surprise no one that President Saakashvili began to take steps for the peaceful reincorporation of South Ossetia into Georgia. It should surprise no one that the Russian media portrayed President Saakashvili as rash, reckless, and irresponsible for his efforts. Surprisingly, Russian propaganda was picked up by some in the western media who portrayed democratically elected President Saakashvili's efforts toward national integration as impulsive or erratic. They were not. They were a legitimate effort to reach a peaceful resolution in accordance with international law.

In July, South Ossetian forces captured Georgian policemen operating legally in Georgian territory. The Georgian police were disarmed, detained, and paraded in a deliberately humiliating fashion--made to kneel in the town square before Ossetian women while TV cameras filmed everything. Yet, Georgia did not retaliate. In July, Georgian forces intercepted an illegal shipment of air-to-ground missiles for helicopters. The Russians claimed they were for their ``peacekeepers'' who didn't even have helicopters--a claim so dubious as to be ludicrous. Yet, the Georgians promptly offered to return the missiles to the Russians.

Despite relentless provocations, Georgia continues to search for a peaceful political solution. President Saakashvili has offered far- reaching autonomy status for South Ossetia, including complete freedom to use the Ossetian language--the issue that originally sparked conflict in 1991. Georgia has continually tried to expand the mandate and mission of the OSCE, including monitoring of the vital road link at the Roki tunnel between Georgia and Russia. Russia blocks any expansion, and the OSCE remains paralyzed.

This is where things stand today. On one side is a democratic ally of the United States backed by international law. On the other side is a criminal regime sustained by Russians who have not reconciled themselves to the loss of the Soviet Empire. The United States needs to do more to help our Georgian friends. We should work with the European Union on a joint diplomatic approach so that democratic Georgia is not outnumbered and to avoid the ever-present Russian veto. In the OSCE and the U.N., we should push for expanded monitoring and for genuine peacekeeping forces independent of Russian military and intelligence forces. If this draws a Russian veto, let Russia explain its veto. In the wake of appropriate sympathy for all the Russian victims of separatist terrorism, we should force Russia to explain and justify its continued support for separatists in Georgia. We must also be clear about the ultimate outcome. There will be no independence and there will be no incorporation into Russia for South Ossetia. The only solution for South Ossetia is within a sovereign Georgia.

Finally, the U.S. should increase our assistance to Georgia, especially our military assistance. The Georgia Train and Equip Program, GTEP, was very successful in improving Georgian capabilities so that terrorists in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge were killed, apprehended, or forced out. Unfortunately, GTEP was halted after the training of one battalion. GTEP should be reinstated to further increase Georgian capabilities. A strong Georgia is the best guarantee of deterring Russian or South Ossetian military action. A strong and secure Georgia is the best guarantee for the patience required for a multilateral diplomatic solution. And a strong and secure Georgia is in America's interest. Despite all the problems Georgia faces internally and externally, they have deployed troops to fight at our side in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Georgia is a steadfast ally in the war on terror.

Mr. President, many people may not be aware of Oklahoma's significant history in aviation, or that I am the only commercially licensed pilot in the Senate and have a passion for flying.

Since 1910, beginning with Charles F. Willard who only flew a few hundred yards in a south Oklahoma City field, Oklahomans have been flying.

The following year, Clyde Cessna, an automobile dealer from Enid who later formed the Cessna Aircraft Company, flew his mono-wing airplane near Jet, OK.

Such early flights in Oklahoma continued and in 1929 perhaps one of the most notable aviation events occurred in Waynoka, Oklahoma, where Charles Lindbergh stopped on the first transcontinental passenger air and rail service.

By 1931, Wiley Post, from Maysville, OK, gained international recognition when he flew around the world in a little over eight days. In July 1991, I had the honor of recreating Post's trip on its 60th Anniversary.

However, Oklahoma's aviation history does not stop there. On November 2, 1929, 26 licensed women pilots founded what was known as the Ninety- Nine Club, or the Ninety-Nines. It was called so at the suggestion of its first president, Amelia Earheart, because of the 117 licensed women pilots in America who were contacted about joining the club, only 99 actually joined. The South Central Section of the Ninety-Nine Club comprising several states including Oklahoma, has through the years, issued several publications and in 1962, Mary Lester of the Oklahoma Chapter created a new version of the Club's publication, the Ninety- Nine News. Currently, the Ninety-Nine Club is an international organization of licensed women pilots from 35 countries, with its international headquarters at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.

Today I rise to introduce a resolution to honor the life and work of another Oklahoman in this long line of aviation who served our country by fearlessly dedicating his life to space travel and exploration.

Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr., frequently called ``Gordo'', who passed away at his home on October 4, was often known as the first astronaut from the United States to spend more than a day in space. He was born in Shawnee, OK on March 6, 1927 and joined the Marines during World War II. He then transferred to the Air Force in 1949 and graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1956.

After graduating, Cooper became attracted to the space program as an elite test pilot for the Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California. During his career, he logged more than 7,000 hours of flying, including 4,000 hours flying jets. He also flew commercial and general aviation planes and helicopters.

Cooper seemed to be born in the right place at the right time--with the right abilities. In 1958, the National Aeronautical and Space Administration, NASA, announced its new endeavor, Project Mercury, with three goals in mind: to place a spacecraft carrying a person into orbital flight around the Earth, to investigate a person's performance capabilities and his/her ability to function in space, and to recover the person and spacecraft safely. NASA began searching for people, especially military test pilots, who were willing and capable of enduring such a dangerous mission. They focused on finding military test pilots because they seemed to experience similar conditions to those of space.

