Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Henry Bolus, a model citizen of Brooklyn, New York. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding American and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive service.

Henry Bolus voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army, proudly serving our country during the Korean Conflict as a Paratrooper with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. He is a product of the New York City public school system and later enrolled at New York City's Kingsborough Community College for undergraduate studies. His success at Kingsborough Community College earned him Presidential level membership in the National Society of Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Phi.

Mr. Bolus recently reached a personal milestone by becoming the president of Brooklyn's renowned Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club. He was also elected delegate to the New York State Judicial Convention. Mr. Bolus is an honorary life member of the Knights of Columbus. He is also an active member of Canarsie's Shrine Church of St. Jude, where he serves as an usher and member of the finance committee.

Mr. Bolus has been the loving husband of Josephine Bolus since 1954 and is the proud father of Sabrina Jo Bolus and Michael Henry Bolus.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Henry Bolus. His deep commitment to his family and community makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Patricia Williams, a community leader and entrepreneur. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service.

Born to the Honorable Kathryn Williams and the late James Williams, Patricia Williams credits living and growing up in evolving neighborhoods like Harlem, Bedford Stuyvesant and East New York as an inspiration to work for social and economical change.

Ms. Williams knows hard work is an investment. She currently is the President/CEO of Ecotech Enterprises, Inc., a firm she established to provide consultant services to government agencies, private sector corporations, and small, minority-owned business enterprises. In the past, Ms. Williams provided community outreach and event planning for the Brooklyn Museum of Art Construction Project. She has delivered bottom line services such as marketing and sales to well known small businesses and she provides fundraising and workshop development assistance to several non-profits. Ms. Williams has been called upon as a panelist and guest speaker on numerous occasions and is considered an authority on business development.

Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Ms. Williams was executive Director of the Minority Business Opportunity Center under the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency where she provided business services to more than 70,000 minority/women-owned and small businesses. As senior Administrator of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity for Morse Diesel International, she successfully implemented policies to ensure 100 million dollars of contracting opportunities for minority-owned and

small businesses where she exceeded labor force and contracting goals set for women and minority skilled workers at JFK Airport's Terminal 4 construction project. She was Senior Employment Specialist and Career Development Instructor for Non-Traditional Community College, Operations Manager for Madison Avenue firm Durham Temporaries Inc., and has several years of experience at the U.S. Small Business Administration, Finance Division.

Ms. Williams attended John Jay College where she majored in Criminal Justice and Labor Law. Her work has not gone unnoticed. Ms. Williams has been recognized by several government agencies and community organizations. She is also the recipient of the Columbia University Non-Profit Executive Management Scholarship. Ms. Williams is the proud mother of two, Leah and John.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Patricia Williams. Her deep commitment to her community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the jazz supergroup, Fourplay, distinguished artists of the music industry. It behooves us to pay tribute to these outstanding artists and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing the group's impressive accomplishments.

Fourplay debuted with a splash in 1991. Their self-titled debut album sold more than one million copies and lodged for 33 weeks at

the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts. The follow-up album, Between the Sheets, reached number one, earned gold status, and was nominated for a Grammy in 1993. The band went three-for-three in 1995 with its third release, Elixir, which also hit number one and stayed on the charts for more than a year and a half. And, as if to save time, its fourth album, 4, entered the charts at number one.

The magic of Fourplay is based on the interactions between keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East, guitarist Larry Carlton, and drummer Harvey Mason, each a pop music icon in his own right.

Now in heavy rotation at radio throughout the country, Fourplay X, the supergroup's landmark tenth album, entered the Billboard Jazz Charts at the number one position and has remained No.1 for five weeks.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Fourplay. The group's phenomenal success makes them most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the renowned jazz musician, Nathan East, a distinguished member of the music industry. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding artist and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive accomplishments.

Born one of seven children to Thomas and Gwendolyn East on December 8, 1955, in Philadelphia, PA, Nathan East and his family moved to San Diego, CA, when he was 4 years old to accommodate his father's aerodynamic engineering position at General Dynamics. As a child, East would peck out familiar melodies on the family piano. Music filled the home as his sister Cecilia practiced the French horn and their sister Gertrude played the flute. When Nathan was in the seventh grade, he began playing cello in the junior high school orchestra. At age 14, he switched to bass guitar, inspired by his older brother David's mastery of the guitar. He began playing for local church groups and folk masses with his brothers.

East played along with the recordings of jazz bassists Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Charles Mingus, Buster Williams, Scott LaFaro, Motown's James Jamerson, James Brown, Sly Stone with Larry Graham, Cream, and horn bands like Chicago, Tower of Power and Blood, Sweat & Tears as they came over the radio or out of his record player. The young bassist began playing in his high school's jazz ensemble, marching band, choir, chorus, and pep band, as well as local Top 40 bands. He also listened to Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Cannonball Adderley, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, George Benson, Bob James, Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, session bassist Chuck Rainey, Earth, Wind & Fire's Verdine White, and Francis Rocco Prestia.

East's breakthrough came while he was a member of a band named Power. They were hired as the house band for a Stax revue. The recognition brought the attention of Barry White, who hired the entire band for a national tour. Still a teenager, East became a member of the Love Unlimited Orchestra (``Love's Theme'') playing The Apollo Theater, Madison Square Garden, Kennedy Center and other major U.S. venues. East earned a bachelor of arts degree in Music from University of California at San Diego. He began work on a master's degree when instructor Bertram Turetzky suggested that he already had

enough education and that it was time for him to move to Los Angeles to try and start a lucrative music career.

