Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as a Vietnam veteran, I rise today to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Trade Relations between the United States and Vietnam.

On February 3, 1994, President Bill Clinton lifted the U.S. trade embargo against Vietnam and ushered in a new era of U.S.-Vietnam relations, which led to the establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1995. These achievements were made possible by the support of Senator John McCain, then Senator John Kerry, and many other distinguished Americans.

Today, U.S.-Vietnam relations are deeper and more diverse. In November 2000, President Clinton became the first U.S. President to visit Vietnam since President Nixon's 1969 trip to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

On July 25, 2013, President Truong Tan Sang's visit to the United States became only the second by a Vietnamese head of state since the ``normalization'' in 1995. I was honored to host President Sang on July 24, 2013 in Room S-115 of the U.S. Capitol at an event held one day prior to his visit with President Barack Obama at the White House.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid provided the venue for this historic meeting which included a select, bipartisan group of five U.S. Senators and five Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. In an open and frank conversation with President Sang, we discussed trade, security, the East Sea, human rights, religious freedom, Agent Orange, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, and many other topics of interest and concern. President Sang and U.S. lawmakers expressed a deep commitment to strengthening our bilateral relations, and I was personally impressed by President Sang's extraordinary vision and leadership. President Sang

serves Vietnam with distinction, and I thank him for all he has done to advance the U.S.-Vietnam relationship, a relationship which is based on mutual trust and understanding.

During my visit to Hanoi in December 2012, I also had the privilege of meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of trade relations between the U.S. and Vietnam, I wish to praise him for the remarkable service he renders. His leadership has led to improved relations between our two countries, and I acknowledge his significant contributions.

I also acknowledge the contributions of Madam Tong Thi Phong, Vice- Chair of the National Assembly, who I met again in December 2012 while in Hanoi. Madam Phong is an exceptional leader and one of only two female members of Vietnam's Politburo. I commend Madam Phong for the significant contributions she has made to her country and ours. Her work is of great consequence.

I also recognize Vietnam's Politburo which is comprised of 16 members who are actively engaged in promoting cooperation between the United States and Vietnam. The Politburo's past and present contributions to the bilateral relationship are the reason we are celebrating 20 years of trade relations between our two countries.

Having served in Vietnam during the War and having since visited Vietnam on several occasions in my official capacity both as Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, I have seen Vietnam in many ways. I stand as a witness to the beauty, progress, goodness and strength of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership.

I have worked side-by-side with many of Vietnam's Ambassadors to the United States and have acknowledged their work accordingly. But, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of trade relations between our two countries, I pay special tribute to His Excellency Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong who I consider to be a colleague, a friend, and a brother.

Ambassador Cuong represents the government and people of Vietnam with full integrity and unwavering commitment. In recognition of his tireless efforts in building a forward-looking relationship between our two countries and, in special consideration of our abiding friendship, I enter his name in the Congressional Record to stand as a testament of our work together.

I am thankful for the twists and turns of life that have led me back and forth to Vietnam. I returned to Vietnam after 40 years and, at a dinner hosted by the National Assembly of Vietnam, I had long discussions with my counterparts who had also served in the Vietnam War. Although we were once enemies, we embraced each other as friends who share the same hopes and dreams for our families, friends and nations. We recognized that the broken times of Friday are behind us. Sunday has come. Peace is here.

And so, I applaud former President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator John McCain, former Senator and now U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, members of the House and Senate and, on Vietnam's part, President Sang, Prime Minister Dung, the Politburo, and the National Assembly for building a path of peace and prosperity. I especially honor those who have gone before us, because nothing we accomplish is possible without the perseverance of those who went first. I also acknowledge the contributions of those unnamed who have contributed in small and great ways to make this day possible.

The U.S.-Vietnam partnership is stronger than it has ever been, and I would be remiss if I did not attribute much of the strength of our partnership to the veterans from both sides who have brought about change. While we should not rest until the United States fully addresses and rectifies the Agent Orange issue, I am pleased for now that both governments and our people are about the business of deepening U.S.-Vietnam ties. I am proud to be part of this historic undertaking. I am proud to be a friend of Vietnam and, without doubt, I believe the best is yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Assembly Member Jung Cheong Rae of the Republic of Korea for the outstanding work he is doing in cooperation with Mr. Kim Dong-suk, founder of Korean American Civic Empowerment, KACE, to spearhead efforts in Washington, DC, to oppose the online White House petition calling for removal of the ``Comfort Woman'' statue in Glendale, CA, which was submitted on the White House's open petitioning website, ``We the People.''

