Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5618, amending the National Sea Grant College Program Act and reauthorizing the program that is scheduled to expire fiscal year 2008.

First and foremost, I want to commend Congresswoman Bordallo of Guam, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans of the Committee on Natural Resources, for taking the initiative to introduce this important legislation. This bill is an example of the efforts by the Congress to support our many Sea Grant College programs in improving marine resource conservation and management.

H.R. 5618 implements changes in the Sea Grant Program, which is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, that were recommended by the National Research Council in their 2006 report that has strong support from the various agencies and the Sea Grant Association. Such recommendations include increasing the interaction between the National Sea Grant and the individual state programs. It will improve programmatic performance reviews that will strengthen oversight and accountability but at the same time will ensure that Sea Grant programs are consistent and supportive of the national objectives. Importantly, the increase in funding levels will greatly assist in the needs of our coastal and Great Lake communities and will improve program activities and research that have been at a standstill because of flat-funding for the past few years.

Like our national land grant programs, the National Sea Grant College Program is a powerful resource in maintaining America's status in the world for research and development of our marine sciences. It is a program that we must continue to strengthen and support.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will authorize funding for the National Sea Grant Program until FY 2014. The inclusion of the many recommendations by the NRC in the language of the bill and the strong support of the Federal agencies and the Sea Grant Association reinforce the necessity to pass this legislation immediately. Given that almost 54 percent of our population lives on the coast, the U.S. has continued to provide so little for marine policy research. Through H.R. 5618, I am hopeful that we are able to increase this necessary funding to monitor the drastic changes that are greatly affecting our coastlines.

I am grateful for the work that Sea Grant has been able to provide through research and projects to my Congressional district. Through the University of Hawaii, Sea Grant has a strong presence at the American Samoa Community College and has continued to educate students of the necessity in protecting our reefs and marine environments. They have also continued to provide the tools for marine research that is urgently needed by the U.S. territories.

For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 5618. Again, I thank my colleagues for their support of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5741, recognizing the urgency for the U.S. to maintain its leadership role in conserving sharks and the marine ecosystems of which they are apart.

First and foremost, I want to commend the chief sponsor and good friend, Ms. Bordallo of Guam, for her initiative in introducing this important legislation. I also want to commend Chairman Rahall and other members of the Committee on Natural Resources for their strong support of this bipartisan legislation.

As a member of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans, I want to personally commend my good friend, Chairwoman Bordallo, for her tireless work on the many issues affecting our oceans. This legislation in particular is an example of the efforts by the subcommittee and the Congress in promoting and preserving our natural resources.

Mr. Speaker, the increased amount of shark finning in the recent decades has taken a devastating toll on our efforts in conserving sharks and the marine ecosystems in which they are apart. The removal of shark fins and dumping of the carcasses at sea is being fueled by the shark-fin trade, which in turn is being driven by the rapid economic growth in Asia. It is our responsibility to further the prohibition of shark finning in order to preserve the conservation of sharks and their corresponding ecosystems. We have already taken steps in alleviating this problem when Congress enacted the Shark Finning Prohibition of 2000, prohibiting U.S. fishermen from removing the fins of sharks and discarding the carcasses at sea, and from landing or transporting shark fins without the corresponding carcasses.

In April, Chairwoman Bordallo introduced this legislation which includes specific measures that will strengthen the implementation and enforcement of the shark finning prohibition. The bill clarifies that all vessels, not just fishing vessels, are prohibited from having custody, control, or possession of shark fins without the corresponding carcass, thereby eliminating the unexpected loophole related to the transport of shark fins. This legislation removes the 5 percent ``fin to carcass'' ratio, by requiring that fishermen land all sharks with fins naturally attached which can later be easily removed after such inspection, making it easier for authorities to determine whether a given set of fins belonged to a particular dressed carcass.

Finally, this bill amends the High Seas Driftnet Moratorium Protection Act to allow the Secretary of Commerce to identify and list nations that have not adopted a regulatory program for the conservation of sharks similar to the U.S.

Mr. Speaker, it is necessary that we pass this legislation immediately given the damage that is constantly affecting our national marine ecosystems by the removal of sharks who have an integral part in sustaining life in these ecosystems.

I urge my colleagues tom pass H.R. 5741. Again, I thank my colleagues for their support of this important bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to Mr. Li Ka-shing of Hong Kong and to celebrate his extraordinary life, service, and achievements on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

The vast accomplishments in business of this global icon place him easily among the most successful and respected entrepreneurs of our day--Gates, Buffett, Branson and others. But his contributions in philanthropy, a new concept Mr. Li is introducing in China, also rank him among those business giants--Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Vanderbilt--who understood the benevolent, ennobling uses of wealth to strengthen and lift others.

No one who examines the life of Mr. Li Ka-shing can help but appreciate the power of purpose not only in shaping one's life but destiny as well. He has shown what a life guided by deep, constant purpose and fueled by optimism, determination, and industry can achieve--despite odds and obstacles that may appear insurmountable. With purpose, he has built companies and changed lives with compassionate giving.

As a child, in 1940, Li Ka-shing fled China with his family to escape the Japanese invasion. The family arrived destitute in Hong Kong, with little prospects for the future. His father was an educator, his mother a loving and noble influence in his life. As a young boy, Mr. Li showed great academic promise. But circumstances and necessity--his father was stricken with tuberculosis and later died--forced him to abandon his dream of receiving an education. At 12, he had to leave school to work in a factory to support his family. Despite his young age, the power of purpose had taken hold of him as he pushed himself to endure grueling 16-hour workdays. By 22, Mr. Li's hard work and perseverance had earned him the ownership of his own plastics factory, Cheung Kong Industries.

He was known for his honesty, his loyalty and customer service. There is a well-known story in Hong Kong how on one occasion, a large contract with a U.S. business was cancelled after Mr. Li had completed the manufacturing. The business had decided to change direction in what it wanted. Mr. Li not only did not charge the U.S. businessman who had changed his mind, but proceeded to complete the second order as directed. This single act later opened the door to Mr. Li and his company becoming one of the key producers of toys and home decorations for American companies. In fact, to this day, some still refer to him as G.I. Joe, as it was Mr. Li and his company that manufactured that popular line of toys in the '60s and '70s.