While involved with the San Diego club and studio scene, Barry White contacted him to play on many of his recording projects. In early 1980, veteran writer/arranger Gene Page, whom East had worked with on White's sessions, called the bassist to play on a recording session for a Hertz commercial jingle. Impressed with East's ability to read music as well as his diverse playing skills, Page used East on numerous projects (Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis, Whitney Houston, and Madonna).

As East's reputation grew on the L.A. session scene, so did his job calls. From that point on, East worked consistently, He did sessions for Lionel Richie (``Endless Love,'' Kenny Rogers' ``Lady'') and Kenny Loggins (``Footloose'', ``Vox Humana''). He toured with Loggins appearing with the singer at Live Aid in 1985. Eric Clapton heard East and invited him to join his band. With keyboardist Greg Phillinganes and drummer Phil Collins, they toured the world over and performed multiple concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall which resulted in the release of Clapton's ``24 Nights'' CD, 1988.

In 1990, East was one of four musicians that formed the supergroup, Fourplay. The group had phenomenal success: albums selling millions of copies, several times charting at No. 1 as well as remaining on the chart as long as 90 weeks and a Grammy nomination.

East was voted the Most Valuable Player in the bass category at the International Rock Awards. He also won Britain's most prestigious Ivor Novello Award for co-writing the number one hit song ``Easy Lover'' with Phil Collins and Philip Bailey. East has developed his own Yamaha Signature Series bass guitar (the BBNE-2) available in stores worldwide. He also has an instructional VHS video, Contemporary Electric Bass and instructional DVD, The Business of Bass, (distributed by Hal Leonard Music Publishing Co), a behind the scenes look that goes into considerable detail on the steps he has taken, the choices and decisions made and the mindset that has successfully earned him both the profile and a respect many players would be pleased to call their own.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Nathan East, as he offers his talents and services for the betterment of our local and global communities,

Mr. Speaker, Nathan East's selfless service has continuously demonstrated a level of altruistic dedication that makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

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

I rise in support of H. Res. 1028, a resolution that recognizes and supports the concept of Red Ribbon Week.

The Red Ribbon campaign began in 1985 after drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Kiki Camarena, a United States Drug Enforcement agent.

Red Ribbon Week is sponsored by the National Family Partnership. Each year more than 80 million people show their commitment to a healthy, drug-free life by wearing a red ribbon. During the last 8 days of October, those who wear the red ribbon are saying that we will not tolerate the use or sale of illicit drugs in our Nation.

Substance abuse, and the sale of illegal drugs, is a serious problem in this country. That is why it is so important that as we approach the month of October that we remember Kiki Camarena by wearing a red ribbon. Preventing substance abuse and the associated violence that took Kiki's life is of great concern to me. Let us celebrate the life and work of Kiki Camarena by passing H. Res. 1028.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, this red ribbon is saying to people across this country, don't get involved with drugs. Young people, stay in school. That is what it is saying, and stay away from drugs.

So every time you see this red ribbon, especially you young people, understand that it is saying, do not get involved in drugs.

Camerena gave his life trying to make this world a better place for us to live. We should never forget that. So we should wear the red ribbon, saying to people everywhere that we will not tolerate the use of drugs in this country, illegal drugs.

Also, let me just conclude by saying that we have an obligation and a responsibility to keep the work of Camerena alive; and we need to do that by demonstrating everywhere that we go that we have this red ribbon on, and that is what it means. The red ribbon says no to drugs. Stay in school, young people.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. This bill, maybe if we changed the name of it, maybe it might help some folks, because this is called the winner-loser bill. Calling it Ryan White is a misnomer. I think that is a shame, that we would move legislation without the opportunity to amend it and to try to make it better and to be able to deal with the States that are getting hurt.

We act as if we are not talking about human beings. New York State would lose $17 million. And, of course, the Governor of the State has said he is against the bill and the mayor of the city indicated that he is against the bill. And every Member of the New York State delegation, New York City delegation has indicated that they are actually against this legislation.

I don't understand why we have to rush this and put this kind of bill on suspension. It seems to me that this is a bill that we would bring up and give people an opportunity to amend it and make it as strong as possible, because we are talking about lives. So the reauthorization does not have to be brought up this kind of way.

And let us be candid, Brooklyn itself would lose approximately $3 million, and that is the epicenter of the disease. So I don't understand why we can't take our time and provide help for the people that truly need help. Of course I am against this bill in every way, and I am hoping that my colleagues understand that we can do a much better job and that we need to do a much better job. What we have to do now is to defeat it and then let us go back and come up with a bill that is going to improve the quality of life for people that need it. I hope the Members of this body will understand that.

These States that are losing, and there are quite a few of them, I think that we would want to do something and do it right on behalf of the people. So I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of the reauthorization of the Older American Act of 2006. For the past 40 years, millions of senior citizens have benefited from the support and nutritional services provided by this law which promotes the dignity and independence of older people and meet the challenges associated with the aging.

Seniors are the fastest growing population group in the United States. In 2000, there were an estimated 35 million people age 65 and older, representing about 13 percent of the population. It is predicted that by 2030, this number will double to 70 million people; and about 20 percent, or 1 in 5 Americans, will be age 65 and older. According to the New York State Office for the Aging, the 60 and older population will grow by 40 percent over the next 30 years due, in large part, to the influx of baby boomers. As the elderly population increases, more services will be required to ensure their independence.

