Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3528) to provide authority to the Peace Corps to provide separation pay for host country resident personal services contractors of the Peace Corps.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, again I rise in strong support of this legislation and thank my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey, on the other side of the aisle for his support in managing this legislation. I also want to thank the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Lantos and our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for their leadership and support of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, to millions around the globe, Peace Corps is the ``human face'' of America. For more than 46 years, the Peace Corps has helped the people of developing countries meet their needs for trained men and women and in the process has promoted a better understanding of America.

The legislation before the House today is a technical bill requested by the administration. It will facilitate the provision of separation pay to the many foreign nationals who work for the Peace Corps overseas. The bill accomplishes this objective in an open and transparent manner to ensure the complete accountability to the American taxpayers.

With that, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3096) to promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

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

I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would be remiss if I do not first recognize my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey. Not only do I have the highest respect for him but certainly as a champion of human rights issues all over the world, and for this I want to commend him for his authorship of this proposed bill. And I would like to also thank Chairman Lantos and senior Ranking Member Ros- Lehtinen, the leadership of our Foreign Affairs Committee, for their support and efforts in bringing this proposed legislation for consideration by our colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, Vietnam stands at a crossroads, and the world is watching carefully to see the choices that it will make.

Like many other countries of the world, Vietnam has a responsibility to protect human and religious rights and provide political freedoms to its people. The Vietnamese people and their leaders should have a deep appreciation of the need to protect and foster the human rights of its people especially after being subjected to many years of abuse and dictatorial and colonial rule of the French Government.

I commend Vietnam's efforts to improve its economy, which grew by over 8 percent last year. In November also of last year, Vietnam played host to the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, and in January it joined the World Trade Organization. So we must recognize the extraordinary economic achievements Vietnam has made in a short time. This economic growth has bettered the lives of millions of the people of Vietnam.

But recent reports have given serious indications on how the Vietnamese Government has arrested and placed several religious and political leaders in prison without due process and in violation of their human rights.

Mr. Speaker, Congress played an important role in seeing that Vietnam became a member of the World Trade Organization. And yet since its accession, Vietnam has arrested numerous individuals simply for peacefully advocating for democracy.

Vietnam continues to limit freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and freedom of information. It remains as a one-party political system in which the Communist Party is the final arbiter of all decisions.

Mr. Speaker, U.S. engagement with Vietnam has helped spur economic growth and improvements in the lives of the Vietnamese people. But engagement must not be limited to foreign direct investment. We must also seize the opportunity to work with Vietnam to promote political openness and improve human rights.

This bill promotes just this kind of engagement. It prohibits increased assistance to Vietnam above fiscal year 2007 levels other than for humanitarian efforts. This bill makes it clear to Vietnam that the only factor limiting increased aid is positive action by the Vietnamese Government on political, human, and religious rights.

The bill also supports civil society groups in Vietnam that promote human rights. It supports educational exchanges that would enhance freedom and democracy in that country. And it makes it the policy of the United States to offer safe resettlement here to those who are forced to flee Vietnam and become refugees.

Mr. Speaker, Vietnam is increasingly integrated into the global economy; but to be considered a friend of our Nation, it must protect human rights and provide its people political and religious freedom. We all wish this future for Vietnam, and we hope there will be more positive results of our continued efforts to dialogue with the leaders of the people of Vietnam.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this proposed bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with the distinguished and most eloquent statement made by my good friend from New Jersey.

I have not had the privilege of visiting Vietnam since the days of the war in 1967, 1968, but I do intend to visit that country since it comes under the jurisdiction of my subcommittee.

But again, I want to thank my good friend for the facts and the data that he just presented. I hope my colleagues will take him up on reading some of these important documents that he had shared with us in his presentation.

At this time, I would like to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished lady from California, my good friend, Ms. Sanchez.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues from California, Mr. Royce and Ms. Sanchez, for their most outstanding statements and their support of this proposed legislation offered by my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey.

It saddens me because of the times and the periods that I have had the opportunity of meeting with several delegations that have represented Vietnam for the past couple of years. As my good friend from New Jersey has stated earlier, they have made a lot of promises. We have taken their promises in good faith, and now we find ourselves in a situation where their promises have been severely questioned. I kind of like to think that when a country makes a promise, they like to keep it. If this is the way Vietnam is doing business, then certainly we ought to do something about it.

Again, I want to thank my good friend from New Jersey for his authorship of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 238) commending the first democratic elections in Aceh, a province in Sumatra, Indonesia, and expressing support for the further democratic development and implementation of the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding.

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 being considered.

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the leadership of our House Foreign Affairs Committee, the distinguished gentleman from California, Chairman Tom Lantos, and our senior ranking member, Congresswoman Ros- Lehtinen, for their support and their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I would also like to thank our distinguished colleague from New York (Mr. Crowley) for introducing this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, on December 11, 2006, the Indonesian province of Aceh was host to one of the truly exceptional events in recent world history. Only 2 years after a devastating tsunami claimed some 165,000 lives of the people of Aceh, which is a province of Indonesia, and following three decades, almost 30 years, of violent conflict that ravaged this region, the courageous people of Aceh held peaceful and democratic elections. It was an inspiring testament to the human spirit.

More than 80 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in this landmark election. It signaled a new chapter in the lives of the beleaguered people of Aceh and served as a bold demonstration of the power of democracy and diplomacy throughout the world.

