Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on its 75th anniversary, August 14, Social Security is once again under assault by congressional Republicans. Social Security has been, for 75 years, a bedrock promise. You earned it with a lifetime of hard work, and it should be there for you for future generations.

If Republicans had succeeded, seniors would have lost trillions more in the stock market meltdown of the Bush recession. But, instead, no one lost a penny in Social Security.

Social Security is not the cause of our budget deficits, and benefit cuts should not be the solution.

Mr. Speaker, right now, 15 million out-of-work Americans are waiting on the Senate to extend unemployment benefits which contribute to paying mortgages, health care bills, utility bills and the cost of food when there isn't a paycheck coming in.

The Democrats' unemployment bill will provide up to 99 weeks of unemployment checks, averaging about $300, to people whose 26 weeks of State-paid benefits have run out. The benefits would be extended through the end of November. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll released July 13, more than six in ten Americans support congressional action to extend unemployment benefits for jobless workers.

Earlier this month, the House passed the Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act to restore and extend emergency unemployment benefits through November 30. Americans know these benefits not only are much needed, but they are their life support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5450. I would also like to thank the members of the California delegation for supporting this bill.

H.R. 5450 would designate a Post Office in my district located at 3894 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the Tom Bradley Post Office Building.

Tom Bradley served as the mayor of Los Angeles for an unprecedented 20 years, as a city councilman for 10 years, and as a Los Angeles police officer for 21 years. Tom Bradley, the son of sharecroppers and the grandson of a former slave, was born on December 29, 1917, to Lee and Crenner Bradley in Calvert, Texas. In 1924, the Bradleys moved to Los Angeles near Temple and Alvarado Streets.

A young Tom Bradley attended Polytechnic High School, where he starred in track and was an all-city football player. Upon graduating from high school in 1937, Bradley attended the University of California at Los Angeles on a track scholarship. During his junior year at UCLA, Bradley dropped out to attend the Los Angeles Police Academy.

After becoming a police officer in 1940 and serving many years in the department, Tom Bradley would rise to the rank of lieutenant, which was the highest rank for an African American at that time.

While working for the Los Angeles Police Department, Bradley studied at night at Southwestern University School of Law and received his law degree in 1956. He later passed the State bar, and in 1961 he would leave the LAPD to practice law.

In 1963, Tom Bradley, along with Billy Mills, would become the first African Americans elected to the Los Angeles City Council. Bradley would serve on the City Council until the year 1972. During his tenure on the City Council, he would speak out against racial segregation within the LAPD, as well as the department's handling of the Watts riots in 1965.

In 1969, Tom Bradley first challenged incumbent mayor Sam Yorty. Armed with key endorsements, Bradley held a substantial lead over Yorty in the primary, but was a few percentage points shy of winning the race outright. However, in the runoff, Yorty pulled an amazing come-from- behind victory to win reelection, primarily because he played racial politics.

In 1973, Tom Bradley would unseat Sam Yorty to become Los Angeles' first African American mayor and the second African American to be mayor of a major United States city.

During Tom Bradley's tenure as mayor, Los Angeles overtook San Francisco as the financial capital of the State and much of the West. The

City of Los Angeles sprouted a skyline of new and impressive office buildings, and with a booming international airport and Port of Los Angeles, the city became a transportation hub and gateway to the Pacific rim.

In 1982, as the Democratic Party nominee, Tom Bradley lost the race for California governor to George Deukmejian by less than 1 percentage point of the vote. The racial dynamics that appeared to underlie his narrow and unexpected loss in 1982 gave rise to the political term ``the Tom Bradley effect.''

In 1984, amid a chorus of people predicting disaster, Tom Bradley championed Los Angeles as the host of the Summer Olympics. The games were a huge success, bringing the city not only great publicity, but a $250 million surplus, and I am happy to announce that that surplus has grown and it still remains around $300 million.