Building on this foundation, Mr. Li expanded into real estate investment, creating a company that was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1972. Meanwhile, Cheung Kong continued its rapid growth trajectory with acquisitions of Hutchison Whampoa, a British trading company that has been active in Hong Kong since the 1820's, and Hong Kong Electric Holdings Limited in 1979 and 1985, respectively.

Today, Mr. Li leads a vast global business empire as chairman of Cheung Kong Holdings Limited and Hutchison Whampoa Limited. Cheung Kong Holdings Limited is the flagship of the Cheung Kong Group, which has business operations in 57 countries around the world and employs about 260,000 staff. In Hong Kong alone, the Group includes eight listed companies with a combined market capitalization of approximately US$122 billion.

The Cheung Kong Group's businesses encompass such diverse areas as property development and investment, real estate agency and estate management, hotels, telecommunications and e-commerce, finance and investments, retail, ports and related services, energy, infrastructure projects and materials, media, and biotechnology. Hutchison Whampoa Limited is a Fortune Global 500 company.

Mr. Li's personal holdings confer the distinction of being Asia's richest man. But his deep humility and gratitude--coupled with an intrinsic understanding of the true value of money and the good it can do--have never allowed him to flaunt his wealth or his position. True to the lessons of his humble beginnings and hardships and his Horatio Alger story, he has found that wealth, when used to serve others and not self, can be employed with great purpose and power.

Mr. Li believes that an equitable society can only be achieved if individuals are ready to do their part. In 1980, he established a charitable foundation--the Li Ka Shing Foundation. Its mission is to enhance the impact of its philanthropy through two strategic objectives: to nurture a culture of giving and to foster creativity, constructive engagement, and sustainability

through supporting capacity empowerment focused projects. To date, the Li Ka Shing Foundation and other private charitable foundations established by Mr. Li have supported numerous charitable activities with grants, sponsorships and commitments in the billions of dollars.

The Hong Kong entrepreneur's giving heart is novel and legendary in a part of the world that has no tradition of philanthropy. Mr. Li has not only given away far in excess of US$1 billion to support a host of worthwhile causes and programs, but his giving continues with hundreds of millions of dollars each year. And his giving transcends country boundaries and nationalities. He has sponsored children's centers, church buildings, cancer research centers, scholarships in the United Kingdom, the School of Medicine at Stanford University, as well as medical research projects at the University of California at Berkeley, among other initiatives. He has created a hospice program throughout China that brings pain relief for patients terminally ill with cancer. He has built hospitals and eye clinics where rural Chinese can receive cataract surgery free of charge. When the tragic tsunami hit Indonesia, Mr. Li was the world's first businessman to provide immediate and personal relief, just as he did more recently with the deadly earthquakes in China.

He has provided millions of dollars in aid to wage a global battle against hepatitis, avian flu, and degenerative diseases. Despite his own thwarted hope of an education, Mr. Li has placed this dream within the reach of thousands of young and aspiring Chinese. In 1981, he endowed and established Shantou University in Guangdong Province. The university has nine colleges, including a medical college with five affiliated hospitals. Enrollment is open to students across China. Today, the university has 6,500 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students. It is the centerpiece of his philanthropy, the very heart of his giving. Last year, Chairman John Conyers of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Congresswoman Diane Watson, and I spoke at Shantou University, and I cannot adequately explain the spirit that exists on that campus, where students who would otherwise receive no education are given an opportunity that opens to them the doors of world.

Shantou has internships and educational relationships throughout the world--in Europe and Canada, here in the United States with such prestigious institutions as my alma mater, Berkeley, as well as Stanford, the University of Utah, and others. Its curriculum is cutting edge, bringing a whole new and exciting learning paradigm to traditional Chinese education. In addition to Shantou University, Mr. Li supports other major educational projects such as Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Open University of Hong Kong, Singapore Management University, Foundation Primary Schools, University of Calgary, and the University of Hong Kong, to name a few.

Mr. Li's generosity is not limited to health care and education. He is also a committed patron of culture--art, dance, music, literature, sports, and the preservation of artifacts--as well as community welfare. In fact, Madam Speaker, he is a patron of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His support even has gone so far as the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

No less of a business authority than Forbes magazine has taken note of Mr. Li's magnanimity and dedication to improving the lives of people around the world. For his past and present philanthropy, it conferred upon him the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award at a gathering of many of Asia's top business leaders in Singapore.

From his businesses to his service, to his generosity, to his countless acts of compassion toward others--all these flow from a heart stayed upon a single purpose, a guiding ideal for life: to love others by serving and lifting them. For those who have had the privilege of meeting Mr. Li, they feel the bright, generous, benevolent, yet humble spirit of this man through his broad and warm smile. He radiates good will, genuine concern, and humanity for all--regardless of station of life. And he delights in being a servant of no man in particular but of all men in general. This has been his life's purpose.

Mr. Li's example can teach us much about the things of the heart, those invisible powers and energies of the spirit that can be summoned for good. His is and has been a remarkable life and legacy that remind all of us that we can aim a little higher and do a little more to lift lives and strengthen others through service--whatever our own gifts may be, no matter how meager we think them. And the best time to begin is now.

Madam Speaker, in recognition of his achievements as a global philanthropist, entrepreneur, and corporate leader, I am deeply honored to insert into the Congressional Record a letter signed by 20 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives commemorating Mr. Li's 80th birthday. By making this letter a part of American history, we salute this great man and honor the occasion of his birth on June 13, 1928.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, June 13, 2008.

Mr. Li Ka-shing,

Chairman, Cheung Kong Holdings, Ltd.,

Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong.

