Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, certainly I would like to express my appreciation for the outstanding leadership of our colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), as the chief sponsor of this legislation, not only as the former chairman of our Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans, but always a chief spokesman for the needs of the fisheries programs of our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 268, a resolution expressing the sense of congress regarding the imposition of trade sanctions against countries who undermine the effectiveness of the International Convention on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. The International Commission was established

in 1969 and is responsible for the conservation of some 30 species of tuna, swordfish and many other times of highly-migratory fish.

Thirty-six years ago, the United States demonstrated its leadership in marine conservation by being the first to sign the international convention. Later that year, we were joined by two other countries, Japan and South Africa. Today, the number of contracting and cooperating parties has grown to 39 nations from across the world, signifying a global recognition of the importance of a large-scale collective effort to protect and carefully manage our international fisheries.

Madam Speaker, the ICCAT Commission is charged with the lofty responsibility of undertaking scientific research, compiling statistics and monitoring a large number of highly-migratory species that inhabit the vast Atlantic Ocean. The types of species under the Commission's purview of diverse, having varying biological characteristics, migration patterns and exploitation pressures from different countries, which makes effective management very complicated.

The Commission directs much effort in devising plans and providing recommendations that establish acceptable fishing levels aimed at ensuring maximum sustainable catches for all. Since their establishment some 33 years ago, the Commission has been working hard to provide accurate information and management advice to fishing countries of the world, with the number of recommendations growing exponentially each year.

Despite the Commission's considerable efforts, however, several Atlantic highly-migratory species are still in jeopardy. The Atlantic white marlin, a major sport fishery for the United States, is nearly at an endangered status, and not from U.S. sports fishermen. An estimated 95 percent of the Atlantic marlin catches come from other nations, both from targeted fishing, and, sadly, as bycatch.

I have always had very strong feelings about the issue of bycatch. It is inconceivable, Madam Speaker, to me, that some find it acceptable to simply throw out these fish, just because there is no perceived market value for them. Perhaps my point of view on this stems from my heritage as an islander, whose way of life, means of nourishment and culture centers almost exclusively on the resources from the ocean, considers the discard of any fish as a despicable waste.

Madam Speaker, illegal, unreported and unregulated, which is known as IUU, fishing, is also of great concern to me. Countries who engage in such fishing significantly compromise the ability to monitor fish stocks accurately, making it very difficult for the Commission to advise on setting catch limits. IUU fishing is a serious concern to the Atlantic species, as well as to the fisheries of the great Pacific Ocean.

The most unfortunate fact, in my opinion, Madam Speaker, is that even some of the contracting member countries have continually violated the convention to which they themselves have signed. Brazil, China, Cote D'Ivore and Spain continue to overfish Atlantic white marlin, and even the European Union refuses to accept the recommendations by the Commission for Atlantic blue tuna catch limits. These practices are unfair to the rest of the participating nations who fully cooperate and value the Convention and actively support international conservation efforts. They are unfair to and disrespectful to the internationally- recognized ICCAT Commission, and they are unfair to our future generations that will continue to rely on our ocean resources for food.

Madam Speaker, I fully support the imposition of trade sanctions on these countries that violate and undermine the convention. Repeatedly, we have seen laws, rules, and regulations ignored because there is no means to effectively enforce them. Perhaps sanctions are the ``teeth'' the U.S. can give the convention so that violating countries will begin to take marine conservation seriously.

I am a proud cosponsor of this resolution and may even propose a similar resolution for the Pacific fisheries at the appropriate time, as we have many similar issues there as well.

I thank my good friends and colleagues on the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), and the chairman of our subcommittee, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) for their leadership on this issue, and I urge Members to support this resolution.

I even suggested, Madam Speaker, that we ought to extend our EE zone from 200 to 1,000 miles, to make a point of the fact that our country is the only country that is sincerely making every effort to see that when we say conservation, we mean it sincerely, and not just a lot of rhetoric.

Madam Speaker, I do want to thank my staff, Dr. Malia Rivera, a Sea Grant fellow in my office, for the outstanding job she has done in advising me on issues pertaining to fisheries, and again I thank my good friend from New Jersey, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Madam Speaker, again, to make the point in the course of our hearings, with due respect to the members of the administration that testified before our hearing that was held, they are making every sincere effort to get other countries and members of the convention to comply, but how long have we been doing this? This is for the past 10 years, from previous administrations. We are still making every sincere effort, but it seems with no real substantive results.

I ask my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey, what else can we do? As I suggested earlier, we need to put teeth on the substance of this convention, or else we are just going to be spinning our wheels for another 10-year period, and still with no results.

Here is the problem: We now have fishing vessels from the Atlantic fishing in the Pacific. Why? Because some of these fish have been overfished. There are moratoriums placed on them.

We have serious problems, even in the Pacific. Fifty-four percent of the tuna now caught in the world is from the Pacific Ocean, and this is just tuna. The fact is that if we are not taking seriously the substantial of the problems of conservation of various species of fish, we definitely are going to have some very serious problems.

I thank the gentleman for his expressing the concerns about the fishing, but I ask my good friend, we have been spinning our wheels for the last 10 years, are we going to be doing the same thing for the next 10 years?