Diplomacy, Mr. Speaker. This election could not have taken place without the willingness of the Government of Indonesia and the armed fighters of the Free Aceh Movement to take the important step of choosing peace over violence to settle their differences. After decades of bloody battle, the two sides put down their arms and negotiated the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding on August 15, 2006.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen it from Northern Ireland to South Africa and around the world. When government and rebel groups are finally willing to lay down their arms and come to the negotiating table, agreements previously thought not possible can suddenly come to fruition.

In addition to calling for elections, the Aceh Memorandum of Understanding also calls for the establishment of a Human Rights Court and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, very similar to what happened in South Africa. It is important that these bodies be established without delay so that Aceh can begin to heal and then fulfill its potential.

In choosing to settle their dispute peacefully and committing to a democratic process, the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement showed true leadership by putting the people of Aceh first. This resolution commends this bold choice and the elections that it produced, supports the full implementation of the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding, recognizes how far Aceh has come, and expresses hope for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I also would like to recognize the leadership of the President of Indonesia, President Susilo Yudhoyono. I know he played a most critical role in bringing about a peaceful solution to the province of Aceh. Just as in my recent discussions with him a couple of months ago, he had given promise that he is also totally committed to the full implementation of the autonomy law that was passed by the Indonesian Parliament to provide for greater democracy and self-rule for the people of West Papua. I know this issue is not related to the Aceh situation, but I do know it is connected to the fact that Jakarta or the Government of Indonesia is the government responsible for what has happened between these two provinces.

But I do want to give recognition to President SBY, as he is usually known in Indonesia, for his leadership and for his efforts in bringing finally to a peaceful solution the situation in the province of Aceh.

I fully support this resolution, and I ask my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

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

Mr. Speaker, as much as we recognize what has happened and is developing there in Indonesia, especially in this province of Aceh where great democratization or, I suppose, having a better relationship with the central government in Jakarta, there are a couple of things I want to share with my colleague.

That is not all. Indonesia happens to be the fourth most populous country in the world. Indonesia also is the largest, most populous Muslim country in the world, with some 223 million people there. And they are Sunni Muslims. I want to share that with my colleagues as a point of interest.

I think it was just last week that, if the media reports are accurate, Indonesia also just recently signed a $1 billion arms trade agreement with Russia. That is a real twist there in terms of what is happening in the Asia-Pacific region and why this country ought not be neglected in terms of our interest and what we should be doing to work closely with the leaders of Indonesia or Jakarta, for that matter.

Indonesia is going through transition and some very serious problems. I indicated earlier about the serious problems it had had with the province of West Papua. West Papua is part of Indonesia. It was a former colony of the Dutch. Then the dictator, Suharto, by use of military force colonized West Papua again, if you want to put it in those terms.

The largest gold mining operation in the world happens to be in West Papua in this province in Indonesia. It is tremendously rich in terms of minerals and oil and all these things that are part of this country.

As much as I want to express that sense of hope that the resolution to some 30 years of war, this revolt between the people of Aceh and Indonesia, I just want to express a sense of concern to my colleagues that the situation in West Papua is still not clear, and I sincerely hope in the coming weeks and months that President Susilo Yudhoyono will be more forthcoming in terms of the commitment that he has made.

I want to thank the Government of Indonesia for allocating some $2 billion, hopefully, finally, after some 50 or 60 years of not even giving the time of day for the needs of the people of West Papua, some $2 billion to build an infrastructure, to provide better schools, better roads, better hospitals. I sincerely hope that President SBY will follow through with this commitment concerning the province of West Papua.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 497) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic of China should immediately release from custody the children of Rebiya Kadeer and Canadian citizen Huseyin Celil and should refrain from further engaging in acts of cultural, linguistic, and religious suppression directed against the Uyghur people, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 497.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank again my colleague from New Jersey for his participation in managing the other side of the aisle on this proposed legislation. I thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from California, Mr. Tom Lantos, for his leadership and for his support of this legislation. Especially I want to thank my good friend and colleague, the distinguished senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for her authorship of this human rights resolution.

With passage of this measure, Congress will shine its spotlight on the brutal suppression of the Muslim Uyghur people by the Chinese Government, and the despicable retaliatory actions of the Chinese Government against the leading Uyghur human rights voice, Rebiya Kadeer.

Similar to the Tibetans, the Turkic Muslim Uyghur have long sought to protect their cultural survival in the face of the Chinese Government- supported migration of the Han Chinese to the Uyghur homeland. Chinese authorities severely restrict economic and educational freedoms for the Uyghurs, regularly destroying books and closing places of worship.

Most trials of Uyghur prisoners are held in secret and many political prisoners are routinely executed without the knowledge of their families. Thousands of Uyghur political prisoners are held without charge or even trial and are routinely abused or tortured.

Mr. Speaker, the People's Republic of China continues to brutally suppress even the slightest attempts of peaceful political, religious and cultural expression of the Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Province. After the attacks in the U.S. on September 11, the People's Republic of China has used the pretext of the war on terrorism to justify these severe human rights violations in Xinjiang and routinely labels the Uyghurs as terrorists and as splitists.

When the Uyghur people found their human rights voice in Rebiya Kadeer, the Chinese Government immediately moved against her and sentenced her to 8 years in prison. They arrested her while she was on her way to meet representatives of our Congressional Research Service.

After international lobbying efforts, the Chinese Government finally released her from prison. They told her that her children would pay a steep price if she continued to lobby for human rights in Xinjiang.