The petition includes the following text: ``Please remove the statue in a public park in Glendale, California. It is a statue of a Comfort Woman masquerading as a peace statue while in essence after reading the inscription it is promoting hate towards the people and nation of Japan.'' The petition was signed by 125,261 people and it is estimated that most of the signees are Japanese nationals who do not reside in the United States.

This absurd petition shows why the House of Representatives had to unanimously pass the ``Comfort Woman'' Resolution of 2007 (H. Res. 121), which urges Japan to formally acknowledge and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Forces' coercion of as many as 200,000 young women into sexual slavery during World War II, to clearly and publicly refute any claims that the sexual enslavement and trafficking of the Comfort Woman never occurred, and to educate current and future generations about this horrible crime.

I Once the U.S. House of Representatives had spoken on the issue, it was hoped that this issue could be put behind us so that we could work with our Pacific allies to face the challenges of a rising China and a nuclear North Korea. However, Japan totally disregarded what we have recommended and is trying to whitewash its war crimes.

The movement to deny the painful realities of World War II history in the Pacific represent not only a lack of progress but are, in fact, moves toward regression away from that limited level of reconciliation that has already been achieved.

Today, over 120,000 Japanese people are totally unaware, if not ignorant, of the atrocities that were perpetrated by Japan during World War II. This number will grow every day if Japan keeps disregarding H. Res. 121, the Comfort Woman Resolution.

I strongly urge the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge and apologize in order to begin the reconciliation process and to create better relationships in the future. Japan cannot move forward by erasing the past and it is of the utmost importance that Japan follows through on H. Res. 121.

A formal apology from Japan as called for in H. Res. 121 is the answer to the White House online petition. And so, once more, I commend Assembly Member Jung Cheong Rae, who is a personal friend of mine, for taking the time to be in Washington, DC, this week and for calling upon Members of Congress and others to also exercise their first amendment rights by speaking out against the White House online petition.

It is my sincere hope that President Obama will respond soon, and make clear that he supports justice for the more than 200,000 women from Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries from the Pacific who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during WW II.

On a personal note, I offer my deepest love and appreciation for these women, though many of them have already passed from this life. What was done to them is unconscionable, and I will stand in support of them forevermore.

I bear no animosity or ill-will towards the people of Japan and I must emphasize that our economic, strategic, and military alliance with Japan is important. However, regarding this issue, there can be no reconciliation without proper acknowledgement. The recognition of this dark chapter of Japan's history of the atrocities and sexual slavery operations authorized and implemented by the Japanese Imperial Army before and during World War II cannot be denied, and the White House must not be complicit by remaining silent.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I learned today of the passing of former Congressman Vicente `Ben' Garrido Blaz. Elected to the U.S. Congress in 1984 to represent the Territory of Guam, Congressman Blaz was an exceptional leader for his people. He was also an example of statesmanship to the greater Pacific region, including American Samoa. He will truly be missed.

As a genuine patriot, Blaz first served his country as a Marine and served three tours in Osaka, Okinawa, and Vietnam. He was the first general officer from Guam to serve in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. In 1977, he became the first Chamorro ever to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

Congressman Blaz served Guam for eight years in the U.S. Congress from 1985-1993 (99th Congress--102nd Congress). As a freshman member and respected leader among his peers, he was also elected as President of his freshman class. I will remember him also as a dear friend who welcomed me as a fellow islander and brother after I was elected to serve American Samoa in 1988.

Congressman Blaz will be remembered for his dedicated service and pioneering spirit. He will also be remembered as a family man: a loving husband to his late wife, Ann Evers Blaz, a devoted father and grandfather. I count myself as one of many who was blessed to share a friendship with this great man and I will hold close to my heart his example of leadership, passion for his Chamorro culture, and immense love for his people.

The people of American Samoa join together to honor our Chamorro brother. We give our deepest condolences to his family, especially his sons, Mike and Tom, and their families, and to the people of Guam as they mourn his passing.

Mr. Speaker. in his first State of the Union address on January 8, 1964, President Lyndon Baines Johnson declared an ``unconditional war on poverty in America.'' Today, as a member of Congress and as a member of the Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, I join my colleagues to mark the 50th anniversary of this declaration and stand in solidarity to continue the fight against economic injustice.

