Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of this legislation granting the Congressional Gold Medal

to the Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, commonly known as the Go For Broke regiments, for their dedicated service to our Nation during World War II.

It is an honor and a pleasure to offer a humble contribution to this storied and inspirational group of men who answered their country's call in the face of tremendous adversity.

Today we pay tribute to these regiments who served our Nation at great risk and to those who sacrificed all for our freedom. These men served the Nation at a pivotal moment in our history, displaying their heroism and courage on two fronts, abroad in the fight against fascism and at home against the intolerance of racial injustice.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor incited doubts in many Americans about the loyalty of Japanese Americans. These men who enlisted to protect our Nation were faced with segregated training conditions, families and friends relocated to internment camps, and repeated questions about their combat ability.

To answer the call of duty requires exceptional courage and sacrifice. To respond with a vigor and persistence unaffected by those who sought to malign and impede their every achievement reveals an incredible spirit and admirable will. At a time when they could have easily turned their backs on the country that had sent their families to internment camps, these men chose instead to serve and to inspire, carrying the burden of knowing that at every step through successful missions and failures they would be judged not simply on effort or ability but also by the color of their skin. These men created a shining example of patriotism, courage and skill.

The story of the Japanese American regiments begins 6 weeks after December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Navy. Inspired by a growing hysteria and xenophobia in late January 1942, the U.S. Army discharged all Japanese Americans in the Reserve Officer Training Corps and made them ineligible for the draft. Similarly, Japanese Americans in the military on the mainland were segregated out of their units.

Following President Roosevelt's issuance of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the internment of tens of thousands of American citizens of Japanese ancestry and resident aliens from Japan, on May 3, 1942, General John L. DeWitt issued Civilian Exclusion Order No. 346, ordering all people of Japanese ancestry, whether citizens or noncitizens, to report to assembly centers where they would live until being moved to permanent relocation centers.

In June of 1942, 1,432 predominantly Nisei, that is second-generation Americans of Japanese ancestry, members of the Hawaii Provisional Infantry Battalion were shipped from the Hawaiian Islands to Oakland, California, where the 100th Infantry Battalion was activated on June 12, 1942, and then shipped to Camp McCoy in Wisconsin for training.

Thanks to the excellent training record of the 100th Infantry Battalion, petitions from prominent civilian and military personnel helped convince President Roosevelt and the war department to reopen military service to Nisei volunteers.

In early 1943 the 100th Infantry Battalion was transferred to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where it trained with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Though the combat team was ready to deploy shortly thereafter, the battalion was refused by General Eisenhower due to lingering concerns over the loyalty and patriotism of the Nisei.

Eventually their exemplary training record convinced the naysayers, and the 100th Infantry Battalion was deployed to the Mediterranean where they entered combat in Italy on September 26, 1943.

Due to their bravery and valor, members of the battalion were honored with six awards of the Distinguished Service Cross in the first 8 weeks of combat.

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team arrived in Italy in June of 1944 where the 100th Infantry Battalion was formally integrated as a part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. As a unit, these regiments fought for the last 11 months of the war with selfless distinction in Italy, southern France and Germany, earning the nickname the Go For Broke regiments. These regiments went on to earn several awards for their distinctive service in combat including, as we have heard from my colleague, seven Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier's Medals and over 4,000 Purple Hearts, among numerous additional distinctions.

For their size and their length of service, the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team were the most decorated U.S. military units of the war. Their performance in combat revealed their ability as remarkable soldiers. But their poise, courage and patriotism showed also they were very remarkable men. They looked to support from their interned family, friends and communities. And in turn, their service and commitment inspired those supporters back home to pursue new-found aspirations of their own.

The Go For Broke regiments were not the only servicemen of Asian Pacific-Islander dissent to serve in World War II. Today we also recognize those groups who faced similarly daunting conditions at home and abroad. The Military Intelligence Service, the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, the 1399th Combat Engineer Company, the Women's Army Corps, the Filipino Scouts and other heralded units.

The Go For Broke and other Japanese American brave men and women who have served deserve our continual rededication and appreciation. The debt we owe them is immeasurable. Without their service, our country would surely not shine so brightly, stand so boldly or live so freely.

As our Nation endures these trying times, we can look to the example of the Go For Broke regiments to provide us with courage in the future. These men left the segregated country to fight, and unfortunately they returned to one. They defended America with no guarantee that their own freedom would be defended in return. Their true heroism lies in how they fought for the values of America, equality, justice, and opportunity, even when those values were not fully extended to them.

We will continue to look towards their example to provide hope to our communities, to look past our differences and to unite around our common bonds.

Men and women are able to serve their country today without regard to ethnicity, race or nationality because of what these men endured and accomplished.

