Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was one of the original authors of this measure,

along with Jim McDermott and Charlie Rangel, and I know how much work over the last week has gone into this in terms of the work by Chairman Dave Camp, by Karen Bass, and by others who have worked to get this bill out of the Senate.

I wanted to make a few observations on this measure and the impact it has had. I chaired the Africa Subcommittee when we passed the African Growth and Opportunity Act. It was bipartisan. It was historic.

Before, Africa policy was just aid policy. With AGOA, we created a trade policy for Africa. With AGOA, we have seen exports and imports double into sub-Saharan Africa. And I have had the opportunity to see this program's benefits, hundreds of thousands of jobs, most held by women, created in the apparel sector, boosting very poor countries in Africa.

And AGOA has also strengthened the rule of law in Africa because that's one of the conditions, that when we wrote this bill and marked it up, we put that conditionality on, that eligibility criteria.

And I just wanted to remind the Members for a minute, and this is testimony from Jas Bedi, chairman of the African Cotton and Textile Industry Federation, the eligibility criteria of AGOA compelled most African countries to embrace the rule of law, to allow for political pluralism, and respect democracy and basic human rights. Those were requirements. And the move toward independent judges and independent judicial systems separate of the government in order to enforce the rule of law was very, very important across the continent.

And if we didn't act today, because today is the last day to extend the third-country provision, these jobs would have shifted to Asia. And that's what we were told in the hearings that we held on both the House and Senate sides on this issue. Already, a number of jobs have been lost to Asia because of uncertainty over whether Congress would act.

There's a second provision that I think is very important, and that's the South Sudan eligibility. South Sudan became an independent country in July of 2011. And for those of us who have visited South Sudan and have been in Sudan to see the situation, it's very important that South Sudan get this opportunity.

Prior to its independence, exporters in South Sudan were eligible for AGOA benefits as part of Sudan, and this legislation ensures that these exporters continue to be eligible for AGOA benefits, very important to the new economy in that new country.

Both bodies must act today. Both bodies must do this so that we can put this bill on the President's desk. We have worked, over the years, our coalition, with both President Clinton and President Bush. We have traveled to Africa with the former President in order to help sell him on this idea and to sell our colleagues on this concept.

Today, with the changes that we're seeing, with the economic growth that we're seeing across sub-Saharan Africa, I think we can be jointly proud of this bipartisan effort. So I think it is a lesson in doing the right thing.

And I, again, want to congratulate Chairman Dave Camp and his staff and our friends on the other side of the aisle, especially Karen Bass, for the flurry of activity over the last 72 hours with our meetings with our Senate colleagues in order to get this done.

Mr. Speaker, I want to start here by commending Chairman Ros-Lehtinen for this sustained focus on Iran that she has had for many, many years. I also want to thank Ranking Member Berman for the strong pressure that he has put on the regime in Iran, as well.

Recently, we had the administration fighting hard against bipartisan sanctions targeting the Central Bank of Iran. But what I want to point out is that in a bipartisan way here, Congress insisted on, and today the administration touts, the impact of sanctions on Iran's economy.

Here is the point I'd like to make: we'd be in a much better position if the executive branch, both Republicans and Democrats--right now we have the problem with the Obama administration's slow-walking this; but had they been more willing to work with Congress to craft tougher sanctions earlier, we'd be in a lot better position right now. The bill's stepped-up penalties on those cooperating with Iran's energy and shipping sectors, frankly, that's the Achilles' heel that we should be aiming at.

Very importantly, this bill also includes a human rights title to go after those abusing Iran's citizens. Let's let Iranians know that we are on their side and we are going to focus on those crimes against humanity and on the brutal regime opposing them. It's a regime that beats and that imprisons--I've talked to some of these victims--and that often rapes its own people in

order to try to impose its will. It's a regime that executes political prisoners by the hundreds.

Congress is increasing the pressure. Many of us, certainly the chairman, would like to go further. Iran's centrifuges are spinning, but this progress here today deserves support.

Mr. Speaker, July 20 marks the 38th anniversary of the

Turkish invasion of the island of Cyprus. That invasion claimed the lives of about 5,000 Cypriots. In the neighborhood of 200,000 people were forcibly expelled from their homes during that time period. To put that in perspective, that was one-third of the population of the country. If this were to happen in the United States, it would be the equivalent of about 100,000 people becoming refugees in their own land.

