Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mayor Talmage Burke. In the year that marks the City of Alhambra's 100th anniversary, Mayor Talmage Burke is setting a record of his own. On May 27, the 85-year old Talmage Burke took the oath of office as the Mayor of Alhambra for the 15th time. This achievement affords him the longest record of publicly elected service of any official in the State of California and certainly one of the longest records of public servitude in the Nation.

Talmage Burke was born in November 1917 and graduated from Alhambra High School in 1935. He went on to USC, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He continued his studies at USC Law School, graduating with Juris Doctor and Masters of Laws degrees. Prior to being elected to the Alhambra City Council in 1952, he served as the city's first prosecutor and deputy city attorney.

The Burke family has served the City of Alhambra for over 70 of its nearly 100 years. Talmage Burke, a life-long resident of Alhambra, lives with his wife, of 45 years Lisa, in the same house that his father, Montivel A. Burke, built in 1927.

One of the most outstanding and well-known civic accomplishments of Talmage Burke was his involvement in the lowering of the railroad tracks in Alhambra during the mid-1970s. Along with the improved system of tracks, the nearby Alhambra Municipal Golf Course gained an addition of nine holes from the excavated soil from the lowered tracks.

As a member of the Rotary Club, he has a record of perfect attendance for the past 52 years! He has served as President of the San Gabriel Valley Bar Association and is the Founding Director of the Legal Aid and Public Defender Program of the San Gabriel Valley. He was also a Trustee of the University of Redlands for 18 years.

Talmage Burke and his wife have two children: a son, Montivel A. Burke II, an attorney, and a daughter, Karen M. Brown, R.N. The Burkes also have six grandchildren.

It is with great pleasure that I ask all Members to join me in congratulating the Honorable Talmage V. Burke for his truly remarkable and lifelong dedication to the City of Alhambra.

I rise today to honor a truly outstanding member of the 29th Congressional District, Mrs. Jeanette ``Jay'' Blackshaw. For 22 years, Mrs. Blackshaw has dedicated herself to serving the people of the City of Pasadena.

Originally from Chicago, IL, Jay moved to Pasadena, CA in 1968. She and her husband, Bill Blackshaw, have seven children, Julie, Mary Grace, John, Gina, Annie, Peter, Amy, and nine grandchildren.

In 1981, Jay began her service to the City of Pasadena as the District 4 Field Representative for Pasadena Mayor Jess Houston. After Mayor Houston's term ended, she continued as field representative for his successor, Mayor Bill Paparian. Jay currently works for City Councilmember Steve Haderlein. During Jay's tenure with the City of Pasadena, she has assisted in the construction of bike paths throughout Pasadena, the renovation of the Pasadena Senior Center, and the construction of Pasadena's U.S. Marine Reserve Center.

Jay's passion for community volunteerism, especially on behalf of children and education, is evident in the many organizations she has been involved in over the years. As a young mother, she was active in Pasadena's public schools, participating in several Parent Teacher Associations, including serving as PTA Council President. Currently, Jay is a board member of the Pasadena Educational Foundation and Pasadena City College's Community Board.

Some of the other organizations Mrs. Blackshaw participates in are the Pasadena Sister Cities Committee, the Sierra Madre Villa Neighborhood Association, the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), and the Huntington Hospital Community Board. Mrs. Blackshaw is also active in her church, All Saints Episcopal Church, as well as in various political organizations. In 1995, she was honored as a YWCA Woman of Excellence for her steadfast commitment to eradicating racism and improving the lives of the women and children of Pasadena.

Jay will be retiring from her position as Field Representative to Councilmember Haderlein in June of 2003. Although she will be greatly missed by her colleagues at the City of Pasadena, she will continue to be active in the community.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Jeanette ``Jay'' Blackshaw. The entire community joins me in thanking Jay Blackshaw for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District a better place in which to live.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support of legislation to expand the child tax credit to working families left out of the tax bill that the President recently signed.

Last week, the President signed a $350 billion tax cut plan, a package of large tax cuts that are weighted heavily toward America's wealthiest families, and that will do little to spur economic growth or reduce the Nation's jobless rates. These additional cuts are likely to further burden the economy's future with growing budget deficits and debt--spending the Social Security Trust Fund surplus and threatening essential programs such as Medicare.

