Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in objecting to the certification of the State of Ohio's electoral votes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues in objecting to the certification of the State of Ohio's electoral votes.

Unfortunately, last November in Ohio we witnessed many of the same irregularities that occurred in Florida in the year 2000 and which tainted the election results. That year, former Vice President Gore won the popular vote by over half a million votes but was denied an electoral victory because of voter irregularities.

As a member of the House International Relations Committee, I have monitored elections around the world, in remote nations like Namibia in Africa, and most recently in the disputed election in the Ukraine. Watching election coverage of our own elections here in the United States last November, I was shocked to see American voters facing greater obstacles than I have seen in third world countries. There were voters who waited in line over 10 hours to cast a ballot. For those standing in line, not only was this frustrating, it was also a particular hardship for older voters and for parents who had families waiting for them.

In addition to the unreasonably long lines at certain voting precincts, other problems included a large percentage of provisional ballot rejections, voting machine errors, and voter registration obstacles.

Mr. Speaker, as in the past, the most impacted voters are African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities. In Florida in 2000, minorities on their way to the polls were stopped at road blocks in their neighborhoods on the pretense that law enforcement officers needed to check vehicle inspection stickers. The wait was so long that many minority voters had to turn around and go home or to work. This is not democracy. This is how people lived under apartheid in South Africa.

Now we learn that in Ohio, more than half of the complaints about long lines came from Columbus and Cleveland where a huge proportion of the State's Democratic voters live. The House Judiciary Committee report details numerous problems and obstacles that Ohio voters faced. For example, a New York Times investigation revealed that Franklin County election officials reduced the number of electronic voting machines assigned to downtown precincts and added them to the suburbs. One entire polling place had to shut down at 9:25 in the morning on election day because there were no working machines. Does this sound like democracy?

Mr. Speaker, we have a responsibility to ensure that the constitutional right of every voter in this country is protected. We are raising this objection to try to ensure that our Nation takes action to ensure that what happened in Florida and Ohio will never happen again.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent for consideration of the Conference Report on S. 2845, the 9/11 Implementation Act. I have been a strong supporter of this legislation, and had I been present, I would have voted in favor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to acknowledge the rededication ceremony of Rutgers-Newark's Hill Hall. Originally dedicated in 1972, Hill Hall was named in honor of Bessie Nelms Hill.

Bessie Nelms Hill had an accomplished and distinguished career as an educator and community leader. She was also the first African-American to serve on the Rutgers Board of Governors. Her dedicated service spanned a six year period from 1965-1971. Ms. Hill's appointment to the Board followed an illustrious career as an English teacher, Department Chair and Guidance Counselor in Trenton, New Jersey for 40 years. She has been credited with inspiring and helping thousands of students including former New York City Mayor, David Dinkins.

Bessie Hill worked tirelessly as an activist helping to promote equality and preserving the rights of African-Americans throughout New Jersey and the nation as a whole. She once served as state secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Ms. Hill was also one of the founders of the Montgomery Branch YWCA and the Carver Center YWCA both in Trenton.

The tradition of excellence continues in the Nelms Hill family as, Ms. Anzella K. Nelms, a niece, is the deputy superintendent of the Newark Public Schools. Her tireless efforts to promote education on the elementary level are to be commended as well.

Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues agree that the rededication of Hill Hall ceremony which will include the unveiling of Bessie Nelms Hill's portrait will inspire the current generation of Rutgers-Newark's students. It

will also serve to keep her memory alive for generations to come. I am pleased that Rutgers-Newark chose to remember Bessie Nelms Hill with this ceremony on October 20, 2004.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to acknowledge the accomplishments of Dr. Albert J. Lewis, Jr., founder and CEO of the World Gospel Musical Association. Dr. Lewis was inducted into the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum at an awards celebration dinner on Saturday, October 23, 2004, in Detroit, Michigan.