Dear Mr. Li: On the occasion of your 80th birthday, we are

writing to honor and recognize your extraordinary life,

distinguished career, humanitarian service, achievements, and

legacy as a global philanthropist and entrepreneur who leads

a vast business empire as chairman of Cheung Kong Holdings

Limited and Hutchison Whampoa Limited (a Fortune Global 500

company) with operations in 57 countries, a workforce of

260,000, and a combined market capitalization of nearly

US$122 billion.

We especially commend you for using your wealth to serve

others. Believing that an equitable society can only be

achieved if individuals are ready to do their part, you

established a charitable foundation--the Li Ka Shing

Foundation. Backed by your personal initiative and example,

and sustained by the Foundation's mission, you introduced a

broad-based philanthropy to a part of the world that has no

tradition of it. Promoting what you affectionately call your

``third son''--the notion of giving beyond the confines of

family to others in need--you have established and nurtured a

culture of giving in China and throughout Asia to underwrite

worthwhile efforts supporting charitable aims.

While donating more than US$1 billion to support a host of

worthwhile causes and programs worldwide, including

sponsorship of children's centers, church buildings, cancer

research centers, scholarships in the United Kingdom, the

School of Medicine at Stanford University, as well as medical

research projects at the University of California at

Berkeley, you have also provided millions of dollars in aid

to wage a global battle against hepatitis, avian flu, and

degenerative diseases, and, more recently, nearly US$20

million in disaster relief to the victims of the Sichuan

earthquake. We are touched by your work to alleviate pain for

those suffering from cancer through your remarkable hospice

program, as well as your efforts to build hospitals and

provide eyes surgeries for those unable to pay.

Despite your own thwarted hope of pursuing an education,

you are also fulfilling the dreams of thousands of young and

aspiring Chinese through numerous universities, including

Shantou University, which you endowed and established in

1981, with nine colleges, including a medical college,

serving 6,500 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students.

As a patron of culture, your generosity extends to art,

dance, music, literature, sports, and the preservation of

artifacts. We thank you, specifically, for being a

significant patron of the John F. Kennedy Center for the

Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and for also embracing the

Dance Theatre of Harlem.

We join with Forbes magazine, which conferred upon you the

first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award at a gathering in

Singapore of Asia's top business leaders, in recognizing your

past and present philanthropy. Truly, your countless acts of

compassion toward others flow from a heart stayed upon a

single purpose, a guiding ideal for life--to love others by

serving and lifting them.

Yours has been a remarkable life and legacy that reminds

all of us that we can aim higher and do more to lift lives

and strengthen others through service, and that the best time

to begin is now.

We wish you a happy birthday and many more.

Sincerely,

Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, Chairman, Foreign Affairs'

Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific & the Global

Environment; Diane E. Watson; Howard P. ``Buck''

McKeon, Ranking Member, Committee on Education & Labor;

Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman, Transportation

Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment; Jim

Moran; William J. Jefferson; Donna M. Christensen,

Chairwoman, Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Insular

Affairs; Grace F. Napolitano, Chairwoman, Natural

Resources' Subcommittee on Water & Power; Albio Sires;

Ed Pastor; Mike Honda, Chairman, Congressional Asian

Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Dan Burton, Ranking

Member, Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on the Western

Hemisphere; John Conyers, Jr., Chairman, House

Committee on the Judiciary; Madeleine Z. Bordallo,

Chairwoman, Natural Resources' Subcommittee on

Fisheries, Wildlife & Oceans; Keith Ellison; Bennie G.

Thompson, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security; Joe

Baca, Chairman, Agriculture Subcommittee on

Departmental Operations, Oversight, Nutrition &

Forestry; Raul M. Grijalva, Chairman, Natural

Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests &

Public Lands; Silvestre Reyes, Chairman, House

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; and Luis V.

Gutierrez, Chairman, Financial Services' Subcommittee

on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade &

Technology.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 300, recognizing the urgency for the U.S. to maintain its leadership role in protecting and promoting the resiliency of our coral reef ecosystems.

First, I want to commend the chief sponsors, Ms. Bordallo of Guam and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, for their initiative in introducing this important resolution. I also want to acknowledge the support and leadership of Chairman Nick Rahall and Ranking Member Don Young of Alaska of the Committee on Natural Resources.

As a member of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans, I want to personally commend my good friend, Chairwoman Bordallo, for her tireless work on the many issues affecting our oceans. This resolution in particular is an example of the efforts by the Congress in promoting U.S. leadership and participation in preserving our natural resources. Given that 2008 has been designated the ``International Year of the Reef,'' it is only appropriate that we must reinforce U.S. commitments to the international efforts to protect critical coral reef habitats.

Mr. Speaker, according to a recent U.N. report on oceans, 60 percent of the world's coral reefs will die-off by 2030. This is due to the changes in the climate because of global warming from the harm chemicals and human activity has placed on our environment. It is our responsibility to enhance international efforts to protect and restore our coastal marine resources. We have taken many steps to achieve these efforts by establishing the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force in 1998 that has done so much through enhancing research and monitoring, implementing action strategies, and formulating and enforcing national policy on protecting and preserving all of our coastal reefs.

Last year, I introduced H.R. 1205, the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, that was unanimously passed by the House in October 2007. This legislation will codify the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and will advance existing programs that address this core issue. However, there has been no further action on the Senate side. I am hopeful that this important legislation will be passed by the end of the year.

Again, I urge my colleagues to pass H. Con. Res. 300. I thank my colleagues for supporting this important bipartisan resolution.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlemen for his remarks concerning the legislation that has been recently considered and passed in the Congress in providing for the needs of our Filipino veterans.

My understanding is it has been requested a little over $200 million to provide proper compensation. Sixty years. We're spending $12 billion a month on this war in Iraq, and after 60 years, we cannot manage ourselves not only morally but as a matter of legal obligation that we should have for these fellow patriots who helped us fight the war in World War II that we've just now gotten around to trying to provide justice and fairness to the system.