Tom Bradley's most difficult moments as mayor came in the last years of his tenure. During the 1992 Los Angeles riots, more than 50 people were killed in the civil unrest following the acquittal of the police officers involved in the Rodney King beating.

During a speech in September of 1992 when Bradley announced he would not seek a sixth term as mayor, he stated, ``The April unrest tore at my heart, and I will not be at peace until we have healed our wounds and rebuilt our neighborhoods. Let us all, every one of us, pledge to make Los Angeles a beacon of mutual respect, justice and tolerance from this day forward.''

The words of tolerance, justice, and respect were how Tom Bradley lived his life, governed the city of Los Angeles, and created coalitions with people from every race, religion, and ethnic background.

At the age of 80, Tom Bradley died on September 29, 1998. He was survived by his late wife, Ethel Bradley, and their two daughters, Lorraine and Phyllis. The city of Los Angeles will never have a mayor that served as long as Tom Bradley and had the type of impact and influence he commanded. For this Congress to give Tom Bradley this honor would be fitting, due to his life's work as a public servant working to bring justice and prosperity to all citizens of Los Angeles.

And I proudly, Mr. Speaker, would like all of you to know Tom Bradley followed my father, who was a police officer in Los Angeles, and he was proud to say that he helped to train him.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5450.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1321) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the political situation in Thailand be solved peacefully and through democratic means, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Congressman Faleomavaega, for introducing this important resolution, which calls for a peaceful resolution to the political situation in Thailand through democratic means.

As we all know, earlier this year Red Shirt protesters occupied the streets of Bangkok for 9 weeks. At first, these protests were peaceful. Over time, however, clashes between the Red Shirts and the security forces escalated into urban warfare. By mid-May, 89 people, the vast majority of them civilians, had been killed, and around 1,800 wounded, including a renegade Thai general who joined the antigovernment protests.

Since the outbreak of these protests, the government has made significant strides towards addressing the concerns of the protesters. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced that he plans to hold new elections by the end of 2011.

His fans called for all parties to join together in upholding the institution of the constitutional monarchy, working towards resolving fundamental problems of social justice, ensuring that the media can operate freely, creating an independent committee to investigate the street protests, and establishing political rules through solicitation of views from all sides.

I believe that the Prime Minister's plan is a positive step towards achieving democratic reconciliation. Earlier this month, the Prime Minister survived a vote of no confidence in the parliament over his handling of the protests, demonstrating that there is support for the PM to lead the country towards reconciliation.

I want to remind my colleagues that Thailand is one of the United States' closest friends and most dependable allies. In 1833 we concluded the first treaty with an Asian nation when we joined with Thailand in the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. In 1954, we forged a military alliance. And in 2003, the United States designated Thailand as a major non-NATO ally.

Because of our long history, I believe that we must do everything we can to support reconciliation in Thailand and to convey our sincere hope that Thailand continues to prosper with democracy, stability, and the rule of law. That is why I cosponsored House Resolution 1321, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution and moving it towards speedy adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1405) congratulating the people of the 17 African nations that in 2010 are marking the 50th year of their national independence, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Rush for introducing this resolution that recognizes the 50th anniversary of independence for 17 African countries.

In the scramble for Africa between 1880 and the First World War, European countries extended their political and economic rule over the vast territory and resources of Africa. The colonizing powers saw this as an opportunity to continue commerce between Europe and Africa following the end of the slave trade.

At the Berlin Conference of 1884, the European powers carved up Africa among themselves to suit their demand for gold, diamonds, minerals, and spices. The age of European imperialism ravaged the human and natural resources of the African continent.

In 1941, President Roosevelt introduced the principle of the Economy of Imperial Colonies to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and started the debate over British and eventually all European imperialism. In 1957, sub-Saharan Africa's post-colonial era began with the independence of Ghana. Over the following several decades, all other African countries won their independence and joined the international community of sovereign nations.

Now, this resolution congratulates the people of the 17 African nations who celebrate their 50th year of national independence in 2010. The American people have benefited greatly from our relations with African nations during the past 50 years.

