Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the cuts to education, health care, housing and nutrition programs that we will consider later today once again expose the real agenda of the majority.

This reconciliation package presents a simple choice, either care for the poor, the sick and the hungry, and help students attend college, or cut taxes for the wealthy and give yet another handout to the oil industry. The choice seems almost too easy, but yet again, our friends on the other side of the aisle will sacrifice the moral principle of caring for your neighbor in favor of funneling billions in tax breaks and government handouts to the most well off.

These are the priorities of the majority. Increase our debt, punish the least among us, and line the pockets of the wealthy. I urge my colleagues to oppose this misguided and immoral reconciliation package.

Mr. Speaker, November 10, 2005 is going to be a very special, yet bittersweet day in Kentucky. After years of hard work and planning, the Kentucky Victims of Homicide Memorial is going to be brought to fruition. As former Attorney General I distinctly remember the beginnings of this project, and I regret that I must be voting in Washington during the memorial dedication.

I personally want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the KY Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Kentuckians' Voice for Crime Victims (KVCV), Resthaven Memorial Park, Muldoon Memorials, and Dignity Memorial for their enormous efforts in seeing that this memorial became a reality.

This memorial will serve as a remembrance of all victims, a place of comfort for those who have lost loved ones and an ongoing tribute to the fight against crime. We must maintain hope in our struggle against violence. We must continue to raise public awareness. And we must always honor the tragic deaths of innocent homicide victims.

The Kentucky Victims of Homicide Memorial will send a powerful message to the citizens of Kentucky. It is the largest memorial and only memorial of its kind in all of the United States. It will serve as a place of inspiration, a place of hope and a place of peace. I thank those who made this memorial a reality, and I hope it will provide a small sense of comfort to those who have been affected by violent crimes.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to pay tribute to the veterans of this country. November 11, 2005 is Veteran's Day. On this day, there will be ceremonies across our Nation honoring the service and sacrifice of the men and women who have served in our armed forces. In honor of these heroes, there will be a ceremony at the VA Medical Center on Leestown Road in Lexington, KY.

Kentuckians have always been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Currently, there are more than 370,000 veterans who call Kentucky home. These men and women have inspired our citizens for generations. As our men and women continue to return home from battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must honor their service and pay tribute to those who served before them.

Armistice Day, the original name of Veteran's Day, was established on the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, which

ended the first World War. The men and women who sacrificed and served during WWI were honored and remembered, in hopes that their service would be the last time American soldiers were called upon for such duties. Regrettably, our men and women continue to answer the call. Fortunately, our VA Medical Centers continue to provide the care that our veterans so desperately need.

It is the spirit of those who work at these centers, the spirit of the American people and the will of the American armed forces that keep this country strong. Veteran's Day should serve as a reminder to every American that our armed forces, both of past and present, are made up of individuals of great courage, character and honor.

It is our duty to ensure that our children and grandchildren never forget our country's finest heroes and always know their sacrifice. We must take the time to pay tribute to our fallen heroes, not just on Veteran's Day, but everyday. Their sacrifices and those of our military families are freedom's foundation. Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines and their families, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so brightly and live so freely.

The United States has attained its position of strength and prosperity thanks to the dedication of our veterans and our armed forces. No other group of Americans has stood stronger and braver for our democracy than our troops and veterans. We must always celebrate, honor and remember these courageous and faithful men and women.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shower praise on my constituents at Lexmark International, whose recent awards for environmental excellence show yet again the extremely impressive commitment of Lexmark to environmental protection.

As I am sure most of my colleagues know, Lexmark is one of the world's leading manufacturers of printers and developers of cutting- edge printing solutions for enterprises large and small. Lexmark is headquartered in Lexington, the heart of the Sixth Congressional District of Kentucky, and truly has become a global leader in the information technology sector.

Having toured Lexmark's headquarters and having viewed the range of highly-sophisticated equipment that Lexmark offers, and having met with one impressive engineer and manager after another during my visit with Lexmark, I congratulate Lexmark on being one of the true industrial gems of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

I am especially proud of Lexmark because when my grandfather served as Governor of Kentucky, he attracted Lexmark's predecessor, IBM, to the location Lexmark so

proudly occupies today. When I work with my friends at Lexmark, I will confess that I am mindful of my grandfather's role decades ago.