The most disturbing aspect of this legislative effort was the Majority's last-minute exclusion of a provision that would help nearly 12 million children and their families to get the child tax credit. In their persistent efforts to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans, the Majority stripped this important provision from the final bill in order to make room for a dividend tax cut and other measures benefiting only those wealthiest taxpayers.

For some time now, the Administration has maintained that all Americans deserve a tax break. However, this new law did not honor that promise, and the President should not have signed legislation that denies a promised child tax credit to the millions of families that need it the most and are the most likely to spend it.

These families with children, earning between $10,500 and $26,625, are already working hard to make ends meet. Our immediate priority in Congress should now be to pass legislation that will correct this last- minute injustice and provide these moderate-income families with the relief they deserve. Therefore, I support the legislation introduced by House Democratic leaders to accomplish this goal and benefit almost 3 million children in my home State of California. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us in helping those Americans in most need.

Mr. Speaker, since 1990, we have honored the lives and accomplishments of Asian Pacific Americans during the month of May. From the early 1800s to the 21st century, Asian and Pacific peoples have played a vital role in the development of the United States and have made lasting contributions in all elements of American society. Asian Pacific Americans have helped to define what it means to be an American, to work to advance the needs of all.

I am proud that the region I represent in Congress is such a diverse one and is home to many people of Asian Pacific heritage--Asian Pacific American communities such as Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese Americans. In California's 29th District, cities like Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, Pasadena, Glendale, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City boast thriving, active Asian American communities. The City of Glendale, for example, boasts the nation's fourth largest Korean American population in the United States.

In fact, just last month, I was privileged to travel to South Korea to address the increasingly important political, social and economic issues that have emerged on the Korean peninsula. The Congressional delegation trip focused on security issues on the Korean Peninsula, the plight of North Korean refugees and the abysmal human rights conditions in the North--issues important to my constituents and all Americans.

But, in honoring Asian Pacific Americans this month, I also honor those individuals and organizations in my District whose accomplishments and contributions to our community have been immeasurable.

It is my honor to recognize Cause-Vision 21 and its esteemed founder, Charlie Woo. The organization is dedicated to advancing the political empowerment of the Chinese American and Asian American communities through voter education, community outreach and leadership development. Each year, they organize the Chinese American Student Internship Coalition (CASIC), a program that provides Chinese American college students with the opportunity to gain hands on experience with the political process and a deeper understanding of issues important to the Chinese American community.

Earlier this year, I named Dr. Annie Chin Siu of Alhambra as one of the Women of the Year in California's 29th District. Her continued efforts to help our youth, the development of commerce, the preservation of our historical legacy and her devotion to the improvement of public safety are remarkable. The recipient of numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Chinese Chamber of Commerce's Service Award and the Los Angeles Chinatown Public Safety Award, Dr. Liu is the consummate volunteer. She has been active in the Chinese American Museum, Chinese Historical Society of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Chinatown Public Safety Association, among many others.

Mr. Speaker, I am fortunate that my District is home to many of Southern California's most prominent and well-known Asian American leaders. California State Assemblymember Judy Chu, Monterey Park City Councilmembers Michael Eng and David Lau, and California Board of Equalization Member John Chiang have all displayed an unsurpassed dedication to their constituents.

These are just a few, specific examples of the impact people of Asian Pacific heritage have had in the communities of California's 29th District.

As a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Caucus on Korea, the United States--Philippines Friendship Caucus, and Taiwan Caucus, I have had the opportunity to support legislative efforts important to constituents in my district.

As a nation, we must embrace the cultures that have worked to advance the needs of all Americans and have helped to define what it means to be American. I ask my colleagues to join me today and throughout this month to showcase and celebrate the contributions--both historical and present--of Asian Pacific Americans in our nation, our cities, and our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important legislation that will enable us to effectively combat the global scourges of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. I am pleased with the bill as amended by the Senate, which will provide unprecedented funding to fight this deadly trio of diseases that are global in scope. I am grateful for the bipartisan leadership of my House colleagues who authored and were original co-sponsors of this bill, especially Chairman Hyde, Ranking Member Lantos, Mr. Weldon, Ms. Lee, and Mr. Leach.