Madam Speaker, if the gentleman would again yield, and I thank him for yielding, and I sincerely hope that perhaps, even after expressing the sense of the Congress in our resolution, that maybe the next phase is to put in teeth by saying by statute that we do this. Because again, despite all of the good efforts that perhaps the administration may be making on this issue, it is not just from this administration, but even from previous administrations, I think we are tired of the rhetoric. It is time to now put teeth in this issue and make sure that if we are going to be the only Nation complying with the substance of the convention while the others can still do what they want, I think there is a tremendous inequity in this effort.

Again, I thank the gentleman for bringing this point to the attention of our colleagues.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I would like to extend my gratitude to the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and the senior ranking member of the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), my good friend, the chairman of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), and our senior ranking member of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), and the chairman of Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), my good friend, for working so diligently these past several months to address some of the very important concerns raised by the leaders of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia as it relates to the proposed Compact of Free Association or H.J. Res. 63.

Madam Speaker, the Compacts of Free Association commenced in 1986 between the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the United States. In brief, the United States agrees to provide Federal funding to the FSM and the RMI and, in turn, both agree to provide the United States with certain defense rights, now including use of 11 defense sites on Kwajalein Atoll, where the U.S. Department of Defense has established a multibillion dollar antiballistic missile testing facility.

In October 2001, portions of the Compact expired and representatives from the FSM, the RMI, and the Department of the Interior began negotiating an extension of these provisions, including also the Department of State. Earlier this year, the Department of the Interior sent Congress a negotiated product to be considered as a reauthorization of the Compact of Free Association. However, key provisions, including the funding of the Pell Grants and FEMA assistance, were excluded from the agreement. And over the last several months, my colleagues and I have been working closely with representatives from both the FSM and RMI to address these concerns.

Madam Speaker, the good people of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands are in need of, and indeed deserve, U.S. support in assistance in building local capacity. As my colleagues know, education is invaluable to building self-sufficiency and local capacity, and, ultimately, will contribute to bolstering the economy of these developing nations. This is why I am pleased that the bill before us today now provides the Freely Associated States with Pell Grant assistance, hopefully, and also to recognize the importance of FEMA assistance to these islands.

The truth is, Madam Speaker, the Freely Associated States have made many sacrifices and contributions on behalf of the United States. In fact, the U.S. used the Marshall Islands as a nuclear testing ground and detonated more than 67 nuclear bombs, including the first hydrogen bomb which was one thousand times more powerful than the bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The results were, and continue to be, devastating to the residents of the Marshall Islands.

As a Pacific Islander, I am pleased that H.J. Res. 63 acknowledges the contributions and sacrifices made by the Federated Associated States and also addresses the needs and concerns of the people of Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. I am also pleased that my colleagues have worked closely with me to make sure that American Samoa's tuna industry was protected in the process of these negotiations.

The outcome of H.J. Res. 63 will determine our relationship with the FSM and RMI for the next 20 years and will also affect American Samoa's tuna industry for generations to come.

With the approval of these Compacts, the United States will further solidify our relationship with these Western Pacific nations, both of which are close allies, and make an ongoing contribution to America's national defense.

To understand the importance of renewing the Compacts we must remember our Nation's history in the region. During World War II, American soldiers liberated the Pacific island by island in brutal and bloody battles. After the war, the United States administered Micronesia, and we have maintained a vitally important military installation on Kwajalein Atoll.

In the 1940s and 1950s, the United States conducted both underwater and atmospheric nuclear tests in the Marshalls. And as I indicated earlier, some 67 nuclear detonations were held during that period. I remember distinctly, in 1954, when we detonated the first hydrogen bomb, I indicated earlier that that nuclear detonation was a thousand times more powerful than the nuclear bombs that we dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

One of the serious issues that we still have not properly addressed, and, hopefully, in the coming months, that we will address seriously, the needs of some several hundred Marshallese men, women, and children who were directly exposed to nuclear contamination at the time of detonation of this hydrogen bomb in the 1950s.

Madam Speaker, since the independence of the Marshalls and Micronesia in 1986, the ties between our nations have grown even stronger. When Congress approved the Compact of Free Association in 1986, we received a good bargain. Funds would flow to the island nations in return for a ``strategic denial'' and a ``defense veto.'' The Kwajalein Army Base is vitally important to America's missile tests and as a listening post to the world.

Hundreds of Marshallese and Micronesians are currently defending American interests even in Iraq. I believe approximately 1,000 of our fellow Micronesians are in the military. Several have sacrificed their lives in the war in Iraq, even at this point in time as I speak. Just the other day Mr. Hilario Bermanis, a Micronesian, became an American citizen after losing a left arm and both legs while serving in the Army in Iraq.

While we undoubtedly furthered our national security interests with approval of the Compact, the United States insufficiently monitored expenditure of funds and did little to promote economic development in the islands.

The Compacts before the House today ensure that funds will be better spent in the future, will promote sound economic development and will focus on education and health care. They also establish trust funds for both nations to ensure that they can become self-sufficient in 20 years.

Madam Speaker, H.J. Res. 63 promotes our Nation's national security interests and furthers our relationship with the Marshalls and Micronesia. This is a bipartisan effort. And, again, I extend my gratitude and appreciation to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), my good friend, for his tremendous support and leadership in bringing this piece of legislation to the floor.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time she might consume to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo), my good friend.