As we stand here today, that occupation continues. There are over 30,000 Turkish troops on the island. They are stationed on over one- third of Cyprus. Sadly, that occupied area of this beautiful land is one of the most militarized areas in the world. I have seen this on both sides of that divide. It is truly tragic that despite the wishes of Cypriots on both sides of that line that this cannot be resolved. And the Cyprus-Turkey issue, unlike many others, is one that the international community has been able to agree on.

There have been 75 resolutions adopted in the Security Council--more than 13 by the General Assembly--calling for the return of the refugees to their homes and to their properties and for the withdrawal of those Turkish troops from Cyprus.

President Demetris Christofias has followed through on his promise to make the solution of that problem his top priority. I met with him when I was in Nicosia 3 years ago, and his commitment to finding a solution greatly impressed me in that he had reached out to Turkish Cypriots.

I had my own opportunity, when I was in northern Cyprus, to talk to Turkish Cypriots, and they confirmed that their desire was to find a resolution to this problem, to find a way to have Turkish troops leave the island. And there's certainly no lack of good will, I think, in terms of the Cypriot community.

So, since 2008, there have been these full-fledged negotiations with leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community. I think that the problem here is that that effort needs a reliable partner, a reasonable partner, and I question whether Turkey is listening in that process. From everything I've seen, they're not listening yet.

I would point out that Cyprus and the United States share a deep and abiding commitment to upholding the ideals of freedom, democracy, justice, human rights, and the international rule of law. After the Lebanon crisis in 2006, if you'll recall, Cyprus served as the principal transit location for people evacuating Lebanon, including our U.S. citizens. I had constituents that went through Cyprus at that time. In the `83 Beirut barracks bombing, it was Cyprus that provided the staging ground for the U.S. evacuation and rescue efforts after that bombing.

But I point out also that since the discovery of gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, the U.S. has advocated including revenue sharing from energy resources in those Cyprus settlement talks, urging that they be shared with the Cypriot community on both sides of that line.

It's important to note that there are concrete efforts underway by the heads of the respective communities to reunify. Greek and Turkish Cypriots, alike, want to see that solution. Again, in my view, what stands in the way here is Turkey at the present time, and I wish they would reconsider their position.

You can see the extent to which Cyprus is willing to compromise with these newly discovered energy resources. Greek Cypriot leaders are willing, in principle, to share the benefits of future gas production with Turkish Cypriots. Their only request is that revenues not be shared with those 30,000-plus Turkish soldiers on the island, and that's still not good enough for Turkey.

You know, Mr. Speaker, 38 years of occupation, needless militarization in this part of the world, this divide should have ended long, long ago. There is still time to right this wrong. I hope Turkey reconsiders.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I join with those that are concerned. I urge my colleagues to repeal this health care law so that we can replace it with a plan that is fiscally responsible, that gives Americans the freedom to make health care choices for their family, that contains reforms that actually reduce costs and actually expands coverage.

My concerns here are with this 150 new government agencies that we're going to see, with what I believe will eventually lead to a government takeover of health care with the creation of a new, massive entitlement program with a cost of $1.76 trillion over the next decade. I know the argument is made, well, we're going to pay for this by cutting Medicare by over half a trillion dollars. How could that possibly be done, given the Office of the Actuary telling us that that's not possible. That is not possible.

All of the taxes in this bill, how that will hurt business, I can tell you right now. Businesses are facing an enormous amount of uncertainty, largely because of our massive debt burden, and here we have compounded that problem with 20 taxes on businesses and individuals in this law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer tribute to a truly superb civil servant, veteran, and engineer, Mr. Brian Moore, on the occasion of his retirement as Deputy District Engineer for the Los Angeles District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It has been such a pleasure to know and work with Mr. Moore as he has helped address critical water resources and infrastructure needs for this nation during his career. Overall, he has served his country as a young soldier and as a distinguished civilian senior leader for the Los Angeles District spanning a career of over 44 years.

Mr. Moore's technical expertise and superior leadership has been instrumental to the success of the Army Corps of Engineers' many complex projects and programs. As the Army Corps of Engineers transformed itself to a project management focused organization, he was called to lead the role as one of the first Deputy District Engineers for Project Management and is retiring as the longest serving Corps leader in that role. He has been instrumental in the success of the extremely capable Los Angeles District which has nearly 400 projects in navigation, flood control, environmental restoration, military construction, and environmental cleanup. He has led and mentored future engineering leaders supporting our country's critical infrastructure including young military officers who have been assigned to the Los Angeles District.