This legislation enables the United States to take a strong leadership role to ameliorate, and, we hope, ultimately to eradicate one of the most devastating diseases that man has ever encountered. We count the victims of HIV/AIDS in the tens and hundreds of millions, worldwide. It is a disease that affects men and women, adults and children. Its impact is most devastating on the poorest, those with the least capacity to deal with the ravages of this disease or to act effectively to prevent its spread. By affecting so many millions across societal cross-sections, this disease presents a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented magnitude. Furthermore, the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a potentially destabilizing force that presents a grave threat to international security.

The African nations have been especially hard hit by the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Together, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and related diseases are undermining agricultural production throughout Africa--aggravating disease with hunger.

This bill will address these global problems by authorizing $15 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, through a comprehensive 5-year integrated strategy. This legislation will use these funds effectively by promoting inter-agency coordination, supporting the expansions of public/private partnerships, and using targeted programs that will especially benefit children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

Of course we must continue to work aggressively to combat the spread of this disease here in the United States and to continue our efforts to research a cure and to aid our own countrymen afflicted with this terrible illness.

I am proud to have been a co-sponsor of the House version of this vital legislation to attack one of the most significant threats to global health. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to object to the sweeping, permanent exemptions from environmental laws at military bases included in this Defense authorization bill.

This set of provisions, the so-called ``Range and Readiness Preservation Initiative,'' would change critical provisions of the Clean Air Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act. These changes would remove Federal and State authority to require the Department of Defense to clean up its thousands of contaminated sites nationwide.

I am a staunch supporter of a strong military and a strong national defense. Yet the changes that have been included in this bill go well beyond any consideration of military preparedness, are overboard, and are ill-advised.

Environmental laws already include provisions for exemptions in the event of a national security issue. The proposals are rendered even more questionable by the fact that the Defense Department has not yet found a compelling case to plead for such an exemption. EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman has testified before Congress that compliance with environmental regulations has never impeded military readiness.

Furthermore, these blanket exemptions for the Department of Defense from environmental statutes are inappropriate. I have grave concerns regarding the adverse environmental impact of this initiative. This legislation would relax current requirements protecting wildlife habitats on military installations, as well as requirements to clean up contaminated sites and control air emissions. The Department of Defense is our nation's biggest polluter. I believe that, unless national security is directly affected, the Department of Defense should be required to comply with Federal environmental laws.

I call on my colleagues to strike these provisions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong opposition to H.R. 1904, the poorly-named Healthy Forests Restoration Act.

This bill is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It preys on our legitimate concerns and fears about the impact of deadly forest fires in the upcoming fire season. Indeed, we must acknowledge the destruction that has been caused by poor fire management practices over the past century. But H.R. 1904, the McInnis-Walden bill, is the wrong solution. It is not only inadequate to address these failures, it is deeply harmful to our environment.

Under the guise of helping to protect communities from forest fires, this bill actually undermines critical environmental laws. Even more egregiously, it also violates our core democratic values by restricting the rights of Americans to seek redress in courts for grievances against the Federal Government.

H.R. 1904 should be defeated because it fails to protect our communities from wildfire. It allows the logging of remote backcountry with no requirement that at-risk homes and communities closest to forests are protected first. It does not provide sufficient funding for local fire districts, communities, or tribes for fire prevention.

In addition, this bill undermines existing environmental protections. It provides exemptions from the National Environmental Policy Act, the cornerstone of all environmental legislation. Without these critical NEPA safeguards, this bill will allow commercial logging projects to proceed with minimal environmental analysis or public involvement. As a result, old-growth forests and roadless areas would not be adequately protected.

The Miller substitute is a great improvement over H.R. 1904. While H.R. 1904 in effect would allow logging in remote areas, the Miller substitute explicitly prioritizes thinning projects that are closest and most threatening to at-risk communities and water supplies. The Miller substitute aims to protect our rarest and most precious trees, prohibits new road construction, and limits the total amount of federal land eligible for thinning projects. It requires environmental reviews of forest thinning projects, making exceptions only for projects within half a mile of an at-risk community.