Lexmark does more than produce great products and systems for its customers. It upholds an environmental ethic that has been in place since the company's inception in 1991.

Most recently, Lexmark's headquarters was awarded with ISO (International Standardization Organization) 14001 certification, which is the gold standard for environmental compliance. Only the best of the best achieve it. ISO 14001 is the world's most recognized environmental system management framework, and to be certified--as Lexmark has been-- takes an enormous amount of effort.

ISO 14001 certification in Lexington is only the most recent addition to a long line of environmental achievements by Lexmark. Almost immediately after the company's inception in 1991, Lexmark initiated a novel and still-creative program for recycling used printer cartridges. Over the past 14 years this program has redirected millions of pounds of cartridges away from landfills and to recycling facilities. And these are not just any recycling facilities, but workshops that employ physically challenged adults to disassemble the cartridges for recycling in a safe environment.

Lexmark is exporting not only great products, but also its environmental ethic. Lexmark's site at Orleans, France, became one of the first companies in Europe to receive ISO 14001 certification. Lexmark Philippines has received national recognition there, not just for the company's commitment to environmental responsibility in every aspect of product design, manufacture, distribution, and use, but for efforts to preserve vital ecosystems as well.

Even more recently, Lexmark sites in Rosyth, Scotland; Boulder, Colorado; Juarez, Mexico; Chihuahua, Mexico; and Cebu, Philippines have met all the requirements to achieve ISO 14001.

I am sure my colleagues would agree that for a company to combine world-class products with a superior commitment to the environment and worker health and safety represents exactly what we hope American industry will do around the world.

Lexmark's participation as a charter member in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's EnergyStar program, its receipt of the Kentucky Governor's Environmental Excellence Award for Industrial Environmental Leadership, and its leadership in everything from ``The Reforest the Bluegrass Program'' in Lexington to Lexmark's Rainforest Project, which protects the indigenous peoples, plants, and animals of the rainforest, all reflect the unsurpassed commitment to environmental protection that defines the company.

The Lexmark Environmental Program has committed the company to three areas of concentration: the design of its products and services, its management of resources, and the commitment to being a responsible neighbor and employer. If the various awards Lexmark has received are any indication, the company certainly seems to be living up to its mission.

Mr. Speaker, you can see why I am so proud of my constituents at Lexmark. I ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to recognize the many outstanding accomplishments of Lexmark's employees recently and over the history of the company.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege for me to address this resolution where the House will once again congratulate the Armed Forces of our great Nation for their service in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. And it is also a privilege to serve on a committee whose chairman participated in the struggle against fascism by helping liberate the Philippines and helped liberate the people of those islands from Japanese control.

It is with a point of personal privilege to support this particular resolution that I stand to mention that my family, like so many other families, were affected. Just about every family in the United States of America was affected by World War II, and most by the Pacific Theatre in World War II.

My grandfather had the honor to serve on the Military Affairs Committee of the United States Senate during World War II; and during that service on the Military Affairs Committee, he spent time in the Pacific Theatre meeting with such American heroes as General Douglas MacArthur and General Joseph Stillwell to discuss allied war strategy. He said that he was never more proud than he was of our soldiers in the Pacific Theatre because they gave everything that they had.

The liberation of much of Eastern Asia and the eventual victory of allied forces in the war on the Pacific now seems to have been predetermined. Yet it was anything but decided during that important moment in global history.

Mr. Speaker, I have the greatest respect and admiration for the sacrifices of American soldiers, many of whom gave their lives in this epic battle against the forces of fascism. There are millions of citizens in the Asia-Pacific region, from the Philippines to South Korea, who also owe their freedom to the brave Americans who fought our enemies at Midway, at Guadalcanal and many other places.

In many ways, Mr. Speaker, the victory over Japan was more of a beginning than an end. In the aftermath of World War II, the United States developed strong alliances across the Asian-Pacific region that have only strengthened over the last 60 years.

The United States and Japan have developed a robust multifaceted relationship based on shared democratic values and mutual interests in Asia and global stability and development.

The strength of our relationship with Japan today demonstrates that the sacrifices made by brave American soldiers in the Pacific Theatre were indeed not in vain. With passage of this resolution, we once again commemorate these enormous contributions and commit ourselves to remembering for all time those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is only right that we continue to help these veterans. I was amazed to hear reports that members of our Armed Forces who survived Pearl Harbor have now survived Hurricane Katrina.