African countries remain among our strongest allies in the world. We enjoy strong economic and political ties with many African countries, and we are the beneficiaries of strong cultural and social ties to Africa's people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois, Bobby L. Rush.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1412) congratulating the Government of South Africa upon its first two successful convictions for human trafficking, as amended.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for introducing this resolution, congratulating South Africa for its first two successful convictions of human trafficking. These convictions demonstrate South Africa's commitment to protecting the vulnerable within its borders.

While important progress has been made, the resolution also urges the government of South Africa to take further steps to prevent human trafficking by enacting a more comprehensive anti-human trafficking law, pursuing its Child Protection Strategy, prioritizing enforcement during the World Cup, educating all relevant government officials about the problem, and providing rehabilitative care for those who are freed from forced labor in the sex industry.

In May of 2004, South Africa was awarded the coveted World Cup Tournament, which is going on there today. Recognizing the nexus between major sporting events and crime, particularly prostitution, the South African government placed a high priority on public awareness and the anti-trafficking law. As the preparation for the soccer tournament got underway, the country's sex industry was simultaneously gearing up for the large influx of visitors and the trafficking of women, girls, men, and boys into city brothels to meet the expected demand.

Mr. Speaker, after ridding itself of the hateful apartheid system, South Africa has been on a relentless drive to modernize its laws and make sure they protect their citizens and punish offenders. In spite of the many achievements since throwing off the burden of apartheid, the country, like others, is plagued by many ills that confront the rest of the world, including human trafficking. Because of daunting economic problems throughout Africa and its own endemic rural and urban poverty, South African cities are an attractive place for bad characters, including human traffickers and drug dealers.

South Africa must confront both sides of the problem, as it is both a source and a destination for trafficking persons. People from impoverished areas throughout Africa are brought into the country to provide sexual services and all kinds of menial labor for little or no pay. Young boys are made to beg on the streets or work on farms while young girls are forced into domestic servitude or the illicit sex industry. At the same time, traffickers often target South Africans themselves, sending them off to Europe or the United States as laborers or domestic servants.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of South Africa has invested in law enforcement, community education, and international cooperation to stem the tide of trafficked persons. African countries collectively are taking the crime of trafficking seriously. Last week, the African Union announced that it is establishing an AU Commission initiative against trafficking. This new campaign, announced on the Day of the African Child, will help ensure that member states are adopting and properly implementing international protocols to eliminate trafficking.

To eradicate human trafficking--to find and free those who are living in shackles, to prevent vulnerable and marginalized people from falling captive to those who would commodify human life--is a challenge that must be shared by all governments. That is why I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and join me in recognizing the progress that South Africa is making.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3104) to permanently authorize Radio Free Asia, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill, which passed the Senate last week by unanimous consent, would amend the International Broadcasting Act of 1994

to permanently authorize Radio Free Asia. Radio Free Asia, or RFA, was established by Congress in 1994 and began its operations in 1996. As a private, nonprofit corporation, its mission is to provide accurate and timely news to Asian countries whose governments prohibit access to a free press.

Today, RFA broadcasts news and information in nine languages: Burmese, Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Khmer, Laotian, Tibetan, Uyghur, and Vietnamese. RFA also maintains a vibrant Internet presence, providing information through podcasts, blogs, message boards, and YouTube.

Because RFA is guided by the principles of free expression and opinion and serves its Asian listeners by providing information critical for informed decisionmaking, the governments of the countries that RFA targets have actively sought to block RFA's transmissions and access to its Web site. These repressive governments are clearly concerned that public access to the timely, uncensored, and accurate information provided by RFA will lead to greater demands for democracy, respect for fundamental human rights, and government accountability.

A winner of numerous human rights and broadcast journalism awards, RFA has played a vital role in providing information in some of the most oppressed societies in Asia. For example, RFA broke the news of the peaceful protest by Tibetan monks in the capital of Tibet in 2008 and provided extensive coverage, used by major international media outlets, of the Chinese crackdown on the monks.