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

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

Madam Speaker, as I do not have any further speakers, I would like to express a few sentiments. It is very easy for those of us managing pieces of legislation and somewhat proclaiming our own sense of expertise by commenting or making speeches. As my good friend, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), had given an indication earlier, there has been tremendous support from members of the professional staff of the two committees who have done an outstanding job in helping putting this piece of legislation together. Again, I would be remiss if I do not express my sense of appreciation to Mr. Doug Anderson and also Mr. Jamie McCormick on the majority side on the Committee on International Relations, as well as Mr. Peter Yeo and Dr. Lisa Williams, and also Dr. Bob King. Also on the Committee on Resources we have Mr. Tony Babauta and Mr. Chris Fluhr of the Committee on Resources, and also Mr. Chris Foster from the gentleman from California's (Mr. Pombo) office, and the outstanding contributions they have made as professional members of both committees in putting this legislation and certainly giving us positive advice now that we find ourselves agreeing to some of the important elements of this bill that is now before us.

We sincerely hope that our colleagues will lend their support to this important legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Madam Speaker, I also want to note to the benefit of our colleagues that just this last weekend our President visited the State of Hawaii and he had an opportunity to meet with the leaders of these island nations at the East-West Center and the concerns expressed collectively by these leaders regarding homeland security. The security issues now of terrorism and issues of this nature are vitally important to this region of the world; and, again, this is all in concert with the efforts that we are making to make sure that we continue to establish good relations with our friends from Micronesia. I again thank my good friend, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), for his tremendous support and leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor, again, sincerely hoping our colleagues will support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the time.

I want to thank the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), my good friend, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my good friend, as chief sponsors of this legislation, and I also want to thank my colleague and good friend the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the chairman of our the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on International Relations.

Madam Speaker, I rise to lend my support to the provisions of H. Res. 409 to repudiate the comments made recently by Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad of the Republic of Malaysia. The prime minister's speech was given on October 16, about 2 weeks ago, at a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Nations. The conference was held in Malaysia and was attended by heads of states and government leaders and other political leaders from some 57 nations whose majority populations are followers of Islam.

Madam Speaker, Prime Minister Mohamad claimed that his speech was taken out of context. So I thought perhaps, in fairness to him, I would read his speech in its entirety, which I did, but I thought perhaps we also needed to examine the Prime Minister's prior statements, this very issue of anti-Semitic, this hatred of the people who are of Jewish ancestry. What I found out was a consistent pattern of anti-Semitic statements.

There was a great article in the Boston Globe written recently by Mr. Jeff Jacoby, who did some research on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's utterances as a political leader of Malaysia. Thirty years ago, Prime Minister Mohamad wrote, ``The Jews are not merely hook-nosed, but understand money instinctively.'' The same Prime Minister, Madam Speaker, described the Jewish people as monsters.

In 1994, this same Prime Minister issued a ban in Malaysia not to show the movie Schindler's List because it showed too much favoritism towards the Jewish people, and in 1997, the same Prime Minister also accused an American businessman, an investor by the name of Mr. George Soros, as the cause of Malaysia's economic instability and currency collapse, specifically citing Mr. Soros as the ``Jew who triggered the currency plunge'' and coincidentally citing that he is Jewish.

Madam Speaker, this is not the first time Prime Minister Mohamad has made hateful and bigoted statements against the Jewish people. How convenient it is for a Muslim political leader like Prime Minister Mohamad to always blame the Jewish people for the failures of Muslim political leaders to solve the many socioeconomic problems that concurrently confront the needs of some 1.3 billion people who are associated with Islam or the Muslim religion.

Prime Minister Mahathir claims that the Jews rule this world by proxy. I say, in response to such an outrageous statement by the Prime Minister, the contributions over the years by those of the Jewish ancestry have been truly a blessing to our world community. In the fields of medicine, of law and of physics, literature, and social sciences, I need only to mention the name of Dr. Jonas Salk, who discovered the cure for the dreaded disease of polio, the names of Dr. Albert Einstein, Dr. Teller, and Dr. Oppenheimer as the founding fathers of modern nuclear physics and the theory of relativity.

Time will not allow me to elaborate further the many positive contributions made for the benefit of mankind by those in the Jewish community given generously to the world community. Suffice it to say to political leaders like Prime Minister Mahathir, if it was your intention to tell your fellow Muslims that the sacred writings contained in the Koran have been misinterpreted by your own Muslim scholars, and partly the reason why there is so much divisiveness among your own adherers to Islam, then say so; but do not blame the Jewish community for your own failures.

Madam Speaker, I sincerely hope as we contemplate the beginning of this sacred month called Ramadan among the adherents of Islam as a period of fasting and prayer and for greater patience and greater love towards all mankind, which in my humble opinion is the essence and the heart and soul of the religion of Islam as taught by the prophet Mohammed some 400 years ago, I do not believe, Madam Speaker, that Prime Minister Mahathir's statement reflects the real meaning and teachings of Islam.

This resolution will announce to the world that this institution, the Congress of the United States of America, will not tolerate and does not support the Prime Minister's statement. And I also reflect upon statements made earlier by my colleague, that I too remember what was said by Martin Luther King, Jr., years ago: ``At the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.''