We can all agree that destructive forest fires must be prevented through improvements in our forest management practices. But we must not let our eagerness to avert these tragic fires blind us to the flaws of this bill, which essentially offers a carte blanche for timber companies to log in remote forests. I urge my colleagues to vote for the Miller amendment and to oppose the McInnis bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that is of utmost importance to our national security and our future as a global community. My legislation will expand the Defense Department's authority for Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction programs outside of the former Soviet Union. My bill will authorize efforts to dismantle and destroy nuclear, chemical, and other weapons of mass destruction in nations such as Pakistan, India, North Korea, China, Iran, and Iraq. These programs have a single objective: to reduce stockpiles of nuclear (and non-nuclear) materials in both military and nonmilitary facilities that may be converted to weapons of mass destruction to prevent such highly dangerous materials from being stolen or sold to terrorist organizations.

It is critical for our national security to ensure that terrorists do not have easy access to weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons. Over a decade ago, the landmark Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction legislation, the initiative of Senators Nunn and Lugar, was signed into law. This initiative was born out of necessity to ensure that the nuclear arsenal of the Soviet Union would not fall into the wrong hands as the Soviet empire was coming apart. Throughout the latter half of the Cold War, the Soviet and the US camps had achieved mutually assured destruction capability, which had resulted in an uneasy yet stable security with regard to our nuclear arsenals. The enemy was clear and identifiable. However, the demise of the Soviet empire ushered in a new post-Cold War period with unclear and unidentifiable threats, and a new and very real sense of urgency, instability and insecurity.

At this critical juncture, Congress established the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program in 1991, authorizing the use of Defense Department funds to assist with the safe and secure transportation, storage, and dismantlement of nuclear, chemical and other weapons in the former Soviet Union. In the ten years since, while much has been done to dismantle Russia's and the former Soviet Republics' nuclear weapons, the dangers persist, and in some cases have increased.

In addition to the traditional nuclear weapons and materials concerns in the former Soviet Union, there are new and emerging threats from nuclear proliferators such as North Korea, Pakistan, and China, as well as Libya, Iran, Iraq, and stateless terrorist organizations headed by individuals such as Osama Bin Laden, that are actively in search of their next deal on nuclear weapons technology and components. It is this latter type of threat--the unclear, mobile, and not easily identifiable source of threat--that compels us to continue and increase our efforts to secure nuclear weapons and materials wherever they may be found.

The world has changed, and with it so to have the threats. We cannot afford to cut back on such worthwhile programs as Nunn-Lugar and other non-proliferation programs. There is much work to be done, and we must be increasingly vigilant in an ever-changing world with new threats that go far beyond nuclear weapons.

Significant progress has been made thus far, as reported in the May 2001 Cooperative Threat Reduction Scorecard issued by the Department of Defense. With regard to the established CTR Baseline attributed to Russia under the START process, the Nunn-Lugar program has successfully deactivated 5,504 of the 13,3000 Warheads; destroyed 423 of the 1,473 ICBMs; eliminated 383 of the 831 ICBM Silos; eliminated 85 of the 167 Bombers; destroyed 483 of the 487 Long-Range Nuclear ALCMs; eliminated 352 of the 728 SLBM Launchers; eliminated 209 of the 936 SLBMs; destroyed 19 of the 48 SSBNs; and sealed all 194 Nuclear Test Tunnels. In addition, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus--the three former Soviet nuclear powerhouses--are nuclear weapons free, according to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the Department of Defense.

The Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program can and should be credited for significant achievements in reducing threats from the former Soviet Union. However, continuing economic and social weaknesses in Russia, coupled with an eroding early warning system, poorly secured Russian nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and materials, and poorly paid Russian weapons scientists and security personnel, increase the threat of mass destruction on an unprecedented scale, especially if they fall into the hands of terrorists or rogue nations.