By permanently authorizing RFA, we will enhance the efficiency of the RFA's operations and send a powerful signal of our country's support for a free press in Asia and throughout the world.

According to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ``everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.''

RFA's mission is to do just that, to bring news and information about their own countries to populations denied the benefits of freedom of information by their governments. RFA's broadcasts, through the radio and the Internet, are devoted to that very idea, to that notion of enlightenment.

Radio Free Asia provides a vital voice to hundreds of millions of people in Asia, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1462) expressing support for the people of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador as they persevere through the aftermath of Tropical Storm Agatha which swept across Central America causing deadly floods and mudslides, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.

On May 29, 2010, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador experienced devastating floods and mudslides caused by Tropical Storm Agatha. Agatha has left 174 dead and directly affected more than 62,000 families in Guatemala, killed 22 and forced nearly 8,000 into shelters in Honduras, and left 11 dead and 12,000 in shelters in El Salvador. And to make matters worse, over 2,000 Guatemalans were displaced with little forewarning following the eruption of the Pacaya volcano on May 27, 2010.

The combination of the tropical storm and the volcano has devastated Guatemala's landscape leaving behind sinkholes and mudslides across the country. In addition, due to recent droughts, erratic rainfalls and high food prices, a sharp drop in remittances, Guatemala now faces severe food insecurity, and this is expected to increase in the wake of Tropical Storm Agatha.

Guatemalan officials are estimating that damages will surpass $475 million. In Honduras, the loss in the agriculture sector could be close to $18.5 million. In all three countries, critical infrastructure relating to water and sanitation has been destroyed.

The United States has provided relief for the victims of Tropical Storm Agatha by deploying United States Southern Command support helicopters and frigates to assist with the transport of food, water, and emergency supplies. Humanitarian aid agencies in the United States and countries and NGOs around the world are mobilizing to provide much- needed assistance to the relief and the recovery efforts.

The resolution before us recognizes the assistance efforts already under way and urges the Secretary of State in coordination with the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, to continue to develop a strategic plan with the goal of mitigating the effects of the recent natural disasters that have devastated these three countries. Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador face a major challenge as they recover and rebuild. They deserve our continued support.

For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, Democrats in Congress will continue to take America in a new direction, creating good American jobs, lowering taxes for the middle class and small businesses, and building a strong new foundation for the economy and for Main Street.

We continue to see signs of economic recovery resulting from the economic policies of the Democratic Congress and the Obama administration responding to the Bush recession and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. More must be done to create and save jobs, but the latest signs of recovery include the HIRE Act, a bipartisan bill to create 300 jobs; American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act, tax incentives to spur business innovation and tax cuts; the Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act extends aid to States to provide subsidies to employers, including small businesses; and the Home Star bill, which creates much-needed jobs in the manufacturing sector by providing tax rebates to homeowners who install energy-saving products.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $29 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to develop and expand weatherization training centers across the country. These projects will provide green job training for local workers in energy efficiency retrofitting and weatherization services.

Congress and the President have worked together to enact an array of broad-based tax cuts for working and middle-class families and small business owners--ending an era of Republican tax breaks focused only on the wealthy. These tax cuts are injecting consumer demand into the economy and spurring job creation.

All totaled, Congress has enacted more than $800 billion in tax cuts, with another $285 billion making their way through Congress, such as permanent estate tax relief and the R&D tax credit to spur business innovation.

Republican Record of Failure

Congressional Republicans threaten to take us back to the failed policies that created the economic crisis--siding with the special interests: Wall Street banks, credit card companies, Big Oil, and insurance companies.

These economic and fiscal policies created the Bush recession--the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression--with job losses of nearly 800,000 a month--and nearly doubled our national debt.

Republicans have voted against every major piece of economic legislation--from the Recovery Act to Wall Street reform--choosing the special interests over American workers, their families and small businesses.