A resident of the city of Newark, New Jersey, Dr. Lewis is a minister of music at two churches and plays for six choirs. He is a certified social worker, notary public and director/chaplain for the United Chaplain Worldwide Outreach International. He is also the executive producer and host of the Dr. A. Lewis Gospel Hour and the Sound of Gospel and Good News. These programs are shown nationally and internationally via the USA Armed Forces Network.

Dr. Lewis attended the Newark Deliverance Bible Institute and completed the course requirements in 1964. He continued his education at Eastern Bible Institute of New Jersey and received bachelor, masters and doctorate degrees in theology and Christian psychology.

Dr. Lewis is the recipient of many awards and commendations and had the honor of having a street named after him. In June 2002, Dr. Lewis was appointed Musical Director for the State of New Jersey by Governor James E. McGreevey.

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Lewis' fellow inductees included some of gospel music's most noted performers. They are the Rev. Milton Biggham, Anna Crockett Ford, Donnie McClurkin, Bill Moss and the Celestials, Joseph Niles, the O'Neal Twins and Ce Ce Winans. I urge my colleagues to commend Dr. Lewis for this most deserving recognition.

Mr. Speaker, as the 108th Congress draws to a close, I would like my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in honoring the memory of the late Anthi Poulos Jones, a wonderful woman whose contributions to this institution and to the international community will be long remembered.

A graduate of Windham College with a master's degree and a law degree from American University, Anthi served with distinction as a Capitol Hill professional staff member for a number of lawmakers, including Senators Thomas McIntyre of New Hampshire, Charles Mathias, Jr. of Maryland, John Glenn, Jr. of Ohio, George Brown of Colorado and Representative Scott McInnis of Colorado. She also served as scholar- in-residence at the Library of Congress.

Anthi was a great champion in behalf of her beloved native Greece, working tirelessly as founder and Chair of the U.S. Committee on the Parthenon; founder and Chair of the Committee on World War II Art Claims; and member of the American Bar Association Steering Committee for the Committee on International Cultural Property. I had the pleasure of working with her when she shared her vast knowledge and research with me in producing legislation calling for the return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece. The treasures were removed and taken to England in the early nineteenth century.

Through her work, Anthi established international friendships and endeared herself to those she met through her kindness, grace and dedication to the causes she espoused.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Anthi was a devoted wife and mother who took great pride in her family. She is survived by her husband, Wiley Newell Jones; her daughters Helleni Donovan and Catherine Jones; her grandson, Christian Donovan; her father and stepmother, Peter and Lydia Karagianis; and her brother and sister-in- law, S. Peter and Jane Karagianis.

Mr. Speaker, let us honor the memory and celebrate the life of Anthi Poulos Jones, who dedicated her time and talent so generously for the betterment of our world. We miss her tremendously and appreciate so much her valuable contributions as a public servant.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 2781, the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act. The bill is a result of weeks of negotiations between House and Senate cosponsors. First of all, this would have been impossible without the cooperation of the leadership of both the House and the Senate, and I would certainly like to commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the chairman of the committee, who has not said no to any request that we have made as relates to Sudan. There could not have been any more cooperation from a chairman of a committee in such a bipartisan manner than we have seen from the gentleman from Illinois. I would certainly like to commend him at this time.

Of course, the driving interest and support from the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) who saw the effects of genocide decades ago when the

Holocaust was going on and the world looked the other way. His passion for issues that are right certainly shows clearly in his overwhelming support for action against the Government of Sudan and alleviating the situation of the people of Sudan.

Let me thank Senator Biden and, of course, our chair of the Subcommittee on Africa whose tireless effort has also been extraordinary in bipartisanship. I think that if the Congress could put a prototype of the Subcommittee on Africa and then see if it could spread towards the total Congress, much more positive legislation would be passed. And so I commend the gentleman from Orange County, the chairman of our subcommittee, and also the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) who has been a real asset to our work. His first CODEL was a trip to southern Sudan. And so the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) who even before any of us came was fighting the fight and he continues to fight the good fight.