I will continue to ensure that necessary funds are allocated, so that New York is not penalized because of the redistribution of funds to ``high growth'' States. We must not allow meals and services to be taken away from elderly people in one State to give to elderly people in another State.

I hope my colleagues will join me in preserving this much-needed program for American seniors everywhere.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to welcome to the United States, our true friend and strong ally, the President of Kazakhstan, His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Since gaining independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has overcome numerous obstacles and challenges to emerge as one of the world's most dynamic and promising nations. Much of the credit for that should go to President Nazarbayev who led his country through difficult and painful reforms which brought about strong economic and democratic change.

Economically, Kazakhstan is accelerating beyond neighboring countries and most other countries in the world. It is evident that citizens of Kazakhstan are being offered a better tomorrow because the leadership remains committed in investing in its people and country.

Democratically, the ongoing economic liberalization inspired by President Nazarbayev would not be possible without the establishment of democratic institutions coupled with a civil society unique to the social-political nature of Kazakhstan and its people. The creation of over 5,000 NGO's, the founding of an independent judiciary, and the institutionalizing of a pluralistic, multi-party system are just a few examples of the impressive ``resume of freedom'' that this nation has built over the last decade. Kazakhstan is setting a noble example of what can be accomplished through democracy.

Democratization and domestic initiatives are intricately linked to foreign policy. Kazakhstan's dedication to the war on terror is admirable and deeply appreciated by the United States. It is important that the United States and Kazakhstan continue to work together to defeat those who want to destroy our most treasured values.

Today, Kazakhstan is a strong promoter of global peace and stability and I commend President Nazarbayev for taking concrete steps to bring together people of different religions by initiating the Congress of World and Traditional Religions which has become a respected forum where believers of all faiths can work in partnership to find better ways for a better future.

Additionally, Kazakhstan continues to serve as a model to the global community in its leadership on nonproliferation by voluntarily disarming what was once the world's fourth largest nuclear arsenal.

Mr. Speaker, Kazakhstan has a rich cultural heritage and a bright future. The people of Kazakhstan should be proud of their achievements and their leader. It is my hope that the United States and Kazakhstan will continue to build bridges, share ideas, and work closely together for years to come. I am confident that President Nazarbayev's visit to Washington is a strong testament of our growing strategic partnership, and I join many of my colleagues in wishing him a joyful and productive stay in our Nation's Capital.

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely disappointed that after an entire year, we cannot get the Ryan White reauthorization process right.

We should not be robbing Peter to pay Paul. That means we should not be cutting precious funds from places like New York, New Jersey, California, and many other States that have historically borne the burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

We should have enough money to take care of the people who are most at risk, regardless of where they live. The amendment that I offered in committee that would have added the needed funds was defeated. But I plan to offer it again on the floor, and I hope that the outcome is very, very different.

We need to get the money to places that have substantially high HIV/ AIDS populations, particularly African American and Hispanic women and men, and substance abusers. We cannot leave these most at-risk populations without medications and care.

This reauthorization in its present form does just that. And it is wrong, and I am hoping that the Members of this body will realize that we need to do something about this and should not leave people just to die and die because we are not acting properly.

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, the President of the Council of

Khalistan, whom many of us know, has been awarded the International Peace Prize Award by Dal Khalsa USA. It was awarded for his tireless efforts in support of peace in South Asia and freedom for the Sikh nation. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Aulakh on this prestigious award and congratulate Dal Khalsa on selecting such a worthy honoree. Dr. Aulakh bas worked for over 20 years to free the Sikh nation from oppression that has taken the lives of more than a quarter of a million Sikhs and left over 52,000 as political prisoners. He has worked with many of us here in Congress on both sides of the aisle to expose this repression and free his people.

Mr. Speaker, we should help this struggle by declaring our support for a free and fair plebiscite in Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and wherever they are seeking the kind of freedom that we enjoy, and we should stop giving aid and trade to India until it stops oppressing its people.

I would like to insert the press release on Dr. Aulakh's award into the Record.

Dr. Aulakh Receives International Peace Award

Washington, D.C., Sept. 12, 2006.--Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh.

President of the Council of Khalistan, received the

International Peace Prize Award on August 27 from Dal Khalsa

of America, headed by Sardar Paramjit Singh Sekhon. The award

was presented at a ceremony at the Fremont Gurdwara in

Fremont, California. He was nominated for this prestigious

award by Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Managing Editor of the

International Journal of Sikh Affairs. According to a Dal

Khalsa USA press release, he was given the award ``for his

tireless service to preserve peace in South Asia in

particular and the world in general.'' The release cites Dr.

Aulakh for ``continuing the Sikhs'' struggle to regain their

lost sovereignty, independence, and political power, by

peaceful means.''

The award was presented for Dr. Aulakh's continuing efforts

to internationalize the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent Sikh

struggle for independence and the human rights violations

against the Sikhs in India. He has been a tireless worker for

the cause of Sikh freedom. Dr. Aulakh has raised awareness of

the massive human-rights violations in India.

The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikh

infants, children, youth, men, women, and elderly since 1984,

more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims

in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims

throughout the country, and tens of thousands of Assamese,

Bodos, Dalits, Manipuris, Tamils, and others.

Indian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh

Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of

Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested,

tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared

unidentified and secretly cremated, Khalra was murdered in

police custody. His body was not given to his family. No one

has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of

Jaswant Singh Khalra. The police never released the body of

former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after

SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him. He has never been tried

for the Jathedar Kaunke murder. In 1994, the U.S. State

Department reported that the Indian government had paid over

41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. A report by the

Movement Against State Repression (MASR) quotes the Punjab

Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the

last few years the murder of innocent persons killed would

run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]'' The Indian Supreme

Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse

than a genocide.''