When you carry the hopes and dreams of your entire people on your shoulders, it is impossible to be quiet in the face of such brutal oppression. Upon arriving in the United States, Rebiya continued her human rights work through the International Human Rights and Democracy Foundation and as president of the Uyghur American Association and the World Uyghur Congress in Munich, Germany.

Mr. Speaker, the Chinese Government held to their word and arrested her sons in Xinjiang. Her daughter was placed under house arrest. Using the pretext of a tax investigation to strip the family of all the remaining possessions and business interests, one son was fined $12,500 for tax evasion. Another was sentenced to 7 years in prison and fined $62,500. Yet another was sentenced to 9 years in prison on April 17, 2007, for secessionism.

The Ros-Lehtinen resolution before us, Mr. Speaker, also raises the human rights of Uyghur Canadian Huseyin Celil. He was recently convicted by a Chinese court to life imprisonment on bogus charges. The Canadian Government has been denied access to him throughout his trial.

The blatant refusal to accept even the most basic norms of diplomatic conduct and refusing Canadian embassy officials to visit Mr. Celil not only flies in the face of long-established diplomatic norms and standards, but it is a flagrant violation of Mr. Celil's internationally recognized human rights.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this resolution and in sending the Chinese Government a strong message that it needs to respect the minority rights of the Uyghur people, that it needs to immediately release the children of Rebiya Kadeer and cease all harassment of her family members, and set free Mr. Celil so he can return to Canada to be reunited with his family.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend and thank my good friend from New Jersey. I call him the champion of human rights all over the world. Wherever there is violation of human rights, he is there; and I commend him for his efforts all these years that I have been privileged to work closely with him on these issues.

Mr. Speaker, I recall years ago Mr. Mandela was accused by a former Prime Minister of Great Britain as being a terrorist. Of course, having served in prison for 29 years, all he was trying to say was that something was wrong in South Africa. They call it apartheid. If that isn't a human rights violation, I don't know what is.

But the fact that these two people, the lady and her children and this Canadian citizen, whether it is 2 or 3 or 3 million, our government and this Congress should give every attention as far as to the needs of those people as far as human rights violations are concerned.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 518) recognizing the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and thank the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the senior ranking member, Ms. Ros- Lehtinen, for their support in bringing this legislation before the floor.

Let me also express my support and commendation to my good friend and senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) for introducing this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, Malaysia today is a far cry from its humble beginnings a half-century ago. From its start in 1957 as an underdeveloped nation struggling to gain its footing in uncertain terrain of post-colonial Southeast Asia, Malaysia has transformed itself into a confident country that attracts the attention of the world.

Malaysia now boasts a booming economy that is deeply integrated into the world's economic system. Its economy was mature enough to weather the Southeast Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s and rebound to produce strong growth again in the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker, few sights symbolize Malaysia's progress more aptly than Kuala Lumpur's dramatic modern skyline, dominated by the Petronas Twin Towers, which are currently the second-largest buildings in the world and a constant reminder of Malaysia's bright future.

Significant political transformations have accompanied Malaysia's dramatic economic development. But Malaysia's democracy remains incomplete, as evidenced by the fact that the same political party has held power for over 50 years.

The Internal Security Act is used to lock up people without charge, and defamation laws are used to silence critics of the government.

While Malaysia's democratic transition is not fully complete, it remains a democracy nonetheless, and a strong ally of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, the United States today counts Malaysia as one of its most important partners in Southeast Asia. Malaysia works closely with the United States to combat terrorism and narcotics trafficking. We look forward to continuing to work with the people of Malaysia to bring peace, stability, and prosperity to this important region of the world.

With this resolution, we support Malaysia's golden anniversary, its 50th year of independence. It is a proud achievement for an important friend and ally of the United States, and I ask and urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 583) recognizing the remarkable example of Sir Nicholas Winton who organized the rescue of 669 Jewish Czechoslovakian children from Nazi death camps prior to the outbreak of World War II.

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

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

I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I thank the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Lantos and our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for their support on this resolution.

Let me also especially congratulate the chief sponsor and author of this important resolution, my good friend and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Klein, as well as the lead Republican cosponsor, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, for recognizing the unsung hero of World War II, Sir Nicholas Winton.

Mr. Speaker, whenever humanity is enshrouded in the darkness of atrocity and violence, there are a few scattered lights of moral decency and personal courage that give hope to all mankind that darkness will not prevail.

Arguably, Mr. Speaker, there has not been a more terrible period of darkness than that of World War II when Nazi Germany systematically murdered more than 6 million Jewish people. Even during that terrible period there were lights in the moral darkness and who kept alive the values of decency, compassion and courage. One such person was a 29- year-old British businessman, Mr. Nicholas Winton.

During his frequent business trips to Germany, Mr. Winton observed firsthand the virulent anti-Semitism that prevailed in that country and manifested itself in arrests, harassment, and physical attacks on Jewish people. In 1935, Germany codified anti-Semitism by enacting the Nuremberg Race Laws.

Mr. Speaker, after the Munich Agreement of 1938 and the subsequent annexation of Germany of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia, Mr. Winton became concerned that Nazi Germany could not be appeased. Indeed, on November 9 of that year, 1938, anti-Semitic violence exploded across Germany and Austria. Because of the broken glass in the streets, that date is remembered as Kristallnacht.

Soon afterwards, Mr. Winton was encouraged even by a friend at the British Embassy in Prague to forgo a ski vacation in the Alps and instead to visit what was left of Czechoslovakia in order to see the refugee camps filled with freezing Jewish families who had fled the Sudetenland.