The world has witnessed genocide before but never as we have seen it again here before in Darfur, but the difference is we have declared genocide and that is something that the world has not done before. The world usually watched, said it is terrible, that sort of something should be done, and after it has been done, maybe a decade or two later, will do a study. And after the study is concluded, they will say indeed genocide occurred. The fact that in 1948 the world body said that there should be a law, there should be a responsibility to step in to prevent genocide, but it has not happened 10 years after Rwanda.

A film is coming out now that I wish everyone would be able to see about a person who saved 1,200 lives at the Mille Collines Hotel, where he simply kept 1,200 people, Tutsis and moderate Hutus, alive. And so as we see what has happened before, it is so important that we have stepped up, but to declare it is not enough. We see the brutal killings and unnecessary deaths due to cholera, diarrhea, and starvation.

We know the facts. Over 70,000 innocent men, women and children have been killed in this genocide conceived, sponsored, and carried out by the Government of Sudan. Government troops and the Janjaweed militias they have recruited and armed have internally displaced close to 1.6 million people and forced 200,000 people into Chad. They have raped countless women and children. What kind of world are we living in today in the new millennium where this can occur while the international community still looks on and debates the issue?

S. 2781 is our response to genocide, and it contains asset freezes on government officials as well as travel bans. It provides $200 million in fiscal year 2005 to the Darfur humanitarian relief and the African Union mission as well as $100 million to development in the southern Sudan. It says to the Government of Sudan that the United States is watching and will punish them for this genocide, despite any agreement that they may reach with the SPLM.

Let us not get ourselves confused. For 40 years the North and South have been at war and finally the Sudanese government has agreed to now another 30 or 45 days. They were supposed to sign it with the Security Council being in Nairobi, Kenya, but they said, well, give us until December 31. But let us not make any mistake about the fact that if the North-South agreement goes on, that we cannot turn a blind eye and give concessions to the Government of Sudan as they continue genocide in the West. We will not stand for that. It is unacceptable.

It is unconscionable that a government attacks its own people, yet the Government of Sudan has a history of doing this. In southern Sudan for years they practiced a scorched-Earth campaign of aerial bombardment that has killed over 2 million people and displaced another 5 million over the course of the last 3 decades.

Today in Nairobi, Kenya, the Security Council is meeting to discuss the North-South peace process, as I indicated earlier. It is key that we do not forget Darfur while we are pushing for peace in the North and the South.

I also urge my colleagues in the Congress to condemn the apparent shift of policy by the administration to reward the genocidaire Government of Sudan with debt relief and reconstruction if they sign an agreement by the end of the year instead of punishing them.

I think that this is a very key point. For decades and decades and decades the Government of Sudan has done the wrong thing. They allowed Osama bin Laden to live in Sudan. In those 4 or 5 years, Osama bin Laden, who had not developed an international organization, did not have the comfort to develop and strategize because he was even expelled from Saudi Arabia, the Government of Sudan, the same people who are in power, the same ministers, the same directors of programs, the same police officers, the same generals allowed Osama bin Laden to plan and to strengthen his organization, to develop a worldwide network in the United States, throughout Asia, throughout Africa, throughout the Middle East, and plan the bombings in Dar es Salaam and in Nairobi, which killed hundreds of Americans and Tanzanians and Kenyans.

And finally, after tremendous pressure, Sudan allowed him to leave, but the damage was done. Had that government not allowed Osama bin Laden to stay under their protection, the government issued visas to people who carried the bombs into those countries and we have reports of that. They supplied the ammunition needed to set off the bombs, this same government, who now have attacked the West. We say that it will be wrong. The North-South agreement is something that should not even have had to be signed because there should not have been the North atrocities on the South for the last 20 or 30 years.