Mr. Speaker, now more than ever we must make a fundamental shift in the way we think about nuclear weapons, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and our national security. My bill will authorize the Department of Defense to expand their cooperative threat reduction programs outside of the former Soviet Union.

Mr. Speaker, scores of Americans continue to lose their jobs each day, the deficit climbs to new and unprecedented heights, states and local communities struggle to find the resources to protect their communities from potential terrorist threats, and we have only made a down payment on the expenses of the war on terrorism.

These are not circumstances which cry out for a half-trillion dollar tax cut. Far from it--they call for prudence, for fiscal responsibility, and for an acknowledgement that the government cannot denude itself of the ability to defend itself by increasing spending and cutting taxes with no end in sight.

I rise today to urge my colleagues to oppose this fiscally irresponsible tax plan that will only saddle future generations with enormous debt and put us on a path of almost permanent deficits.

Over the last 2 years, a staggering 2.7 million private sector jobs have been lost and the number of people unemployed for 6 months or longer has tripled. My Democratic colleagues have responded to this crisis by delivering a job creation plan to jumpstart our economy and put Americans back to work. By putting money directly in the pockets of those who need it most and those most likely to spend it, the Democratic plan will get our economy moving again.

The House leadership plan, on the other hand, ignores the desires and demands of Americans. By making room for a dividend tax cut proposal and tax cuts for the wealthy, the House leadership has indicated a willingness to sacrifice funding for important domestic priorities such as education, health care, and a significant Medicare prescription drug benefit.

We must work harder, we must do better, to ensure that budget decisions are made in a balanced and thoughtful way that maintains fiscal discipline, continues to pay down our debt, and supports priorities like Social Security and Medicare.

In years past, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have touted the virtues of fiscal responsibility. I urge them to return to that position by joining us in embracing a fiscally responsible approach to stimulating our economy and providing relief and investment for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Temple Sinai in Glendale, California. This week, Temple Sinai celebrates its 75th Anniversary, marking the extraordinary history of the synagogue and its congregation.

Temple Sinai was incorporated under California State Law on June 22, 1928, as the Sinai Community Center. At that time, the fledgling congregation consisted of fewer than a dozen Jewish families and met in the Masonic Hall located above the Ralph's Grocery Store at the corner of Orange and Broadway in Glendale. Using various venues for its functions until 1939, the congregation found its first permanent home at 425 West Windsor Road. Ten years later, the congregation constructed the first segment of its current home at 1212 North Pacific Avenue, and it has since grown both in physical plant and congregational census.

Today the congregation has 300 member families--including mine--of all ages and backgrounds, serving Jews who live in Glendale, Burbank, Los Angeles, La Canada, La Crescenta, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, and Thousand Oaks. There are 240 students in the combined Religious and Hebrew Schools. A larger cadre of volunteers manages the many opportunities for involvement in the community, from ritual and religious services to advisory and policy-making bodies.

The goals of the congregation embody the values of Judaism and its continuity. The congregation strengthens Judaism and Jewish values within and among the members of the local Jewish community, provides strength and support to members of the community who experience tragedy and grief in their lives, celebrates with members of the community the joyous occasions of their families, provides leadership experiences for Jews in the community so that they can undertake leadership of the synagogue in the future, and educates non-Jews as to the norms and traditions of Judaism.

I am proud to be able to recognize Temple Sinai for its 75 years of offering a place of solemn and joyous worship to the people of Glendale and the nearby foothill communities. My heartfelt ``Mazel Tov'' on this milestone. Today, Temple Sinai exemplifies the role congregations of every faith have within communities as a refuge for all who come to worship together regardless of differences. I ask all Members to join me in congratulating Temple Sinai for their 75 years of remarkable achievement and to wish Temple Sinai all the best as your congregation grows from strength to strength.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this important legislation that will enable us to effectively combat the global scourges of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. I am grateful for the bipartisan leadership of my colleagues who authored and were original co-sponsors of this bill especially Chairman Hyde, Ranking Member Lantos, Mr. Weldon, Ms. Lee, and Mr. Leach.