Please join me in honoring these courageous men by supporting the granting of a Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the U.S. Army's 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Last week marked the 30th anniversary of the first ever Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, made possible by a joint resolution signed by President Jimmy Carter.

I am proud to represent one of the most diverse congressional districts in the country. One in four of my constituents is of Asian Pacific heritage--many of whom are of Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese descent.

The 29th Congressional District boasts of an impressive list of Asian Pacific American civic leaders who are strongly committed to this community. John Chiang, serving California as Controller, is the highest-ranking Asian Pacific American elected state official. Also, as one of California's twelve constitutional officers, Judy Chu serves as Vice Chair of the California State Board of Equalization. Other state officials include State Senator Carol Liu and Assembly Member Mike Eng. On the local level, we have Alhambra Council Members Stephen Sham and Gary Yamauchi; Alhambra Unified School Board Members Chester Chau and Robert ``Bob'' Gin; Garvey School Board Members Janet Chin, Henry Lo, and John Yuen; Monterey Park Mayor Mitchell Ing and Council Members David Lau, Betty Tom Chu, and Anthony Wong; San Gabriel Council Member Albert Huang; South Pasadena Council Member Mike Ten; South Pasadena Unified School Board Member Joseph Loo; Temple City Mayor Judy Wong and Council Member Vincent Yu; and Temple City Unified School Board Member Janet Rhee.

During the 110th Congress, I had the distinct honor of introducing legislation to pay tribute to the former Mayor of San Gabriel, Chi Mui, by posthumously naming the San Gabriel Post Office in his honor. Chi was the first Chinese American mayor in San Gabriel, a city where close to half of the population is Asian American. The bill was signed into law on August 12, 2008 and the post office was dedicated on October 25, 2008, one day before Chi's fifty-sixth birthday, making this the third post office in the nation to be named after a Chinese American. In addition, to commemorate Women's History Month earlier this year, I had the privilege of naming Melinda Hsia and Yin Yin Huang Women of the Year in the 29th Congressional District. They are truly exceptional women who have improved the quality of life for our community.

The contributions of Asian Americans to our country is not limited to the above-mentioned individuals. Our Nation has benefited from the contributions of Asian Americans for decades. The Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, commonly known as the ``Go For Broke'' regiments, courageously served our nation during World War II and earned several awards for their distinctive service in combat. Earlier this year, I introduced legislation to pay tribute to the ``Go For Broke'' regiment by awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress's highest civilian honor.

This past April marked the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. It has been three decades since the United States and Taiwan

codified their commercial and cultural relations and a great number of my constituents have benefited greatly from this action. I also recently had the pleasure of participating in the Committee of 100 19th Annual Conference--a forum to address issues regarding U.S.-China relations and issues of importance to the Chinese American community.

Americans of Asian descent are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the nation. I am positive that in the years to come, we will be adding many more names to the growing list of civic leaders and many more distinctions to their list of accomplishments. I am truly honored to represent the many extraordinary men and women in my district and commend their selfless dedication and service to the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, on the occasion of her recognition as a ``Person of the Century'' by the Rotary Club of Los Angeles in celebration of their Centennial year.

In a year where we witnessed the first African-American assume the Office of the President of the United States, it is especially appropriate to honor a woman who shattered the marble ceiling of the United States Supreme Court some 28 years ago and served as an important role model for so many in this Nation.

Born in El Paso, Texas in 1930, Sandra Day O'Connor spent several of her early years growing up on her family's ranch in Arizona. Later, in 1950, she graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in economics, followed by a juris doctorate in 1952. In 1952, she married John Jay O'Connor, Ill, and they have three sons. After working for a time in both California and Germany, Sandra Day O'Connor again took up residence in the state of Arizona.

In Arizona, O'Connor held positions in both law and politics, working as an Assistant Attorney General and serving in the State Senate, appointed by the Governor to fill a vacancy. After twice winning reelection to the State Senate, she ran for the position of Judge in the Maricopa County Superior Court of Arizona in 1974. While a judge she gained a reputation for being firm but just, and she would later be appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals.

In 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor made history after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan for the position of Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. She received unanimous Senate approval, becoming the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

During her tenure on the Court, Justice O'Connor gained a reputation for approaching each case with an open mind and for seeking out practical solutions to complex legal issues. Her pragmatic and centrist approach had an important moderating influence on the Court, and her independent philosophy had an important impact on a number of seminal cases. In 2006, Justice O'Connor retired after serving over 24 years on the Court.