That is good that there is finally becoming an agreement. But let us not allow that to blind us in saying that the government is doing the right thing. They are doing something that they should not have done before and let us have Darfur to make sure that the genocide ends there.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to acknowledge the accomplishments of the Reverend Dr. Leah Gaskin Fitchue.

Dr. Fitchue is the first woman to serve as President of Payne Theological Seminary, a 160 year old institution sponsored by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is the first African American woman president of the 244 Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the first woman to serve as president of any historically black theological seminary.

As Dr. Fitchue is inaugurated, I am pleased that all her efforts have led to this most deserving position. It was my pleasure to know this promising young woman when she was an outstanding student at South Side High School (currently Malcolm X. Shabazz) in Newark, New Jersey where I served as faculty member. Dr. Fitchue was active in community and civic organizations and among her achievements was placing 15st in the NAACP Youth Council's Annual Oratorical Contest. Over the years, Dr. Fitchue has returned to Newark to visit her mother and to participate in various community events. We still count her as a Newarker.

A published author and a poet, Dr. Fitchue holds degrees from Rutgers University, the University of Michigan, Princeton Theological Seminary and Harvard University. Her motto for Payne Theological Seminary, ``So High A Mission, So Holy A Calling'' taken from founder Daniel Alexander Payne, depicts an ethos that centers on educating leaders in African American Studies, Biblical Studies, Historical Studies, Theological Studies, Practical Ministry and Supervised Ministry.

Dr. Fitchue's civic, community, professional and social affiliations include Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Founding Board member of New Jersey Coalition of 100 Black Women; Links, Inc.; Minority Arts Resource Council (MARC); Christian Community Development Association (CCDA); Sojourners; Call to Renewal; Association of Urban Theological Education and Ministry (AUTEM); Board of Regents for Northwest Graduate School of Ministry and International Urban Associates; American Academy of Religion and the Society for the Study of Black Religion.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues will agree that Dr. Fitchue's historical election was well deserved and that she will serve Payne Theological Seminary well as its President.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to honor the memory and legacy of Dell Raudelunas, former Chief Executive Officer for the United Way of Union County.

When Dell passed away on October 12, 2004, she left behind a lifetime of achievements to her family, community and the United Way. As a pioneer in leadership for social services, Dell exhibited great courage and served as a role model for many women and United Way professionals. She was a true leader who has been described as being dynamic, professional, insightful and determined.

In addition to her role as CEO for the United Way of Union County, she helped to launch United Way organizations in Hunterdon and Sussex Counties. She served on the United Way's National Task Force for Development of Women and the National Professional Advisory Council. In their first Annual Tribute to Women, the Boy Scouts honored her for being an exemplary role model. As an advocate for education, she served as a member of the Union County College Board of Governors where she chaired the nominating and auditing committees.

As Dell is remembered during a Memorial Service on October 23, 2004, many will recall her caring of others and the impact she made in the community. Her vision for the social and economic development of Union County led to her being a founding member and chairperson of the Union County Alliance. Dell also served on other Councils and Boards where her membership was valued.

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in letting Dolores ``Dell'' A. Raudelunas' family, friends and associates know that her memory will always be honored and cherished.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of this resolution to name the post office in Kingwood, Texas, after our former colleague, a man I am proud to call a friend, Jack Fields. He is certainly deserving of this honor.

As a Member of the House of Representatives, Jack embodied the finest qualities of public service. He was diligent and hard working on behalf of his constituents. But he also distinguished himself through the courtesy with which he treated colleagues of both parties. He reached across the aisle to form friendships with our late colleague, who served with me in the Congressional Black Caucus, Mickey Leland of Houston, Texas. In an era where there was too little emphasis on civility, Jack never lost the sense of decorum or his ability to respect the opinion of others.