The War on Poverty policy initiative introduced federal programs such as Head Start, Job Corps, Volunteers in Service to America, and legal services for the poor. It also strengthened America's safety net for poor through food stamps and expanding social security and healthcare programs, which American families, including those in my district of American Samoa, continue to benefit from today.

Our nation has made significant progress over the past half century. We have seen, for example, the percent of the population in poverty drop from 26% in 1967 to 16% in 2012. But the war has yet to be won. Today, poverty continues to plague our communities and Americans continue to suffer the effects of economic recession and long term unemployment.

As President Johnson declared 50 years ago today, ``Our task is to help replace their despair with opportunity.'' Government can still play a crucial role in reducing hardship for Americans and increasing opportunities for families who struggle just to make ends meet. As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty, let us be resolved to continue the fight so that all Americans can have the opportunity to attain the American dream.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the outstanding service of my dear friend, Dr. Luan Thuy Duong, who has worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam since 1990 and for the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States since August 2010. Dr. Duong is currently the Minister Counselor for Congressional Affairs at the Embassy and is completing her term this week.

Dr. Duong received her B.A. in International Relations from the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, her M.A. in International Studies from the University of Sydney, and her Doctorate degree from the Vietnam National University.

Before being posted to the Vietnam Embassy in the United States, Dr. Duong was Deputy Director General at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and conducted academic research on Southeast Asia, ASEAN and the Asia Pacific region. She made foreign policy recommendations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Government. She also gave lectures on international relations and foreign policies at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. Dr. Duong is the author and co-author of several books and has published many articles in foreign newspapers and other publications.

In my official capacity as the former Chairman and current Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, I want to publicly acknowledge Dr. Duong's contributions to strengthening U.S.-Vietnam relations. Her contributions have been invaluable to our bilateral partnership, and she has served the Government of Vietnam with distinction and loyalty.

Dr. Duong is the daughter of Luan Van Uc and Vo Thi Thiet. She is married to Nguyen Van Tri and they have two children, Nguyen Luan Quoc Anh and Nguyen Luan Thuy Anh.

On a personal note, I will miss Minister Counselor Luan Thuy Duong. I extend to her and her family my highest regards and best wishes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Viraj Puri, a 13-year-old student at Kilmer Middle School in Vienna, Virginia.

Viraj is interested in technology, music, advocacy, and writes a blog about mobile devices. He is also a certified DJ (DJ Droid) and built his own powerful computer which he uses for his DJ performances. Viraj performs in front of kids, adults and seniors.

As an Indian American teenager, Viraj saw the effects of bullying on his older brother and decided to blend advocacy and technology. He built a website which can be accessed at www.bullyvention.com. Viraj's website calls for teenagers to Write on Washington, to make their voices roar by contacting their lawmakers and urging them to join the campaign to stop bullying now. Viraj believes that kids who are bullied need to know they are powerful enough to reach out to those in position to make a difference.

Bullyvention is the first site to team up with the U.S. House of Representatives' Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus (CABC). Viraj's website trends from Capitol Hill where he interviews Members of Congress who have a story to share or advice to give victims of bullying.

In support of his vision that the ``pen is mightier than the sword,'' Viraj has been successful in getting Members of Congress involved in a campaign he calls Raise Your Pen. Former Speaker and now Democratic Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has raised her pen to stop bullying now. President Barack Obama also sent a message of praise and a note of encouragement in response to a hand-written letter Viraj sent to him.

I am pleased that Viraj is also interviewing and posting photos of State Attorneys General, School Superintendents, and others who want to join the campaign. He is creating an online interactive map that highlights areas of concern by searching though keywords in social media like Facebook, Instagram, etc., and by school district, state, and county. It is the only interactive map on this subject.

I commend Viraj for taking a public stand against bullying and for putting his technology skills to use in a way that draws all of us together. His work, especially with Members of Congress, on behalf of teens across America is the first of its kind. And so, for historical purposes, I submit this statement for the Congressional Record to recognize Viraj for his advocacy efforts. Viraj is a remarkable young man with a very bright future. I am proud to know him, and I extend to him and his family my kindest regards and best wishes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of former South African President and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela who passed away on December 5, 2013 at his home in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Today I count myself as one of millions who was inspired by Nelson Mandela's courage and compassion. Mandela was the prisoner who became President. But he was also the statesman who sacrificed his own freedom for the freedom of others and never ceased to be a servant.