Justice O'Connor and I have a shared belief in the need for an independent judiciary and a shared desire to improve relations between our branches of government. As founder and Co-Chair of he Congressional Caucus on the Judicial Branch, I had the distinct pleasure of hosting Justice O'Connor in the U.S. Capitol, just before her retirement, for an event designed to jointly promote these common goals.

I consider it an honor to recognize Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and ask my colleagues to join me in commending her on the occasion of her recognition as a Rotary Club of Los Angeles ``Person of the Century.''

Madam Speaker, Sunday, May 3, was World Press Freedom Day. Three years ago, in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, Congressman Mike Pence, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator Dick Lugar, and I established the Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press.

Since then, this bipartisan, bicameral caucus has sought to highlight the importance of free expression around the world. The caucus is a forum where Members of Congress can come together to combat and condemn media censorship and the persecution of journalists worldwide. Our caucus works to send a strong message that Congress will defend democratic values and human rights wherever they are threatened.

We have hosted panel discussions with press freedom experts, journalists, and victims of press freedom crimes; written to leaders of countries which jail journalists, impose censorship, and allow harassment, attacks, and threats to occur with impunity. We have spoken out here on the House floor and in the media to call for reforms in countries that seek to censor freedom of speech and expression.

Just recently, Representative Pence and I introduced the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act, H.R. 1861. This bill is named in honor of former Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan just 4 months after the September 11 attacks.

This legislation will establish annual State Department reports on the status of press freedom in every country in the world and create a grant program aimed at broadening and strengthening the independence of journalists and media organizations.

Our government must promote freedom of the press by putting on center stage those countries in which journalists are killed, imprisoned, kidnapped, threatened, censored--and this will do just that.

A free and independent media provides the nourishment for democracies to thrive and grow. Citizens rely upon credible, accurate information from the media to make informed decisions and hold their leaders accountable. Information is power, which is precisely why many governments attempt to control the press to suppress opposition and preempt dissent.

Far too often, the reporters and editors who demand reform, accountability, and transparency find themselves at risk. The censorship, intimidation, imprisonment, and murder of these journalists are not only crimes against these individuals, but they also impact those who are denied access to their ideas and information.

In 2008, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that 41 journalists were killed in connection with their work. Another 125 were falsely imprisoned for their reporting. Unfortunately, 2009 is shaping up to be a similarly dangerous year, having already seen 11 journalists murdered.

For Americans, this should spur us to consider the role that journalists play in our society and to ponder what our Nation would be like if this cornerstone of our liberty were to be curtailed. Many Americans take the concept of a free press for granted and don't realize that an unfettered press is vital to America's national security and to our democracy here at home.

But much of the world's population is not as fortunate as we are when it comes to access to independent news. Recent national news accounts have highlighted American journalists being detained on trumped-up charges in Iran and North Korea.

However, there are dozens of cases like these across the globe that don't get attention. That is why each year, as co-Chairs of the caucus, we host a Special Order hour to highlight countries whose abuses of press freedom are particularly egregious.

In 2007, we focused on Russia, profiling the 18 journalists murdered in Russia during the administration of Vladimir Putin. Last year, we focused on China and its incarceration of more journalists than any other country.

Later this month, we will host another Special Order hour where we will focus on growing press freedom abuses in Sri Lanka. Threats, attacks, imprisonment, and murders of journalists are becoming all too common in Sri Lanka.

This week is a particularly noteworthy week for press freedom in Sri Lanka. J.S. Tissainayagam, a contributor and editor for a number of print and online publications, will stand trial on Wednesday, and he faces a possible 20-year sentence if he is convicted. He is being prosecuted for allegedly inciting communal disharmony related to articles that he wrote as early as in 2006.

In March of 2008, J.S. was arrested under emergency regulations and held without habeas corpus for more than 5 months before being charged. His trial is set to resume on May 6, but it is our hope the Sri Lankan government will drop these baseless charges and release J.S. before the trial resumes.

So today, Madam Speaker, we recognize World Press Freedom Day and call on nations like Sri Lanka to stop the persecution of innocent journalists. We use this day as an occasion to pay tribute to journalists and to reflect upon their role in advancing fundamental human rights.

I want to thank all journalists around the world, especially those who work in harm's way, for doing all they do to foster democracy and promote freedom. Your work does not go unrecognized, and we appreciate your dedication to this noble profession.

Madam Speaker, the Los Angeles basin holds one of the greatest concentrations of humanity in the world. People have come from all over the Earth to live there--when one walks down a street in Glendale or Alhambra one can hear a language from ten thousand miles away on one block and read signs in a vastly different language on the next. But if you look up a little higher, above the signs and above the buildings, you'll see gray-green mountains looking down on it all. In my district, we're right up against the Verdugo, Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains, and they surprise you all the time, appearing at street corners from behind the buildings, playing hide-and-seek with intervening hills and highways.