While Jack is best known for his leadership in enacting key legislation in telecommunications as chairman of the Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee, he has also used his expertise to advocate for the continent of Africa. During his tenure, I had the pleasure of traveling to South Africa with Jack on a trip organized by the newly formed, at that time, Discovery Channel Global Education Fund. We have served together as board members of the fund, which provides schools and community centers in underserved areas with televisions, VCRs, satellite technology, teacher training, and the ongoing delivery of relevant video programming. The organization, which reaches over 130,000 children and their communities throughout South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mexico, and Peru, is expanding now into Romania, Angola, India, Namibia, and Afghanistan.

Jack's work on telecommunications issues in Congress sparked an interest in his using the latest technology to improve education in rural villages through distance learning and other innovations. After Congressman Mickey Leland's untimely death, Jack honored him by introducing legislation in his name to improve the quality of life for children in Africa by improving access to worldwide educational resources through satellite technology.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to support this bill, and I know my colleagues will join me in congratulating our former colleague and a terrific human being, Jack Fields, on achieving this great distinction.

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 5061. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the ranking member, of the Committee on International Relations for working so hard to bring this bill to the floor. I would especially like to thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo), whom we just heard a moment ago, for sponsoring this bill and working so diligently towards peace in Sudan for so long. He is extremely dedicated, and it has been a pleasure working with him and other Members, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), and others on this issue.

In just the last 12 months, the Government of Sudan and its allied Arab militia, the Janjaweed, have displaced more than 1 million people, as we heard, in the Darfur region, an additional 200,000 people into Chad, and has killed more than 50,000 innocent civilians, many more at risk today. Government troops and their allied Janjaweed militia have raped, tortured, maimed, and burned entire villages in a deliberate and systematic manner to cleanse the area of African Muslims.

They have used Antonov bombers and helicopter gunships to destroy the villages and then encourage the Janjaweed on camel and on horseback to finish the job. Men have been murdered, many times forced into huts and burned alive to death. Women and girls have been raped, many branded so it will be known publicly that they have been raped; therefore, they will be outcasts in the Muslim religion. They have been beaten.

Women have been abducted. Men have been killed. They have killed the

animals. They have destroyed the crops. They have taken bodies and thrown them into the wells in order to contaminate the water so the people would never return.

In August, I had the opportunity to travel to eastern Chad and to meet with the foreign refugees in Camp Iridimi, 32 miles from the Sudanese border, and we heard firsthand of these horrors that I have just talked about that had been seen by these people and experienced by them. It was really a horrific situation to see.

H.R. 5061 is the culmination of a bipartisan effort to first call the Darfur situation in western Sudan exactly what it is, genocide, and then to follow up that genocide declaration with swift and strong action, as we have heard already some of the provisions of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as the Members know, both Chambers of the Congress declared genocide was occurring in Darfur on July 22, 422 to zero in the House and without a dissenting vote in the U.S. Senate just before we adjourned for summer recess. This is the first time, as it has been indicated, that genocide has been declared as it is going on. Normally it is after the fact that a study is done and then it is declared that genocide is happening.

So we can stop and prevent the genocide from continuing. And through the response from the administration, although the response of the administration lagged a bit, we were pleased that Secretary Powell made the determination before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 9.

Mr. Speaker, this is an historic step. The United States Congress takes the word ``genocide'' very seriously. So in the wake of the genocide declaration, we must be careful that we follow up with a clear action that sends the right message to the Government of Sudan and to other would-be architects of genocide. It is crucial at this juncture that we show we will not sit idly by and allow a government to exterminate its own people, as is happening in Sudan.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5061 is a response to genocide. H.R. 5061 amends the Sudan Peace Act and restates the congressional declaration of genocide. It requires an annual report from the Treasury to tell us of all commercial activities in Sudan. It provides $450 million, $150 million of which would go towards the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and Chad, including support of the African Union peacekeeping mission, currently suggested at 5,000, although I believe there should be more. And $300 million to go towards development in southern Sudan over the next 3 years starting in fiscal year 2005. We must not forget about southern Sudanese. Southern Sudanese have been waiting for peace for a long time, for the last 25 years.