Nelson Mandela, affectionately known by his Xhosa clan name ``Madiba,'' was also known as ``Tata,'' the father of a nation. Indeed he was also a father to the world who taught us the fortitude of spirit that comes from forgiveness; a revolutionary who embodied the ministry of reconciliation among his people. In being a faithful brother to the broken and defeated, he became a beacon of light in the midst of darkness.

Nelson Mandela also displayed rare leadership by changing the world through the hearts of men. He fought for human rights through his conviction and faith in the capacity of the human heart to do the right thing. The faith he had--that human beings, communities, and countries can change for the better--leads us forward today as we press towards unity in our families, equality in our communities, and peace among nations.

My heart is also with the people of South Africa at this time and I especially send my deepest sympathy to Mandela's family and his wife, Graca Machel. Thank you for sharing him with all of us.

In a time when there is so much distrust in government throughout the world, we can honor a politician and a peacemaker who taught us the virtue of patience and perseverance. Though we have lost him in this world, we gain the responsibility of carrying on the virtues he displayed. I believe ``Madiba'' is looking upon us now and reminding us as he once said, ``We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.''

May God Bless the memory of Nelson Mandela, who will always be a hero to me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the wedding ceremony of Ms. Ahn Mira and Mr. Sean Ryan Halpin held earlier this fall, on September 14, 2013, in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The couple met during Sean Halpin's current service as a first lieutenant with the Special Operations Command--Korea (SOCKOR), United States Forces Korea.

Ms. Ahn is from the distinguished Ahn family of Haeju City, South Hwanghae-do Province, currently in North Korea. The Ahn clan of Hwanghae-do is remembered historically for their several family members who took leading roles in the independence movement during Korea's colonial occupation.

Ms. Ahn's paternal grandfather came to the port of Pusan, in South Korea as a refugee during the Korean War. Her family currently resides in the port city of Incheon where her father, Ahn Jaeman, is the principal of the top-rated East Incheon Middle School and her mother, Kim Kyunghee, is the devoted mother of two daughters.

Sean Halpin is from a family that has served the United States for more than a century. His paternal great-great-grandfather, Captain Patrick Foley, an immigrant from County Kerry, Ireland, served in the 23rd Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry (``the Irish Brigade''), fought under General Philip Sheridan in the last major Civil War battle, the siege of Petersburg, and was present at Appomattox Court House for the final surrender.

His paternal great-grandfather, Dr. Thomas P. Foley, of Chicago, Illinois, served as a medical officer with the United States Army during the First World War. His grandfather, Thomas J. Halpin, was a captain serving with the 88th Infantry during the liberation of Rome in the Second World War. His father, Dennis P. Halpin, served with the United States Peace Corps in Korea, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. House of Representatives as a professional staff member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Sean's loving mother, Mina Chuok (nee Pak) Halpin, is originally from Pusan, Korea.

For historical purposes, I submit this statement to be part of the Congressional Record in recognition of the union of Ahn Mira and Sean Ryan Halpin, and of the distinguished service provided by their families to their respective countries.

Mr. Speaker, as the Chair of the Congressional Central Asia Caucus, I rise today to commend Uzbekistan on its ongoing efforts to strengthen relations with the United States. In August 2012, Uzbekistan's legislature approved a foreign policy concept submitted by President Islam Karimov which is intended to strengthen the country's independence and sovereignty, ensure Uzbekistan's role in international affairs, create security and stability in Central Asia, and sets Uzbekistan on a path of joining the ranks of democratic countries.

The United States and Uzbekistan belong to a number of the same organizations, including the United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. Uzbekistan is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Partnership for Peace and an observer to the World Trade Organization.

Home to more than half of the population of Central Asia and located at the center of regional trade and transport networks, Uzbekistan is a potential Central Asian regional power. For more than a decade, I have worked closely with the country and I am pleased by the developments that have occurred in such a short time since Uzbekistan gained independence at the end of 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Uzbekistan has supported North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops in Afghanistan through provision of electricity, development of rail infrastructures and the Northern Distribution Network. Uzbekistan was also one of the United States' main regional partners in the war on terrorism.

Under the leadership of President Karimov, our relationship with Uzbekistan has now developed beyond Afghanistan. The United States and Uzbekistan are cooperating on security, economic relations, political and civil society issues, agricultural development, transnational crime, and the threat of infectious disease. Although we have a ways to go, we are in the process of strengthening our bilateral relations.