He has been equally adept at interacting with all levels of government partners, agencies, stakeholders, and public sponsors in meeting the nation's military construction and water resources needs. The organization and teams that he has led have been known for their intricate problem solving, common sense solutions, consideration of stakeholder needs, and teamwork. All in all, I know of no finer member of our esteemed United States Army Corps of Engineers and I wish him the best in the years ahead.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I must say, for those of us who have seen this with our own eyes, who saw the devastation in the Central Valley, we know for a fact that when the aqueduct pumps in California were slowed, when that water came to a halt because of the orders and opinions issued partly by the Obama administration, what we saw was devastation. We saw the worst of it in 2010. Over a million acre-feet of water were lost. Tens of thousands of jobs were destroyed in our State. The unemployment rate, my friends, in some of these Central Valley towns reached 40 percent.

Those signs that I saw along the I 5 when I was going up to take a look at this, they told a certain story, and these were written by

My personal favorite: ``New Dust Bowl, created by Congress.''

Well, this legislation would bring some sanity back to this process. By restoring water deliveries to the levels agreed upon in the 1994 Bay-Delta Accord between California and the Federal Government, this bill could bring back 30,000 jobs, and it would save millions of acre- feet of water which has been sent to the ocean.

My friends, this is a man-made problem. It's going to take legislation to fix. This bill will fix it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my condolences to the people of the Philippines in the aftermath of the destructive typhoon and flood that swept across Mindanao, devastating the coastal areas around Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Bukinon.

This past weekend, Typhoon Washi struck the Philippines with turbulent winds, overwhelming the region with a month's worth of rain over just 12 hours. The heavy rain caused rivers to overflow and, in the middle of the night, the fast rising waters ravaged the populated villages. An estimated 167,000 Filipinos have been impacted, with 957 losing their lives. Sadly, these numbers rise as each day passes.

Right now, these areas are suffering from crowded evacuation centers, inundated medical facilities, and destroyed homes. As the Philippines and the United States have an historically close relationship, it is important to ensure that we assist the Filipino people as best we can, and help the many suffering rebuild and heal. The needs in these destroyed areas are substantial.

I also commend the quick community efforts of U.S. based Filipino organizations, such as Kagay-anon International of Southern California (KISC), for answering the call to help. Within 24 hours, KISC already collected 15 boxes worth of clothing, food, and water. It is organizations like this that truly bring hope to those in need and make a difference in a crisis.

Again, I express my deepest condolences to the people of the Philippines. As the holidays approach, know that we support and stand by you as you work to recover from this natural disaster.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule. This is a question, as it relates to this Keystone pipeline project, of whether we're serious about an economic recovery in this country. And frankly, it's a question about whether or not we're serious about our national security.

Now, we have a shovel-ready project here, the Keystone pipeline, that will create tens of thousands of jobs. By the Chamber's estimate and by the estimate of the unions involved in supporting this, it's actually hundreds of thousands in terms of the consequences of developing this resource and bringing it down from Alberta, Canada. These are good jobs, good jobs for men and women in this country that are involved in manufacturing pipe and earth movers.

And frankly, when you think about it, why, why do we keep delaying this at a time when unemployment is as high as it is? Because I can tell you, the Canadians aren't waiting. The Chinese are not waiting. Make no mistake about it, the Canadians will develop and export the oil they're developing in western Canada. The Prime Minister met with Hu Jintao of China, and the deal that they're talking about striking is one that accrues to the benefit of China at the expense of the United States. If this energy does not transit the United States and go to refineries here, it will go to China, and it will fuel their manufacturing sector.

That is what we are concerned about. We are concerned about throwing away this opportunity. I don't know about you, but it sure bothers me to see China playing in our hemisphere and the administration does not seem to care.

Americans have been told about the importance of energy independence. We have been on the hook, my friends, to Middle East producers for decades now; and we're sending billions every year to that cartel. And these countries in that cartel are unstable. They all collude to control prices, and we have a chance instead to get this oil from our allies, and we're being told by this administration and by the other side of the aisle that despite the jobs that this would create, that this is going to be stopped.