As has already been mentioned, more than 2 million have died as a result of the conflict between the north and the south, and an estimated 5 million people have been displaced over these years. They all certainly know too well what genocide is and what this government has done. This government which gave safe haven to Osama bin Laden from 1991 to 1996, where al Qaeda was created and built up and strengthened during that time.

We are also hopeful that funds will be made available in the current supplemental bill so that immediate funds could go to assist the AU to have immediate access to be able to start to get the troops that they need there immediately.

As I conclude, let me say that it is of the utmost importance that we support the African Union mission, logistically, financially, and to give them the proper mandate that they need. In order to protect civilians, they will often have to come face to face with the Janjaweed fighters. So, therefore, I hope that they will be able to use Chapter 7 and fight back, if necessary. It is critical that we save the lives of the Darfurians. We were hoping that we could have visa restrictions and capital market sanctions; however, at this time we are not able to do this. But if this government continues, I would urge my colleagues to then do the capital market sanctions and visa restrictions and continue to push.

But I hope that this will prove a first step after genocide has been declared that we are serious and that we will not tolerate this.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).

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 H. Res. 818 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) of the Committee on International Relations for expediting consideration of this important resolution which recognizes once again the close relationship between our country and the United Mexican States.

I would also like to recognize my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), the Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, for the outstanding work that he does in general and for this particular resolution as he is the author of it.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 818 acknowledges the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Falcon International Dam and the importance of this public infrastructure to the people both of the United States and of the United Mexican States. It is no coincidence that water, a vital element of life, is the medium through which the bonds of our two countries are continually nourished.

I strongly encourage all of my Members to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), the author of the resolution.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the resolution before the House condemns the recent abduction of an Illinois boy, Dylan Benwell, from the United States and calls for his immediate return home.

Mr. Speaker, until 10 weeks ago, Dylan Benwell was a happy, 9-year- old boy living at home with his mother and adopted father in Illinois, along with his 5 brothers and sisters. But on July 22nd, Dylan was abducted by his maternal grandparents and taken to their native home of Ireland.

Despite the fact that the United States courts have determined that Dylan's mother and adopted father have sole custody of the boy, Dylan has yet to be returned to his parents in the United States.

This resolution calls upon the Irish government to secure the prompt return of Dylan pursuant to Article I of the Hague Convention. Hopefully, by raising the profile of this case, Congress can increase the chances of a happy ending to this terrible saga.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Burmese government is one of the worst violators of internationally-recognized human rights. Democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner, was thrown into prison after her 1990 electoral win and remains under tight house arrest.

About 5 years ago I was privileged to travel to Burma with a then colleague Tom Campbell, a member from California, and we were able to persuade the Burmese government to allow us to visit with Aung San Suu Kyi, and we had a meeting with her and our U.S. embassy. She was very defiant. She said she would remain under house arrest until the government of Burma would recognize the election of 1990.

Countless other leaders in the opposition National League for Democracy remain behind bars. Many of the elders who we met with were defiant and were also considered enemies of the government.

High-level representatives from the United Nations and other nations have tried for several years to encourage the Burmese government, the Burmese junta to enter into a true national reconciliation with the opposition. Sadly, the Burmese government has repeatedly rebuffed these important diplomatic efforts. They simply seem to have no interest.

As a result, the United States recently renewed import sanctions against Burma for another year and has continued to ratchet up diplomatic and economic pressure on the government of Burma on this terrible regime.

But, Mr. Speaker, pressure from the United States on Burma to move toward freedom and democracy will only bear fruit if our allies join us in imposing sanctions.

The resolution before the House urges the United Nations Security Council to consider and take appropriate action to respond to the growing threat that the Burmese government poses to the Southeast Asia region. Consideration by the Security Council of the situation in Burma is long overdue, and I hope that this important resolution will further encourage Security Council members to move forward with the concrete multi-lateral strategy to promotes democracy and freedom in Burma.