Mr. Speaker, he was deeply moved by the suffering he saw and was convinced immediate action had to be taken. Mr. Winton conceived of an idea. Upon his return to Great Britain, he organized volunteers to collect names of children whose parents were desperate to get them beyond the reach of the Nazi Government.

Mr. Winton then identified foster homes for those refugee children in Britain and in Sweden. He raised money to fund their transportation and to pay fees imposed by the government to cover the costs of future repatriation.

Mr. Speaker, on March 14, 1939, the first 20 children of this venture left Prague. The very next day the Nazi Army overran the remainder of unoccupied Czechoslovakia. Mr. Winton and his volunteers continued their dangerous work for another 6 months, until the full outbreak of World War II on September 1st.

During this time, Mr. Winton and his volunteers saved 669 children. These were children who escaped the Holocaust and who later had their own lives and families, thanks to the efforts of this one man.

Mr. Speaker, tragically, a final group of 250 children scheduled to leave on September 3 was prevented from doing so. None of them lived to see the end of World War II.

It is by coincidence that we even learned about the heroic efforts of now 97-year-old Mr. Nicholas Winton, who never sought any recognition for his actions. Even his wife was unaware of what he had done until she found an old leather briefcase in an attic that contained documents pertaining to the rescue operations.

Mr. Speaker, the world has now begun to pay tribute to the brave acts of this modest hero, a true man, in my opinion. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and made a member of the British Empire. He received the honor of the Freedom of the City of Prague and was made a member of the order named for the father of Czechoslovakia.

It is appropriate, Mr. Speaker, for this House to recognize the courageous efforts of this one man, Sir Nicholas Winton, during one of history's darkest moments.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield all the time that he needs to the author of this important resolution, my good friend and also a senior member of our committee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for his most eloquent statement. Maybe some day these 5,000 children of Mr. Winton might have a reunion somewhere in the United States to express a real sense of appreciation to this gentleman.

I recall, Mr. Speaker, the statement by the late Martin Luther King, Jr., who said that in the end we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Here is one gentleman that was not silent about human rights and what he did for some 669 children whose descendants now enjoy the benefits of what he did some 60 years ago.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 639) commending the actions of the Government of Germany and its cooperation with United States intelligence agencies in preventing a large-scale terrorist attack against locations in Germany, including sites frequented by Americans, as amended.

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

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

I want to thank the leadership of our Foreign Affairs Committee, the distinguished gentleman, the chairman of our committee, Mr. Lantos, and our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, for their leadership and their support of this bill.

I also want to congratulate my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), for introducing this important resolution that highlights ongoing efforts to keep our country and allies safe.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for her help in bringing this resolution to the floor so promptly.

On September 4th, German police arrested three individuals who were suspected of planning a large-scale terrorist attack against several locations in Germany. These included sites frequented by Americans, such as Ramstein Air Force Base and Frankfurt Airport. Had these plotters successfully carried out their planned assault on such populous facilities, the levels of death and destruction would have been too terrible to imagine, let alone American lives that would have been compromised.

Mr. Speaker, thankfully, the world was spared yet another day of horror caused by the heartless acts of terrorists bent on causing large-scale loss and chaos. I strongly commend the Republic of Germany and their intelligence community for its skillful monitoring activities, as well as its swift and decisive action in preventing an appalling act of violence and destruction by terrorists.

Mr. Speaker, I praise the excellent work of our own intelligence community, which, as I understand it, played a pivotal role in foiling their terror plot by providing essential information to the German authorities. This successful collaboration between German and U.S. intelligence communities underscores the continued importance of cooperative measures across the Atlantic to ensure the safety of American lives both here and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, as part of the broader fight against terrorism, there are many nameless individuals whose deeds might not be readily apparent to the public. However, their tireless efforts and personal sacrifice are crucial to preserving the safety of our Nation. I am thinking in particular of our intelligence community as well as members of the United States diplomatic corps, members of our armed services, whom I wish to thank publicly today for their continued efforts to prevent future terrorist attacks.

The discovery of this plot highlights that the threat of terrorism remains real, that it is multifaceted, and that it permeates the neighborhoods of our closest allies. It is, therefore, important that we remain vigilant, yet collective, poised, yet humble, in our efforts to identify and expunge such threats to our national security.

Again, I want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), for his initiative in providing this resolution for Members for its passage. I urge my colleagues to approve this resolution.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 629) extending the condolences and sympathy of the House of Representatives to the Government and the people of Greece for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by the devastating fires raging through Greece since June 2007.

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

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

Let me first thank my honorable colleague and dear friend from the State of Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) for introducing this timely resolution that extends sympathy to our Greek friends, and I want to also add my name as a cosponsor of this proposed legislation.

Madam Speaker, while many people across Europe and the United States spent the month of August soaking up the summer sunshine and enjoying their vacations, thousands of Greeks were engaged in a desperate struggle to save their homes, livestock and beautiful countryside from the devastating effects of wildfires.

Americans watched in alarm as television footage showed flames ominously approaching the ruins of temples and stadiums in ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

They were saddened to see the worst fires in Greece's living memory sweep across well-known and picturesque tourist sites, including Corfu and Kefalonia in the west and the Peloponnese in the south of the country, Madam Speaker, and their hearts ached at the personal stories of individuals who lost their homes as well as family members to the all-consuming power of the fire.

