Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my House colleagues in support of this resolution recognizing September 11 as a day of remembrance; extending sympathies to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and their families; honoring the heroic actions of our Nation's first responders and armed forces, and reaffirming the commitment to defending the people of the United States against any and all future challenges.

We all will always remember where we were on that fateful morning of September 11, 2001, a beautiful, sunny and clear early autumn day in the Nation's capital when terrorists launched their attacks on America. It is etched forever in our memories.

We will never forget--those who died; those who survived and live with the scars; the firemen who ran up the stairs of the World Trade Center to save lives and gave theirs; the heroes on the plane in Pennsylvania; the families left behind whose lives will always have a void; the neighbors, the friends, the countless strangers who performed selfless acts of kindness we will never even know about.

On this solemn anniversary I always think back to the sermon the pastor of my church gave the Sunday after September 11 when he said: ``Life is fragile. Evil is real. God is sure.''

Life is fragile. It can end in an instant. The families of those who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in a field in Pennsylvania never thought that would be their last day to see their loved ones.

A woman in New York said, ``We parted with a kiss on the Union Square Subway platform at around half past eight that morning. Jason was heading to his new job at Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center; I was heading to my office in SoHo. He must have made it to his desk moments before the plane struck the building.''

Evil is real. We saw on September 11 that evil men did evil deeds to innocent people. Thirty people from Virginia's 10th congressional district died on 9/11. I went to the Pentagon that day and saw with my own eyes the destruction. I returned to the Pentagon this morning to join the dedication of the beautiful and moving memorial to hose who died there seven years ago.

I went to Ground Zero in New York City two months after 9/11 and saw the devastation. I saw the notes written on the wooden railing of the viewing platform from family members. One said, ``I love you Daddy'' in a childish scrawl. Another said, ``We miss you Dad. When you look down we hope we will always make you proud.''

Evil is real, but God is sure. Psalm 46 says:

``God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.''

Our lives changed on September 11, and in many ways are still changing and will continue to change. Clearly, we are much more aware of the threat we now face.

We had heroes on 9/11--those who lost their lives and those who tried to save them--and we continue to have heroes today. They are the brave men and women who are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq showing the terrorists that we will take the fight to them. They are the thousands of civilian employees at numerous Federal agencies supporting those efforts.

Some of those heroes, like those on 9/11, have given their lives to protect our way of life. To them and to their families, we will be forever grateful.

I am reminded of a quote from President Ronald Reagan, who was such an optimist. He believed in America and for what she stands. He once said in describing America, ``We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we can always be free.''

Indeed, we will always remember. And we will always be grateful that we live in the United States of America where, it has been said, unlike almost any other nation on earth, our identity is rooted not in blood, religion or birthplace, but in the idea of freedom.

Freedom has never been with a price. We owe our lives to each and everyone who has paid that ultimate price so that we can continue to live in freedom. And so today, we remember 9/11 and those souls who perished, and we also honor those who responded to the horrific events of that day, and resolve to continue the fight against terrorism and those who would seek to destroy freedom.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Army Family Action Plan which took place on August 15.

The Army Family Action Plan is an Army-wide program that aims to improve Army quality of life. Through this plan, all members of the Army, including active, reserve, and National Guard soldiers, family members, retirees, surviving spouses, DA civilians, and military technicians have a forum to voice concerns to Army leadership and make recommendations for a change regarding standards of living.

The past 25 years has proven to be a success for the Army Family Action Plan as the Army leadership has trusted its recommendations and taken action on many new policies due to the plan's ideas.

I was originally involved with the creation of the Army Family Action Plan after watching a film called ``Where's Dad'' by Dr. James Dobson. This video addresses some of the greatest threats to meaningful family life: fatigue, time pressures, overcommitment and workaholism watching it was a life changing experience for me. Afterward, I changed my priorities, put my family first and committed to keeping Sundays free of events to spend more time with my family. Because this video had such a profound impact on me, I shared it with others who I thought it may help, including other members of Congress and also General Wickham, who was instrumental in developing the Army Family Action Plan.

I commend the Army for enacting this plan which provides soldiers and their families a way to get their perspective heard which in turn betters the quality of life of those who serve or have served in the Army.

I am proud to join with the Army in celebrating this significant anniversary.