It is another opportunity that the People's Republic of China who is benefiting so much from normal trade relations with the United States, previously called the special trade relations but now normal trade relations, most favored nation status, that they had before and still have, could use its influence and power in Burma since they are a growing power in that area. The same way that we would urge the Chinese to use its influence in the Security Council and its influence with Sudan to urge that government to change its ways. And so this is an opportunity for the People's Republic of China to show that it is moving into the 21st century, into the new millennium with a new responsibility if it, indeed, is going to continue to benefit from the tremendous relations that it has with the United States.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a distinguished member of my hometown of Newark, New Jersey, Dr. Leonard H. Shamberger, who will be retiring from the Pastorate of Emanuel Missionary Baptist Church on October 2, 2004.

Born in North Carolina in 1923, he honorably served this country as a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Army, then pursued his education by attending the A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, and later received his BA from the New York School of the Bible, an MA in Theology from the Bowles Bible Institute of Technicality, and a Doctorate of Divinity from Rankin's Theological Clinic.

Dr. Shamberger has established radio and prison ministries, the Mission to Haiti, the Food Pantry, Summer Vacation Bible School for children in our city, and many other ministries within the church and the surrounding community.

He has received many honors, including an Award for Religion for the Eugene and Barbara Byers Foundation, a Community Excellence Award, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Church Award, multiple Global Ministries Awards, the Municipal Council Resolution Award for 25 Years of Service from the Mayor's Office, and the First Family Award for 2003.

He is a Board Member of the Nellie Grier Senior Day Care Center, a Finance Committee member of the City Wide Revival Committee, and an Honorary Member of the Original Free Will Baptist Annual Conference of America. He is also a member of the General Baptist and the National Baptist Convention, USA, the Hampton University Ministers Conference, the Ordination Council of the New Hope Missionary Baptist Association, the North Jersey Committee of Black Churchmen, the Ministers Advisory Committee at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the Senior Citizen Partnership with Nelly Grier Adult Day Care, and the Baptist Ministers' Conference of Newark and Vicinity.

I am grateful for Dr. Shamberger's leadership in the community, and I value his commitment to meeting the needs of his brothers and sisters in Newark, the United States, and around the world.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in extending my thanks to Dr. Shamberger for his many years of pastoral ministry, and I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing him a restful and rewarding retirement, surrounded by the love of family, friends, and fellow believers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend our colleagues in the Senate for passing this critically important resolution. The passage was in the spirit of a bipartisan, bicameral coalition that has worked together over the last few years and few months, in particular, on the problem in Darfur, to bring peace and justice there. I commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) on his statement and all of those who have worked so diligently, including the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) of the Black Caucus, who have all come together to support the terrible actions of the government of Sudan.

Mr. Speaker, this past May, the United Nations Economic and Social Council voted on candidate states for 14 open seats on the Human Rights Commission, the monitoring watchdog of the United Nations. To the dismay of the international community, Sudan was nominated from the Africa group.

Just one month later, the commission censured Sudan over its severe human rights violations in the country's western Darfur region. Sudan was charged with systematically destroying whole villages, executing civilians, raping women and displacing hundreds of thousands of people. I went to that region, to Chad and went 30 miles from the border of Sudan and talked to the refugees there and heard firsthand the horrible stories that they told us about rapes and beatings of children, boys being forced into huts and the huts being burned, just horrible, horrible stories.

Mr. Speaker, this is the same government that gave sanctuary to Osama bin Laden from 1991 to 1996, allowing him to build his terror network worldwide. In fact, I would argue that al Qaeda was conceived and created in Sudan in the early 1990s. Other terrorist acts also link current officials directly to a number of the terrorist acts, and they still sit in the government of Sudan.