The MASR report states that 52,268 Sikhs are being held as

political prisoners in India without charge or trial, mostly

under a repressive law known as the ``Terrorist and

Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA), which expired in 1995.

Many have been in illegal custody since 1984! There has been

no list published of those who were acquitted under TADA and

those who are still rotting in Indian jails. Tens of

thousands of other minorities are also being held as

political prisoners, according to Amnesty International. ``We

demand the Immediate release of all these political

prisoners,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``Why are there political

prisoners in a democracy?''

Missionary Graham Staines was murdered along with his two

sons, ages 8 and 10, by a mob of militant, fundamentalist

Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep, surrounded it,

and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman,'' a Hindu god. Missionary

Joseph Cooper was beaten so badly that he had to spend a week

in an Indian hospital. Then the Indian government threw him

out of the country. None of the people involved has been

tried. The persons who have murdered priests, raped nuns, and

burned Christian churches have not been charged or tried.

Police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire.

The murderers of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have

never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported

that the police were ordered not to get involved in that

massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of

Sikhs in 1984.

``Sikhs and other minorities cannot live under Indian

rule,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``The actions of the Indian

government have made it clear that there is no place for

Sikhs or other minorities such as Christians, Muslims,

Dalits, and others in India's Hindu theocracy,'' he said. Dr.

Aulakh took note of the charges filed against 35 Sikhs for

making speeches and raising the Khalistani flag. ``Clearly

India is scared of the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent

movement for freedom inside and outside Punjab, Khalistan,''

he said.

History shows that multinational states such as India are

doomed to failure. Countries like Austria-Hungary, India's

longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia,

and others prove this point. India is not one country; it is

a polyglot like those countries, thrown together for the

convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to

break up as they did. Currently, there are 17 freedom

movements within India's borders. It has 18 official

languages.

``Only a sovereign, independent Khalistan will end the

repression and raise the standard of living for the people of

Punjab,'' said Dr. Gurmit Aulakh. ``As Professor Darshan

Singh, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, `If a Sikh is

not a Khallstani, he is not a Sikh.','' Dr. Aulakh said. ``We

must free Khalistan now.''

Mr. Speaker, the Council of Khalistan recently published an open letter showing that the effort to liberate Khalistan from Indian occupation is closer than ever to success. It took note of the speeches and the raising of the flag in support of Khalistan, of the seminar that was given that promoted Khalistan, and numerous other activities that have moved forward the peaceful effort to liberate Khalistan.

The letter argues that Khalistan is the only issue facing the Sikhs. It cites examples of people living in tyranny who put their differences aside to oust the tyrants and urges the Sikh nation to learn from those examples and do the same. It calls on the political leaders in Punjab, Khalistan, to focus their attention on the issue of liberating Khalistan from Indian occupation rather than the lesser issues that so often command their attention.

I recommend this letter highly, Mr. Speaker. It provides an excellent overview of the situation in Punjab, Khalistan.

Mr. Speaker, we must do our part to ensure freedom to the people of Khalistan and all the oppressed people of south Asia and the world. This is critical if we are proclaiming the American values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, which are cornerstones of American foreign policy. In pursuit of that goal, we should end our aid to India and our trade with India until it respects the basic human rights of all people under its control, treating them fairly, equally, and with dignity. And we should actively support democracy for the people of Khalistan and all the occupied nations, such as Kashmir, Nagalim, and others, in the form of democracy and self-determination. They should have a free and fair vote on their status, the democratic way. Does India have a problem with democracy for the people it rules? If so, it is not worthy of our support.

I would like to put the Council of Khalistan's open letter into the Record for the information of my colleagues and the American people.

Sikh Leadership Must Unite to Free Khalistan

August 14, 2006.

Dear Khalsa Ji: As I write this letter, we are again

approaching Indian Independence Day. Although it is a

celebration for the uppercaste Hindus, it is a black day on

the calendar for Sikhs and other minorities suffering under

the boot of Indian repression. Over 52,000 of our Sikh

brothers and sisters remain in illegal Indian custody as

political prisoners without charge or trial. More than a

quarter of a million of our fellow Sikhs have been murdered

by the Indian government. Similar genocide has been inflicted

on Christians, Muslims, and other minorities. Is this what

India celebrates? Are they celebrating bloodshed, violence,

brutality, and tyranny? Unfortunately, that is the way it

looks. How does a democracy justify that kind of celebration?

The flame of freedom continues to burn brightly in the

heart of the Sikh Nation. No force can suppress it. The

arrests last year and earlier this year of Sikh activists,

mostly from Dal Khalsa, merely for raising the Khalistani

flag and making pro-Khalistan speeches shows that the

movement to free our homeland is on the rise. It has gotten

the attention of the world. The seminar organized by former

Member of Parliament Sardar Atinder Pal Singh, who has

publicly asked why we can't have Khalistan, also moved the

cause of freedom for Khalistan forward. We are closer to

freedom than ever before, despite the ongoing repression.

Recently, a coalition of Sikh leaders led by Simranjit

Singh Mann has come together to oppose both Chief Minister

Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal. While it is good to

oppose both of these leaders, who are puppets of the brutal

Indian regime, the small, incremental proposals that the

Mann-led coalition is making do little to solve the basic

problems of the Sikh Nation. The real issue is Khalistan.