Democrats in Congress will continue to take America in a New Direction, working to create American jobs and a strong new foundation for the economy, protecting Main Street and the middle class. We're getting results.

During the last 3 months of the Bush administration, we lost on average 726,000 jobs. In the last 3 months, we have created an average of 186,000 jobs. The current unemployment rate is 9.9 percent.

Mr. Speaker, I want to put something on our minds.

When President Obama, head of the executive branch of our Federal Government and as an invited guest speaker of the House of Representatives, has his remarks interrupted in defiance of the rules of the House by a Member of this House, shouting ``you lie''--and no amount of apology can remove the scar on this House's dignity--when the commander of the United States forces in Afghanistan--General McChrystal--and his subordinates feel free to make mocking criticisms of their Commander in Chief, Barack Obama, to the national media and when these acts of disrespect and insubordination are openly directed at President Obama, our Nation has entered into an era of negativity and cynicism unprecedented in this Republic's history.

Only one question comes immediately and painfully to mind with these outrageous words and accusations, which would once have been universally deplored and which would have been far beyond and beneath the pale of what Americans and America are all about.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1350) recognizing June 20, 2010, as World Refugee Day, as amended.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak today on H. Res. 1350, a resolution I introduced to recognize World Refugee Day as June 20, 2010. This special day, first marked in 2001, is held every year on June 20. Tens of thousands of people around the world take time to recognize the plight of forcibly displaced people throughout the world. The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries involving government officials, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civilians, and those who were forcibly displaced themselves.

With the humanitarian efforts of the United States, other nations, and organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Red Cross, the International Rescue Committee, and Refugees International, among so many others, refugees are able to flee from persecution, violence, and war in order to seek protection. Many have fled to the United States, a safe haven with a history of aiding those seeking protection from persecution, violence, and war. America has provided more assistance to refugees seeking protection than any other country.

If you have ever met a refugee, you have encountered someone who has overcome great obstacles simply to just survive. Take the case of a Somali refugee, Abdul Samatar, a young man with a childhood full of tragedy and life-threatening experiences who eventually took refuge in the United States. Abdul was born in 1984 in Somalia, at that time a peaceful land of great beauty, promise, and resources. Now, however, Somalia is overwhelmed by famine, war and violence, leaving no persons unaffected.

In 1992, Abdul's father, a religious leader in Mogadishu, the capital, was shot and killed during the civil war.

After his death, Abdul lived the life of a nomad. He was afraid that, like his father, he would be killed by a rival tribe. He fled across the Somalia-Kenya border to Mandera, Kenya. Thanks to the generosity of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, he was provided with food and assistance in Mandera for 2\1/2\ years. Fortunately, while Abdul was in Nairobi, he was introduced to a refugee coordinator at the United States Embassy who, along with two other citizens, helped Abdul move to the United States. An example of success, Abdul graduated from high school in 2004 and graduated from university in May 2010 with a degree in American studies. With this education, Abdul intends to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Yes, Madam Speaker, stories like that of Abdul attest to the success of our refugee program and give merit to recognizing June 20, 2010, as World Refugee Day.

And I just want to include that on last Friday, we were at the State Department. We had Abdul and his family there. And along with our Secretary of State, we celebrated, and we commended those who were involved in World Refugee Day.

I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan H. Res. 1350.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my cosponsor. I think that her stories, too, are very compelling. We join strongly together on this piece of legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 32) recognizing the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and reaffirming the United States-Korea alliance.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, last week the House passed H.J. Res. 86, a joint resolution commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. That resolution was introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) and three other distinguished veterans of the Korean War: the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Johnson), and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble).

We had hoped that the Senate would take up and pass the House version of the joint resolution and then send it over to the President for his signature before tomorrow's Korean War commemoration in Statuary Hall. However, the other body made a number of technical corrections to their version of the joint resolution subsequent to last week's House action, and, as a result, the only viable means for us to get the joint resolution to the President in a timely fashion was for the House to take up and pass the Senate Joint Resolution, which is the legislation before us today.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her strong support and giving us the background for which this resolution was introduced.