On April 1, 1959, it was announced that Cooper was chosen, along with Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra, Jr., and Deke Slayton not only as one of the seven Project Mercury astronauts, but as one of America's first astronauts. These seven men made history with this project as they laid the groundwork for future space flights.

On May 15 and 16, 1963, Cooper piloted Faith 7, the flight that ended the operational phase of Project Mercury. During this mission, he orbited the Earth 22 times and logged more time in space than all previous five Mercury astronauts combined. He also became known as the first American astronaut to sleep in orbit, as well as on the launch pad.

Shortly thereafter, Cooper received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal from President John F. Kennedy at a White House ceremony.

In August 1965, Cooper commanded the 8 day Gemini 5 mission with Charles Conrad. On this mission, Cooper set a new space endurance record, covering 120 revolutions and 3,312,993 miles in 190 hours, 56 minutes and 3 seconds and became the first man to make a second orbital flight.

Overall, during his two space flights, Cooper logged 225 hours, 15 minutes and 3 seconds. He also served as backup command pilot for Gemini 12 and backup commander for Apollo X. He was the last American astronaut to orbit the Earth for an entire orbit by himself.

After receiving an honorary Doctorate of Science degree from Oklahoma City University in 1967, Cooper retired from the Air Force and NASA as a colonel in 1970. However, his involvement with space did not end after his retirement. He served as a consultant to several companies related to aerospace, electronics, and energy fields, and was vice president for research and development for Walt Disney Enterprises, Inc. Cooper also devoted part of his life to studying UFOs, and wrote Leap of Faith based on his experiences as a pilot and astronaut.

Even though we have lost this great American hero, his legacy and passion for exploring space live on through continued space ventures such as the Ansari X Prize. The famed $10 million X Prize was recently awarded to the team of SpaceShipOne, whose pilot, Brian Binnie, broke an August 22, 1963 altitude record by going 69.6 miles above Earth's surface, ironically, on October 4, the same day of Cooper's passing.

I am pleased that my good friend and colleague Congressman Cass Ballenger has led the way in honoring the life and service of this great space pioneer. I know that Mr. Ballenger shares my passion of aviation and space exploration and hope that we will continue to build on the progress and sacrifice made by men like Gordon Cooper.

Mr. President, I rise today with my colleagues, Senators Domenici and Cornyn, to introduce a resolution honoring the life of Yogi Bhajan. Yogi Bhajan, the chief religious and administrative authority for Sikhism in the West, died in Espanola, NM, on October 6, 2004, at the age of 75. Born Harbhajan Singh Puri on August 26, 1929, in Northern India, now Pakistan, he began yogic training at age 8 and was proclaimed a master of Kundalini Yoga by age 16. After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, his family migrated to New Delhi, India, where he continued his education. after graduating from Punjab University in economics, he worked for India's Internal Revenue Service and later became head of customs at the New Delhi Airport.

Yogi Bhajan introduced thousands around the world to Sikhism, a religion that carries the message of truthful living and the fundamental unity of humanity, and reaches out to people of all backgrounds to work together for world peace. When he came to North America in 1968, he recognized that the experience sought by many young people through drugs could be alternatively achieved through Kundalini Yoga, which stimulates individual growth through breath, chanting, and meditation among other components. Breaking the centuries old tradition of secrecy surrounding Kundalini Yoga, he began teaching it publicly. Soon after, he founded the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO), a nonprofit private educational and scientific foundation with 300 centers in 35 countries, dedicated to improving physical well-being, deepening spiritual awareness, and offering guidance on matters of health and heart. He later founded 3HO SuperHealth, a successful drug rehabilitation program, blending ancient yogic wisdom of the East with the modern technology of the West. SuperHealth was accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization and received its highest commendation. In 1973 it distinguished itself as being in the top 10 percent of all treatment programs throughout the United States. In 1989 Yogi Bhajan met with then President Mikhail Gorbachev and established addiction treatment programs in Russia based on the 3HO SuperHealth model. Currently a pilot project of SuperHealth is being formed by the Punjab State Government in India. He taught Yoga in Toronto and Los Angeles and finally founded a Sikh Dharma community in Espanola, NM. In 1971, the president of the governing body of Sikh Temples in India gave Yogi Bhajan the title of chief religious and administrative authority for Sikhism in the Western Hemisphere. About 250,000 Sikhs now reside across the United States, including a community of about 500 families in Northern New Mexico.

Yogi Bhajan wrote 30 books and inspired 200 more through his teaching, and inspired the founding of several businesses, including Akal Security Inc. He had an inclusive view of the world's major religions and considered all of them valid. Throughout his lifetime, he traveled the world and met with world leaders such as Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama to discuss world peace and religious unity. In June 1985, Yogi Bhajan established the first International Peace Prayer Day Celebration in New Mexico that stills draws thousands of participants annually.

After the events of 9/11/01, Yogi Bhajan reached out to Sikhs across America, encouraging and helping them to educate their fellow citizens about Sikhs, and to work with law enforcement and community leaders to help them protect Sikh populations. His efforts have helped contribute to the opening of some major law enforcement agencies to Sikh employees, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Yogi Bhajan established links to human rights advocates nationwide, working to make sure that the issue of Sikh identity is understood and respected. When Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered in Phoenix 5 days after 9/11 because of his beard and turban, Yogi Bhajan worked with community and government leaders in Arizona to help raise awareness about the Sikh community there.

Yogi Bhajan is survived by his wife, Inderjit Kaur; two sons, Ranbir Singh and Kulbir Singh; a daughter, Kamaljit Kaur; and five grandchildren. He will be missed by his family, followers and his friends, and his contribution to the cause of world peace will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 472, which was submitted earlier today by Senator McCain.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.