Well, today we have a chance to develop an energy resource in the Americas, working with our Canadian allies, creating good jobs, creating access to cheaper energy here. Energy in China is 20 percent higher than energy here in the United States. Why would we want to inverse that? Why don't we want the cheaper source of energy here? Yet the administration stalls and gives the advantage to China.

I just want to tell you, colleagues, support this rule, support the underlying legislation. Take a stand for jobs. Take a stand for American security and consider the fact that China has already advantaged itself in Africa and Latin America and elsewhere at our expense.

Mr. Speaker, last week we had a headline in the newspaper that I think underscores the importance of this legislation, and what that headline said was that North Korea is making a missile able to hit the United States.

Now, the reason we're concerned about Iran's activities here in proliferation is because Iran announces they want to kill us. That tends to get our attention. And as a consequence, we begin to think, what could we do to sanction their central bank in order to make it very, very difficult for them to proceed down this road?

Well, let's go back for a minute to this North Korea story, remembering already that we've seen North Korea, proliferate and attempt to give nuclear capability to Syria. We've seen North Korea proliferate to Iran and Pakistan with their missile capabilities. And the story reported that North Korea is moving ahead to build its first road mobile intercontinental ballistic missile. And of course, mobile missiles are very difficult to find. You can't locate them. They're made to be hidden.

And with these developments, the Secretary of Defense said North Korea is in the process of becoming a direct threat to the United States. That's former Secretary of Defense Gates.

No one who has closely watched North Korea is surprised by these developments. And because we haven't seriously sanctioned North Korea in the way of--I mean, we tried sanctioning the Bank of Delta Asia for a short period of time and, frankly, it worked, and then we lifted those sanctions.

I want you to think about this. Pyongyang builds a nuclear reactor in Syria, no real consequences. North Korea unveils an advanced uranium enrichment plant, no real consequences. Kim Jong-Il torpedoes a South Korean ship, no real consequences.

Fully implementing this legislation could impose costs on North Korea or on Iran. But just as with the previous legislation, the administration isn't aggressively confronting this North Korean threat.

Now, I'm going to share with you my concern over all of this. If history is a guide, we'll pass these bills, we'll take them up tomorrow. They'll pass out of the House by tremendous margins. Then we'll wait. We'll wait for the other body to act. Then the Obama administration will press for these sanctions to be scaled back, as it continues to do. And this is what happened last Congress, and my concern is that that is what happens here now. We've got to push this now.

I rise in support of this resolution.

Several of our colleagues--Sam Johnson, Howard Coble, John Conyers, and its author Charlie Rangel--bravely fought in this war and deserve our recognition tonight. Even if he hasn't had a bad day since, they deserve our recognition.

Mr. Speaker, the Korean War as we often know is called the Forgotten War, but those who fought it and our South Korean allies haven't forgotten this war. And by moving this legislation forward tonight, we're signaling that the House has not forgotten this war. And as much as anything, I believe this resolution demonstrates the shared commitment, the shared sacrifice that serves as the foundation of that U.S.-South Korea alliance.

We've all seen lots change in those six decades since our colleagues fought in that war; but with U.S. support, South Korea has transformed into a modern leading economy in the world today, but you still go north of that 38th Parallel--I've been north of that 38th Parallel--and they still live literally in darkness.

It's been more than 60 years since the start of the Korean war; and after all of that time, our Department of Defense lists more than 8,000 American servicemen as POWs who are missing in action. The number of South Koreans is estimated to be many times that because as many as 100,000 South Koreans were forcibly conscripted into the North Korean Army.

For our veterans and for their families, it is well past time for a full accounting which is what this resolution calls for.

Indeed, as this resolution states, there are still South Korean prisoners of war and civilian abductees from the Korean war who are still alive in North Korea and want to be repatriated back to the South.

For the sake of those impacted, I urge passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 306) urging the Republic of Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield half of my time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) and ask unanimous consent that he may be able to control that time.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me begin by quoting Thomas Jefferson. He said, ``In our early struggles for liberty, religious freedom could not fail to become a primary object.''

Jefferson was a very smart man, and he understood that the core foundation of democracy relied on individual differences and opinions without fear of intimidation. This concept is one that we, as Americans, have benefited from since our founding. Religious freedom has played an integral part of our continued success as a country. Very sadly, this is a freedom that so many countries like Turkey still struggle to realize.