This legislation enables the United States to take strong leadership role to ameliorate, and, we hope, ultimately to eradicate one of the most devastating diseases that man has ever encountered. We count the victims of HIV/AIDS in the tens and hundreds of millions, worldwide. It is a disease that affects men and women, adults and children. Its impact is most devastating on the poorest, those with the least capacity to deal with the ravages of this disease or to act effectively to prevent its spread. By affecting so many millions across societal cross-sections, this disease presents a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented magnitude. Furthermore, the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a potentially destabilizing force that presents a grave threat to international security.

The African nations have been especially hard hit by the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and

other diseases. Together, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and related diseases are undermining agriculture production throughout Africa-- aggravating disease with hunger.

This bill will address these global problems by authorizing $15 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, through a comprehensive five-year integrated strategy. This legislation will use these funds effectively by promoting inter-agency coordination, supporting the expansions of public/private partnerships, and using targeted programs that will especially benefit children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

Of course we must continue to work aggressively to combat the spread of this disease here in the United States and to continue our efforts to research a cure and to aid our own countrymen afflicted with this terrible illness.

I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this vital legislation to attack one of the most significant threats to global health. I am pleased with the bill that the International Relations Committee passed, and I urge my colleagues to support his bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Temple City chapter of the Quota Clubs International and the men and women who have shaped the club into the influential force that it is today in the San Gabriel Valley. For over 50 years, the Quotarians of Temple City have provided immeasurable support to the city, fully living up to their stated purpose: ``To serve country and community.''

Among the many events in which the Quota Club has participated is the City's annual Camellia festival and youth parade, an event that celebrates Temple City's rich history and culture. Other events demonstrate the Quotarians' commitment to excellence in our youth: they have sponsored student trips to Washington, D.C., supported teacher exchanges, and have helped in the purchase of band uniforms.

The main focus of the Quota Club has been its service in education, testing, and aid to the hearing impaired. Over the years, they have provided no less than five help dogs to the deaf and have immeasurably improved the lives of those they have assisted.

These incredible achievements have been made possible by the upstanding members of the Quota Club, who exemplify the best in our communities. The club boasts among its members five former Temple City Chamber of Commerce presidents, including Penny Graham, the first woman to hold that office, Mary Lou Swain, another member, was the first woman to be elected to the City Council of Temple City.

Through the efforts of such organizations as the Quota Club and the individuals that comprise them, we can make real the ideals set forth in the Quota Club's charter: righteousness, justice, international understanding, and good will. It is for their tremendous efforts toward realizing these ideals that I ask all Members of Congress to stand with me today and salute the men and women of the Quota Club of Temple City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the people of the City of Alhambra, California, as the city celebrates its centennial anniversary. Located eight miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Alhambra is often referred

to as the ``Gateway to the San Gabriel Valley.'' The site on which the city now rests was first included in a 1771 land grant that led to the establishment of the nearby San Gabriel Mission.

While Alhambra's history and origins retain a heavy Spanish influence, the City's current population of 85,804 consists of a wide range of ethnic groups and many businesses in and around Alhambra have ties to international commerce. The dramatic population growth in Alhambra over the past two decades has been largely attributable to well-educated and highly skilled immigrants, who have brought both material wealth and cultural resources to the City of Alhambra.

Alhambra is first and foremost a residential community, characterized by its charming, well-manicured residential neighborhoods. It lies within the ``Sixty Mile Circle'' that centers on Los Angeles, putting it at the heart of a dynamic concentration of population, employment, business, industry, and finance; two-thirds of the state's 100 largest corporations are headquartered within this circle. High quality educational, medical and transportation services abound and Alhambra has some of the region's strongest retail centers, drawing sales from auto dealerships and shopping districts. Numerous boutiques and restaurants line the downtown landscape, providing an attractive destination for persons to shop, dine and be entertained locally. Numerous recreational and sporting venues are also available.

In recent years, Alhambra has been an economic powerhouse as well, aggressively seeking to bring new business to the city, leading to more than 30 new businesses in the downtown area alone. The renaissance of Downtown Main Street has been a top priority. According to a national survey, Alhambra ranks first among 15 surrounding cities in terms of cost of doing business and level of development. Its largest venture, a $30 million entertainment complex--the Alhambra Renaissance Cineplex opened in November 2002.