That is why these 35 Sikhs face charges from the Indian

government for raising the Khalistani flag and speaking for

Khalistan, not merely for opposition to Badal and Amarinder.

As worthwhile as it may be to oppose them, it is diverting

the attention of the Sikh Nation from the real issue of

Khalistan.

India is trying to subvert Khalistan's independence by

overrunning Punjab with non-Sikhs while keeping Sikhs from

escaping the brutal repression in Punjab. We must redouble

our efforts to free our homeland, Punjab, Khalistan. That is

the only way to keep these atrocities from continuing and to

protect the Sikh Nation. This is a direct challenge to the

Sikh leadership, irrespective of their party affiliation. Yet

the new coalition wants to practice politics as usual, within

the Indian system. That will never achieve freedom, dignity,

security, or prosperity for the Sikhs of Punjab, Khalistan.

They must speak out forcefully for Khalistan or their efforts

are useless. Please do not waste the Sikh Nation's time on

other issues that divert our attention from liberating

Khalistan. Those issues can and should be dealt with after

Khalistan is free. But until then, no other issue matters to

the future of the Khalsa Panth.

Other nations that have faced repression have taught us the

lesson that these politicians need to learn. When Nicaragua

suffered under a repressive government in the 1980s, the

opposition factions put aside their differences and worked

together to free the people from the repression of the Ortega

regime. A similar thing is happening in other countries

around the world today. They know that these differences, as

important as they may be, are for a later day. First,

they must secure freedom.

Any organization that sincerely supports Khalistan deserves

the support of the Sikh Nation. However, the Sikh Nation

needs leadership that is honest, sincere, consistent, and

dedicated to the cause of Sikh freedom. But we should only

support sincere, dedicated, honest leaders. The Council of

Khalistan has stood strongly and consistently for liberating

our homeland, Khalistan, from Indian occupation. For over 20

years we have led this fight while others were trying to

divert the resources and the attention of the Sikh Nation

away from the issue of freedom in a sovereign, independent

Khalistan.

Mr. Mann is not trustworthy. He is conniving with the

Indian government. His letter pledging support for ``the

constitution and territorial integrity of India'' is

reproduced on page 185 of Chakravyuh: Web of Indian

Secularism. Last year, he was escorted around America by

Amarjit Singh. At a Vaisakhi celebration in New York in 2000,

he called for the Council of Khalistan office to be closed.

He has accused Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon and me of being Indian

government agents!

All factions of the Akali Dal are to be viewed with

suspicion. The Akali Dal has lost all its credibility. The

Akali Dal conspired with the Indian government in 1984 to

invade the Golden Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale and

20,000 other Sikh during June 1984 in Punjab. If Sikhs will

not even protect the sanctity of the Golden Temple, how can

the Sikh Nation survive as a nation?

The Akali leaders also walked out when I predicted at a

seminar around the celebration of Guru Nanak's birthday that

Khalistan will soon be free, a prediction that was greeted

with multiple enthusiastic shouts of ``Khalistan Zindabad.''

How will these Akalis account for themselves? Remember the

words of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Professor Darshan

Singh: ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.''

Khalistan is the only way that Sikhs will be able to live in

freedom, peace, prosperity, and dignity. It is time to start

a Shantmai Morcha to liberate Khalistan from Indian

occupation.

Never forget that the Akal Takht Sahib and Darbar Sahib are

under the control of the Indian government, the same Indian

government that has murdered over a quarter of a million

Sikhs in the past twenty years. These institutions will

remain under the control of the Indian regime until we free

the Sikh homeland, Punjab, Khalistan, from Indian occupation

and oppression and sever our relations with the New Delhi

government.

The Sikhs in Punjab have suffered enormous repression at

the hands of the Indian regime in the last 25 years. Over

50,000 Sikh youth were picked up from their houses, tortured,

murdered in police custody, then secretly cremated as

``unidentified bodies.'' Their remains were never even given

to their families! More than a quarter of a million Sikhs

have been murdered at the hands of the Indian government.

Another 52,268 are being held as political prisoners. Some

have been in illegal custody since 1984! Even now, the

capital of Punjab, Chandigarh, has not been handed over to

Punjab, but remains a Union Territory. How can Sikhs have any

freedom living under a government that would do these things?

Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. Ever since

independence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, starting

with Patel's memo labelling Sikhs ``a criminal tribe.'' Wbat

a shame for Home Minister Patel and the Indian government to

issue this memorandum when the Sikh Nation gave over 80

percent of the sacrifices to free India.

How can Sikhs continue to live in such a country? There is

no place for Sikhs in supposedly secular, supposedly

democratic India. Let us work to make certain that 2006 is

the Sikh Nation's most blessed year by making sure it is the

year that we shake ourselves loose from the yoke of Indian

oppression and liberate our homeland, Khalistan,

so that all Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, freedom, and

dignity.

Sincerely,

Gurmit Singh Aulakh,

President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. Speaker, recently, Dal Khalsa USA held a seminar in support of Khalistan, the Sikh homeland. It was a significant demonstration of the continuing support that the Sikh people have for freedom for their homeland. Paramjit Singh Sekhon and Gagandecp Singh, who lead Dal Khalsa USA and organized the seminar, are to be congratulated. Speakers, included Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Dr. Ajit Pal Singh Sandhu, and Dr. Arjinder Singh Sekhorn.

Freedom is a dream that people all over the world share and we should be encouraging it, Mr. Speaker. Both here and in Punjab, support for Khalistan is on the rise and getting more visible.