The sobering statistics highlight the true extent of the loss. Over a 10-day period, an estimated 4,000 people lost their homes, while around 469,000 acres of forest and farmland were destroyed. Dozens of families are now without their loved ones while thousands have been left homeless. According to media reports, estimated costs for the destruction of homes and properties are well over $1 billion.

Here in the United States, we know all too well how devastating the effects of Mother Nature can be, as Americans in Utah and Montana launched their own battle against damaging wildfires this summer, and exactly 2 years ago New Orleans and other Southern cities suffered from the destructive effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Just as we valued the aid of foreign nations in our difficult hours, we stand ready to offer a helping hand to our Greek friends during their time of need. This House extends its deepest condolences to the Government and people of Greece following the vast destruction wrought by the wildfires. We welcome the administration's pledge of financial aid as well as technical assistance, and we express confidence in the ability of the Greek people, who have personified the strength of Zeus throughout their history, to overcome the hardships resulting from this tragedy.

I strongly support this measure and urge my colleagues to join me in expressing sympathy for and solidarity with our good people from Greece.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure that I yield whatever time that he needs, as the chief sponsor of this proposed legislation, to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague and good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Madam Speaker, I also want to commend and thank my good friend, the senior ranking member of our committee, for her support and her assistance in managing this legislation, and I want to thank my colleague from Maryland for his most eloquent and moving speech this morning to share with our colleagues in the House the tragedy facing the good people of Greece, and I sincerely hope that we will support this legislation.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3062) to authorize appropriations to provide for South Pacific exchanges, provide technical and other assistance to countries in the Pacific region through the United States Agency for International Development, and authorize appropriations to provide Fulbright Scholarships for Pacific Island students, as amended.

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

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

Again, I want to thank the distinguished chairman of our committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our senior ranking member of our committee, the gentlewoman

from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for their support and their leadership in bringing this important legislation before the floor.

I am pleased to bring to the floor today a bill that will benefit the entire Pacific region. I am honored and proud to sponsor this legislation.

While they may be overlooked when listing our great allies, the United States has long and profound relationships with the Pacific Island nations that stretch back more than two centuries. With consideration of this legislation today, Congress will act to significantly strengthen this vitally important alliance.

The Pacific Island nations have long been integral to our strategic interests, from the vital role they played in the Pacific theatre of operations during World War II to their critical role that they played in the conduct of our nuclear testing and missile defense system that even today is critical to our overall military and strategic interests in this important region of the world.

We work closely with the nations of the Pacific to combat transnational threats, particularly the rapidly increasing peril posed by global warming. The people of the Pacific have also fought and sacrificed side-by-side with American soldiers in conflicts from World War II to the current war in Iraq.

But as we look towards the Pacific, we must step up both our multilateral and bilateral relationships to provide critically needed assistance to ensure that other countries do not fill the void. Foreign assistance and scholarship offerings from other countries to the Pacific Island nations has increased dramatically in recent years. Such aid comes with few requirements for good governance and few environmental or labor standards.

The bottom line, Madam Speaker, our public diplomacy program and educational and cultural exchanges with the Pacific Island nations is shameful and without excuse.

Left unchecked, such foreign assistance from other countries can cause further instability, leaving these island nations to believe the United States no longer is interested to assist them, and thereby leave them vulnerable to establish friendships with countries that do not necessarily support our interests in this vast region of the world.

We must act now to fill the void and exert our influence. The Pacific Island Economic and Educational Development Act of 2007 seeks to address the development needs of our allies in the Pacific Islands and to engage the United States in the region more deeply.

This legislation pushes for greater activity in the Pacific Islands by authorizing the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development to listen to the needs of the leaders of the Pacific Islands and to provide assistance accordingly. This task would be significantly easier if USAID reestablished a serious presence in the Pacific Island region, something that has been long overdue.

The legislation also authorizes funds to increase the number of Fulbright scholars from the Pacific islands, making use of our most successful international educational program to increase the training of future leaders of the Pacific Islands. Fostering educational opportunities overseas is one of this government's strongest and most effective public diplomacy tools. Leveraging these grants would represent a tremendous way of reengaging with these critical allies in the Pacific region.

Under section 2 of this bill now entitled Pacific Island Country Exchanges, it is the intent of Congress to specifically increase funding for the U.S.-South Pacific Scholarship program, a program which has been in place since 1994, and has been administered by the East- West Center in Honolulu under the direction of the U.S. Department of State. The U.S.-South Pacific Scholarship program has successfully trained many Pacific Island leaders, and it is imperative to U.S. interests in the region that we continue this program.

In this new world where shipping is vulnerable to terrorism and climate change is a top priority, we need these Pacific Island nations as much as they need us. Let's commit to reengaging with them, to strengthening our alliances with them, and to aiding them in every way possible.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 377) to establish a United States-Poland parliamentary youth exchange program, and for other purposes.

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

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

Let me first thank our distinguished chairman of the committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our senior ranking member, the gentlelady from Florida, for their support and for their leadership in bringing this bill before the floor.

And let me thank our eminent colleague in the other Chamber, the distinguished Senator from Indiana (Senator Lugar) for his leadership on this important issue. It is exemplary of his sage leadership on so many foreign affairs matters.