415 veterans from World War II and Korea whose Armed Forces retirement home in Gulfport, Mississippi, was swamped by Hurricane Katrina have been relocated around the country; 250 of those veterans have come to this very city.

Mr. Speaker, just as we are caring for our veterans who have been afflicted by this horrendous crisis, I hope this House quickly turns to the relief of all of our people on our Nation's gulf coast.

And I would also like to thank the U.S. servicemen and -women and all those citizens who are helping the citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama survive and recover from the devastation that they are enduring.

I fully support the emergency appropriations that this House passed last week. And I and the people of Kentucky stand ready to not only help the veterans but also every U.S. citizen affected by this devastating natural disaster.

Mr. Speaker, we are supremely proud of our heroes of the Pacific Theatre in World War II. And I proudly support this resolution. I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this Senate Joint Resolution 19, as amended, and Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, in 1975, in an effort to reduce the risks of war between the North Atlantic Alliance and the Warsaw Pact, the countries of the North Atlantic community and Eastern and Central Europe could agree on a common set of principles on peaceful relations and decent treatment of their citizens.

As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) so passionately and so eloquently said, it was a true watershed in human history. At the time, I am sure that the leaders of the Soviet Union thought that they had achieved much, such as the de facto recognition of a divided Germany, and given little. What, after all, they thought, is the danger of a few words about freedom on a piece of paper? Thirty years later, it is clear what was wrought by these words.

The principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms empowered the dissidents of Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States, Czechoslovakia, Poland and others to establish Helsinki monitoring or similar groups to try to push their governments to live up to the commitments of the Helsinki Final Act.

Indeed, many of those dissidents lost their personal freedom and sometimes even their lives in their courageous and vocal support for these principles. And the Helsinki Final Act is not merely an artifact of history, not merely an artifact of history. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the successor to the conference that drafted the act, continues to promote freedom and human rights throughout Europe, including the newly independent States of the former Soviet Union.

Just in the last year, the OSCE through its Offices for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has supported civil society in Belarus; sent election observers to Kyrgyzstan as it makes efforts to transition to an authoritarian regime; provided training on human rights monitoring to groups in the Caucasus; and assisted countries throughout the region in stopping the scourge of modern day slavery, the trafficking in persons.

Later this year, OSCE will make efforts to have a successful free and fair parliamentary election in Azerbaijan, a critical country to our efforts in Afghanistan and a country that is seeking to throw off the communist bonds of its past.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe does not stop in Europe.

It is helping the countries of Africa and other regions in their efforts at democratization.

Indeed, many have talked about a Helsinki Final Act for the Middle East to bring the value of the accords to the

people of those countries. Some have argued for a democracy charter for the countries of the Arab League, similar to the charter adopted by the Organization of American States.

Mr. Speaker, I hope the administration is seriously taking the lessons of the Helsinki process to heart as it moves forward with its efforts to promote democracy and pluralism through the broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative.

I strongly support this legislation, and may we strike more blows for basic human rights in the world.

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

Mr. Speaker, it was with alarm and a great sense of shock that I learned of the proposal to cut public broadcasting. Public broadcasting provides unbiased, in-depth coverage of public policy issues, exposure to the arts and culture, and quality family-friendly educational program.

Cutting funding for public broadcasting would damage the fabric of public discourse and citizen oversight, the very basis of representative government. By encouraging and informing public debate, public broadcasting makes a lasting contribution to community across the country and has historically enjoyed broad bipartisan support.

In Kentucky, Governors from both parties have worked with Kentucky Educational Television to create the largest PBS member network in America, serving 640,000 Kentuckians each week. The proposed cut that we debated today would have had a crippling impact on the ability of KET and other public broadcasters to inform the public and enrich the curriculum taught to school children in the district of every single Member of this body.

The question on everyone's minds was why?

As educators and parents across our Nation contend with inadequate resources for public schools, why drastically scale back support for programming that enhances basic education and provides many students, especially those in rural schools, with their only exposure to the arts, music and the humanities? As policymakers work to improve early childhood education, why eliminate support for good programs like Sesame Street and Clifford the Big Red Dog which improve reading and literacy skills for millions of children?