Though few of my constituents live up there, I try to get up into the hills as often as I can, and I'm often surprised by how many of my neighbors I run into on the trail. I think that, like me, they wander in the chaparral and oak forests to get away for a while, and find some perspective in the process. Among the families, teenagers and retirees I pass, I see all of the cultures I know from the streets of my district, all enjoying the fact that they can find some peace and quiet just a few minutes away from one of the largest cities in the world.

Our green spaces play an irreplaceable role in our communities, and on this Earth Day, I would like to celebrate them. This is a day to think globally, but it is also a day to act locally, by taking your family to the park and exploring all that you find there. In the words of John Muir, ``When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.''

Madam Speaker, the Los Angeles basin holds one of the greatest concentrations of humanity in the world. People have come from all over the Earth to live there--when one walks down a street in Glendale or Alhambra one can hear a language from ten thousand miles away on one block and read signs in a vastly different language on the next. But if you look up a little higher, above the signs and above the buildings, you'll see grey-green mountains looking down on it all. In my district, we're right up against the Verdugo, Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains, and they surprise you all the time, appearing at street corners from behind the buildings, playing hide-and-seek with intervening hills and highways.

Though few of my constituents live up there, I try to get up into the hills as often as I can, and I'm often surprised by how many of my neighbors I run into on the trail. I think that, like me, they wander in the chaparral and oak forests to get away for a while, and find some perspective in the process. Among the families, teenagers and retirees I pass, I see all of the cultures I know from the streets of my district, all enjoying the fact that they can find some peace and quiet just a few minutes away from one of the largest cities in the world.

Our green spaces play an irreplaceable role in our communities, and on this Earth Day, I would like to celebrate them. This is a day to think globally, but it is also a day to act locally, by taking your family to the park and exploring all that you find there. In the words of John Muir, ``When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.''

Madam Speaker, at ten o'clock this morning, the nation of Israel observed two minutes of silence in observance of Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. For those two minutes, all activity in the country ceased to honor of the six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis during the madness of the Final Solution. For Israelis, the Holocaust remains the crucible that produced their state and its impact is felt daily across Israeli society--from politics to the arts.

Here in the United States, the Holocaust is more remote. The GIs who helped to liberate the Nazi death camps more than six decades ago are fading into history and the grainy black and white footage of the victims images that stunned the world in the 1940s--now seem distant to many Americans.

For Israelis, though, the Holocaust serves as an omnipresent reminder of the historical insecurity of the Jewish people for whom persecution and exile have characterized two millennia of wandering from their ancient homeland. Coupled with Israel's mainly hostile and fundamentally unstable neighbors, the memory of Hitler's attempt to exterminate European Jewry has served to make Israelis extraordinarily vigilant in the face of constant security threats.

Israeli security analysts have focused their concern in recent years on Iran, which they see as the most critical existential threat to the Jewish state.

Through its support for Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, Tehran has taken up positions along Israel's borders and its proxies have repaid their Iranian masters handsomely by provoking large-scale military actions by Israel in 2006 and December of last year.

Through its relentless pursuit of the nuclear fuel cycle, Iran's radical regime seeks to dominate the region and to erect a permanent threat to Israel's security and the Israeli people.

Through its statements and the virulence of state-controlled media, Iranian leaders, particularly President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are clearly fixated on the demonization and destruction of Israel. Just yesterday, the Iranian president sparked a walkout at a United Nations racism conference in Geneva when he launched into a rambling rant against Israel and Jews. The prospect of Ahmadinejad with nuclear weapons is one that keeps many Israelis up at night and should be keeping many of us awake as well.

Given the potential consequences, the United States must make the prevention of Iran developing the bomb a cornerstone of both its strategy for the Middle East and its nonproliferation agenda. To do otherwise would place Israel in Iran's nuclear crosshairs and likely spur a regional arms race as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates could seek to match any Iranian nuclear weapons capability.

I support President Obama's decision to reach out to Tehran and I believe that tough, concerted diplomacy can be effective in getting the Iranian government to reassess its nuclear policy. But to be effective, that diplomacy must include a wide range of both inducements and disincentives. And it must take into account the character and nature of the current Iranian regime. And, finally, those charged with executing the policy must be willing to consider other alternatives should diplomacy fail.

Tehran's current declared enrichment activities at its Natanz facility are subject to regular inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which should be able to spot diversion or any attempt to produce weapons grade material before it can be turned into a weapon. As long as the IAEA can maintain its surveillance of the Natanz facility, any Iranian intention to produce weapons-grade material there is likely to be frustrated.

