Urging the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from Lebanon, support for free and fair democratic elections in Lebanon, and the development of democratic institutions and safeguards to foster sovereign democratic rule in Lebanon.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would first like to commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for their work on this important resolution.

And let me say that I quite agree with the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), my dear friend; when we worked together on the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, we knew that we were doing the right thing. We absolutely made the Syrian withdrawal of Lebanon one of the four pillars of that act. But even in our wildest expectations and dreams, we could never have imagined the series of events since the passage of that act, which leads today to freedom for the Lebanese people. And I want to thank my colleagues for standing with us and passing the Act, giving it bipartisan support and enabling us to bring forward this resolution today.

It is an honor to stand on the floor of the House today, approximately 1 month after the Syrian armed forces ended their military occupation of Lebanon. Lebanon is at a crossroads, a place from which it can move forward towards democracy and freedom or take steps back toward the violence which tore it apart so many years ago.

The people of the Lebanese Republic have a rich, proud, and honorable history dating from ancient times to the present, and Lebanon has been a free and democratic nation for most of its modern history. Lebanon and the United States have enjoyed a history of friendship and cooperation which has been witnessed by the immigration of millions of Lebanese to the United States where they and their descendants have contributed greatly to the fabric of American life.

Let me say, Mr. Speaker, that in my years in Congress, I have had the honor and the pleasure to make many friends in the Lebanese American community, and I am proud of the contributions they have made to our country and American policy toward Lebanon. The Lebanese American community was a very important part of the Syria Accountability Act, and the Lebanese American community has played and is continuing to play a very important part in the freedom and democracy of Lebanon.

However, tragically, Syria dominated Lebanese politics and political leaders during its occupation, resulting in a deterioration of Lebanon's human rights situation, the engineering of Lebanese election results to Syria's liking and the imposition of curbs on Lebanon's media, once the freest in the Arab world.

Lebanon, in effect, became a Syrian satellite state where none of its leaders would dare defy the Syrian regime in Damascus. Yet a series of events caused pressure on the Syrian regime to grow. Beginning with the passage of the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act, Congress showed very strongly that we would not tolerate this continued Syrian occupation of Lebanon.

While Syria could have made smart choices at any point, it never did, and pressure continued to grow for its full withdrawal from Lebanon, again with the President's signing the Syria Accountability Act 1 year ago. Our law

ultimately led to the Security Council's adoption of Resolution 1559, which demanded Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah and other armed groups.

Yet the most recent developments in the effort to press Syria to leave Lebanon were sparked by the terrorist murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut. His assassination, which must still be thoroughly investigated by Lebanon and the international community, triggered a series of popular protests with hundreds of thousands of Lebanese taking to the streets. At one point in one of the demonstrations, literally one-quarter of the entire population of Lebanon took to the streets of Beirut to demand that the Syrian occupation end.

Yet, while Syria has today withdrawn its military forces from Lebanon, reports indicate that it has left behind a pro-Syrian intelligence structure within the Lebanese intelligence agencies. There are lots of spies, Syrian spies, still in Lebanon and lots of Syrian nationals still in Lebanon trying to control things. These people must leave, as well, and the sooner the better.

And it must be pointed out, Mr. Speaker, that not all parts of Security Resolution 1559 have been implemented. Hezbollah, the terrorist organization which receives support from Iran and Syria, remains armed to the teeth and occupies much of southern Lebanon. As Hezbollah has not given up its weaponry and its intent to maintain a military answer to the political questions of the Middle East, Hezbollah must remain completely isolated by the international community.

Earlier this year, the House passed a resolution urging the European Union to put Hezbollah on its terrorist list. As we consider this resolution today, let us renew that call. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization.

Finally, all political prisoners and the ``disappeared'' must be released and returned to their families. They are still existing in Lebanon, and we must get to the bottom of the disappeared people as well.

Today, the United States must stand for the same basic values in Lebanon to which we adhere at home and around the world.

Mr. Speaker, Lebanon is scheduled to hold elections on May 29, this Saturday. As such, Congress stands with the Lebanese people as they proceed to restore democracy in their once again sovereign nation. It is our hope that the upcoming elections will be free, fair, transparent, and in accordance with all relevant international standards on elections.