Madam Speaker, in 1777, while serving the American cause in Paris, Benjamin Franklin discovered a brilliant Polish military tactician. His name was Casimir Pulaski. A leader in Poland's bitter campaign to beat back Russia, the nobleman Pulaski sacrificed his status in Europe to join the American revolution in the New World. It did not take long for George Washington to recognize the great talent he had on his hands. He promoted Pulaski to brigadier general, placing him in charge of four horse brigades.

Pulaski's prowess and strategic skill during the Revolutionary War became renowned. So dedicated was he to our cause that when funding ran low among the colonials, he used some of his own money to purchase equipment for his men.

General Pulaski, who eventually went down in the history books as the father of the American cavalry, is just one of the many important Polish figures who have contributed greatly to the United States and to the world. The relationship between the people of our two countries has flourished in recent years since the fall of communism, but it actually dates back centuries to the founding of our Nation.

Today, this Congress aims to help the people of Poland rear the next generation of productive, inventive and standout individuals. This bill authorizes an educational exchange program between our two nations that promises to be mutually beneficial and strengthen the alliance between our two nations.

This program will be identical in its structure and operation to the successful Congress-Bundestag exchange that was launched in 1983. Over the last quarter century, thousands of young Americans and Germans have seized the opportunity to spend an academic year living and studying with their foreign peers.

As a result, these secondary school students have gained a better understanding of each other's way of life and have begun developing into citizens of the world. With the authorization and funding of the bilateral initiative before us today, we will extend the same opportunities to our young friends in Poland.

Cross-cultural exchange is the most powerful way of creating harmony among nations. And study abroad programs represent the most powerful type of exchange because they foster understanding and education about other nations at an early age. The country of Poland is one of our most important allies in Europe, has supported us in our fight against terrorism, and stood with us by contributing troops to Afghanistan and Iraq. The Polish people have made great strides since the fall of communism liberalizing their economy, joining NATO in 1999, and becoming a Member of the European Union in 2004.

It is high time that we recognize and advance Poland's place in the world, as well as our special relationship with that nation, by initiating a robust educational exchange program.

Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this proposed bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 3 minutes to my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut and a member of the Financial Services and Government Reform Committees, Congressman Murphy.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Connecticut and his support and statement. Nothing like having an Irish Polish American to be supportive of his proposed legislation.

Madam Speaker, I would love to yield 5 minutes now to my dear friend, distinguished member of the Appropriations Committee, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky). That's a good Polish name.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana for his most eloquent speech.

At this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to my good friend from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 34) recognizing the 75th birthday of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, as amended.

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

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

First of all, I would like again to thank our distinguished chairman of the committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our senior ranking member of the committee, the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for their support in bringing this legislation to the floor.

I would particularly like to thank my distinguished colleague, the chief sponsor of this legislation, the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) for introducing this important resolution to honor Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa for his lifetime of human rights work.

Madam Speaker, Archbishop Tutu is unquestionably one of the most important and accomplished advocates of human rights and peace on the face of this planet. In the past few years, Bishop Tutu has worked tirelessly to promote religious freedom and self-sovereignty around the world, using his reputation and his work in South Africa as a launching pad to do good. For instance, he has worked to highlight the horrendous human rights situation in Burma and repeatedly called on the Burmese Government to free the champion of democracy there, Aung San Suu Kyi.

But of all his work for humankind, he is perhaps best known for chairing the South Africa Peace and Reconciliation Commission after the scourge of apartheid ended in that nation.

Under the rule of the Afrikaner Nationalist Party, black South Africans were subjected to unspeakable dehumanizing social policies and draconian laws. These terrible measures separated families, denied a decent education to millions of children, and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes into segregated territories, or bantustans.

Given the nature of the oppression, South Africa could have been a country washed in blood by black Africans seeking revenge once white minority rule ended. But through his characteristic patience and wisdom, Bishop Tutu helped guide South Africans, black, brown and white, through a national process of reconciliation, a forum where the horrors of apartheid were told by both victims and perpetrators. And most importantly, there was no retribution, only truth and reconciliation.

Bishop Tutu and his colleagues traveled throughout South Africa, from village to village, and allowed apartheid's victims to speak as long as they needed to tell their stories. For days at a time he sat and listened to stories of the hellish nightmare innocent victims of apartheid had to endure.

The process of simply telling proved an enormous healing experience for individuals in the South African nation. And the stories have been archived so that South Africans in the future can know their past and can appreciate their present.

This effort, and his spiritual leadership throughout the trying times of his nation made Bishop Tutu an international hero. He is a human rights

champion and has been the winner of numerous awards, including the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Madam Speaker, as we celebrate Bishop Tutu's 76th birthday next month, we should be mindful of the lessons he has brought in his service to mankind, particularly in this troubling time when human rights violations are still so widespread around the world.

As he said famously in his Nobel Peace acceptance speech, ``Oppression dehumanizes the oppressor as much as, if not more, the oppressed.''

That axiom, to me, Madam Speaker, is a profound admonition to tyrants around the world.

And I cannot help, Madam Speaker, but to say that if you say something about Bishop Tutu, you have to add his colleague, Nelson Mandela. Now here was a man that was in prison for 29 years, almost 30 years. And you would think that there is nothing on his mind than to seek vengeance and retribution against what the apartheid government did to him for all those years, but instead, as far as I'm concerned, the most Christ-like person that has ever come out of that prison, Mr. Mandela, and for the leadership that he displayed in bringing all different factions, nationalities and ethnicities in South Africa together to build a good nation.