What concerns many senior officials in Israel, here in the United States and in Europe, is the possibility that Iran, which continues to withhold a lot of information about its nuclear program, may have a parallel, secret nuclear program that is beyond the reach of the IAEA and western intelligence monitoring. As David Albright, the President of the Institute for Science and International Security, told the Financial Times last week, aside from Natanz ``we don't know anything about what they are doing, how many centrifuges they have made, or whether they are ready to go with a duplicate facility that would allow them to produce fissile material.''

The juxtaposition of renewed diplomatic overtures and the unease over the extent of what we do not know about Iran's capabilities or its intentions, may strengthen our hand with the other permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, who are working to produce a collective response to the Iranian nuclear challenge. If our international partners perceive a new American willingness to explore seriously the prospect for a negotiated resolution to the Iran problem, they may also be ready to consider the more robust coercive measures that may become necessary if Iran is shown to be pursuing a nuclear weapons capability.

International cohesion will be absolutely vital if we are to resolve this standoff without resorting to force. Tehran has been adroit at exploiting differences between the United States and its international partners, some of whom have been unwilling to consider the possibility that President Ahmadinejad's vitriol is not merely intended for domestic consumption but is a real reflection of his murderous intentions. This could prove a tragic mistake.

Seventy-five years ago, Europeans, Americans and even many German Jews dismissed Hitler's threats against the Jews as political posturing. How could Germany, a nation with a rich and distinguished culture, whose cities embodied the best of cosmopolitan Europe, follow a depraved Austrian corporal into the depths of hatred? Humanity paid an enormous price for its passivity and the world pledged ``never again.''

We may now be faced with a similar threat from another society with a rich culture going back thousands of years and a sophisticated citizenry. Do we dismiss Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a hate-filled demagogue, or do we take his threats seriously? All of us--Americans, Israelis, Europeans and Russians--would be well advised to remember the past, even as we work towards what we hope will be a safer tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009''--legislation to highlight and promote freedom of the press worldwide.

In early 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan, just four months after 9/11. Lured from his apartment, Daniel was on his way to interview a Muslim fundamentalist when he was captured. Just two days before his abduction, Daniel had learned that his wife Mariane was expecting a baby boy. Although four of the kidnappers were convicted in July of 2002, seven other suspects, including those who allegedly helped murder Daniel Pearl, remain at large.

Despite international outrage over this brutal murder, freedom of the press has continued to decline on a global scale.

In 2006, Anna Politkovskaya, one of Russia's most prominent journalists, was shot dead in her apartment building. The investigative journalist, well known for her critical reports of the Kremlin's actions in Chechnya, is widely believed to be the victim of a politically motivated contract killing. Anna Politkovskaya was the 13th Russian journalist murdered during President Vladimir Putin's administration. One month ago, a jury in Moscow acquitted three men charged with her murder.

Just two weeks ago, on March 17th, 2009, two American journalists were detained by the North Korean authorities while reporting on the plight of North Korean refugees in China. North Korea has accused the reporters of illegally entering North Korea from China and has stated the journalists will be indicted and tried for suspected hostile acts.

Acts of violence against journalists continue to rise in frequency, with very few of the attacks resulting in prosecution. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, in 2008 at least 41 journalists were killed in connection with their work, and 125 were imprisoned. As the level of violence directed at the press continues to rise, so too does the side effect of self-censorship. Legal mechanisms are also increasingly being used to restrict the media, both through overt censorship and through the use of laws that forbid ``endangering national security'' or ``inciting hatred'' by commenting on sensitive or anti-government topics.

Freedom of expression cannot exist where journalists and the media are not independent and safe from persecution and attack. Our government must promote freedom of the press by putting on center stage those countries in which journalists are killed, imprisoned, kidnapped, threatened, or censored. Therefore, together with my colleague Congressman Pence, I am introducing legislation which calls upon the Secretary of State to submit an annual report of on the status of freedom of the press worldwide, bringing attention to those governments, extremists, and criminal groups which seek to silence opposition.

To further this effort, my legislation also establishes a grant program aimed at broadening and strengthening the independence of journalists and media organizations. Too often media assistance programs are short-term, ranging from one year projects to weekend workshops, and are buried as a second thought under broader human rights programs. The Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 will give prominence to freedom of the press projects within the State Department, and ensure a long-term, holistic approach to journalist and media development.

Please join me in this effort to promote freedom of the press worldwide.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, to celebrate the 45-year transportation career of Roger Snoble, who will retire on April 8, 2009. Roger Snoble, and his wife Kit, reside in Pasadena, CA in the 29th Congressional District and he worked at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the past eight years, located in the 34th Congressional District.