As the beacon of liberty in the world, it is our duty to encourage people who are reaching for freedom. The essence of democracy is the right to self-determination. But in India, all that elections do for minorities is to change the faces of the oppressors. The time has come to go on record in support of a democratic vote on freedom for Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and all the minority nations of South Asia. And we should stop our aid to India and our trade until human rights are respected.

Mr. Speaker, the Council of Khalistan issued a press release on the seminar. I would like to add it to the Record.

Dal Khalsa USA Holds Seminar on Khalistan

Washington, D.C.--Dal Khalsa USA held a seminar on

Khalistan In Fremont, California from August 25 to August 27,

The seminar focused on the need to liberate Khalistan, the

Sikh homeland, from Indian occupation. Khalistan is the Sikh

homeland that declared its independence from India on October

7, 1987. Speakers included Dr. Gurmit Singh aulakh, President

of the Council of Khalistan, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon,

Managing Editor of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs,

Dr. Ajit Pal Singh Sandhu, Colonel Arjinderpal Singh Sekhon

(US Army Reserve), and others, The seminar was organized by

Sardar Paramjit Singh Sekhon, President of Dal Khalsa USA,

and Sardar Gagandeep Singh, General Secretary of Dal Khalsa

Mr. Speaker, on September 11, while we were observing the anniversary of a horrible terrorist attack on America, 13 Catholic schools were closed in Lucknow, India, after the Convent of Loreto, the school there, and the chapel were attacked by the violent Hindu organization the Bharatiya Janata Yuva, a youth arm of the BJP, which is part of the RSS, a Fascist organization that published a book on how to get minorities, including Christians, falsely implicated in criminal cases.

The spokesman for the BJP demanded a high-level inquiry into the school, according to the Tribune newspaper of Chandigarh, saying it engaged in ``irrational behavior.'' Apparently, being a Catholic is irrational behavior and ``unscientific activity'' in the world of Hindu militants.

Unforturlately, Mr. Speaker, this is not an isolated incident. There has been a wave of attacks against Christians. According to an article that appeared in the Journal of the London Institute of South Asia, some Christian boys were shot while praying. A mob of Hindus burned a missionary, Graham Staines, and his two sons (ages 8 and 10) to death and they have gotten away with it. Another missionary, Joseph Cooper, was severely beaten and then expelled from India. Christians have been arrested for sharing their religious beliefs. Violent Hindu Fascists have raped nuns, murdered priests, burned churches, and committed other acts of violence against Christians. More than 300,000 Christians have been killed by the Indians in Nagaland alone.

This would be bad enough if it were just Christians, Mr. Speaker, but, sadly, it is not. Sikhs, Muslims, and other minorities, such as Dalits, have been similarly repressed. The Muslims had their most revered mosque in India destroyed. Somewhere between 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims were murdered in one pogrom in Gujarat. More than 90,000 have been killed in Kashmir. The government has murdered over a quarter of a million Sikhs. Their most sacred place of worship, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which has been called the Sikh equivalent of the Vatican, was attacked in June 1984. Hundreds of people were brutally murdered there, and more than 20,000 were killed in the month of June 1984. More than 52,000 Sikhs are political prisoners in India. They have murdered human-rights activists for exposing their secret cremations, murdered religious leaders, murdered toddlers, and paid out more than 41,000 cash bounties to police officers who killed Sikhs.

I would like to thank Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh of the Council of Khalistan for bringing the Loreto attack to my attention.

Mr. Speaker, we are at war right now with Fascists using the cover of Islam. Many of us have criticisms of the war policies, but the recent anniversary of September 11 reminds us that we cannot let terrorists carry out their awful deeds with no consequences. So why do we refuse even to raise our voices against Fascists who use the cover of the Hindu religion and oppress and kill Christians, Muslims, Sikhs. and others? At the very least, Mr. Speaker, we should be willing to stop trading with India and cut off our aid, and we should stand for the principles that America represents by seeking a democratic solution to the repression in the form of a free and fair plebiscite on the status of Christian Nagaland, predominantly Sikh Khalistan, Kashmir, and the others who seek their freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to put the Council of Khalistan's press release on the Loreto attack in the Record.

Catholic Schools in Lucknow Closed After Attack on Convent by Militant

Hindus

Washington, D.C.--Thirteen Catholic schools were closed

today to protest vandalism on the premises of the Loreto

Convent, according to the Tribune of Chandigarh. Among the

schools that were closed is the Loreto School. Militant

Hindus from the Bharatiya Janata Yuva (a youth movement

affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and the

Fascist RSS) attacked the Convent of Loreto, Loreto Chapel,

and the school there. A spokesman for the BJP, Mr. H.

Dikshit, demanded an investigation of the school, saying that

it encourages ``irrational behavior'' and ``unscientific

activity.'' Mr. Dlkshit said that the state government is

``overreacting to breaking a few flower pots.''

The attacks are part of a pattern of violence against

Christians that has been going on heavily since Christmas

1998, which is in line with similar tyranny against other

minorities. Missionary Graham Staines was murdered along with

his two sons, ages a and 10, by a mob of militant,

fundamentalist Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep,

surrounded it. and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman,'' a Hindu

god. Missionary Joseph Cooper was beaten so badly that he had

to spend a week in an Indian hospital. Then the Indian

government threw him out of the country. None of the people

involved has been tried. Several states have enacted anti-

conversion laws, which in practice prevent anyone from

converting to any religion except Hinduism. Such a law is

being considered by the Lok Sabha, the national Parliament.