So I want to commend the gentleman for noting that, as well as my good friend, the gentlelady from Hawaii, the chief sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlelady from California for her management of this legislation and also my good friend from California (Mr. Issa) for bringing this legislation to the floor and for its consideration. I especially also want to thank my good friend and dear colleague, the dear lady from Hawaii as the author and chief sponsor of this important legislation. I know that the chairman of our Asian Pacific Congressional Caucus would have been here, Congressman Honda, to also make comments concerning this proposed legislation.

I do want to say that in honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month in which this Nation pays a special tribute to the contributions of some 15 million of our fellow Americans who are of Asian Pacific descent, I want to honor especially in particular the thousands of our Asian Pacific Americans who served in the Armed Forces of our Nation. In fact, this weekend it will be my privilege and a personal honor for me to visit Fort Bragg which has a lot of my fellow Samoan tribesmen who are members of the 82nd Airborne. We're going to have a tribal gathering there in Fort Bragg. There are going to be a whole bunch coming out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the 101st Airborne group, and I'm looking forward to meeting with them and also as part of our Asian Pacific Heritage Month.

Fifteen million Americans, Mr. Speaker, Asian Pacific Americans, are considered among the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States today. Although it makes up only 4 percent of our Nation's population, permit me to share with you an overview of some of the contributions of our Asian Pacific Americans. I know time will not permit me to give you the whole story here but just a couple just to note.

A couple years ago, a world-renowned physicist by the name of Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu, a Chinese American lady, perhaps little known to the average American, passed away quietly in her home in New York but for decades dedicated her life in study of beta ray physics. She was born in Shanghai and in her youth studied with Nobel Laureate E.O. Lawrence, the inventor of the cyclotron facility at U.C. Berkeley, where Dr. Wu also received her doctorate degree in physics. For some 30 years she taught physics at Columbia University. And in 1957, she also won the Nobel Prize in physics for her work on emission of electrons from radioactive nuclei.

Years ago, Time magazine featured as its Man of the Year Dr. David Ho for his medical research in an effort to finding a cure for HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Makio Murayama, a Japanese American, conducted vital research in the United States that laid the groundwork for combating sickle-cell anemia.

There is also Dr. Leo Esaki, another Japanese American, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his electron tunneling theories.

And in the field of engineering, few have matched the architectural masterpieces created by the genius of I.M. Pei.

I could talk to you about Bruce Lee. I could talk to you about Jet Li. But there is another one.

Now, another sports and movie icon is coming through his way in the movie industry. Believed to be the heir apparent to Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, none other than the former World Wrestling Federation champion wrestler, Dwayne Johnson, or commonly known as The Rock. After starring in his first movie, The Scorpion King, the Rock has also completed his sixth movie now, Get Smart, which is scheduled for release next month. Some of you may remember him in Be Cool, The Game Plan, The Rundown, and Walking Tall. His newest movie, G.I. Joe, is slated for release in the fall of next year.

The unique thing about the Rock is that while his father is African American/Native American and of European descent, his mother is pure Samoan Polynesian. Now just about every Samoan alive claims to be related to the Rock, including myself, Mr. Speaker.

Years ago, Duke Kahanamoku, a native Hawaiian, won the Olympic gold medal in swimming for the United States. And then there was Korean American Dr. Sammy Lee, who also won the Olympic gold medal in high diving for the United States in the Olympics. The interesting thing about Dr. Lee when I met him at the Olympics in Korea in 1988, because he was non-white, he was not allowed to train along with his fellow American Olympic athletes.

So he had to become creative by performing high dives off cliffs and all the trees and I suspect even coconut trees, and despite all this, he still won the gold medal for our country.

Then we have our fellow Polynesians whom we exported to Japan. One happens to be a relative of mine, a Samoan Polynesian by the name of Saleva'a Atisanoe, who's a Sumo wrestler named Konishiki, that followed the other great Sumo wrestlers, Chad Rowen, Akebono; Peitani Fiamalu, also a grand champion, Musashimaru. These are some of the great athletes.

As a Vietnam veteran, Mr. Speaker, it's ludicrous for me not to say something in honor and respect for the hundreds of thousands of Asian Pacific Americans who served then and now in all the branches of the armed services of our Nation. As a former member of the U.S. Army Reserve unit known as the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Combat group, I would be remiss if I did not share with you the contributions of the tens of thousands of Japanese American soldiers who volunteered to fight our Nation's enemies in Europe during World War II.

Some of you may not be aware that after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Forces of the Japanese government, there was such an outrage and cry for an all-out war against Japan, days afterward our President and the Congress formally declared war. But caught in this crossfire were hundreds of thousands of Americans, Americans mind you who just happened to be of Japanese ancestry.

Our national government immediately implemented a policy where some 100,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were forced to live in what we call relocation camps.

In our Nation's history, Mr. Speaker, let me just share with you the results of the bravery and the courage of these Japanese Americans who fought in Europe. 18,000 individual declarations for heroism; over 9,000 awards of the Purple Heart; 560 Silver Stars; and after some corrective action taken by the Congress, 19 Medals of Honor were awarded to these Japanese Americans who fought for our Nation.

We need to be reminded that forevermore we should never have this kind of thing happening in our Nation's history where people who happen to be of different ancestry or ethnicity are discriminated against simply because they are not like the rest of our fellow Americans.

I fully support this proposed legislation, and I ask my colleagues to approve this legislation. I thank again my good friend from Hawaii for her sponsorship and authorship of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month in which our Nation pays a special tribute to the contributions of some 15 million of our fellow Americans who are of Asian Pacific descent, I want to honor in particular the thousands of our Asian Pacific Americans who serve in the Armed Forces of our Nation. In particular, Mr. Speaker, the sacrifices of some 10,000 nisei or Japanese American soldiers who fought for our Nation in the field of battle during World War II.

It was a time in our Nation's history when there was so much hatred, bigotry, and racism placed against Japanese Americans; yet despite all this, leaving their parents, their brothers and sisters, their wives behind barbed-wired fences in these concentration camps that were established, the White House accepted the request of over 10,000 Japanese Americans who volunteered to join the Army. As a result, two combat units were organized, the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry Combat Group.