Over the past 45 years, Roger has applied tremendous skill and leadership to create better public transportation systems for all of his communities. As a result, he has distinguished himself as one of the Nation's foremost experts and practitioners in the transportation sector. He began his transportation career in 1965 as a planner for the TriCounty Regional Planning Commission in Akron, Ohio. He then moved on to work for Akron's Metro Transit district in 1971. And in 1973, Roger moved to California and worked his way through the ranks of planning and scheduling to be the President and General Manager of the San Diego Transit Corporation.

Always wanting to challenge himself, Roger went on to serve as President and Executive Director of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit District (DART) for seven and a half years. In 2001, Roger was appointed to serve as Chief Executive Officer for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), a multimodal transportation agency responsible for bus and rail operations, planning and construction in Los Angeles County. During his seven and a half years at Metro, Roger has guided the agency through successful openings of the Metro Gold and Orange Lines, introduced scores of popular Metro Rapid Lines, and seen Metro named ``America's best large transit agency.'' He also co-founded the Mobility-21 Coalition and was instrumental in the passage of Measure R, a \1/2\ cent sales tax that will fund a comprehensive package of new transit, street and highway improvements in Los Angeles County for the next 30 years.

Roger has won numerous awards throughout his transportation career. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named Snoble ``Transit Manager of the Year'' in 1998. Under his leadership, Metro was named by APTA as ``Outstanding Public Transportation System'' in 2006, and DART was cited by APTA as the ``Transit Agency of the Year'' in 1997.

Although we know Roger primarily through his role in transportation, Roger and his wife, Kit, are founding members of the African Conservation Fund, which assists communities in the East Africa in creating economic opportunities that result in improved wildlife management and wealthier and healthier communities. In addition, Roger has served on the boards of the San Diego Zoo, Dallas Zoological Association and the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. He recently joined the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert, CA. Through these experiences, Roger has a vast photojournal library that will continue to expand in his retirement as he leads safaris to educate communities about the importance of conservation as well as economic development opportunities in surrounding areas. He also has extended his photojournalist editing skills to many local non-profits as another example of his passion to help others.

We extend our warm congratulations and appreciation to Roger and his wife Kit for Roger's tireless service to the public transportation communities in Akron, OH, San Diego, CA, Dallas, Texas and Los Angeles County and wish him well in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank and congratulate my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee and Chairman Thompson, and my colleague from California, Mr. Lungren. I appreciate all their support. The committee has taken an important step forward in preventing nuclear terrorism by persevering with this legislation. I appreciate all the hard work that has gone into it.

Countries around the world now have access to technology that was once the realm of the few, and dangerous nuclear materials are sprinkled around the world. It seems that each week brings evidence of the connection between North Korea and a serious nascent nuclear program, and we are still unraveling the details of the nuclear smuggling ring headed by A.Q. Khan 5 years after it was uncovered.

This is not a new problem. Illicit nuclear material has been intercepted in transit out of the former Soviet Union many times since the end of the Cold War, and the material we catch is surely just a small fraction of the total amount trafficked.

Last week, Graham Allison wrote in Newsweek that ``the only thing that can keep nuclear bombs out of the hands of terrorists is a brand new science of nuclear forensics.'' During the Cold War, we forestalled a Soviet nuclear attack with the threat of retaliation. But the decentralized flexible terror networks that we face today are not as easily deterred. A terrorist attack will also not leave a missile contrail pointed back toward those responsible.

As Allison writes: ``The key to a new deterrent is coming up with some way of tracing the nuclear material backward from an explosion in New York City, for example, to the reactor that forged the fissile material, even to the mines that yielded the original uranium ore.'' The Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act is designed to do just that. The act is aimed at decisionmakers in North Korea, Pakistan, Iran and elsewhere who could sell nuclear material, as well as the smugglers and corrupt officials around the world who could steal it. Those parts of the nuclear network can be deterred by the knowledge that if their material is found, the U.S. will find out and hold them responsible.

The first part of this bill expands our ability to determine the source of nuclear material by authorizing the National Technical Nuclear Forensic Center in the Department of Homeland Security. This center will coordinate the various agencies and ensure an efficient, combined response when nuclear material is intercepted or, God forbid, used in a weapon. It will also advance the science of nuclear forensics, bringing in new radiochemists and physicists to rejuvenate a rapidly aging workforce, and funding research on new methods to identify materials.

But this bill also has another purpose. As with fingerprints or DNA, the strength of nuclear forensics depends on the strength of our database. Nuclear material can come from many nations, some friendly, some unfriendly, and the individual recipes are closely guarded secrets. However, little of the information needed for forensics is of direct use to adversaries, so in many cases the risk of not sharing the data is much greater than the risk of sharing it.

