Honoring Yoani Sanchez, a courageous blogger and activist for freedom in Cuba.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an issue which has been close to my heart during my years of service as Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia and Pacific. This is the issue of the ``Comfort Women'' or, as former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton more accurately termed these victims of Imperial Japan's military during the Second World War, ``enforced sex slaves.''

Of all the actions in my almost twenty-six years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives, one that affected me most was the convening of my first hearing on February 17, 2007 as the new Chairman of the then Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment. The fact that the issue of the `Comfort Women' was the topic of my very first hearing signified how deeply important this issue was and is to me.

The hearing represented the first official testimony given to a U.S. government entity regarding one of the most egregious war crimes carried out in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War. The compelling and courageous testimony of the three victim witnesses, Ms. Yong Soo Lee and Ms. Koon Ja Kim from the Republic of Korea, and Ms. Jan Ruff O'Herne from Australia, brought tears to the eyes of many in the hearing room and left no doubt as to the culpability of Imperial Japan's military in the organization and management of comfort stations.

It was a special privilege that then South Korean National Assembly member and now President of the Republic of Korea, Her Excellency Park Geun-hye, was present as a special guest of the Subcommittee at the hearing. The hearing provided an impetus for the unanimous adoption by the U.S. House of Representatives later in 2007, during the 110th Congress, of House Resolution 121. Introduced by my good friend, Congressman Mike Honda, H. Res. 121 ``expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Forces' coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the world as `comfort women', during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II.''

In this regard, I wish to draw to the attention of my fellow colleagues the opening of a special art exhibition titled ``The Sorrow and the Hope of `Comfort Women' '' to be held in the May Gallery of Mullen Library at Catholic University in Washington, DC. As you may be aware, Mr. Speaker, Pope Francis met with ``Comfort Women'' survivors during his recent visit to South Korea. The special exhibition, which will be held from November 25, 2014 to January 12, 2015, is being hosted by the National Catholic School of Social Service's Center for International Social Development (CISD) and co-organized by the Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues, Inc. (WCCW), whose President is Ms. Christine Choi and Vice President is Dr. Julie Jung- Sil Lee. There will be a seminar held in connection with the art exhibition at Catholic University on November 25, 2014.

I would like to take special note of the fact that one of the artists whose work will be displayed at this exhibition is Eileen Marie Halpin, the daughter of my former staff member Dennis P. Halpin. Eileen graduated summa cum laude in kinetic imaging from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond in May 2013. She also attended the Gobelins School of the Image in Paris, France in the summer of 2013. She is currently working as a freelance artist. Eileen sent her artwork last year to ``Comfort Women'' survivors residing in the House of Sharing in Gwangju, Korea. This is a facility which I have visited on repeated occasions during my official visits to South Korea as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. I have spent many hours with my grandmas at the House of Sharing, who are examples to me of courage, strength, and the resilience of the human spirit. These women are my heroes, and I count them among my greatest friends in this life.

Mr. Speaker, although I will soon depart from this esteemed body, I will continue to be a strong advocate for closure for the victims of the greatest crime of organized, coercive sexual trafficking in the twentieth century. The overwhelming majority of these victims came from the Asia-Pacific region, a region which I have proudly represented and continue to call home. The current revisionism involving denier history which has emerged in certain influential quarters in Japan regarding the ``Comfort Women'' and other war crimes related to the Second World War would never be tolerated with regard to the crimes committed in the European Theater during that war. As philosopher George Santayana famously observed, ``those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.''

Mr. Speaker, we owe it to the Nigerian school girls kidnapped by Boko Haram and the Yazidi women and girls enslaved by ISIL not to forget the tragic historic warning offered by the experiences of the ``Comfort Women''. It is my sincere hope that this esteemed body will do all it can to ensure justice for women and young girls everywhere. This is my hope forevermore.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Assembly Member Jung Cheong Rae of the Republic of Korea for the outstanding work he is doing in cooperation with Mr. Kim Dong-suk, founder of Korean American Civic Empowerment, KACE, to spearhead efforts in Washington, DC, to oppose the online White House petition calling for removal of the ``Comfort Woman'' statue in Glendale, CA, which was submitted on the White House's open petitioning website, ``We the People.''

The petition includes the following text: ``Please remove the statue in a public park in Glendale, California. It is a statue of a Comfort Woman masquerading as a peace statue while in essence after reading the inscription it is promoting hate towards the people and nation of Japan.'' The petition was signed by 125,261 people and it is estimated that most of the signees are Japanese nationals who do not reside in the United States.

This absurd petition shows why the House of Representatives had to unanimously pass the ``Comfort Woman'' Resolution of 2007 (H. Res. 121), which urges Japan to formally acknowledge and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Forces' coercion of as many as 200,000 young women into sexual slavery during World War II, to clearly and publicly refute any claims that the sexual enslavement and trafficking of the Comfort Woman never occurred, and to educate current and future generations about this horrible crime.