Christians report that they have faced threats, physical

attacks, and jail time for sharing their beliefs. The

Rashtirya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu Fascist

organization that is the parent organization of the BJP,

published a booklet on how to implicate Christians and other

minorities in false criminal cases. The people who have

murdered priests, raped nuns, forced them to drink their own

urine, and burned Christian churches have not been charged or

tried. In 2002, the Associated Press reported an attack on a

Catholic church on the outskirts of Bangalore in which

several people were injured. The assailants threw stones at

the church, then broke in, breaking furniture and smashing

windows before attacking worshippers. Last year, two young

Christian boys were shot at while they prayed. Police broke

up a Christian religious festival with gunfire.

Sikhs and Muslims know the same repression that Christians

have been experiencing lately. In June 1984, Indian forces

invaded and desecrated the most sacred center and seat of the

Sikh religion, the Golden Temple in Amrltsar, along with 37

other Gurdwaras throughout Punjab. Over 20,00 were killed.

Several young Sikh boys were taken into the courtyard of the

Darbar Sahib complex and asked if they supported Khalistan

(the independent Sikh homeland.) When they answered with the

Sikh religious statement. ``Bole So Nihal,'' they were

summarily murdered. The Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth

Sahib, was shot full of bullet holes.

Indian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh

Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of

Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested,

tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared

unidentified and secretly cremated. Khalra was murdered in

police custody. His body was not given to his family. No one

has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of

Jaswant Singh Khaira. The police never released the body of

former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after

SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him. He has never been tried

for the Jathedar Kaunke murder. In 1994, the U.S. State

Department reported that the Indian government had paid over

41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. A report by the

Movement Against State Repression (MASR) quotes the Punjab

Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the

last few years the number of innocent persons killed would

run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]'' The Indian Supreme

Court cal[ed the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse

than a genocide.''

The MASR report states that 52,268 Sikhs are being held as

political prisoners in India without charge or trial, mostly

under a repressive law known as the ''Terrorist and

Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA), which expired in 1995.

Many have been in illegal custody since 1984! Tens of

thousands of other minorities are also being held as

political prisoners, according to Amnesty International. Last

year, 35 Sikhs were charged and arrested in Punjab for making

speeches In support of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani

flag.

The murderers of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have

never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported

that the police were ordered not to get involved in that

massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of

Sikhs in 1984. The most important mosque in India. the Babri

Mosque, was destroyed by militant Hindu fundamentalists who

have never been held responsible for their actions.

``The attack on the Loreto Convent shows that minorities

have no place in India's so-called democracy,'' said Dr.

Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan,

which leads the Sikh struggle for an independent Khalistan.

Khalistan declared its independence on October 7, 1987.

History shows that multinational states such as India are

doomed to failure. Countries like Austria-Hungary, India's

longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia,

and others prove this point. India

is not one country; It Is a polyglot like those countries,

thrown together for the convenience of the British

colonialists. It is doomed to break up as they did.

Currently, there are 17 freedom movements within India's

borders. It has 18 official languages. ``The only way that

the repression of Sikhs, Christians. Muslims, and other

minorities will end is to liberate our homelands, such as

Khalistan, Nagaland, Kashmir. and the rest, said Dr. Aulakh.

``As Professor Darshan Singh, former Jathedar of the Akal

Takht, said, 'If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a

Sikh.','' Dr. Aulakh said. ``We must free Khalistan now.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the late Pastor Bishop Clarence Harmon, a man who was a giant among men in the Brooklyn, New York community. Although he has passed on, it behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding leader. I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive accomplishments, as the community prepares to honor the memory of this great man of God at a memorial service on July 30, 2006.

Clarence Harmon was born July 26, 1926 in Columbia, South Carolina. After completing high school, he came to New York City. After several years in New York, he met and married Catherine P. Penn. To that union, three children, one daughter and two sons were born. It was after their marriage that he accepted Christ as his personal Savior and joined Betterview Baptist Church. Upon departure from Betterview, he became affiliated with the Institutional Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Reverend Carl E. Williams. There, God began to mold and shape him for greater service. On Easter Sunday, 1951, he preached his first sermon. He graduated from Shelton College in 1956. In April 1956, he started a mission at 645 Halsey Street, Brooklyn. Shortly thereafter, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, Elder Harmon was led to 623 Madison Street. The building was totally void. However, the spirit of God confirmed to him whispering the words ``This Is It'' and the Lord blessed his hands to build a structure such as the one that is known as Unity Temple.

During the latter part of 1956, Unity Temple became affiliated with the Church of God in Christ, Inc. Eastern New York Jurisdiction. For the next 30 years, Pastor Harmon held various leadership positions within the COGIC, such as: President and Administrative Assistant of the Pioneers, Chairman of the Board of Elders; President of the State Benevolent Committee; and Superintendent of District No. 3 under the leadership of the late Bishop F. D. Washington. As an Assistant Bishop to over 100 churches throughout the dioceses of the Churches of God in Christ, Bishop Harmon instituted a benevolence committee to take care of the pioneers and widows of the Eastern N.Y. Jurisdiction.

In 1988, he was appointed to the position of First Assistant of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Eastern New York; the late Bishop Ithiel Clemmons, Jurisdictional Prelate. In October 1995, he was elevated to the office of Bishop in the Churches of God in Christ. He served as Presiding Bishop of the O. M. Kelly/F. D. Washington Brotherhood.