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment which would reimburse air fare costs incurred by members of the United States Armed Forces in connection with travel within the United States while on leave from deployment overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. This amendment is the same as what has been offered and passed by the U.S. Senate but specifically defines United States to include each territory and commonwealth of the United States.

As a Vietnam veteran, I am fully supportive of the military's Rest and Relaxation program which allows soldiers who have served 12 straight months to qualify for R&R and allows them to return home and see their families. However, at present this program only provides travel to hubs such as BWI and requires soldiers to make their own way home. Oftentimes, airfare costs are prohibitive and leave soldiers stranded far from home.

Thankfully, the Senate passed an amendment to its supplemental appropriations bill which would extend the R&R program to include domestic travel and I believe it is time for the House to now demonstrate its commitment to our soldiers. Our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan should not be burdened with the costs of travel to return to their home of residence to briefly reunite with family, friends, and loved ones. Moreover, soldiers whose home of residence is American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands should not be excluded from any R&R program that may be offered.

Although other amendments may be offered in support of R&R for our soldiers, it is unclear as to whether language proposed by other members for this same type of funding would extend to soldiers whose home of residence is American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands. While I am confident that it is not the intent of Congress to exclude soldiers from the Insular Areas from the benefits of a reimbursement program, I want to make sure that soldiers serving from American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are afforded the same rights and privileges as every other man and woman serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Again, as a Vietnam veteran, I am painfully aware of the sacrifices that our soldiers are making in defense of this nation. Only last month, one of American Samoa's young sons was killed in Iraq and I accompanied his body home to American Samoa. Like others before him, like more to come, he gave his life so that you and I may live in freedom.

While we can never repay the sacrifices being made in our behalf, I do believe we can agree to do right by our soldiers. We can begin by reimbursing service members for the cost of their airfare home to be reunited with their families under the terms of the R&R program. We can also make sure that travel reimbursements are made available to all members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those from the insular areas.

I would like to point out that American Samoans have a long and proud history of supporting the United States. Tutuila's harbor is the deepest in the South Pacific and the port village of Pago Pago was used as a coaling station for U.S. naval ships in the early part of the century and as a support base for U.S. soldiers during WWII. To this day, American Samoa serves as a refueling point for U.S. naval ships and military aircraft.

American Samoa also has a per capita enlistment rate in the U.S. military which is as high as any State or U.S. Territory. Our sons and daughters have served in record numbers in every U.S. military engagement from WWII to present operations in our war against terrorists. We have stood by the United States in good times and bad and it is time for the U.S. Congress to now stand with us.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 106, a resolution to recognize and honor the American Jewish community. And I certainly would like to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) for his sponsorship of this concurrent resolution.

Some 350 years ago, the first Jewish refugees arrived here in our country, settling in what is now known as New York City. This marked the beginnings of evolution of the American Jewish community, a community that has grown and flourished, one we all know and indeed should formally acknowledge, that has contributed tremendously to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, history has not been kind to the Jewish people. We are all well aware of the atrocities they suffered during the Holocaust. Jews throughout the past have had their freedoms restricted, being forced to live separated in their own communities with limited geographic and limited economic opportunities. Yet despite all are the hardships and obstacles faced, the Jewish community in America has developed into a successful society.

The success of the American Jewish community is testament to the value of the basic American right to freedom. In America Jews can live anywhere, stand up for their own rights, and have the freedom to determine their own destinies. Today the United States has the largest Jewish population and one that has contributed greatly to our country's civic, social, economic, and cultural life. Jewish community members have served in our Armed Forces, have held Nobel prizes, become members of the Supreme Court, Senators and Members of Congress, and have even served as members of the cabinet of the President. Most importantly, they have set an example for all Americans who believe in justice and equal treatment under the law. We even now have two candidates of Jewish ancestry who are running for the highest office of our country, that of the Presidency of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, this year is the year 5763 according to the Jewish calendar, and we have 237 years left before the end of the world. I say that humorously, Mr. Speaker. Highlighting the successes of American Jews and educating the community about our American Jewish history will prove to be of great value to the United States at large.

I stand here today to urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I certainly want to commend my good friend, the chairman of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), and also our ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), for their outstanding leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor. More especially, I want to commend also my good friend, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), for their outstanding contributions in making this legislation a possibility.

Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor, I rise today in support of H.R. 1442, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitors Center Act.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in 1982; and with some 4.4 million visitors each year, it is the most visited memorial in Washington, D.C.

This memorial stands as a testament to the sacrifices made by the men and women during the Vietnam War. Their names are engraved in the wall to honor their memory and serve as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice they made on behalf of our Nation. Some of them are my own relatives and friends; their names are on that wall.

H.R. 1442 is designed to enhance public education at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Specifically, it would authorize the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to design and construct an underground visitors center for the memorial. The fund would also promote the educational experience for the public, an experience culminating in self-guided tours, displays of collections and mementos of the fallen soldiers and exhibits discussing the historical significance of the memorial and the Vietnam War.

Mr. Speaker, as a Vietnam veteran, I am painfully aware of the sacrifices made by these men and women in defense of freedom. I am honored to have been able to support this legislation which I believe is crucial in educating the public about the Vietnam War, as well as preserving the memory of our fallen men and women in the military.