I Once the U.S. House of Representatives had spoken on the issue, it was hoped that this issue could be put behind us so that we could work with our Pacific allies to face the challenges of a rising China and a nuclear North Korea. However, Japan totally disregarded what we have recommended and is trying to whitewash its war crimes.

The movement to deny the painful realities of World War II history in the Pacific represent not only a lack of progress but are, in fact, moves toward regression away from that limited level of reconciliation that has already been achieved.

Today, over 120,000 Japanese people are totally unaware, if not ignorant, of the atrocities that were perpetrated by Japan during World War II. This number will grow every day if Japan keeps disregarding H. Res. 121, the Comfort Woman Resolution.

I strongly urge the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge and apologize in order to begin the reconciliation process and to create better relationships in the future. Japan cannot move forward by erasing the past and it is of the utmost importance that Japan follows through on H. Res. 121.

A formal apology from Japan as called for in H. Res. 121 is the answer to the White House online petition. And so, once more, I commend Assembly Member Jung Cheong Rae, who is a personal friend of mine, for taking the time to be in Washington, DC, this week and for calling upon Members of Congress and others to also exercise their first amendment rights by speaking out against the White House online petition.

It is my sincere hope that President Obama will respond soon, and make clear that he supports justice for the more than 200,000 women from Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries from the Pacific who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during WW II.

On a personal note, I offer my deepest love and appreciation for these women, though many of them have already passed from this life. What was done to them is unconscionable, and I will stand in support of them forevermore.

I bear no animosity or ill-will towards the people of Japan and I must emphasize that our economic, strategic, and military alliance with Japan is important. However, regarding this issue, there can be no reconciliation without proper acknowledgement. The recognition of this dark chapter of Japan's history of the atrocities and sexual slavery operations authorized and implemented by the Japanese Imperial Army before and during World War II cannot be denied, and the White House must not be complicit by remaining silent.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 7th anniversary of the passage of H. Res. 121, an historic resolution which expresses the sense of the U.S. House of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Force's coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the world as `comfort women', during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II.

H. Res. 121 was passed on July 30, 2007, and I commend my good friend, Congressman Michael Honda of California, for introducing it. I admire his courage and devotion for causes that matter. As a Japanese- American, he gave voice to this cause in a way no other could and, because of him, this Resolution stands as a testament of his advocacy for and on behalf of those who suffer.

I also commend Dong Suk Kim of Korean American Civic Empowerment (KACE) for his grassroots efforts in bolstering support for H. Res. 121 which led to its successful passage. His contributions made a significant difference.

I also commend the Honorable Nancy Pelosi. In my opinion, her decision to bring H. Res. 121 to the Floor for House consideration was the key factor that made passage possible. As the first woman in American history to serve as Speaker of the House, her clarion call for equality and empowerment for women is of consequence globally and historically. Her personal commitment to the women who still bear the scars from the Imperial Armed Force's coercion will never be forgotten.

In 2007, it was my honor to hold the first hearing ever held on this sensitive issue. Although this legislation had been introduced in the U.S. Congress for more than a decade, including by my good friend, former Congressman Lane Evans, no Committee had ever held

a hearing on the matter. But, in 2007, I determined that my first action as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific would be to hold a hearing calling upon Japan to apologize for the war crimes its Imperial Armed Forces perpetuated against innocent young girls and women.

Congressman Honda testified before the Subcommittee as did three survivors, including Ms. Yong Soo Lee, Ms. Jan Ruff O'Herne, and Ms. Koon Ja Kim. I will never, ever forget the testimony of these three women. They remain my heroes. Because of their courage, an official record now stands forevermore on file with the U.S. House of Representatives that speaks the truth about what Japan's Imperial Armed Forces did to them. Their childhoods were stolen. Their destinies were disrupted. But their spirits were not broken because they know, like I know, that God will one day set everything right and justice will come--no matter what.

And so, I pay tribute to Ms. Lee, Ms. O'Herne, Ms. Kim and all those they represented. It has been my honor to know them and also to know all my grandmothers at the House of Sharing. I wish God's sweetest blessings upon them.

I also thank President Park Geun-hye, then a member of South Korea's National Assembly, for attending our Subcommittee hearing as an observer. The Subcommittee was extraordinarily honored to welcome her. Her presence at the hearing honored every young girl and woman ever victimized by Japan's Imperial Armed Forces.

While I strongly urge the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge and apologize in order to begin the reconciliation process, I bear no animosity or ill-will towards the people of Japan. If given the choice, I believe the people of Japan would also call for its government to apologize for the atrocities its Imperial Armed Forces committed against innocent young girls and women. But, regrettably, the Government of Japan chooses to whitewash its history. However, sooner or later, truth will prevail. Until it does, I will continue to do everything I can to bring increasing awareness to this issue.