Today we are considering House Resolution 306, which I authored with Ranking Member Howard Berman, urging the Republic of Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties to their rightful owners.

Unfortunately, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has had to put Turkey on its watch list for 3 straight years now. The commission reports that the Turkish Government's formal, longstanding efforts to control religion by imposing suffocating regulations and by denying full legal status to religious institutions results in serious religious freedom violations. The government has failed to take decisive action to correct the climate of impunity against religious minorities and to make the necessary institutional reforms to reverse these conditions. Now, those are the words of the commission, itself, on this subject.

Religious tolerance has long been a problem for Turkey. Turkey has yet to remedy the desecration of the religious properties of over 2 million Armenians and Greeks and Assyrians and Syriacs over the last 100 years. Until these obligations are fulfilled, religious freedom will remain illusive and, frankly, relations with the United States will suffer. Prime Minister Erdogan recently issued a decree to return confiscated church properties that were taken after 1936, but the majority of confiscated religious properties, of course, were taken prior to 1936.

We are sending a signal today that Turkey should reassess the cutoff date, and I would suggest that outside pressure and actions like we are taking here today and reports like that of the religious commission have helped with what progress we have seen to date.

The United States has a vested interest to advance religious freedom. Turkey's claims of being a secular country are not enough in dealing with the day-to-day discriminatory harassment that religious minorities face there, for actions speak louder than words. There are very few religious minorities in Turkey. These are men and women struggling to practice their faiths, and they need added protection.

So this resolution urges Turkey to end all forms of religious discrimination, to allow rightful churches to organize and train and teach and practice religious activities without hindrance or restriction, and to return church properties and relics to their rightful owners--whether they be places of worship or monasteries or schools or hospitals or holy sites or other artifacts. Lastly, this resolution allows religious minority groups to own religious properties so that they can preserve and reconstruct and repair religious properties as they see fit.

Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, so I urge the passage of House Resolution 306, which urges the Republic of Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

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

In closing, Mr. Speaker, religious freedom is a foundation necessary, I believe, for any democracy. It's a freedom we here in America can enjoy, and, frankly, it is embedded so deeply in our culture that many of us tend to take these freedoms for granted. But, unfortunately, this same scenario does not exist around this globe, and I just have to tell you, Turkey has been identified on the religious freedom watch list for 3 straight years. I wish that weren't the case, but it is.

Frankly, I believe that what progress has come comes at least in part--in part--due to this type of pressure from religious freedom reports or from resolutions. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom allows us to gather nonpartisan information on countries that violate these fundamental human rights. And it's my understanding that in 2008 the Government of Turkey claimed they would return confiscated properties, but out of 1,400 claims, less than 100 were approved.

Now, we have close relations with Turkey. We have common interests. And this is a friendly urging that it do more on this important issue and, frankly, one that Turkey itself has committed to improving on. But, that said, with some of the statements made here today, I have to comment on an issue of which I have some personal knowledge, or memory.

When I was a young boy, I remember very well an Armenian in our community, a very elderly Armenian, who was the sole Armenian in his village to survive the Armenian genocide. And the reason he survived was because one of his neighbors hid him. And he told me the story of the atrocities that occurred there.

Now, for our Ambassador, Henry Morgenthau, who detailed what was going on while he was Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, this was not something that happened in theory. It was a genocide that cost a million and a half human lives. And the fact that even today Turkey does not acknowledge the existence of that Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire, I think, should still give us pause. When we're dealing with the remnants of the population of what was once a sizeable percentage of the population of that area, when we're dealing with a question of what remains, 1 percent Greek and Armenian heritage and ethnicity that remains in Turkey today, I think it is only proper that when we have this kind of report that comes back to us from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and it details the fact that for 3 years running, rather than make progress, we have seen backsliding, I think it is time for this body to take the position and send the message: Return that confiscated property to its rightful owners; allow that small minority that remains, that wants to practice their faith, allow them to practice their faith and allow them to continue in their schools so that the next generation that wishes to follow in that tradition can do so. That's the request here.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 10 o'clock and 37 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, December 14, 2011, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to honor Dr. Milton A. Gordon for his distinguished career. Dr. Gordon has served for over two decades as president of California State University, Fullerton.