Mr. Speaker, the military records of the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry are without equal. A 314 percent casualty rate, receiving over 18,000 individual declarations, most of them posthumously: some 20 Congressional Medals of Honor, 33 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 9,480 Purple Hearts. That's quite a record, Mr. Speaker.

President Truman was so moved by their bravery in the field of battle as well as the contributions and the courage of the African American soldiers who fought during World War II that President Truman issued an executive order to finally desegregate all branches of the armed services.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1181) expressing condolences and sympathy to the people of Burma for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis.

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

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

First of all, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the distinguished gentlemen of this committee of the House, the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Berman, and our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for their leadership and support of this legislation. I would also like to thank our distinguished colleague, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for being the lead sponsor of this proposed resolution.

Mr. Speaker, the long-suffering people of Myanmar are once again gripped by tragedy. On May 2, Cyclone Nargis slammed into Myanmar, ripping through the southern part of the country and leaving a path of enormous devastation.

The United Nations reports that so far the cyclone has killed between 60,000 to 100,000 people and affected well over one million. Hundreds of thousands of people are without food, fuel, clean water and shelter. As high as the death toll is now, the greater fear, Mr. Speaker, is that disease, like cholera, will spread in the affected areas, taking many more lives. Aid agencies

claim that one million people could die if measures are not taken to stem the effect of diseases.

Such a large-scale tragedy demands a large-scale relief effort, and the international community is ready to assist the people of Myanmar. But sadly, it is Myanmar's own government that is slowing the delivery of aid.

As we stand here today, Myanmar's military rulers are refusing to allow the necessary number of foreign assistance teams and programs and aid groups to enter the country. Only yesterday was the first U.S. airplane allowed to deliver aid. This relatively small shipment is a fraction of the overall effort that the United States is ready to provide. We have airplanes, we have helicopters, ships, ready to deliver goods and relief teams, but Myanmar's military rulers have refused even as their people continue to suffer.

Mr. Speaker, the United States is not being singled out. Dozens of governments and nongovernmental aid groups from other countries are likewise prohibited from traveling to Myanmar. As a result, only a small fraction of the affected areas are receiving any assistance at all. And with each hour of delay, the people of Myanmar continue to suffer.

In the midst of this tragedy, the Myanmar military rulers decided to make an even greater display of their total disregard for the health and safety of the people of Myanmar. Last week, sadly, the Myanmar Government went ahead and conducted a scheduled referendum on a proposed constitution in the nonaffected areas. Then they plan to hold another referendum in the affected areas some time later this month. Mr. Speaker, I submit the constitution and the referendum are a sham, and the process is another effort on the part of the military rulers to continue their control over the people and their government.

But even if the constitution was legitimate, the decision to go forward with the referendum as millions of the people of Myanmar are fighting for survival totally defies any sense of logic and is a denial of human dignity.

Mr. Speaker, the spectacle of the referendum was chilling, even by the low standards the military leaders have set. State-run television showed clips of generals at the ballot box as corpses continued to pile high along the banks and the river beds in the south region of the country.

With this resolution, the House of Representatives calls upon Myanmar to put the needs of its people first and call off the constitutional referendum and accept international assistance.

H. Res. 1181 also expresses our deepest condolences and sympathy to the people of Myanmar for the great loss of life and their continued suffering, and offers our full support and solidarity.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution also expresses confidence in the people of Myanmar that they will overcome this terrible tragedy. May I say, Mr. Speaker, I would like to make this special appeal, a special appeal to the president of the People's Republic of China to bear the strongest possible influence upon the military leaders of Myanmar to stop this insanity and let these governments and aid agencies come forth and to give assistance to the people of Myanmar.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 6 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), the chief sponsor of this proposed legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield for the purpose of making a unanimous consent request to the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), chairman of our House Foreign Affairs Committee.

(Mr. BERMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I reserve the balance of my time.

I also yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 322, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel and reaffirming the bonds of close friendship and cooperation between the United States and Israel.

First and foremost, I want to commend Chairman Howard Berman of the Foreign Affairs Committee for his support and commitment to this important resolution. I also want to acknowledge the leadership of my good friend, Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for her spirit of cooperation on this bipartisan legislation. I especially want to thank Speaker Pelosi and the original cosponsors of this historical resolution.

I also want to congratulate the government and the people of Israel who will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of their great country. We must acknowledge the importance of the actions made by the United Nations during the 1940s to create the Jewish state soon after the horrific atrocities committed by the Nazis during World War II. During the Holocaust, the Nazis murdered some 6 million Jews and imprisoned many more in concentration camps.

Mr. Speaker, Israel has continued to thrive despite constant military attacks, threats of terrorism, and international boycotts that have been placed on such a young government. Being the only democracy in the Middle East, we must applaud their efforts in sustaining a democratic political system. Israel has continued to emphasize the importance of inalienable rights that are much like the U.S. Their protection of individual rights, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, fair and open elections and rule of law are examples of their unwavering commitment to democracy and they remain a model for neighboring countries in the region.

Israel is at the forefront of modern technology and they have taken the lead in research and development from everyday electronics to renewable energy resources. This is important given the global dependence on oil and the perpetual rise in the cost of fuel. Earlier this year, I visited Israel with Ambassadors of the Pacific Islands to the United Nations and we personally witnessed Israel's devotion to research and development for improving the lives of all. Their technological advancements in wind, water, and solar energy as well desalination and diabetes research are the tip of the iceberg for what Israel has contributed to the global community.

This resolution reaffirms the U.S. support for Israel as an ally and a strong partner in the region. Israel has a unique role to play in the Middle East and has a historical importance to Christians and Muslims throughout the world. We must continue to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations and support their efforts for peace in the Middle East.

Again, I want to take this opportunity to extend my personal congratulations to the people of Israel and their government for their 60th anniversary celebration. May they continue to succeed, and may their future be prosperous. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, last month the House Foreign Affairs

Committee marked up House Concurrent Resolution 278, and I would like to thank the distinguished chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Berman, and also our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros- Lehtinen, for agreeing to removal of certain language suggesting that the People's Republic of China is currently threatening or intimidating Taiwan as it seeks to hold democratic elections.