As parents express concern about indecent content in the shows that their children watch, why turn our back on the only station I can allow my three children, Lucie, Albert and Branham, to watch without supervision?

And as the public seeks refuge from an increasingly disappointing, and, in some cases, outright partisan media, why rescind support for highly respected objective news programs like the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and Frontline?

Why cripple excellent radio stations like WUKY and WEKU in my district, jeopardizing shows like Morning Edition and All Things Considered?

Why indeed? I cannot answer such questions. The very notion of turning away from the future of public broadcasting is preposterous. I am fearful this is an administration effort to either censor public broadcasters or intimidate them into favorably reporting on the current administration. I sincerely hope not. Objectivity and facts know nothing of partisan politics.

The opponents of public broadcasting should take note, we will never stop fighting to preserve public broadcasting's independence. Public broadcasting is a true civic treasury, a shining example of what good government policy can do to improve our quality of life and strengthen the American Republic by engaging citizens in public affairs.

As Thomas Jefferson once said, Whenever people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government.

Maintaining our commitment to public broadcasting will help keep the very people who elect us well informed, and in doing so, help to promote the integrity and proper functioning of this very body itself.

I applaud the Members of this body who rose to the defense of public broadcasting earlier today by voting to restore funding to a cherished American institution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Scott County American Legion Post 24. This Sunday, May 29, they will begin their annual Memorial Day Pilgrimage.

Beginning at 8 a.m., these dedicated veterans, along with family and friends, will depart from the Scott County Courthouse and travel to nine cemeteries to honor and show respect to our many departed veterans. They will arrive at the Georgetown Cemetery between 4:30 and 5 p.m. At this time they will also dedicate the stunning new 22 ft. marker honoring all branches of service.

The history of this important organization dates back to the end of World War I, when

15 surviving veterans returned to their homes in Scott County. This first pilgrimage was made in three horse drawn buggies to three different cemeteries.

Mr. Speaker, this Memorial Day weekend, it is important we honor and pay tribute to all who have served or are currently serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines. At a time when we have thousands of men and women still in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is essential we all take a moment to remember their great service and sacrifice.

The annual Memorial Day Pilgrimage of the Scott County American Legion Post 24 is a truly wonderful way to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces. I am sincerely grateful for their efforts.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word for the purpose of entering into a colloquy with the gentleman from New York (Chairman Walsh).

Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter into a colloquy to discuss a funding matter concerning the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program.

I rise today, Mr. Chairman, to bring attention to a significant funding problem that, if it is not solved, could halt the destruction of dangerous chemical weapons stockpiles in Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo, Colorado.

Within the last 2 months, there have been significant changes in the status of what is known as the ACWA program which manages the Blue Grass Ammunition Demilitarization Facility at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky and at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Pueblo, Colorado.

Due to recent Department of Defense decisions, the President's fiscal year 2006 budget no longer reflects the funding requirements needed for the Blue Grass site.

If the United States is to meet the 100 percent extended destruction deadline of April 2012 set by the Chemical Weapons Convention, a total of $31 million in funding needs to be allocated to the Military Quality of Life Chemical Demilitarization Construction account.

This $31 million would come in the form of a zero-sum adjustment to the President's budget, as he had included a $33 million request for ACWA under the RDT&E account.

I recognize that this bill does not have jurisdiction over the RDT&E account, which complicates the transfer of these funds. However, I request that when the House and Senate conferees meet to reconcile the two versions of this bill, that they consider adding these vital military construction funds to the ACWA program.

I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from New York for his recognition of both the funding needs of the ACWA program and the need to dispose of these dangerous weapons that threaten the safety of communities in Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo, Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, with great honor I rise today to pay tribute to the fallen heroes of the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police. We are the beneficiaries of their bravery and sacrifice. We will always be indebted to these men and women who sacrifice daily to protect our communities and ensure our safety. Their commitment to this country inspires future generations and stands as a powerful symbol of what draws us together as Americans. I want to commend them for setting such a fine example of what it means to live a life of duty and honor.

In these difficult times of fighting terror abroad, it is important to remember and thank those who keep us safe at home. Every day police officers put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we often take for granted. Every day police officers work so America's children will always know what it means to be free.