To build a nuclear forensics database, the bill asks the President to negotiate agreements with other nations to share forensic data on their nuclear materials, both civilian and military. This effort is vital, and the National Technical Forensic Center must play a key role in the negotiations to ensure that the data we obtain is the data necessary for quick attribution and response.

Nuclear terrorism is a vague threat of devastating consequence and, therefore, difficult to guard against. But as communications and transportation revolutions bring us ever closer to our allies, they bring us closer to our enemies as well. I believe this bill will help make sure that our ability to prevent a nuclear attack keeps up with our enemies' ability to prosecute one.

Again, I want to thank Chairman Thompson for his leadership and urge all Members to support the bill.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I just wanted to thank my colleague, Mr. McCaul, for his help when he was chairing the subcommittee and the improvements that he made to the bill. I wanted to acknowledge and appreciate all your efforts.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Harry L. Baldwin, retiring as Mayor of the City of San Gabriel. Mayor Baldwin served on the City Council for seventeen years and was selected Mayor by his colleagues on the council for three terms. Mayor Baldwin's legacy in the City of San Gabriel and surrounding communities will endure for generations to come.

During his tenure, Mayor Baldwin worked vigorously and enthusiastically to promote and secure funds for many important projects. One of Mayor Baldwin's greatest accomplishments has been his work to obtain federal funding for the construction of grade separations and safety mitigation for the Alameda Corridor East Project. Over a decade of effort, nearly five hundred million dollars was acquired for this endeavor. Mayor Baldwin's service as President of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (COG) and Vice Chairman of the Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority (ACE) was crucial in securing this funding.

Promoting the interests of the region has been a high priority for Mayor Baldwin. While working on the City Council, he secured funds for park expansions and was essential to the formation of the San Gabriel Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. Additionally, public safety has always been a significant concern of Mayor Baldwin's. He was able to identify a pressing need in the city's Fire Department for expanded services and instituted a paramedic training program for the staff.

Mayor Baldwin and his wife Sally have lived in the Mission District for over forty-five years. The product of California public schools, he graduated from both Mark Keppel High School and UCLA. After graduating, Harry worked in the insurance business until just six years ago.

Before election to the City Council in 1992, Mr. Baldwin was president of the San Gabriel Chamber of Commerce. Since then, he has been actively involved with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). He served as President of the West San Gabriel Valley YMCA and is currently a board member of the Arthritis Foundation of Southern California, San Gabriel Valley Branch, in addition to being involved with many other organizations.

Mayor Baldwin has been a tireless advocate for the City of San Gabriel and the region as a whole. I ask all Members to join me in thanking Harry L. Baldwin for the years of selfless, dedicated service he has provided to the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Joylene Wagner of Glendale, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Mrs. Wagner as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Born and raised in Monrovia, California, Joylene graduated in 1976 from University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Western Civilization and continued on to the University of San Diego's Legal Assistant program. During her five years working as a litigation paralegal in San Diego and later in Los Angeles, she served on the founding board of the San Diego Association of Legal Assistants and in the La Jolla University/Community Chorus and Orchestra Association.

Joylene and her husband Robert moved to Glendale in 1981, where they both became active in the Adams Hill Homeowners Association. They are very proud of their 3 children, who all attended Glendale schools. Their daughter Meg now teaches children with autism in Fairfax County, Virginia, son Will serves on the staff of Senator Arlen Specter, and son Nick will graduate from Glendale High School this year.

Since 1985, in addition to singing in the First United Methodist Church choir, Joylene has split her time between volunteering in the schools and community and working part-time

teaching children's choral music either at church, in Glendale elementary schools, or at the Los Angeles Children's Chorus. Her community involvement has included serving on the boards of Glendale Healthy Kids, Verdugo Workforce Investment, Los Angeles County School Trustees Association, and the League of Women Voters, as well as on the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission.

Before her election to the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education in 2005, Joylene worked locally as a substitute teacher and completed graduate work in education. She has since served as the Board's President, working to find ways to enrich and increase student learning through arts instruction and career-technical education opportunities. In the face of drastic state funding cuts and in an effort to ensure budgetary support for educational priorities, Joylene has facilitated creative, courageous, and cooperative community conversations about what is most essential for student success.

Joylene's steadfast dedication and selfless service are an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Mrs. Joylene Wagner.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Sonya Mkryan of Altadena, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Dr. Mkryan as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Sonya was born in Sanjak, the French mandate of Syria, and emigrated at age ten to Soviet Armenia with her parents and three siblings. By the time she travelled from Armenia to the United States with her husband and three children in 1979, she had obtained a PhD in Technical Studies and worked for two decades as a scientist and researcher at the Armenian Academy of Sciences. Her first job in America was as a mechanical inspector for Robertshaw Industrial Products.