This is why I am pleased to welcome President Karimov's delegation to the United States which is visiting Washington, D.C. from December 8- 12, 2013. Uzbekistan's delegation is led by my good friend, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, who served previously as Uzbekistan's Ambassador to the United States. The delegation also includes my good friend, Senator Sodiq Safoyev, who served previously as Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister and also as Ambassador to the United States and State Advisor to the President.

Other members of Uzbekistan's delegation include the First Deputy Minister of Defense, First Deputy Minister of Justice, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, the Chairman of the Committee on Democratic Institutions, the Head of America's Department, and a member of the National Security Council under the President of Uzbekistan. H.E. Bakhtiyar Gulyamov, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to the United States, will accompany the delegation.

While in Washington, the delegation will be hosted by Members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Having traveled to Samarkand in late August of this year, to Tashkent more than once, and in tribute to my long-standing friendship with Foreign Minister Kamilov and Senator Safoyev which spans nearly a decade, it was my sincere hope to personally host a Members Only meeting for them. But, in my absence, I thank my esteemed colleagues for doing so.

The people of Uzbekistan are, as President Kamilov said, ``a creative people who deeply realize their identity, take pride of the fact that they live on the sacred land and are the descendants of great ancestors, capable to subdue any peaks.'' I agree.

And so, once more, it is my privilege to welcome Uzbekstan's distinguished delegation to Washington and extend my kindest regards and best wishes for a successful dialogue.

Mr. Speaker, as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific--which has broad jurisdiction for U.S. foreign policy affecting the region, including India--I rise today to express my concerns about H. Res. 417 which purports to praise India's rich religious diversity and commitment to tolerance and equality while reaffirming the need to protect the rights and freedoms of religious minorities.

While I have the utmost respect for my colleagues who have introduced and co-sponsored this Resolution, I have a difference of opinion regarding the Resolution and its unintended consequences. The Resolution does little to praise India or strengthen U.S.-India relations but rather focuses on the 2002 Gujarat riots some 11 years after the fact.

Thanks, in part, to the efforts of Mr. Sanjay Puri, Chairman of USINPAC, who has mobilized the Indian-American community in opposition to the Resolution, I highly doubt H. Res. 417 will ever see Floor action. However, the timing of the Resolution is unfortunate as it unintentionally invokes the name of the U.S. House of Representatives for purposes of influencing India's upcoming elections.

For this reason, I feel the need to include my statement in the Congressional Record for historical purposes to clear up the misinformation put forward by H. Res. 417. As I said shortly after the riots and ever since, like every other Member of Congress committed to human rights I see eye to eye with the national and international community that what happened in Gujarat calls for justice and accountability. But India, like the United States, has an independent and transparent Judiciary and, after an investigation that has been ongoing for more than a decade, India's Supreme Court and its Special Investigation Team have not found any evidence against Chief Minister Narendra Modi. And so, just as the U.S. would expect India to accept the findings of the U.S. Supreme Court, I believe it is time for the U.S. to accept the findings of India's Supreme Court.

Some 8 years after the fact, H. Res. 417 also commends the U.S. government for exercising its authority in 2005 under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to deny a U.S. visa to Chief Minister Narendra Modi on the grounds of religious freedom violations. However, technically speaking, no travel ban is in place. Chief Minister Modi was denied one visa in 2005. In September 2013, in response to a letter I sent to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, I was informed by the State Department that visa eligibility is determined by standards in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) based on information provided by the applicant or otherwise available at the time of application, and that ``any future visa application put forward by Chief Minister Modi will be carefully considered and adjudicated in accordance with U.S. law.'' While I believe such a response by the State Department is grossly inadequate and an affront to U.S.-India relations because of its failure to unequivocally put this matter to rest, the underlying message is clear. No travel ban is in place.

Shri Narendra Modi may very well be India's next Prime Minister, and Resolutions like H. Res. 417 do little to help strengthen U.S.-India relations or protect and promote U.S. interests abroad, especially in the Asia Pacific region. For the record, Chief Minister Modi is a democratically elected leader. He has been elected three times by the majority of some 60 million constituents.