I first met Milt Gordon more than 20 years ago when he was in his first year as president of my alma mater, Cal State Fullerton. As State senator then and a Member of Congress now, I have met countless community leaders, including university presidents, and I have enjoyed a good working relationship with them. Very few, however, have I come to admire and respect more than Milt Gordon. Very few do I call my very good friend.

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Gordon's impressive achievements and commitment to education were evident long before he became the president of Cal State Fullerton. As our country was undergoing the civil rights movement, Milt Gordon was breaking through longstanding racial barriers. He obtained a bachelor of science in mathematics and secondary education at Xavier University of Louisiana in 1957, a master of arts in mathematics at the University of Detroit in

1960, and lastly, a doctorate degree in mathematics at the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1968. These are significant achievements for anyone, but even more so for someone who had to overcome the discrimination of the time.

It is this experience that has driven Milt Gordon's lifetime commitment to improving access to education for everyone. In his first convocation address at Cal State Fullerton in 1990, Dr. Gordon said, ``By providing access to professional careers for the broadest cross- section of Americans, including women and members of minority and immigrant groups, our university represents a pathway into the American mainstream for individuals and families who otherwise would not have the opportunity to make this step, thus helping to ensure the stability of our free economy and of our Democratic government.''

That was his first commencement address. Well, from that commencement address, I would say that the impressive enrollment and graduation statistics and the many awards and accolades that Milt Gordon has received over the last 20-some years clearly demonstrate that he more than met the challenge of his work.

Today Cal State Fullerton is one of our Nation's largest and most inclusive institutions of higher education. And I assure you, greater quality has been the hallmark of this growth. It is no exaggeration to say that Dr. Gordon has transformed CSUF from being a regional school to being a global one. His vision has provided an enriching environment which allows students to develop intellectual, cultural, and economic curiosities well beyond Orange County, California. The university in the Gordon years has been an unquestioned asset to the region, to the State, the country, and the world.

In closing, as an alumnus and the congressman who represents this university, I have to say that I am sorry to see President Gordon retire. His accomplishments are many, and the university will continue to thrive because of them, but there is only one Milt Gordon. But speaking as a friend, I am pleased for Milt and for his wife, Marge. They have dedicated their lives to education, to Cal State Fullerton, and to their community. To that end, they deserve our deepest gratitude and our most heartfelt wishes for a long and enjoyable retirement after a job very well done.

I thank the gentleman.

This agreement will break down trade barriers. Frankly, it will level the playing field for 19,000 small and medium-sized businesses here in the United States and the farmers here who export into this market. It means 280,000 new American jobs and, frankly, it means $10 billion in new exports.

And let's remember this: Europe has this trade agreement. It went into effect on July 1. They've seen a 17 percent increase in their exports into the market in South Korea at our expense. Why? Because, frankly, U.S. exports to Korea currently face an average tariff of 12.2 percent, and it's, frankly, 49 percent for agricultural products. If we can bring that down--their tariffs are higher than ours. If we can bring that down, we can get that market share. We can increase that trade and develop these jobs.

And the agreement also removes the barriers and provides transparency. It provides property rights. It has rules on competition that make U.S. businesses much more competitive in Korea, that gives them access into that market.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the 37th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The 1974 invasion claimed the lives of approximately 5,000 Greek Cypriots, while 200,000 were forcefully displaced from their homes. This is a dark chapter not only for Hellenes, but for all of Europe.

Thirty-seven years later, 43,000 Turkish soldiers still occupy over 35 percent of Cyprus illegally. This occupied area is one of the most militarized areas in the world, despite the fact that Turkish and Greek Cypriots live in relative harmony.

An agreement for a bi-communal governance and power sharing between Greek and Turkish Cypriots would not only serve the best interests for all of Cyprus, but it would also serve the U.S. in promoting peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Cyprus has supported the U.S. in the efforts to counter terrorist- related activities and threats to peace and security. During the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq Cyprus has provided over-flight and landing rights to the United States aircraft and port access for U.S. ships. In Beirut barracks bombing in 1983 Cyprus provided the staging ground for the U.S. evacuation and rescue efforts. In July-August 2006, Cyprus served as the principal transit location for people evacuating Lebanon.

Cyprus shares the United States' deep and abiding commitment to upholding the ideals of freedom, democracy, justice, human rights, and the international rule of law, making the unification of Cyprus important. History shows us that Cyprus is a reliable partner to the