At a minimum, Mr. Speaker, we must always remember to give police officers the resources they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability. Shortchanging our police departments does more than hurt the officers, it hurts our entire country. And we must do more than fund our police departments--we must also be advocates for their service so all citizens know of their honor and courage, and sometimes ultimate sacrifice.

I am extraordinarily grateful to the men and women of Kentucky's Fraternal Order of Police. Their service, dedication and commitment to protecting the citizens of Kentucky are vital to the future of our Commonwealth and reflected in all our past successes. It is my great honor to recognize these American heroes today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a serious security risk to our communities. Our Federal prison system faces a crisis that we can no longer ignore.

The inmate population continues to reach record highs; yet the administration and Congress failed to provide the funding to keep our prisons secure. This has caused overcrowding and a shortage in correctional staff.

Our prisons are now more dangerous and our communities are being put in jeopardy. For example, last July, Lexington, Kentucky, an inmate escaped from the Lexington Federal Medical Center because there were fewer than 20 staff members supervising almost 2,000 inmates.

He was eventually caught. Thankfully, no one in the community was seriously injured. However, if we do not start funding our Federal prison systems at a level that provides adequate staff, we may not be as fortunate next time.

I urge my colleagues and the administration to provide sufficient funding to the Federal prison system.

Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleague from Texas, Mr. Ted Poe, for his leadership on this important subject

and for inviting me during Nation Crime Victim's Week to express my support for the Victims of Crime Act.

As many of you know, Congress enacted this landmark legislation over two decades ago to make sure victims of crime receive the care and treatment they need to recover from tragic incidents. This legislation sent a clear message to victims across America that Congress will not turn its back on anyone during these difficult times. Unfortunately, the President's proposed budget is on the verge of breaking that promise. His budget would cut $1.2 billion from this successful program and use it to pay off mounting deficits. This cut will translate directly into less money for programs that help victims throughout our Nation.

The people in my home district of Central Kentucky will immediately feel the effects of this cut. This program has provided millions of dollars for the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center, which this year alone helped over 750 rape victims. For the last 30 years, the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center has served 17 counties throughout Central Kentucky. It was the first rape crisis center in the state and one of the first in the nation.

Thanks to the Center's services, over 750 women this year have had a friend to face what could have been the most traumatic event of their life. If the President's budget goes through, the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center will have to drastically cut its services, layoff experienced staff, and close the doors of their offices throughout Central Kentucky. Without this funding, there will be fewer staff members to answer calls at the Center's 24-hour crisis line.

Do we really want to leave a 19 year old young woman on hold as she is reaching out for help after a tragic incident? Or even worse, less funding will result in fewer rape crisis counselors to meet a woman at the hospital and sit with her as she undergoes a rape exam and a police interview. Are we willing to have a woman wait alone in the hospital because her hometown does not have a designated rape counselor? And what are we going to say to the women who continue to experience trauma beyond the hospital or the police station. A funding cut would also leave hundreds of rape victims without counselors to help them as they experience flashbacks or relapses. How is a woman expected to rebuild her life if we strip away the tools she needs to do so?

On behalf of all the residents in Kentucky who have suffered terrible crimes and are working to put their lives back in order, I encourage all of my colleagues to support a budget that protects victim's rights. We must keep our promise to these individuals and not leave them waiting at the hospital alone without a friend or counselor to provide relief. We made a promise in 1984 to care for these individuals and we have a responsibility to fulfill that promise. All I am asking is that we do what Congress said it would do in the first place.

Mr. Speaker, as many of you may know, the President is in my home State of Kentucky today talking about the need to reform Social Security. He is trying to convince Americans that the program is in crisis and that privatization is the only way to make sure Social Security remains strong.

What the President is not telling the public is that privatization may cause families all across America to lose their retirement savings on the stock market.

When I think of Social Security, I think of Samuel Insko from Lancaster, Kentucky, who voted for the President but now believes that the President has turned his back on America. He worked all his life in Kentucky until one day he was injured and could no longer work.

Social Security saved him. He says he would be homeless and broke without Social Security. Privatization would harm Samuel Insko as well as all of our children and grandchildren, who would be saddled with trillions of dollars in debt.