I remember years ago, Madam Speaker, the World Cup. I don't know if my colleagues are familiar with the sport of rugby, but the World Cup rugby tournament is on in France right now. Years ago, the all-black rugby national team representing New Zealand had a very difficult time playing against the Spring Boks from South Africa, especially if they had an Amari Polynesian or a Samoan Polynesian as a member of that all- blacks team. The Spring Boks of South Africa refused to play the all- blacks of New Zealand simply because there are two people of color that are members of the team representing New Zealand. They got the two countries pretty heated at times. There was no question about the bigotry and the racism that existed at that time as far as apartheid is concerned.

Madam Speaker, today we honor Bishop Desmond Tutu and all that he represents, and I call on my colleagues to vote to support this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank my colleague and dear friend from Florida for her statement in support of this resolution.

At this time, Madam Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 5 minutes to my good friend, the chief sponsor of this proposed bill, the gentlewoman from Texas, senior member of the Judiciary Committee and also a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield 5 minutes to my good friend and senior member of our Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers on this proposed bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 508) recognizing the strong security alliance between the Government of Japan and the United States and expressing appreciation to Japan for its role in enhancing stability in the Asia-Pacific region and its efforts in the global war against terrorism, as amended.

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

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

Again, I want to express my appreciation to the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the distinguished chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our distinguished ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen from Florida, for their support of this proposed bill.

And let me also thank our distinguished colleague from the great State of New Jersey, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee as well as the Natural Resources Committee, my good friend, Mr. Saxton, for his sponsorship of this resolution.

When World War II came to a close, the relationship between the United States and Japan could not have been worse. Both sides sustained heavy human losses at the hands of the other's military, but together, starting in the late 1940s, the United States and the Japanese people rebuilt a war-torn Japanese nation brick by brick, industry by industry. The alliance between the United States and Japan has grown steadily since then, and now it could hardly be stronger.

Japan today is one of our closest allies in the Asia-Pacific region. The strong and enduring partnership we developed when that war thankfully came to an end bridges economic, military and political realms. Our military alliance helped prevent another world conflict during the Cold War, and our two nations jointly held fast to the

ideas of democracy and freedom in the face of the menacing communist threat in this Asian region.

Today, the U.S. military security alliance with Japan is not only just the backbone of the relationship between our two great nations, but it is the bedrock of peace and security throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Upon this foundation, we continue to work together to advance our shared values. We jointly promote open markets, open societies, and open and transparent governments in Asia and around the world. Japan's economic success is a beacon and an example to the entire planet, now being the second most powerful economy in the whole world. We also tackle some of the most difficult challenges of our time, working together in the crucial Six-Party Talks to denuclearize North Korea and stabilize Northeast Asia.

Japan is a reliable and generous friend, quick to assist the United States in our times of need. Japan has provided important logistical support for the current war in Iraq and is on the front lines of the international efforts to combat terrorism by providing support to operations in Afghanistan.

As strong as our relationship is now, we look forward to an even stronger partnership in the future. Our two countries are brought together by shared interests and shared values, and we are bound together by mutual respect and friendship.

This resolution celebrates this friendship by recognizing the strong security alliance between Japan and the United States, as well as Japan's critical role in enhancing stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Today, the House reaffirms that we value highly our alliance with the great nation of Japan and believe this partnership will continue indefinitely into the future.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I would like to have as much time as I may consume to again compliment and to commend my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey, for his insight.

And certainly as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, no one knows better the importance of our strategic and military influence in this important region of the world, and especially with an alliance and a partnership with the great country of Japan, that they have always stood beside us and always been there when we needed assistance.

So again, I want to commend my good friend from New Jersey for his comments and sponsorship of this legislation. And I thank my good friend,

the gentlelady from Florida, the ranking member, for helping us manage this legislation and get it approved by our colleagues.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 575) commending the people and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for their continued commitment to holding elections and broadening political participation, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Again my appreciation and gratitude to the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the distinguished chairman from California (Mr. Lantos) and my good friend, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen), the senior ranking member of the committee, for their support and leadership in bringing this proposed legislation before the floor. I also would like to thank the chief sponsor of this proposed bill, my good friend from the State of Washington (Mr. Baird), for introducing this thoughtful and timely measure commending the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on its commitment to holding elections and to broadening its sphere of political participation in its country.

The Kingdom of Jordan is an oasis of stability in the Middle Eastern desert full of difficulties and crises. Jordan is beset by most of the same threats that confront the whole Middle Eastern region, such as terrorism and extremism, but it also faces some distinct challenges. For example, a flood of Iraqi asylum-seekers numbering nearly 1 million. These refugees are now straining the infrastructure of a resource-poor nation of only 6 million citizens.

Despite these difficult challenges, and unlike other regional states that use Islamic extremism as an excuse to restrict democratic freedoms, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has courageously taken significant steps to broaden political participation. At the same time, it continues to hold the line against terrorism. This balance is exemplary.

Madam Speaker, Jordan has long been a leader in the Arab world in enhancing women's political involvement, and it is continuing along that path. Thanks to recent reform, 20 percent of the municipal council seats determined in Jordan's July elections were reserved for women. Jordan also lowered its voting age to 18 in order to involve more people in the election process.

As you know, Madam Speaker, there was some controversy surrounding these recent municipal elections. The Islamists withdrew their candidates 1 day before the vote, claiming that the system was unfairly stacked against them. However, based on the evidence I have been able to gather from the State Department and from other staffers who visited Jordan shortly after the elections, these elections were largely free and fair, marred only by minor irregularities that almost certainly had little or no impact on the final result. It now appears the Islamists were more concerned about an embarrassing, imminent defeat than they were about democratic procedures.