Mr. Speaker, I visited Taiwan twice in the past year, and most recently in November I met with their President and Premier and even their presidential candidates. I can assure my colleagues that elections are in full swing in Taiwan with no intimidation from the People's Republic of China. In fact, quite the opposite. Taiwan's current administration has hung signs and posters on government buildings, including the presidential palace, urging Taiwan's accession to the United Nations, a policy which the United States does not support and which this administration also opposes.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Chairman Berman's comments before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in marking up this resolution, and I quote, ``Passage of this bill should not be construed as taking a position on the referendum regarding Taiwan's membership in the United Nations, which the Government of Taiwan plans to hold in conjunction with the election.''

I would like to associate myself with Chairman Berman's position and remarks as, again, this administration has made it clear that it does not support a vote on the referendum being held in conjunction with the election.

Mr. Speaker, Taiwan has come a long way. It was only until 1996 that they had their first elected President of the people of Taiwan. Taiwan ranks among the top 10 of our trading partners of the world and, ironically, Taiwan currently holds a $100 billion trade relationship with the People's Republic of China. Many people don't realize this.

Given the nature of this debate, Mr. Speaker, it is my intent to be in Taiwan this month to monitor or to observe the upcoming elections. I think it is important for Members to observe firsthand the process and meet the leaders in Taiwan and Beijing before being so quick to condemn the People's Republic of China.

Mr. Speaker, while Hong Kong is a different case, we should not forget that it was China, not Britain, that wrote into the Basic Law of Hong Kong provisions for Hong Kong to hold democratic elections ultimately based on universal suffrage.

I support Taiwan's right to hold democratic elections which started, as I said earlier, about 10 years ago; but I do not believe it will be in the best interest of our country to support the position of Taiwan's current administration which has attempted to push for independence, which is contrary to the U.S. position on one China, two systems. Whatever political relationship Taiwan and China want to work out peacefully, I believe that this is what we should also be supporting. Therefore, in no way should passage of this resolution be construed to be anything than what it is. This is a resolution to congratulate Taiwan's efforts to build a greater foundation for democracy and its upcoming presidential elections. It is my understanding that the U.S. does not and should not take a position on which candidate the people of Taiwan should elect. It is up to the people of Taiwan to determine who will best represent their interests, and we will support the will of the people.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1834, to authorize the national ocean exploration prgram and the national undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

First and foremost, I want to commend my good friend Mr. Jim Saxton of New Jersey and other cosponsors for introducing this important legislation. I also want to acknowledge the leadership for both the Committee on Natural Resources and the Comnrittee on Science and Technology.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 1834, the National Ocean Exploration Program Act, is an important piece of legislation because it will expand ocean exploration and will be a key avenue in understanding better our marine ecosystems and coastal resources and, importantly, maximize effective research relating to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of our oceans and lakes. We have succeeded in embarking missions to space but have failed in studying the unknown in our very oceans.

This legislation will provide scientists the necessary equipment to investigate and explore the undersea environment and will allow NOAA to conduct archaeological and scientific voyages of historic shipwrecks and cultural sites important to our academic and local communities.

Again, I thank my colleagues for supporting this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I fully support the provisions of this proposed bill. The bill proposes to establish a memorial to honor the memory of all those people who became victims to the dreaded disease of leprosy, commonly known as Hansen's disease. I certainly want to commend my good friend and colleague the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) and our colleague Congressman Abercrombie for their cosponsorship or sponsorship of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to commend the chairman of our committee, Chairman Rahall, and our ranking member, Mr. Young, for their support and their leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor.

In 1987, I was honored to be asked by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, under the leadership of my good friend and brother Nainoa Thompson, to serve as a member of the crew of the Hawaiian Polynesian voyaging canoe known as the Hokule'a on which we were able to sail from the island of Runayto near the island of Tahiti. We sailed to Hawaii by means of traditional noninstrument navigation. It took us about 27 days when we landed on the big island of Hawaii. From the island of Hawaii, we went to Kalaupapa. It's Kalaupapa, located on the northern part of the island of Molokai, one of the islands that make up the State of Hawaii. This legislation brings back one of the most memorable experiences of my life, Mr. Speaker, my visit to Kalaupapa.

Kalaupapa is not only a national historical park but a place that has received international attention on account of the circumstances and events surrounding the history of what then took place under the sovereign kingdom of Hawaii in the early 1800s. Before the arrival of the Europeans, there were some 300,000 Native Hawaiians living on these islands. The warrior chief King Kamehameha with some 20,000 warriors and some 900 war canoes finally was able to unite these islands under one rule after some 2,000 years of conflict among the ruling chiefs of these islands.

What also occurred was the illnesses and the many diseases that Europeans brought to these islands, and one of these diseases was leprosy, or Hansen's disease. And the unfortunate situation at the time, having no knowledge or understanding of how they were going to cure it, the Native Hawaiians were not immune to this kind of sickness or illness. So the only way to, in any sense, prevent a health hazard was to send them to an isolated place where many of these Native Hawaiians became subjected to this dreaded disease, leprosy.

In the process, we also had probably, in my humble opinion, Mr. Speaker, one of the great leaders in the world, a Catholic priest originally from Belgium, named Father Damien. Father Damien, if there is anything that I could ever say the epitome of what the pure love of God is, this was one man who voluntarily ministered to these people, who lived in this colony or this settlement. It was full of lepers, and he voluntarily subjected himself even to this contagious disease, after 12 years of helping the people who lived there build chapels, build schools, and even helped bury those who died as a result of this dreaded disease.

Father Damien, as you know and maybe my colleagues are aware, was given as one of the two leaders representing the great State of Hawaii right here in Statuary Hall. And the beautiful story about this Catholic priest was the fact that he voluntarily gave his life in order to serve the people who contracted this dreaded disease leprosy on this beautiful area that is called Kalaupapa.