However, I must express one note of concern about the elections. The electoral districts in which Lebanese candidates for parliament run later this week were drawn in accordance with the 2000 electoral law, which was written by the Syrian-dominated regime during the occupation. I am concerned that this has deprived many Lebanese from true representation as the districts were apparently drawn unfairly, packing certain groups of people into some districts while underrepresenting others. However, once these elections are completed, the United States should help the people of Lebanon in their efforts to restore the separation of powers, the rule of law, the changing of these districts, and the proper respect for fundamental freedoms of every citizen. As goes the rule of law in Lebanon and the respect for individuals, so goes the nation.

Mr. Speaker, as the sponsor, with the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), of the Syria Accountability Act, it is an honor to be on the floor today in support of this important resolution, and I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 273) urging the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from Lebanon, support for free and fair democratic elections in Lebanon, and the development of democratic institutions and safeguards to foster sovereign democratic rule in Lebanon, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Today I stand here filled with emotion and hope. When the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) and I began working on legislation that expressly called for Syria's full and unconditional withdrawal from Lebanon toward the restoration of the Lebanese independence, we could not have imagined that this day would come just a few years later. This is a testament to the unwavering commitment, determination, and courage of the Lebanese people and to the tireless efforts of the Lebanese- American community in the United States.

The elections scheduled to begin on May 29 mark a very important moment; but it is only the beginning of a journey toward full sovereignty and free, democratic governance. Electoral reform is necessary to ensure that future parliamentary and municipal elections are to be considered fair. We must help the Lebanese people in their quest for a free and fair electoral law as opposed to the current Syrian-orchestrated 2000 law that discriminates against certain sectors of Lebanese society and would actually help perpetuate Syrian influence in Lebanese politics.

The resolution reflects our commitment to supporting the people of Lebanon in their quest to strengthen civil society, develop democratic institutions and safeguards, and transcend sectarian divisions. A free and democratic Lebanon would have the potential to become a model for the region and a source for stability and peace.

Within this context, we must work to ensure full and immediate implementation of all aspects of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, beginning with international verification that Syria has withdrawn all security and intelligence forces from Lebanon. That must include the removal of pro-Syrian security officers such as the military intelligence chief, the police chief, the directors of general security and state security. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 clearly calls for free and fair elections devised without foreign interference and influence. We must safeguard against manipulation of the election registration process to allow Syria to keep its tentacles in Lebanese politics.

Simultaneously, steps must be undertaken, both bilaterally and in consultation with European allies and the United Nations, to ensure the immediate and unconditional disarming of all militias and terrorist organizations prior to the next round of elections.

The people of Lebanon should not have to live under repressive terrorist organizations any more than being forced to live under an oppressive Syrian-sponsored regime. For freedom and justice to fully blossom in Lebanon, all Lebanese prisoners of conscience held in Syrian and Lebanese jails must be released and the disappeared must be fully accounted for.

The policy of apathy must end.

Lebanon was once a land of promise, a vibrant democratic society known as the ``Paris of the Middle East.'' Ending the occupation and conducting free, fair, and transparent elections would take a quickly recovering Lebanon one step closer to realizing its full promise.

To the people of Lebanon, I would like to say that they are an inspiration to us all. They remind us of how precious liberty is; and we assure them, as they stand for their freedom, the United States will stand with them.

I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) for introducing this important resolution. It was a pleasure working on this text with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), my partner on all of these issues. My utmost appreciation goes to the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), ranking member of the Committee on International Relations, as well as to our leadership for moving this resolution expeditiously and bringing it to the floor.

I urge my colleagues to support this measure and, in turn, to support the Lebanese people in their efforts to cast off the shackles of tyranny and occupation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, next Sunday the people of Lebanon will go to the polls to start a series of parliamentary elections that will play out over the next four weeks. This resolution expresses Congress's ongoing concern that the Lebanese people be allowed to choose their own leaders freely and fairly, in light of the recent withdrawal from Lebanon of all Syrian security forces and intelligence officials, which is not yet verifiably complete. I commend our colleague Ms. Ros- Lehtinen for bringing these important issues before us.

Mr. Speaker, freedom-loving people everywhere cheered earlier this year as the Lebanese people defied the odds, spurred on by the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, and peacefully rose up and forced the caretaker government to step down, letting key exile leaders return, and leading to the expelling of nearly all of Syria's uninformed forces from long-occupied Lebanese soil. We all hope that there will continue to be a peaceful transition to sovereign, democratic rule in Lebanon.