In India's upcoming 2014 elections, every voter should have the continued right to choose the candidate which emerges as the man of destiny, without undue influence from the United States or any other government. This is why I commend USINPAC for working with key leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives to set the record straight about Slui Narendra Modi, and for encouraging Members of Congress to open immediate dialogue with the Chief Minister.

I thank Chairman Ed Royce of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for also voicing his objections to H. Res. 417. India is a multi- cultural and multi-religious Democracy, where the Leader of the Ruling party is of Italian heritage, the Prime Minister is a Sikh, and the Vice President is a Muslim in an 80 percent Hindu nation. As the world's largest and oldest democracies, our inherent values and substance bind India and the United States together. Therefore, it is my sincere hope that the U.S. House of Representatives will oppose any effort that seeks to tear us apart.

Mr. Speaker, I submit to my colleagues and some 181 million sports fans all over America who love the game of football just as much as I do having played football for four years in high school, that the time has come to end the use of the derogatory name ``redskin'' as the name of Washington's NFL franchise.

Again and again, Mr. Speaker this issue has arisen and it will not go away. With all due respect Mr. Speaker, I call upon the 32 football club owners of the National Football League and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, to end the use of the derogatory word ``redskin'' as the name of Washington's football franchise. Mr. Speaker, the National Football League and Commissioner Goodell cannot just casually pass the responsibility to Mr. Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington franchise. The Washington Football franchise is worth about $1.6 billion dollars, the third most valuable franchise in the NFL. The NFL has a responsibility to take steps to address the derogatory name because the NFL is also a beneficiary and receives a fair percentage of the proceeds from television broadcasts and merchandise sales from all 32 NFL franchises.

I want to thank President Barack Obama for weighing in on this issue just last week and I hope NFL Commissioner Goodell will seriously pursue this matter. If Commissioner Goodell feels that if the name were offending one person, we should listen, listen to the leaders of the National Congress of American Indians the oldest and largest organization which Native American Indians that represents the vast majority of some 5.2 million Native American Indians today.

I also want to thank Mr. Ray Halbritter, leader of the Oneida Indian Nation, Ms. Suzan Harjo a member of the Cheyenne and Hodugee Muscogee tribes, Ms. Amanda Blackhorse from the Navajo Nation, former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and members of our Native American Congressional Caucus for raising this issue of not using this derogatory racial slur the word ``redskin''.

Again, it is time for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL to do the right thing and take steps to end the use of a derogatory name for the NFL franchise in our nation's capital.

Mr. Speaker, I submit to my colleagues and some 181 million sports fans all over America who love the game of football just as much as I do, having played football for 4 years in high school, again and again, Mr. Speaker, this issue will not go away; and with all due respect, Mr. Speaker, I call upon the 32 football club owners of the National Football League and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to get rid of this derogatory word or racial slur, ``redskin,'' which currently describes the Washington football franchise.

Mr. Speaker, the National Football League cannot just casually pass the responsibility to Mr. Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington team. The Washington football franchise is about a $1.3 billion business, rated third in the NFL, but the NFL is also a beneficiary and, I'm sure, gets a fair percentage of the proceeds from television broadcasts and concessions for selling clothing and sports souvenirs by these 32 club owners.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank President Barack Obama for weighing in on this issue just 2 weeks ago, and I hope NFL Commissioner Goodell will seriously pursue this matter. If Commissioner Goodell feels that if we are offending one person that we should listen, then listen to the leaders of the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest and the largest Native American organization, which represents the vast majority of some 5.2 million Native American Indians today. And when I say ``majority,'' Mr. Speaker, I'm talking about 2.6 million Native Americans who do have an issue to pull with the NFL using this racial and derogatory slur's name.

I also want to thank Mr. Ray Halbritter, leader of the Oneida Indian Nation, for taking the initiative to get this to the American people so that they will better understand and appreciate why this word is so offensive to the Native American community.

Again, Mr. Speaker, it is time for the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, and the NFL to do the right thing. Change the name ``Redskins.'' It is a racial slur and a derogatory term for the American Indians.

Mr. Speaker, not only is the word ``redskin'' inappropriate, but just plain offensive. It is a derogatory term towards the American Indians.

I want to share with my colleagues and the 181 million football fans all over America how the word ``redskin'' came about.

In 1749, it was a standard procedure among the colonial settlers who lived in what is now Maine and Nova Scotia to kill and scalp as many of the Indians who were members of the Micmac Tribe. The same policy was also implemented in 1755 by settlers who lived in what is now known as the State of Massachusetts. Their objective was to kill and scalp members of the Penobscot Indian Nation.