In the last century, the City of Alhambra has come to be one that exemplifies everything that we expect our communities to be. It is one that we can look to for an example for other communities to follow, and one that will continue to enrich the San Gabriel Valley's cultural diversity for years to come. I ask all Members of Congress to join me in recognizing the City of Alhambra on its centennial.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in expressing my support

for renewed efforts to find a peaceful, just, and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem. Such a resolution is consonant with American values of promoting stability, freedom, and democracy around the globe.

I strongly support a unified Cyprus. I am disappointed that the recent historic opportunity to resolve the Cyprus issue has failed, despite the hard work of United Nations Secretary Kofi Annan over the last several years, to bring the parties together and to facilitate an agreement.

I am disturbed that today, some 35,000 Turkish soldiers, armed with the latest weapons, are still stationed in the occupied area of Cyprus, making it, according to the United Nations Secretary-General, one of the most militarized regions in the world. At an estimated cost of $300 million annually, Turkey continues to defy the international community and the U.N. resolutions with its policies towards Cyprus. Eighty-five thousand Turks have been brought over from Turkey to colonize the occupied area with the aim of changing the demography of the island and controlling the political situation. The Greek Cypriot community that remains enclaved within the occupied villages continues to live under conditions of oppression, harassment, and deprivation.

Mr. Speaker, the United States has a national interest in fostering peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean region. We as a Nation cannot continue to pretend our NATO partner is not in clear violation of international law for its continued illegal occupation of its neighbor.

We in the United States pride ourselves for our respect for fundamental freedoms. Human rights norms are the cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. It is time, Mr. Speaker, for Turkey to end its longstanding occupation of Cyprus.

Despite recent setbacks, I am still optimistic that the Cyprus situation can be peacefully and amicably resolved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the DNA Database Enhancement Act--legislation that will expand and improve the use of DNA analysis in criminal investigations.

As a former federal prosecutor, I recognize what a powerful tool the use of DNA profiles has become in solving crimes. In 1998, the FBI created a system of DNA profile indexes, the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), to allow participating forensic laboratories to compare DNA profiles with the goal of matching case evidence to other previously unrelated cases or to persons already convicted of specific crimes. This database contains about 1.3 million DNA samples and has yielded more than 6,000 matches in criminal investigations.

Previously, federal law required that a state collect for analysis DNA samples from persons convicted of a felony of a sexual nature. However, the collection of samples from other felons is currently dependent entirely upon state law. The DNA Database Enhancement Act would broaden this collection requirement to include all individuals convicted of violent felonies.

In order to facilitate crime solving and information sharing among local and state law enforcement agencies, my bill would also expand CODIS by permitting states to upload collected DNA samples to the national database. In Virginia, law enforcement is authorized to collect DNA samples from suspects being charged with violent crimes and other felonies. This has yielded tremendous results, with forensic officials making their 1,000th ``cold hit'' last year by matching a rape suspect to a 2001 sexual assault case.

Finally, this legislation will increase the effectiveness of DNA databases in crime solving by ensuring that law enforcement can compare DNA samples with CODIS. While most states already run comparisons on collected samples, some states have restrictions on how and when samples can be compared. This bill will increase the effectiveness of DNA databases in crime solving by removing restrictions that impede the comparison of DNA samples against established DNA databases. Where DNA is given voluntarily or obtained by law enforcement in a lawful manner, law enforcement should be able to compare those samples with CODIS.

Recently, the Department of Justice announced a proposal to spend more than $1 billion over the next five years on DNA analysis in criminal cases. This plan, originally introduced in the Administration's 2004 budget proposal, involves a significant expansion of the FBI's DNA database. The FBI has also announced plans to request authorization to obtain pre-conviction DNA samples from states that currently collect such samples, such as Virginia, Louisiana, and Texas. These joint proposals would dramatically improve the ability to match samples recovered at crime scenes.

With similar goals in mind, my legislation, the DNA Database Enhancement Act, will make important changes to ensure that law enforcement can fully utilize the powerful tool of DNA analysis in solving crimes.