Mr. Speaker, in the north-south conflict, more than 2 million people perished, and an estimated 5 million people have been displaced over the last decade. It is the same government that terrorized, enslaved and killed innocent civilians in southern Sudan and the Nuba that is now yet again engaged in the terror campaign that we see in Darfur in western Sudan. We cannot stand idly by, silent and allow Sudan a seat on that body while it is responsible for the ongoing genocide against the people of Darfur.

Before the House and Senate adjourned for summer recess, both chambers took a historic step in passing a resolution declaring that genocide is occurring in Darfur. The Congress has never declared genocide while it was occurring. So this was a giant step forward.

Finally, the administration came to the same conclusion following its own independent investigation, that the Sudanese government was sponsoring genocide by the Janjaweed militia against the ethnic Africans in Darfur.

This past Saturday, the U.N. Security Council approved a U.S.- sponsored resolution asking U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan to set up an investigative commission. This Commission would determine whether the violence in Darfur amounts to genocide. The resolution also threatens oil and other targeted sanctions against Sudan if atrocities continue in Darfur.

We were disappointed by the weak nature of this resolution and for its limited effects. The reaction from Khartoum that ``it could have been a lot worse'' shows us how far we are from a strong resolution on Darfur. While it passed by 11 votes, I must express extreme disappointment with China, Algeria, Russia and Pakistan, the four nations that abstained from supporting this resolution. As a matter of fact, China had declared that it may veto it, and therefore, the resolution was really diluted, and they still abstained.

We, as the United States, need to rethink our relationships with these nations. One suggestion could be that we revoke Normal Trade Relations status with the People's Republic of China. How would they like it if we said, no longer do you have normal trade relations or, as we used to call it, preferential treatment. I think it would perhaps make them sit up and listen.

Pakistan, called a friend by the administration for its partnership in the war on terrorism, is promoting the terrorist government of Sudan by abstaining on the vote. In a statement today, Khartoum called these nations its ``true friends.''

While the government of Sudan grudgingly accepted the resolution, as we speak its surrogate militias continue their gruesome assault on innocent men, women, and children in Darfur. Further, in response for calls to international civilian protection forces, Khartoum's leaders threatened to open the ``five gates of hell'' against such protection.

In a cynical attempt to pretend it has taken action to protect its civilians, Khartoum has recycled Janjaweed militia killers to the Sudan police force and is now using them to guard the camps for the displaced.

Mr. Speaker, how can we expect killers to protect those who they seek to kill? It is an unconceivable notion. How can we stand by and allow this murderous regime to sit on the U.N. Human Rights Commission?

Mr. Speaker, with more than as many as 50,000 civilians slaughtered and over 1 million driven off their lands into unprotected camps, we cannot allow Khartoum to degrade the purposes of the Human Rights Commission by its presence. It is incumbent that the United States Government continue to lead the world on this matter of genocide and do everything possible to have Sudan suspended from the Commission.

The African Union should be recognized for what they are doing in sending 300 monitors to Darfur, but this is definitely not enough. The AU has been sponsoring negotiations between the parties in Abuja, Nigeria, since August 23. The combination of international pressure and facilitation by the AU hopefully will help move Darfur out of this crisis and on to the road of peace.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Secretary of State Colin Powell for finally calling the Darfur genocide by its rightful name. I also want to say that we must, as Secretary Powell has stated, support the AU. It is our responsibility as members of the international community and the United States in particular, as the world's wealthiest Nation, to work along with the African Union and not leave the formidable Darfur crisis to fall on their shoulders alone. They need our support.

So, therefore, I would like to also urge all of our colleagues in the House to support H.R. 5061, introduced by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) and myself to provide assistance for the current crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan and to facilitate a comprehensive peace plan in Sudan. I urge my colleagues to support S. Con. Res. 137.

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

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman who has really done an outstanding job in this area for a decade, and I certainly would like to associate myself with his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

I thank the gentleman from Alabama for his very passionate remarks and all of his support for

many years, even in the capital market sanctions. I really commend him for that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks).

(Mr. MEEKS of New York asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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