Sadly, the upcoming elections saw their first casualty this weekend, when adherents of rival parties clashed in the region of Metn. Government soldiers were summoned to disperse the crowds, and as they did so, one man was shot and killed. It was a somber reminder of how volatile the situation surrounding the elections can be.

Political rivalries, particularly between pro-Syrian factions and those who seek to continue reforms, threaten to further destabilize the electoral process in Lebanon; some have already threatened to boycott, which could undermine the legitimacy of the process. And the elections will be conducted according to a law passed under full Syrian occupation five years ago, which could stack the deck in favor of the Syrian elements, particularly Hezbollah. Let us hope that the wisdom of the Lebanese people, displayed in vast numbers, will over-ride the structural deficiencies of the law.

Mr. Speaker, I fully endorse this resolution's advocacy of U.S. assistance to help Lebanon restore democratic rule, including the separation of powers, the rule of law, and respect for fundamental freedoms. It is undeniably in our interest to support this process, as the flourishing of democracy in Lebanon will no doubt have a multiplier effect throughout the region.

Jordan's King Abdullah, speaking this weekend at the World Economic Forum meeting, said that this is a time for positive political reform in the Middle East, but it is Arabs themselves who need to develop it.

``Never has there been a greater sense of agreement that the future is in our hands,'' King Abdullah said. ``Today, positive change is in the air across the region. It is an effort for the whole Middle East to create its own positive change. That demands a real-world process, specific steps that can be implemented by regional governments and civil society.''

Mr. Speaker, one such specific step for Lebanon will be to fulfill its obligations under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, especially the requirement that all militias, including Hezbollah, be disarmed and disbanded. We will expect the Lebanese Armed Forces to put an immediate halt to the flow of arms across the Syrian border to Hezbollah as a first step.

Four years ago I sponsored legislation passed by the Congress that made a portion of U.S. aid to Lebanon contingent upon Lebanon's taking control of all of its borders. I do not intend to introduce a similar resolution at this moment, as I am hopeful that the new Lebanese government, once it gains its footing, will take the necessary actions to demonstrate its adherence to all aspects of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559--the resolution that made possible Lebanon's rebirth as a nation.

But I will remain seized with these issues regarding Lebanon's borders and Hezbollah--and, in the near future, I will introduce a resolution that I hope will demonstrate that Congress shares these concerns. The stability of the entire region depends on an end to militia rule in Lebanon and full implementation of Lebanese sovereignty throughout that country and along all of its borders.

The resolution before us, Mr. Speaker, focuses on certain crucial ingredients of Lebanese sovereignty--the withdrawal of Syrian troops and the holding of free and fair elections. This is an important resolution. I support it, and I urge all of my colleagues to do likewise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a long time supporter of free and fair democratic elections in the Middle East and throughout the world. Clearly, I am in support of free and fair democratic elections in Lebanon, every human being deserves the right to choose their leaders without the fear of persecution and retribution. I stand firmly in favor of honoring the voice of the Lebanese people, who have clearly called for democratic reform. I can not deny that Syria has had a long mixed history in Lebanon, clearly the will of the Lebanese people dictated it was time for the Syrian forces to leave. However, I do not believe complete condemnation of the nation of Syria will yield the results we seek. We must continue to push for completely free and fair elections in Lebanon, but I feel that we must engage Syria in a dialogue instead of turning a cold shoulder to them.

I fully support the idea that Syria should complete its withdrawal of all remaining intelligence and security forces from the Lebanese Republic in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559. However, I do not believe we should condemn Syria for their relationship with Lebanon, but we must now engage in an examination to determine if the current relationship between Syria and Lebanon can now be improved. We must seek

to build relationships in the Middle East as opposed to tearing them down. Our goal is to establish greater stability and a more free society in the Middle East; to accomplish these lofty goals we must press forward with new initiatives as opposed to complete condemnations. Therefore, we must push for international election monitors in Lebanon so that free, fair, and transparent elections can be held on May 29, 2005, in accordance with all international standards and agreements. We must ensure that no outside nation or entity has undue influence on these elections, which should be determined only by the will of the Lebanese people.

I am in support of H. Res. 273 because the ideal of free and fair elections can not be questioned, especially when sanctioned by international law. However, I do hope the sponsors and supporters of this resolution will try to use this as an opportunity to open relations with Syria instead of further closing them. If we are to have true success in the Middle East we must ensure that we reach out to every nation in the region and its people, otherwise we are only cheating ourselves of a historic prospect for peace.