Mr. Speaker, this memorial is more than just a reminder of the events before, during, and after that tragic war in Vietnam. This memorial should also serve as a reminder to our national politicians and military leaders of our Nation never, never to take lightly the matter of putting our soldiers, our sailors, our Marines, and our Air Force personnel in harm's way. It should be only if there is absolutely clear evidence that the security and safety of our Nation is at risk.

I need to remind my colleagues we did not win the war in Vietnam. And

for a former Secretary of Defense to confess years later and publicly stating that as a matter of policy we were wrong to be in Vietnam, tell that to the parents and the wives and the brothers and sisters and the relatives of some 58,000 brave men and women who lost their lives in that terrible conflict, and some 400,000 who were wounded and maimed for life. And I cannot help it also, Mr. Speaker, but to state for the record that some 2 million Vietnamese, included among them tens of thousands of innocent women and children needlessly killed in that terrible conflict.

It is my sincere hope that this memorial will stand as a center for learning and telling the American people the real truth of what happened in that dark 10-year period of our Nation's history.

Mr. Speaker, I would like again to take this opportunity to thank my good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), and the ranking member of this committee for their continued leadership and commitment in honoring the Vietnam Memorial. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1409, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act of 2003. This legislation would allow for an exchange of 143 acres of public lands for 218 acres of private lands between the Eastern Band and the National Park Service. These lands are needed to build suitable educational facilities for the children of the Eastern Band of Cherokees.

Mr. Speaker, the Cherokee people have endured many hardships at the hands of the United States. The Eastern band people today are descendants of those who escaped or survived the Trail of Tears in the 1830's. But lost culture, stolen lands, and broken promises did not end there. In the 1940's, the United States promised to convey the very land in question to the Cherokee to replace Reservation lands taken from the Tribe to build the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, despite negotiating an agreement, the transfer never materialized.

Today, the Eastern Cherokee Reservation is located on mountainous terrain that is unsuitable for construction and this is why H.R. 1409 is necessary. H.R. 1409 would provide the Eastern Band with flat land that is necessary for the construction of new school facilities. There are nearly 800 elementary aged children who attend classes in a building constructed to hold 480 and the building is located at the intersection of two federal highways. The Cherokee High School has also reached its maximum capacity and parts of it have been declared condemned and unfit for educational purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it is our duty to correct this deplorable situation. The children and the youth of the Eastern Band of Cherokee deserve better. They deserve to attend school in a safe and conducive environment and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs from New Jersey and our senior ranking member from Illinois for their leadership and for their sensitivity in bringing this legislation to the floor for consideration.

Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of the original legislation that was offered 10 years ago, I think it is time that we no longer should call this legislation a pilot program. It has matured. I certainly want to urge my colleagues that we should increase not only the authorization as well as the funding levels for this important program.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2595, a bill to restore the operation of the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program for fiscal year 2003. This program permits the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide direct home loans to Native American veterans who live not only on tribal lands but also on homestead lands and communal lands. Eligible native veterans can then use direct loan funding to purchase, construct or improve a home on Native American trust land. These loans may also be used simultaneously to purchase and improve a home or to refinance another VA direct loan.

This pilot program extends to Native Americans, native Hawaiians, and also to my constituents in American Samoa. As a result, this program has been crucial to providing American Samoan veterans the opportunity to build and own their own homes, an opportunity that would not otherwise be available to them. VA's annual report to Congress for fiscal year 2002 reports that over 62 loans have been closed; but for the 10-year period, hundreds of loans have been approved because of this program.

As I explained earlier, Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my colleagues so we can better appreciate this unique home loan program for our native veterans, the thousands of American Indian veterans who live in reservations, when they returned to their homes, they could not obtain a commercial home loan as you would someone who lived in a commercially owned property, a fee simple, living in reservations. The same is true with our native Hawaiian veterans who live in what is known as ``homestead lands,'' in the same situation where commercial lending institutions would not lend us money to build homes under a veterans program. The same is also true with my own veterans who live on communal lands. This is a unique program. I am very, very happy that we are able to continue the funding levels but also more importantly we need to make sure that this program continues.

Mr. Speaker, the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program has been successful in providing our native veterans the opportunity to build and own their own homes. It provides our native veterans the ability to continue to live in their own lands, to contribute to their communities, and to build a legacy to leave their families. This program needs increased authorization and funding in the years to come. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Chris Smith and Ranking Member Lane Evans for their support and diligent work regarding Native American issues. Today I rise in support of H.R. 2595, a bill to restore the operation of the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program during Fiscal Year 2003. This pilot program permits the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide direct home loans to Native American veterans who live on tribal lands. Eligible native veterans can use direct loan funding to purchase, construct, or improve a home on Native American trust land. These loans may also be used to simultaneously purchase and improve a home or to refinance another VA direct loan.

This pilot program extends to Native Americans, Native Hawaiians and to my constituents in American Samoa. For the benefit of my colleagues and so that we can better appreciate this unique home loan program, I want to explain that most native veterans living on communal or tribal lands. This is true for American Indian veterans who live on reservation lands. The same is true of our Native Hawaiian veterans who live on what is known in Hawaii as Homestead lands. The same is also true with American Samoan veterans who live on communal lands which cannot be sold as commercial or as fee simple property.

Given the unique status of communal lands, thousands of native veterans have been denied loans by our commercial lending institutions and banks. However, with the creation of this pilot program, many of our native veterans are able to build and own their own homes and the VA reported that in 2002 it had closed on a total of 289 loans under the terms of this pilot program.