The President is trying to mortgage away our future by proposing a plan that would add $4.8 trillion to our national debt over the next 20 years. If we want America to remain prosperous, we need to make responsible decisions that do not tie the hands of future generations.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor I rise today to pay tribute to one of Kentucky's finest musicians, Art Stamper.

Nationally acclaimed in Bluegrass music, Art Stamper began playing the banjo and fiddle before age 10. His first fiddle had a self-made bow and Art taught himself how to play his first song. One of 4 sons and 3 daughters of the late Martha and Hiram Stamper, Art Stamper was born in 1933 in a log house in Knott County, Kentucky. Art Stamper got his love of music from his father. Hiram Stamper was an accomplished musician, and Art quickly followed suit, becoming a professional musician by age 16. Art Stamper helped define the music we now call Bluegrass. During his career and travels around the world, he worked with Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, the Osborne Brothers, the Goins Brothers, Larry Sparks, Jim & Jesse, Bill Clifton and J.D. Crowe.

Art Stamper is not only known as a master fiddler but also for his mastery as a hairdresser. He won many awards as owner of Louisville's The Way of Art. Art never stopped playing the fiddle as other musicians would come for haircuts and play while waiting their turn.

Art Stamper is the father of two sons and one daughter and husband of Kay Kawaguchi Stamper. Mr. Speaker, Art Stamper passed away on Sunday, January 23, 2005, but will always be remembered for his endless contributions to society and especially that of Bluegrass music.

Mr. Speaker, this week nearly 4,000 people will attend the National Prayer Breakfast, including 1,500 representing 170 nations from all continents of the world. What began in 1952 as a small gathering, led by President Eisenhower and Senator Frank Carlson of Kansas, has evolved over time to being a much larger ecumenical event, particularly as it relates to international participation. As my colleagues know, the Senate and House prayer groups are official sponsors of the National Prayer Breakfast.

While many of the major faiths are represented, with a special emphasis this year on involving leaders from Israel and Palestine, the purpose has not changed: to emphasize the principles and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as the best means of achieving reconciliation and peace in a troubled world.

Our Nation is challenged as never before to deal with religious extremism and the increasing militarism of certain faiths occurring in many countries around the world. That is why I appreciate the example of Kazakhstan, whose president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is making a considerable effort to deal with religious diversity in his country and in the region. In fact, all of the world's great religions--Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism, are present and thriving in Kazakhstan, thanks to a climate of tolerance and openness in that country.

Kazakhstan today is a model of religious diversity. One half of the country's 15 million people are Muslim and roughly one-half are Orthodox Christian, with 40 other religions and 100 ethnic minorities among its citizens. Leaders of the major religious sects, including Russian Orthodox and other Christian as well as Jewish leaders, all say there is full freedom of religion in Kazakhstan.

Pope John Paul II, on a visit to Kazakhstan, called it an ``example of harmony between men and women of different origins and beliefs.'' Kazakhstan is emerging as an example of regional stability given its positive atmosphere regarding religious expression and lack of interethnic and inter-religious conflicts.

In September 2003, Kazakhstan hosted the first ever congress of leaders of world and traditional religions. Upon conclusion of the congress, 120 religious leaders from 18 different religions unanimously adopted a declaration renouncing terrorism and promoting the true values of all religions--tolerance, truth, justice and love of one another as the basic tenets of all religious teachings. The delegates pledged to combat violence by propagating the peaceful values of their different faiths.

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to learn that Mr. Nurtai Abikayev, who is Speaker of the Upper House and chairman of Kazakhstan's National Security Council, will be attending this year's National Prayer Breakfast and a featured speaker at the International Luncheon. It demonstrates not only President Nazarbayev and Speaker Abikayev's personal commitment to the idea of religious tolerance in their country and throughout Central Asia, but to also learn more about our country's tradition and beliefs and how America's religious and ethnic diversity has also become a source of strength in our Nation.

As one who sits on the House International Relations Committee, I have come to appreciate the difficulty and challenge these countries face in making the transition to Western-style democracies where freedom and free markets are new experiences. It has been uneven, to be sure, and there is plenty of room for criticism. But I do applaud Kazakhstan's leadership and example in insuring that religious freedom will be a cornerstone of building a freer society in that country.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude by inserting into the Record the Declaration of the Participants of the First Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.