Bishop Harmon was a pioneer in the Brooklyn community, hosting one of the largest food pantries in Bedford-Stuyvesant feeding over 4,000 people a month. Bishop Harmon was a generous person donating his time and talent to those in need. He had an open door policy at the church, often allowing weddings and funerals to be held without cost. Bishop Harmon's favorite saying was ``Everybody is somebody'' and he lived and proved that every day. Through his ministry, 15 churches to date have been birthed. Though small in stature, Bishop Harmon stood tall among men. He acquired the name ``Muscles'' from his friends in the ministry because of his strength and tenacity in defending the underprivileged. Some of those friends included the late Bishop F.D. Washington, Bishop O.M. Kelly and Bishop I. Clemmons, to name a few.

He was and still is an inspiration to those who knew him. Bishop Harmon's church community continues his legacy through the implementation of the Clarence Harmon Scholarship Fund that will award two scholarships in his name to high school seniors seeking a college degree. This tribute will further serve as a reminder to our youth that no height is too great for them to achieve.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Pastor Bishop Clarence Harmon, a man who offered his talents and services for the betterment of our local and global communities.

Mr. Speaker, Bishop Harmon's selfless service has continuously demonstrated a level of altruistic dedication that makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the disturbing economic trends in Puerto Rico detailed in recently released reports by the General Accountability Office (GAO), and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). Taken together, these finely written and well-documented studies paint a bleak picture of an island that-- instead of being a model of economic development--has fallen further behind the 50 states.

Nothing could be clearer from these reports than that we have failed the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico miserably for over 50 years. Not because of bad intentions, or because of some sort of benign neglect, but because of failed policies that have provided few, if any, of their promised benefits. These studies vividly demonstrate the need for a different approach that will more directly benefit the residents of Puerto Rico, including making them eligible for the refundable portion of the child tax credit, which I proposed in legislation introduced earlier this Congress (H.R. 4451).

These studies paint a fairly stark picture of the ways in which Federal policies have markedly neglected working Americans in Puerto Rico, by denying them basic support accorded to families in the rest of the United States who are struggling to make ends meet.

The focus of the GAO report is the economy of Puerto Rico during the phase-out of the Possessions Tax Credit (``Sec. 936''), the cornerstone of the U.S. tax policy in Puerto Rico until Congress repealed it in 1996. GAO (and an independent study by the Brookings Institution), determined that the repeal of Sec. 936 to a significant degree did not cause the companies that had previously taken advantage of the program to flee the island; instead concluding that ``a substantial amount of possession corporation activity has been continued by other types of businesses,'' primarily by the companies conversion to controlled foreign corporations, which do not have to pay taxes on their PR source income. As such, the GAO provides the most comprehensive and objective assessment that while corporate structures have changed, underlying economic activity has not markedly changed during the Sec. 936 phase- out.

The bottom line conclusion is that the tax policies that have been in place have failed to put Puerto Rico on a path toward equality with the mainland. Growth has been insufficient to reduce the gap in per capita income (one third that of the mainland), living standards (four times the number of people live below the poverty level) and unemployment (twice as high as the mainland)--nor improve the abysmally low labor force participation rate. Clearly the data supports the conclusion that the past approach has had little--if any--direct and

positive effect on the welfare of individuals living and working on the island.

The JCT study points out that tax incentives such as Sec. 936 cannot be permanent additions to the Internal Revenue Code, and that there are market distortions associated with these incentives. While not opining on a preferred approach, JCT states that other options might gain a higher rate of return. JCT surveys some of these options, putting them in the context of the various political status alternatives. Unfortunately, JCT articulates the costs, but dodges the really big question of measuring the possible economic benefits of the different status options (independence, statehood, or continued commonwealth status).

Most importantly, the JCT study points out how much misguided federal tax policies have neglected the people of Puerto Rico--and point to a direction that would clearly have a measurable, positive, impact on the very people who need it most: the working poor of Puerto Rico. This is through application of work incentives available to working families in the 50 states: the per-child tax credit (CTC) and Earned Income Credit (EIC), both of which are available to working families on the mainland to offset payroll taxes (which are also paid by residents of Puerto Rico).

By paying payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare without receiving the earned income tax credit, working families in Puerto Rico face a heavily regressive tax burden. To illustrate, a Puerto Rican on the island who files as a head of household with two children and $20,000 of income has a total Federal tax liability of $792. Yet that filer's brother in New York with the same income and family circumstances would receive a tax refund of $3,708. According to the JCT study, simply making Puerto Ricans eligible for the EITC would provide an annual fiscal stimulus of $540 million directly to the local economy, which some estimates show would reduce tax burdens on over 90 percent of taxpayers (about 950,000 taxpayer returns).

My legislation, making families eligible for the child tax credit (now applicable only to families of 3 or more), would further reduce taxes for another 32 percent of all tax filers or about 560,000 taxpayers (and add another $180 million, annually, to the local economy). Independent analysis shows that these targeted tax credits would be up to 40 percent more effective in stimulating the economy than failed subsidies we have tried, which amount to billions of dollars every year (and continue to this day).

In closing, let me say, I applaud GAO and JCT for drawing our attention to the problem of Puerto Rico's economy. The ball is now in our court. It is the responsibility of this Congress to implement new policies. I am not sure what all these policies should be, but do know that what we have tried did not work, and that we should consider a range of options--including my own legislation--with an eye toward what would best serve the nearly four million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, who need and deserve our help. I urge my colleagues to move forward expeditiously in this effort.