There was also another gentleman, and it might be as a matter of knowledge to my good friend from the State of Utah. At that time, it wasn't just people who were forced to have to live in this isolated settlement, but it caused so much sorrow and sadness where even those who were loved ones, your wives, your husbands, your daughters, your sons, and one of these leaders voluntarily went because his wife eventually contracted leprosy. His name was Jonathan Napela. He was a Native Hawaiian leader and was a high priest and a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, commonly known today as the Mormon Church. And because of the love of his wife, he voluntarily went and lived there, and he also contracted the disease of leprosy. It was known as the program of kokua.

The interesting thing about Jonathan Napela was that this Native Hawaiian was able to translate the Book of Mormon from English into the Native Hawaiian language, along with another Mormon elder from Utah by the name of George Cannon. Jonathan Napela spent the last years of his life in this leper settlement because of the love for his wife, Kitty, who also contracted this.

There was a lot of controversy about the life of Father Damien at the time. The relationships between the Protestants and the Catholics were not very positive. In fact, according to the records, a minister of the Presbyterian Church, Reverend Hyde, castigated and literally criticized Father Damien for some of the things that he did. And in response there was another noted leader at that time, an author and a Scotsman from Scotland, who happens to be Robert Louis Stevenson, who had also contracted TB, tuberculosis. And trying to help his health, he spent the last 4 years of his life in my islands, the Samoan Islands. And to this day, Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is still there. Despite the wishes and desires of the Scottish people and the government to return his remains, we said no.

But the point that I wanted to make is that in response to the criticism that Father Damien got from his fellow ministers or those men of the cloth, I want to share with my colleagues Robert Louis Stevenson's response:

``When we have failed, and another has succeeded; when we have stood by, and another has stepped in; when we sit and grow bulky in our charming mansions,'' and he's talking about this minister, now, ``and a plain, uncouth peasant steps into the battle, under the eyes of God, and succours the afflicted, and consoles the dying, and is himself afflicted in his turn, and dies upon the field of honour, the battle cannot be retrieved as your unhappy irritation has suggested. It is a lost battle, and lost forever.''

My point of this is, Mr. Speaker, this national historical park Kalaupapa, I wish every Member of Congress would go and visit, just like my colleague from Hawaii, Congresswoman Hirono. It's one of the most beautiful areas and sites that anybody would ever want to see north of the island of Molokai.

I wanted to share this with my colleagues because this Kalaupapa is not as unknown as some people may think or believe, and I thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii for having this proposed bill, that we should build a memorial to the thousands of Native Hawaiians and other races who had also contracted this dreaded disease and should be recognized for the sacrifices that they have had to make.

With that, Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my good friend from Arizona for giving me time to speak.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 909) commemorating the courage of the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence in the ``Siege of Savannah'' and for Haiti's independence and renunciation of slavery, as amended.

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

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

First, I would like to thank the chief sponsor, my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek), for his introduction of this resolution, which commemorates the courage of the Haitian soldiers who fought alongside our Revolutionary soldiers for gaining independence from Great Britain.

House Resolution 909 also recognizes the establishment of the Haitian Memorial Monument, which celebrates the historical bond between the good people of Haiti and the United States, and demonstrates the significance of our Haitian American community.

Mr. Speaker, the Haitian Memorial Monument, designed by the Haitian- Canadian sculptor Gregroire Anocles, represents the war effort at the Siege of Savannah in the year 1779.

Haiti's involvement in the fight for America's independence some 226 years ago is a source of national pride for many Haitians, and it is long overdue that we attach the proper importance to this Haitian participation.

After returning home, Haitian veterans of the Revolutionary War led their own rebellion and revolution against French colonialism, and eventually received independence from France in the year 1804. Mr. Speaker, in becoming independent, Haiti became the first free country in the Western Hemisphere led entirely by people of African descent.

I strongly support this resolution, and I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this proposed bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield such time as he may consume to the chief sponsor of this proposed legislation, my good friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

I thank my good friend from Arkansas for management of this legislation and commend the gentleman from Florida and the gentlewoman from Texas for their eloquent statements concerning this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from California, our chairman-to-be of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and also my good friend and distinguished ranking member of our committee, the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen).

Madam Speaker, I, too, would like to express my most profound sorrow and to extend my sympathies to Chairman Lantos' dear wife, Annette, and their two daughters and 18 grandchildren.

It is my privilege to participate in this Special Order and pay special tribute to our colleague and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from California, Congressman Tom Lantos.

Without equal, Madam Speaker, Chairman Lantos was a champion and advocate throughout the world for the basic rights and dignity and decency of all human beings, regardless of race, color, gender, or religious affiliations. Tom Lantos truly believed that in this troubled world of ours there is only one race, and that is the human race.

I am without words in how I can best describe the life of this giant among men. And in this Chamber of Congress, there is no word or phrase more dear to Tom's heart than that of ``human rights.'' And forever I will remember him as a teacher and a mentor whenever the subject of human rights is being debated or under discussion in this institution.

As others have said earlier, Chairman Lantos would not have had it any other way other than for us to continue the fight and to advocate for human rights whenever necessary, and for that matter, also to defend freedom and democracy throughout the world. We have a saying in the islands, Madam Speaker, to my friend Tom Lantos, ``Ia manuia lau faiga malaga''; may you have a great voyage in the afterlife, my friend, Chairman Tom Lantos.

Madam Speaker, let me first commend our distinguished colleague and member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) for being the author of and introducing this important resolution.

The underlying context for this important resolution, which congratulates President-elect Lee Myung-Bak and wishes him well as he assumes his new duties on February 25, 2008, is that the Republic of Korea has, through the industrious will of its people and the unyielding leadership of its elected officials, transformed itself into a successful democratic nation.

As the twentieth century taught us all too well, democratic governance is a fragile enterprise. That the Republic of Korea, in merely six decades, emerged from the ashes of colonial rule and war torn poverty to become the eleventh largest economy in the world and America's seventh largest trading partner, is a tribute to their strong democratic principles and indelible desire to live peacefully and prosperously despite the enormous challenges facing the Korean Peninsula and the Northeast Asia region.