Last month, after the municipal elections, King Abdullah II announced that parliamentary elections will be held on November 20. Thus, Jordan continues to pursue its path toward greater democracy.

It is indeed impressive that Jordan keeps extremism at bay while expanding political participation. But it is no coincidence. By addressing reform, Jordan has encouraged moderation. That is a lesson that, unfortunately, too many Middle Eastern regimes have failed to understand.

We encourage Jordan in its efforts to implement political reform, and we look forward to the kingdom's further progress towards achieving the comprehensive and ambitious set of goals it put forth last year as part of Jordan's National Agenda.

Madam Speaker, King Abdullah's thoughtful and bold leadership has made him a welcome ally in difficult times in the Middle East, and the American and Jordanian peoples share a special friendship that this bill explicitly reaffirms.

I know that the Foreign Affairs Committee, of which I am a member, and its distinguished chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), remain committed to this special relationship with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. I trust that my friends in the full House do as well.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 6 minutes to my good friend and the chief sponsor of this proposed bill, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird).

Madam Speaker, I commend my good friend, the chief sponsor of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I find it very difficult for me to follow such a most eloquent speech that was given by my good friend from Virginia, a true champion of human rights, and as cochair of our Human Rights Caucus also with the gentleman from California, the chairman of our House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Tom Lantos.

I want to thank the chairman of our Financial Services Committee, Mr. Frank, for his leadership and for introducing as well as following closely the way that we have now come about in bringing this very important legislation for consideration by Members of this body. I would be remiss if I did not also express my sincere appreciation to one of our former senior members of our Foreign Affairs Committee who is no longer with us, the gentlelady from California, Ms. Barbara Lee, for her leadership and for her sensitivity especially to the problems we are faced with in Darfur. I thank also my good friend, the chairman of our Africa subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Don Payne, who I know has also been working very closely in crafting this legislation. My good friend, the ranking member of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, and I know our chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee both support it and I thank them for their leadership in bringing this legislation for consideration.

Mr. Speaker, over 400,000, 450,000 men, women and children, especially children, are already dead in the event of the atrocities that have been committed against these people in Darfur and over 2 million refugees. According to the Associated Press report just this month, it says, the United Nations Human Rights Committee, in its first overall review of Sudan's record in a decade, said that systematic murder, rape, forced evictions and attacks

against civilians continue to be committed with total impunity throughout the Sudan and particularly in Darfur.

That's a fact. And what are we doing about it? I think this legislation helps move in that right direction, and I can't think of a better person, a leader in our Chamber here, Ms. Lee, for taking the leadership in this important legislation, as it was in her predecessor, our good friend Mr. Dellums from California and his leadership in presenting the importance of the role sanctions can play in situations that the global community should make better efforts to support to get rid of this terrible problem that we find ourselves with in Darfur.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 176) to authorize assistance to the countries of the Caribbean to fund educational development and exchange programs, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.

I would first like to thank my colleague, the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), for introducing this important legislation and garnering the bipartisanship sponsors that it deserves. And certainly I want to thank the chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), for his tireless efforts in pushing forward this initiative.

Mr. Speaker, nearly four decades ago, history was made in the voting booths of New York City. A young lady by the name of Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the history of our great land. With her election, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm broke the ground for African Americans, to be sure. Congresswoman Chisholm was also the child of immigrants from the Caribbean area, and today she remains a great heroine for Caribbean Americans throughout our Nation.

During her tenure in Congress, Congresswoman Chisholm was a staunch advocate for educational opportunity and access. She increased support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other institutions in the United States that serve minorities.

It is, therefore, entirely appropriate and fitting that the legislation before the House today is named after the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm from the great City of New York. This bill establishes a new and important educational exchange program between the United States and our friends in the Caribbean region.

This effort builds on a priority I have long promoted: fostering better educational and cultural ties between the United States and different regions of the world. Today's bill follows our recent historic passage of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007, a bill to vastly expand study abroad programs that overwhelmingly passed this House in a great example of bipartisan cooperation.

The United States and nations of the Caribbean have long enjoyed friendly relations. As an important regional partner for trade and a bastion of democratic values, our friends in the Caribbean region have been called the ``third border'' of the United States.

In talks with Members of Congress, Caribbean leaders have highlighted the need for educational opportunities for Caribbean students in fields that will allow them to contribute to an increasingly competitive regional economy. We aim to deliver on that request today.

Enhancing our cultural and educational exchange programs in the Caribbean will promote economic growth, improve regional security, and expand opportunities for the hardworking citizens of this region. This educational exchange program will enable secondary school, undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate scholars from the Caribbean to attend schools, colleges, and universities in the United States. It will allow them to participate in activities designed to promote a greater understanding of the values and culture of the United States. And it will grant them the option either to live in the United States with a host family, enriching them with community and town life here, or to live in an on-campus housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was a great American leader who has inspired generations of African Americans and Caribbean Americans. With passage of this legislation, we honor her memory and ensure that a new generation of Caribbeans can play an even more constructive role in the political and economic developments not only of this region but to continue our friendly relations with this region.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds just to offer my compliments to my dear friend, the senior ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for her support and leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor now to give 5 minutes to my good friend and colleague, the prime sponsor of this legislation, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Lee) for her statement.

I thank the gentlelady for a most eloquent statement.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee)

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