As an educator and geophysicist, Sonya has taught in the Pasadena Unified School District as a professor of physics at Polytechnic Institute. For the past twenty-three years she has contributed her knowledge and experience to the County of Los Angeles' Department of Public Social Services in hopes of serving society for the better.

A woman of multiple talents, Sonya is also an artist and a writer. Over the last twenty years she has held several solo shows and has actively participated in many group exhibitions. Aside from scientific articles published in the Russian, she has published six books of poetry and short stories: five in Armenian and the sixth in English. She is a member of the Armenian Writers Union of California and is an honorable member of the International Society of Poets.

Sonya's life story is a testament to the brilliant potential of this nation's women and her steadfast dedication and selfless service are an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Dr. Sonya Mkryan.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Melinda Hsia of South Pasadena, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Dr. Hsia as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Born in San Francisco, Melinda graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a major in Bacteriology and received her Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Southern California. She began to master the art of multi-tasking while working at the Glendale Adventist Medical Center for 16 years, when in addition to her medical pursuits, she obtained her real estate license and sold houses part- time. By the time her children, Andrew and Chloe, were born and her husband, Tom, retired, Melinda had become a veteran at juggling multiple roles. Outside of her volunteer efforts Melinda is an avid gardener and a pharmacist at Costco Alhambra where she counsels everyone from pediatric to elderly patients.

Melinda's children have inspired her community involvement year after year. She began as a PTA member at their elementary school, helping to coordinate talent shows, musical productions, and promotions. Once her children entered high school, Melinda became the South Pasadena Music Boosters Club President and an active member of several other committees which coordinate fundraisers and competitions to support athletic and school clubs. She is currently South Pasadena High School's PTSA Vice President of Programs. In this capacity, Melinda coordinates speaker forums such as ``Over-the-Counter Drugs and Teens'' and the Developing Capable Young People series. In 2007 she received South Pasadena High School's PTSA Volunteer of the Year award.

In addition to her PTSA involvement, Melinda serves her community as repeat President of the South Pasadena Chinese American Club, which raises funds for local public schools and community projects. The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, Huntington Library's Chinese Garden, the South Pasadena Educational Foundation, and the Union Station Foundation's Adopt-A-Meal program have all benefitted from Melinda's exemplary philanthropic leadership. She has supplemented her already busy schedule with positions on South Pasadena School District's Real Estate and Budget Advisory Committees and sits on the Board of Directors for the City's Chamber of Commerce.

Melinda's handiwork adorns the entire South Pasadena community, whether as a refurbished classroom or as a floral centerpiece, and her selfless service is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. Her devotion has even created a new generation of volunteers: daughter Chloe was recently named a Bronze and Silver Congressional Award Medalist. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Dr. Melinda Hsia.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Catherine Wills of Monterey Park, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Ms. Wills as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Family life in Minneapolis, Minnesota, infused Cathy with the spirit of volunteerism from the very beginning. As a young girl she watched her older sister, Charlotte, transform a personal struggle with spina bifida into success as a community activist. Cathy grew to share her father's concern for social issues such as global poverty, illiteracy, and health care, and she joined Charlotte as a devoted advocate for the physically disabled.

Soon after, Cathy's adventuresome spirit took her all the way to Cairo, Egypt. There she worked in a number of professions, from newspaper reporter to fashion model, advertising representative to tour guide. Cathy even landed a small role in Cecil B. DeMille's epic, ``The Ten Commandments.'' After living abroad, becoming fluent in Arabic, and traveling throughout Europe, she returned to the United States and settled in Monterey Park.

Cathy's thirty-plus years of local community outreach include serving as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, where she became the first woman assigned to the Detective Division's Homicide Bureau and spent her free time mentoring at-risk girls as a Pasadena YWCA ``Big Sister.'' Following retirement, Cathy has dedicated herself to the City and people of Monterey Park. She served on the board of directors of the Heritage Manor Convalescent Home, was a long-time appointee to the City's Personnel Board, and wrote a community column for the local newspaper.

Armed with a lifetime of experience and gumption, Cathy faced her husband's recent bouts with cancer head on and continues to support the City of Hope National Cancer Research Center. Her current roles include serving on city and county Election boards, fundraising as a member of the Soroptimist Club, and advocating for San Gabriel Valley causes as a founding member of the Concerned Citizens of Monterey Park. Cathy also honors outstanding volunteers as co-chair of the United Democratic Club's annual ``People Who Make a Difference'' award.

It is my privilege to celebrate Cathy just as she has recognized others for so many years. Her steadfast and selfless service is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Mrs. Catherine Wills.