Madam Speaker, the strong alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea has proven itself to be a relevant and resilient relationship since our involvement when we fought side by side in the Korean War nearly 58 years ago. Out of that often ``forgotten'' conflict was born one of the most significant dividing lines of the Cold War, the demilitarized zone on the 38th parallel but, at the same time, one of the most successful alliances in our Nation's history.

The Republic of Korea has remained a steadfast ally of the United States. South Korea has contributed the third largest coalition troop contingent in Iraq, pledged $460 million toward postwar reconstruction and had previously also committed troops for peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, and Lebanon. As a key member of the Six-Party Talks to denuclearize North Korea, the Republic of Korea shares an important responsibility for broader security in Northeast Asia. Today, we are committed absolutely to compelling the North Korean regime to eliminate its nuclear program and to ensuring that promises made by Pyongyang are, in fact, followed through with verifiable action.

The combination of South Korea's efforts to stand alongside the United States in meeting the global threats of the 21st century as well as the North Korean challenge makes this resolution particularly important today. President-elect Lee Myung-Bak has stated that he ``will do [his] best to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem through cooperation and a strengthened relationship with the United States.'' I am very encouraged by President-elect Lee's remarks and, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, I look forward to working with his administration to this end.

What is clear from our longstanding relationship over the past half- century is that it is reciprocal. As President-elect Lee's Special Envoy to the United States, Dr. Chung Mong-Joon, said recently after meeting Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte last month, ``We both need each other.'' Let me also take this opportunity to once again congratulate my good friend, Dr. Han Seung-soo, on his nomination to become Prime Minister. I am confident that Dr. Han's nomination will serve to further consolidate our alliance partnership under President- elect Lee's leadership.

Madam Speaker, many years ago, I served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, and I remember vividly the presence of more than 300,000 soldiers from South Korea who bravely served and fought alongside our American forces. Through that particular experience, I learned quickly and firsthand, the special friendship and bond that existed between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

I personally will never forget the sacrifices that South Korean soldiers made in that terrible conflict in Vietnam. In fact, South Korea has the unique distinction of being one of only four allies that fought alongside the United States in all four major conflicts since World War II and I hope that my other colleagues will join me in thanking the leaders and people of the Republic of Korea for the untold sacrifices they made to be with us when we needed help.

This resolution, while focusing on the peaceful, democratic transition to the presidency of Lee Myung-Bak, honors our special alliance but also welcomes a strengthening and deepening of the relationship between our two countries and our two peoples.

I have had the privilege on several occasions to visit the Republic of Korea and I have observed that the South Korean people are among the most industrious men and women in the world. However this trait for hard work and entrepreneurship developed, it has carried over despite geographic distance to the more than two million Americans of Korean heritage and descent that live throughout our own country today. The vibrant Korean American communities across the United States include some of the most prominent individuals that have contributed to every facet of American life in every state and territory.

Madam Speaker, this resolution is very important to show our sense of appreciation to all South Koreans, to express how much we care about them and how important they are to our strategic and economic interests in that important region of the world. Its effect is not just to deliver good wishes to President-elect Lee as he assumes office on February 25, but to send a message of solidarity to the government and people of the Republic of Korea and to the soldiers who have fought side by side with the men and women of our own armed forces over the past nearly 60 years.

For all these reasons, this resolution is most fitting, and proper. I wish to congratulate President-elect Lee Myung-Bak and commend again my good friend, the gentleman from California, for offering and proposing this resolution. I strongly encourage my colleagues to offer their own expressions of support and urge the House to adopt this resolution today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to my friend, Dr. Han Seung-soo, on his nomination as the next Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea by President-Elect Lee Myung-Bak.

Dr. Han, currently serving as Special Envoy of the UN Secretary- General on Climate Change, has had a long and distinguished career in public service. He has previously served as South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister of Trade and Industry, Ambassador to the United States, and Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Korea. He served three terms in the South Korean National Assembly and thus has been, like us, a member of his country's legislature.

Moreover, in recognition of his exemplary record as a diplomat, Dr. Han was also elected President of the 56th session of the UN General Assembly in 2001. He was to be officially elected to the presidency on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001 but was, instead, sworn in on the next day. His leadership was instrumental in the passage of a resolution by the UN General Assembly session denouncing the terrorist attacks. He wrote about these experiences in his new book entitled ``Beyond the Shadow of 9-11: A Year at the United Nations General Assembly.'' He recently sent me a signed copy of his memoirs, which I greatly appreciate.

Over the years, Dr. Han and I have crossed paths on more than one occasion due to our mutual interest in international environmental policy and, in particular, the issues surrounding global climate change. As chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Global Environment, I have always been personally impressed by Dr. Han's depth and breadth of knowledge, his ability to listen to people with different--and sometimes technically complex--ideas, and his capacity for synthesizing the best of available knowledge for eventual decisionmaking.

Last November, speaking in Bangkok at the Committee on Managing Globalization of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP, Dr. Han noted the need for rapid economic growth in Asia and the Pacific--home to two-thirds of the world's poor. However, he pointed out, actions on climate change could be compatible with economic growth, saying: ``We can turn the crisis of climate change into a new economic opportunity.''

The choice of Dr. Han Seung-soo to be Prime Minister by President- Elect Lee Myung-Bak provides excellent evidence that the U.S.-Korea alliance partnership will continue to further consolidate and deepen under their leadership. During Dr. Han's tenures as both the Republic of Korea's Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States, he cultivated many friends and admirers in Washington.

Let me also take this opportunity to say that I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of the resolution congratulating Lee Myung-Bak on his election to the presidency of the Republic of Korea. I look forward to working with his incoming administration on the important challenges facing the region, especially peace and reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.

Madam Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will join me in offering their own congratulations to Dr. Han Seung-soo and wish him well in his new responsibilities.