I have the largest Korean, South Korean, community in the United States in my district, all of Koreatown; and they are struggling with the challenge ahead of them. We are there behind them to support them, and I want you to know in August I will be going to Korea. I invite my colleague to go with us if she can spare the time. What we do, we spread good will and let the South Koreans know how appreciative we are with them coming here to America. And particularly in Los Angeles, with their stimulating and vigorous entrepreneurship, they have added so much to the culture, and that added value makes us a little stronger. I hope that we can return the favor to add value to South Korea.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1464) recognizing the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the United States-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and expressing appreciation to the Government of Japan and the Japanese people for enhancing peace, prosperity, and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the United States-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, which entered into force on June 23, 1960. This treaty formed the basis for the presence of U.S. Armed Forces in Japan, which has contributed to Japan's security and prosperity and to regional peace and stability.

Our alliance with Japan has advanced American interests by ensuring a stable balance of power in the Asia-

Pacific region, providing a platform for managing tensions on the Korean peninsula and serving as a means to enlist Japan's cooperation on regional and global security issues.

For example, Japan is the second largest international contributor to Afghanistan, pledging $5 million in economic assistance over the next 5 years.

Japan sent rapid humanitarian aid to Haiti, and the Japanese Self- Defense Force provided medical relief following the earthquake there this past January.

Japan to this day remains a steadfast ally with the United States in combating the nuclear threat from North Korea and responding to the North's provocative behavior.

The success of our alliance with Japan would not have been possible without Japan's broad support and understanding, and I would like to thank the Government of Japan and the Japanese people, and especially the people of Okinawa where I taught for 2 years, for their continued hosting of American Armed Forces in Japan. I taught the children of these Armed Forces.

While Japan is an important partner and friend and we agree on many important issues, there is one important matter on which we disagree: the issue of American children taken to Japan by one parent against the wishes of the other parent. This issue is a very real and serious concern for those left-behind parents and for those of us representing them here in Congress. It is imperative that our two governments create the best possible situation for these tragic cases to be resolved, not only for the sake of those families but to ensure that U.S.-Japan relations continue on a positive trajectory.

As we commemorate this week the 50th anniversary of our alliance with Japan, we know that the importance of this alliance remains as vital as ever, even if the treaty's original Cold War backdrop has long faded from view. We only have to look at North Korea's belligerent actions over the past few years to be reminded of the relevance of the U.S.- Japan security treaty. Now is the right time to pursue an ambitious, forward-looking agenda to ensure that the fundamentals of the alliance remain in place and to expand our security cooperation to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

I would like to thank my friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), the ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, for introducing this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1465) reaffirming the longstanding friendship and alliance between the United States and Colombia.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, last month, Colombia held the first round of their presidential elections. In an outcome that surprised many observers, the Green Party and the National Unity Party both failed to receive an outright majority of the votes, so a runoff was required this past Sunday. Over 13 million Colombians participated in the second round, with former Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos receiving 69 percent of the vote and becoming the President-elect of Colombia.

With this resolution, the House of Representatives honors the Colombian people and their commitment to democracy. Since gaining its independence from Spain in 1819, Colombia has remained democratic, sometimes as an outlier in this region. We applaud the free and fair nature of these multiparty, internationally recognized elections.

Colombia is not without problems, some of them significant. The human rights situation in Colombia leaves much to be desired, and Colombia has over 3 million internally displaced peoples, second in the world only to Sudan as a result of its long struggles with armed groups that the United States and most of the world considers terrorists. While these issues must remain on

the front burner of our common agenda, it is important to recognize that Colombia remains an important friend and ally of the United States, and their resilience in the long hemispheric battle against narcotrafficking is worthy of respect and admiration.

As we congratulate President-elect Juan Manuel Santos on this victory in Colombia's June 20, 2010, presidential election, we have every expectation that he and his new administration will continue the tradition of a strong relationship with the United States.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.