Mr Chair, for the past year, the House Armed Services Committee has conducted an ``Oversight of the Asia Pacific Rebalance.'' This initiative was brought forth by the collective leadership of Chairman Buck McKeon and Ranking Member Adam Smith. I would also recognize Chairman Randy Forbes and Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa for their great efforts on this critical committee engagement,

culminating in their legislative contributions to the NDAA we consider here today.

Without question, the Asia Pacific Rebalance constitutes one of America's most important military and security policies. The Chairman and I both represent districts in a state with vast ties to the Asia Pacific--whether political, security, military, economic, cultural, social and even people-to-people exchange. We also have a vibrant Asian American community in our state that is an embodiment of our relationship with this critically important region.

It is within this context that I wish to raise an important issue and one that I feel is central to the Asia Pacific Rebalance. Let me be clear that I feel this issue is both germane to the jurisdiction of this committee and our consideration of the NDAA on the Floor.

As you and our colleagues on this committee are well aware, more than 200,000 young women and girls from throughout Asia and the Pacific, but mainly from Korea, were forced to become sex slaves during World War II by the Imperial Armed Forces of Japan. For over 70 years, these women endured unspeakable and nightmarish ordeals and have yet to receive a formal apology.

There are those who believe that the Comfort Women issue is a controversial historical dispute that is not germane to our committee's jurisdiction or the NDAA. I fundamentally disagree. As a case in point, during President Obama's recent Asia trip a couple of weeks ago, he specifically brought up the Comfort Women issue. At a joint press conference with Korean President Park Geun-Hye, President Obama stated that what happened to the Comfort Women was ``terrible and egregious,'' that these ``women deserved to be heard and respected'' and that ``there should be an accurate and clear account of what happened.'' President Obama made these remarks in the context of U.S.-Korea-Japan relations and the Asia Rebalance.

The Comfort Women survivors are dying by the day. Of the over 200,000 survivors less than 100 are still alive today. As a matter of valuing women's rights and human rights, these Comfort Women survivors deserve the dignity of a formal apology by the Japanese Government. I further urge Japan to follow the recommendations set forth in H. Res. 121 that was authored by my friend and colleague, Representative Michael Honda and passed the House on June 30, 2007. Proper resolution to this issue yields the benefit of closer U.S.-Korea-Japan trilateral relations which is critical to countering the North Korean nuclear threat and enhancing security ties with our allies.

Mr. Chair, I wish to reiterate the importance of this issue to our committee, our constituents, our state, our nation and our allies. I urge my colleagues to also offer expressions of support for the Comfort Women survivors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Dong Suk Kim and the Korean American Civic Empowerment for Community (KACE) based in New York and New Jersey for their dedication in promoting civil rights and in organizing the Korean-American community.

Mr. Kim was born in South Korea and immigrated to the U.S. in 1985. He resides in Tenafly, New Jersey, with his wife, Hyunjoo Hwang, and their son, Sol.

Mr. Dong Suk Kim is a Founder and Executive Committee Chair of KACE. Mr. Kim was President of the Korean American Voters' Council (KAVC) from 1996 through 2010. Mr. Kim has devoted his life to empowering the Korean-American community after the Los Angeles riots in 1992, which were a result of the Rodney King case and which seriously impacted the Korean-American community in the United States.

As the President of KACE, Mr. Kim led the organization to significant achievements. KACE increased Korean-American voter turnout in the Greater New York area from less than 5% in 1996 to over 58% in 2012, assisted more than 27,000 Korean-Americans to register to vote, and organized a community-based campaign for the 2000 and 2010 Census. To advance Korean-Americans' voting rights, KACE publishes voter guides in Korean, operates a voter hotline every year, and mails more than 500 voter registration and vote-by-mail forms to Korean-American voters every year.

I would also like to commend Mr. Kim and KACE for their active roles in organizing a nationwide campaign in support of the ``Comfort Women Resolution'' (H. Res. 121 in the 110th Congress) in 2007 which addresses matters related to the sexual slavery imposed by Japanese armed forces during World War II. Mr. Kim traveled to all major Korean towns in the U.S., including Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, and Chicago to organize the campaign. As a result of this grassroots campaign, the Comfort Women Resolution was adopted unanimously by the House of Representatives on July 30, 2007.

In 2011, Mr. Kim led a grassroots campaign in support of the U.S.- Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) to advance bilateral commercial cooperation as well as the interests of the Korean-American community. The agreement was signed by both governments in 2007 but was not ratified by Congress until October 2011. The Korean-American community expressed its strong support for the agreement and it was passed by both governments in 2011.

Every year, Mr. Kim and KACE organize many programs to educate, organize and mobilize the Korean-American community and to promote its civic participation. It is fitting and proper to honor both Mr. Kim's and KACE's outstanding contributions and commitment to the Korean- American community and to the United States of America, and I am pleased to offer this statement for historical purposes.