Recently, Public Law 108-7, Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, placed a cap of $5 million on the amount of loans that could be approved under the program. But, at the time this law was enacted, VA had already exceeded this cap. As a result, VA is unable to make new loans for the remainder of the fiscal year. Because of this new cap, veterans are unable to complete construction on homes already in progress. This is unfair to our native veterans and it is imperative that Congress remedy this situation. H.R. 2595 will accomplish this.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss a section of H.R. 2210 which is critical to my district. Section 640(a)(2) of the Head Start Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to reserve 13 percent of the amount appropriated for Head Start to be divided between Indian Head Start programs, services for children with disabilities, migrant and seasonal Head Start programs, and American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marinas, and the Virgin Islands.

Mr. Chairman, American Samoa has a population of almost 60,000. Six out of every 10 residents in American Samoa live below the poverty level and more than 3,000 children qualify for Head Start services. American Samoa currently provides Head Start services for 1,532 children. American Samoa also has the highest enrollment of any other Pacific island group.

Given this, I am concerned about the lack of funding American Samoa is receiving and the allocation process being utilized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. It was my intent to offer an amendment which would direct the Secretary to conduct a full review of how to more equitably distribute Head Start funding among Indian Head Start programs, services for children with disabilities, migrant and seasonal Head Start programs, and American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and the Virgin Islands, and it is my hope that language will be inserted into the conference report which will direct the Secretary to review the formula being utilized. If this is not possible, then I am hopeful that this statement will establish that it is the intent of Congress for the allocation process to be immediately reviewed.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2691, the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2004 and at this time I want to thank the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations and the Ranking Member for bringing this bill to the floor. I also want to thank Chairman Bill Young and Ranking Member David Obey of the full committee for their leadership and support.

H.R. 2691 appropriates funding for the Department of the Interior and other related agencies including the Office of Insular Affairs. The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) was established on August 4, 1995 through Secretarial Order No. 3191. In part, the OIA was established to help the U.S. government fulfill its responsibilities to the four U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) and the three freely associated states (the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau).

Territorial assistance provided by the OIA as appropriated through Congress provides substantial financial resources to these governments, including the government of American Samoa. Once again, I am pleased that my colleagues have supported my efforts to make sure that American Samoa's funding remains in place despite the budget cuts this country is facing and despite our nation's need to increase funding for the war on terrorism.

More than 100 years ago, the traditional leaders of American Samoa ceded their islands to the United States and our sons and daughters have served in record numbers in every U.S. military engagement from WWII to present operations in our war against terrorists. The people of American Samoa have stood by the United States in good times and bad and to this day American Samoa serves as a refueling point for U.S. naval ships and military aircraft.

While I understand the need for budget cuts, I want to thank my colleagues for also understanding and supporting the needs of American Samoa. I thank my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, for favorably supporting my efforts to keep American Samoa's funding in place. This funding will help American Samoa improve its infrastructure and address its critical education, health care and transportation needs. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1950, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for fiscal years 2004 and 2005. At this time, I want to commend both our chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and our senior ranking member, the gentleman from

California (Mr. Lantos), of the House Committee on International Relations for their outstanding leadership in bringing to the floor the State Department reauthorization bill which has strong bipartisan support.

This bill includes an historic measure offering recognition to a Palestinian state if performance benchmarks can be reached; increases U.S. capacity at the United Nations, where rogue regimes are increasingly trying to hijack the agenda; initiates a new effort to promote free media abroad; and provides the State Department with tools to confront the alarming spread of ballistic missiles.

Mr. Chairman, this bill also includes three amendments which I offered during full committee markup on May 7, 2003, three of which were accepted by unanimous consent and have now been included in the full text of H.R. 1950.

One amendment expresses a sense of Congress relating to the Soviet nuclear tests in Kazakhstan and calls for the Secretary of State to establish a joint working group with the government of Kazakhstan to assist in assessing the environmental damage and health effects caused by Soviet nuclear tests Semipalatinsk.

The other amendment requires the State Department to prepare and transmit to Congress a report that contains a description of the extent to which the government of Pakistan has closed all known terrorist training camps operating in Pakistan and Pakistani-held Kashmir, has established serious and identifiable measures to prohibit the infiltration of Islamic extremists across the line of control into India, and has ceased the transfer of weapons of mass destruction, including any associated technologies, to any third country or terrorist organization.

The third amendment authorizes certain sums to allow qualified indigenous inhabitants of Latin America to pursue post-secondary and graduate studies in our Nation's colleges and universities. I feel very strongly that education is the key to the salvation of the indigenous inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere.

At the appropriate time, it is my intention to give strong support to an amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) which authorizes the transfer of allowances to residents of the insular areas who are members of the U.S. Foreign Service, just as it is done in the case of the residents of several States.

Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1950, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal years 2004 and 2005. At this time, I want to commend both our Chairman Mr. Hyde and the Ranking Member Mr. Lantos of the House Committee on International Relations for their outstanding leadership in bringing to the floor a State Department Reauthorization bill which has strong bipartisan support.

This bill includes an historic measure offering recognition to a Palestinian state if performance benchmarks can be reached, increases U.S. capacity at the United Nations where rogue regimes are increasingly trying to hijack the agenda, initiates a new effort to promote free media abroad and provides the State Department with tools to confront the alarming spread of ballistic missiles.