Mr. Speaker, the colonial policy was that you get paid for killing and scalping Native American Indians. If you kill an Indian boy, you get paid 50 pounds. If you get a scalp, that is an additional 40 pounds. Not only is it for the men, but also for the women and children that are scalped and killed. And you get paid for it.

Mr. Speaker, I submit that these scalps were called ``redskins.''

Native Americans are human beings, Mr. Speaker. They are not animals.

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to detract our attention from the current national debate on the government shutdown and the debt ceiling issue, but I do want to share with my colleagues an issue that will not go away.

What is it that the National Football League, the 32 football club owners, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell have yet to understand why the word ``redskin'' is considered a very offensive racial and derogatory term that describes Native American Indians?

My apologies, Mr. Speaker, for I have yet to master the English language. But I want to share again and again with my colleagues and some 181 million football fans all over America why our Native American Indian community considers the word ``redskin'' as very offensive, and clearly, the National Football League and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell cannot and should not disclaim responsibility.

Again, let's review the history. The origin of the term ``redskin'' is commonly attributed to the colonial practice of trading Native American Indian scalps and body parts as bounties and trophies. For example, in 1755, settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Province were paid out of the public treasury for the killing and scalping of people of the Penobscot tribe. The bounty for a male Penobscot Indian above the age of 12 was 50 pounds, and his scalp was worth 40 pounds. The bounty for a female Penobscot Indian of any age and for males under the age of 12 was 25 pounds while their scalps were worth 20 pounds. These scalps, I submit, Mr. Speaker, were called ``redskins.''

The current chairman and chief of the Penobscot Nation, Chief Kirk Francis, recently declared that the word ``redskin'' is ``not just a racial slur or a derogatory term,'' but a painful ``reminder of one of the most gruesome acts of . . . ethnic cleansing ever committed against the Penobscot people.''

Mr. Speaker, again, I ask my colleagues and the 181 million football fans throughout this great Nation of ours--suppose that that redskins scalp that was brought in for payment was the scalp of your mother, your daughter, or your wife or your son? Again, Mr. Speaker, Native American Indians are also human beings and God's children. They are not animals.

Our colleague, Tom Cole, from Oklahoma, the cochair of our Congressional Native American Indian Caucus and a member of the Chickasaw Nation, states:

This is the 21st century. This is the capital of political

correctness on the planet. It is very, very, very offensive.

This isn't like warriors or chiefs. It's not a term of

respect, and it's needlessly offensive to a large part of our

population. They just don't happen to live around Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and commend the chairman of our Natural Resources Committee, Doc Hastings, for his leadership and for his support of this piece of legislation, and especially

also my good friend, the gentleman representing the Northern Mariana Islands.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 256, a bill to amend Public Law 93-435 with respect to the Northern Mariana Islands, providing parity with Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. I want to thank Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Murkowski of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for their work on this bipartisan piece of legislation. I also want to thank the Senate for finally taking action on this issue and passing S. 256 via unanimous consent last month.

As I said earlier, I would be remiss if I did not commend my good friend, Congressman Sablan, for his tireless efforts on this issue and all other matters affecting the Northern Mariana Islands since he took office in 2009.

Mr. Speaker, this piece of legislation will appropriately convey 3 miles of offshore submerged lands to the Northern Mariana Islands. As you may know, submerged lands qualify as lands permanently or periodically covered by tidal waves up to but not above the line of high tide. The territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands were granted ownership over our own respective submerged lands when the Congress passed the Territorial Submerged Lands Act in 1974. This was before CNMI became a territory of the United States.

S. 256 is in response to an unfortunate decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2005 that ruled that the submerged lands off the coast of CNMI did not belong to the Commonwealth but belonged to the Federal Government. The language guarantees that the Federal Government maintains the same rights over navigation, international affairs and commerce. Furthermore, it does not circumvent any actions that may have been taken or regulations that have been put forward by U.S. naval authorities regarding these submerged lands.

This issue is not new to us. The House has passed similar legislation since the 111th Congress. The citizens and officials of CNMI, instead of officials residing thousands of miles away, should be implementing and enforcing laws that apply to their population. We should move forward and allow CNMI to utilize these resources that are rightfully theirs and allow them to engage and promote economic activities in these areas. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.