This bill also includes three amendments which I offered during full committee markup on May 7, 2003, both of which were accepted by unanimous consent and have now been included in the full text of H.R. 1950. One amendment expresses a sense of Congress relating to Soviet nuclear tests in Kazakhstan and calls for the U.S. Secretary of State to establish a joint working group with the Government of Kazakhstan to assist in assessing the environmental damage and health effects cause by Soviet nuclear testing in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan.

The other amendment requires the State Department to prepare and transmit to Congress a report that contains a description of the extent to which the Government of Pakistan has closed all known terrorist training camps operating in Pakistan and Pakistani-held Kashmir, has established serious and identifiable measures to prohibit the infiltration of Islamic extremists across the Line of Control (LoC) into India, and has ceased the transfer of weapons of mass destruction, including any associated technologies, to any third country or terrorist organization.

The third amendment authorizes a certain sum of funds to allow qualified indigenous inhabitants of Latin America to pursue postsecondary and graduate studies in our nation's colleges and universities. Over the years, Mr. Chairman I feel very strongly that education is the key to the salvation of the indigenous inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere.

At the appropriate time, Mr. Chairman, it is also my intention to give strong support to an amendment that will be offered by my colleague from the territory of Guam, Ms. Bordallo, which authorizes the transfer of allowances to residents of the insular areas who are members of the U.S. Foreign Service--just as it is the case with residents of the several states.

At this time, I want to thank Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos for supporting this amendment during full committee markup and including it in H.R. 1950. Simply put, their support was critical to passage of this amendment and I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois and the gentleman from California for taking a stand on this important issue at a time when few were willing to do so.

What many do not know is that this amendment came before the House Committee on International Relations on the very day that Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage arrived in Pakistan to begin high-level diplomatic discussions and I commend Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos for doing the right thing despite the political pressure they received to set this amendment aside. I also thank the 49 members of the International Relations Committee, both Republican and Democrat, who passed this amendment by voice vote without any objection.

I also want to commend President Bush for his leadership on this issue. Now that President Bush has made this issue popular with his recent announcement that he would also like to place conditions on Pakistan's funding, I am hopeful that the Senate will also support our efforts to make Pakistan live up to its promises.

Congressman Pallone also deserves special recognition for the work he is doing to make Pakistan accountable. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his relentless commitment to monitor the steps Pakistan is taking to bring about democracy and for fully supporting the measures of this bipartisan amendment which has already been included in the text of H.R. 1950.

Like my colleagues, I am appreciative of Pakistan's post-September 11 assistance in the war against terrorism. Nevertheless, tensions in the region are rising and I know I am not alone when I say I have deep reservations about U.S. policy in South Asia. Once again, I want to reiterate that I believe Pakistan should be commended for assisting the U.S. in its efforts to hunt down Al Qaeda and Taliban fugitives and for allowing the U.S. military to use bases within its country.

But I cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that Pakistan has not closed all known terrorist training camps operating in Pakistan. I cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that Pakistan has not prohibited the infiltration of Islamic extremists across the Line of Control into Indian Kashmir. I cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that General Musharraf promised Deputy Secretary Armitage that infiltration would cease and it has not.

Since 1989, more than 50,000 men, women and children have died in the Kashmir dispute and since September 11 Islamic militants from Pakistan have crossed the Line of Control and claimed the lives of innocent men, women and children--not once, not twice, but three times, committing egregious acts of cross-border terrorism on each and every occasion.

On the other hand, India has not crossed the Line of Control since 1972. In fact, India has exercised incredible restraint in not waging full-scale war to defend itself against these terrorist acts. Although I believe we are fortunate that neither country has yet resorted to the use of nuclear weapons, we also should be very concerned that both Pakistan and India test fired short-range ballistic missiles on March 26 of this year which incidentally (or not) was the same day that Prime Minister Jamali said that Pakistan and China will enhance their defense ties.

On May 15, 2003, 8 days after the International Relations Committee unanimously voted in favor of my amendment, Pakistan's third highest ranking government official, Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, requested an appointment to meet with me. We had a meaningful dialogue and he gave me his personal assurances that Pakistan is interested in creating a roadmap for peace to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

I believe Kashmir is one of the most important issues that must be resolved in order to establish peace in the Asia Pacific region. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir in the past 50 years and came very close to the brink of nuclear war less than 2 years ago. In December of 2001, both countries amassed nearly one million soldiers along their common border and had the U.S. not intervened it was feared that India and Pakistan's dispute over Kashmir could have led to the first use of nuclear weapons sine World War II.

As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and as the

only Asia Pacific American serving on both the Subcommittee and the full Committee on International Relations, I am deeply concerned about cross-border terrorism and the threat of nuclear proliferation in the Asia Pacific region. Any threat to regional stability puts our soldiers at risk and some have argued that this situation may become as dangerous as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This is why I am pleased that H.R. 1950 includes a provision which requires the State Department to report to Congress about the progress that is being made to resolve the India-Pakistan dispute. I believe this legislation is necessary and given the seriousness of this situation, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1950.

Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Madam Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel).

Madam Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).

Madam Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), a member of the Committee on International Relations.

Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).

Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

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

Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to again express our deepest appreciation to the distinguished chairman of the Committee on International Relations and also the senior ranking member not only for the outstanding job that they have done in bringing this legislation to the floor but in the spirit of bipartisanship that we are able to bring to this general debate for consideration of the Members of this body and, more importantly, the fact that we have allowed the general Members of this body the opportunity to offer amendments. This is the spirit of bipartisanship and the way democracy should operate. Again, I thank the good chairman of our committee.

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

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Bonilla and Ranking Member Kaptur for their support regarding the Resident Instruction and Distance Education Grants Program for the Insular Areas. Last year's Farm Security and Rural Investment Act authorized this program with intent to develop and strengthen the land grant universities in the U.S. territories.

The American Samoa Community College has a strong and growing agricultural program which would benefit from this program. As insular areas members we support each other in this effort to fund this program which would provide the necessary teaching and instruction needed to educate our local people about health and diet education, environmental management and how best to utilize our natural resources.

At this time, I want to thank Chairman Bonilla and Ranking Member Kaptur for their continued support and I once again recommend inclusion of report language which acknowledges the need for funding of this critical program.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the distinguished chairman of our committee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and our senior ranking member on this side of the aisle, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for their support of this important legislation. Certainly I would be remiss if I did not express my appreciation to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), not only for his leadership but certainly for his initiative and the fact that we did call a subcommittee hearing on this very important issue that is now before this body.

I believe, Mr. Speaker, this is kind of like the last effort that we could do as a body to express very serious and very grave concerns about what has happened to the government of Burma. I think my colleagues, and especially my good friend from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) has given some specifics of the issues that are now before us concerning Burma and the problems and the fact that for years now this country has been ruled by a military junta, I think to the point now that we have tried our patience in the best way possible.

One of the concerns that I raise, Mr. Speaker, is the fact that other countries in the Asia-Pacific region continue to recognize Burma; and they continue to conduct trade relations

with Burma. It is my sincere hope that, by passage of this legislation and providing sanctions against this military junta, hopefully that it will produce some positive results and that hopefully our government, and certainly I commend our Secretary of State, Secretary Powell, for expressing the same concerns that the Congress has given for the past several years.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to commend my good friend, the chairman of our subcommittee, for not only having a hearing, we have heard from the parties concerned, and I believe this legislation is well overdue. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

I thank the gentleman for yielding and also especially for his recognition of the fact that other countries in the surrounding area have expressed serious concerns about the problems affecting the government of Burma.

I do recall that years ago I raised the same concerns at issue with some of the highest levels of officials in one country to mind and the question that we do not give official recognition or we do not have official diplomatic relationship with Burma and the advice that was given to me is, we should. Hopefully that the interactions and the continuous relationship, that by some way or some means that will bring more democracy and a greater sense of understanding not only with that country but certainly for all democratic-loving people around the world. I think this body has waited not for months, not for 1 year, but for years and years, and there seems to be no improvement of the situation, the promises that were made by these military rulers that there would be more democratic reforms given. This has not been the case.

I just wanted to add that observation to my good friend, the chairman of the subcommittee. While given that recognition, I think it is high time that the Congress does take action and we do so with every bit the right of this body. It is a very serious matter to put sanctions on any country for that matter. I sincerely hope that it will result in some positive improvements in the promises that this military junta had made for years and years and still have not taken place.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 438, a bill to increase the amount of student loans that may be forgiven for teachers in mathematics, science, and special education. The Higher Education Act of 1965 currently provides that teachers at schools designated as ``low-income'' may cancel up to $5,000 of his/her student loans. H.R. 438 would increase this amount to $17,500 for mathematics, science, and special education teachers.

American Samoa currently has 37 schools designated as ``low-income'' and I have encouraged our teachers to take advantage of the opportunity to have portions of their student loans forgiven. A good education is crucial to our children's development as individuals and as members of this community, and we need to begin with providing our children with quality teachers who are well educated and committed to teaching.

H.R. 438 will allow us to continue to recruit and attract qualified teachers committed to educating our children. I only hope that in the future we will be able to extend this increased amount to all teachers. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 438.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2030, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service in Paia, Maui, Hawaii as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building. Patsy served as my mentor, my teacher, my advisor and most importantly, my friend. Congresswoman Mink was a woman of courage and determination who wore the mantle of leader with ease.

Born to immigrant parents in Hawaii, Patsy developed an appreciation for education at a young age. She obtained a Bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii and, as we all know, it was Patsy's intent to attend medical school upon completion of her bachelor's degree. However, Patsy never realized this dream as none of the 20 medical schools to which she applied would accept women.

Not one to stand idly by, Patsy decided to attend the University of Chicago's Law School. Upon graduating from law school, Patsy returned to Hawaii where she became the first Asian-American woman to practice law in Hawaii. This was just one of many firsts Patsy would accomplish.

Congresswoman Patsy Mink was the first woman of color elected to Congress and introduced the first comprehensive Early Childhood Education Act. Most notably, Patsy was a co-author of Title IX of the Higher Education Act, an Act which has played a pivotal role in expanding women's educational and sports opportunities in colleges and universities throughout our country.

Patsy also faced life's hardships with dignity, integrity and honor. I believe it is only fitting that we now honor Patsy by designating the U.S. Postal facility in Paia, Maui in her name. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2030.