Madam Speaker, the years 2011 through 2015 will mark the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, a momentous milestone for our nation that provides an exceptional opportunity to examine the war, its causes and its legacies. The sesquicentennial commemoration of the American Civil War needs to involve full participation at the local, State and Federal levels. However, as there are currently no Federal plans for the sesquicentennial, the states have stepped in to take the lead in planning for this watershed event. I am proud to announce that Virginia leads the nation in being the first to establish a sesquicentennial commission that is planning events and activities that offer a fair and balanced depiction of Civil War history that includes all perspectives. I am pleased to support the work of the Commission and endorse its plans.

Virginia was the epicenter of the Civil War in the 1860s and continues to be a central location in terms of what visitors can see and experience today. Virginia has more Civil War battlefields, museums and historic sites than any other state, including the historic site of the first land battle of the Civil War at Manassas that is located in the 10th Congressional District, which I represent. Too often when we study history, we tend to think that battles were neatly fought within the split-rail fenced boundaries. In truth, most of Virginia was a battleground during the Civil War.

Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission

The Virginia General Assembly created the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission in 2006 for the purpose of preparing for and commemorating the sesquicentennial of Virginia's participation in the American Civil War. Speaker of the House of Delegates William Howell chairs the Commission, whose other members include President Pro Tempore of the Senate Chuck Colgan, members of the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia, citizens, and the renowned Civil War historian Dr. James I. ``Bud'' Robertson, Jr., of Virginia Tech. It is important to recall that Dr. Robertson was selected by President Kennedy to serve as executive director of the Federal Centennial Commission 50 years ago.

The Commission is charged with:

Planning commemorative programs and activities that are designed to involve all citizens and result in a positive legacy and long-term public benefit,

Encouraging civic, historical, educational, economic, and other organizations throughout Virginia to organize and participate in activities to expand the understanding and appreciation of the significance of the American Civil War, and

Providing technical assistance to localities and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War.

The Commission has established the following goals to guide the commemoration that are reflective of values that are important to Americans today:

Diversity: The commemoration will be inclusive of and meaningful to all Virginians, particularly: diverse racial and ethnic groups, citizens who are new to this country and those who do not have a hereditary link to the American Civil War, and young people and others seeking to understand the relevance of the American Civil War to today's society.

Inclusiveness: The commemoration will seek to portray a fair and balanced story of Virginia's participation in the American Civil War that includes African-American, Union, and Confederate perspectives.

Statewide Accessibility: The commemoration will be statewide, involving all localities and encompassing all Civil War-related institutions, museums, battlefields, parks, and facilities.

Education: The commemoration will include a strong education component designed to ignite a renewed interest in Virginia's historical heritage. Opportunities will be provided to re-examine the lessons of the past and the legacies of the Civil War to understand how they affect the present and continue to shape our future.

Permanence: The commemoration will imprint Virginia history and leave a positive and rich legacy well beyond 2015.

The Commission has begun to develop plans for how to recognize the magnitude of this occasion. The Commission has adopted a vision statement that will guide the commemoration period, ``Understanding Our Past, Embracing Our Future,'' launched a Web site that is receiving national and international attention (www.VirginiaCiviIWar.org), and is developing a comprehensive array of initiatives, including:

Statewide coordination: Linking, coordinating, and promoting the hundreds of Civil War museums and sites throughout the state.

Museum exhibitions: Partnering with the Virginia Historical Society to develop a major exhibition, ``An American Turning Point: The Civil War in Virginia,'' as well as the Civil War 150 HistoryMobile, a mobile museum vehicle that will be capable of traveling throughout the nation to bring these important stories directly to the people.

Legacy Project: Document Digitization: Using the sesquicentennial as an opportunity to preserve and provide access to unknown diaries, journals, letters, and other documents that are in private hands, the Library of Virginia will lead a major initiative to identify, catalog, and preserve those documents through digitization and web access. Locating and uncovering this material will provide a boon to Civil War research for years to come.

Signature events: Signature events begin in 2009 with a conference on the coming of the Civil War at the University of Richmond, and a joint commemorative event with the State of West Virginia, planned in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of John Brown's raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry. High profile events are planned for the duration of the commemoration to mark important milestones, such as a national event at Manassas in 2011 to mark the 150th anniversary of the first land battle of the war and to set the tone for the sesquicentennial.

I would like to commend the leadership role that the Commonwealth has taken and recognize the work of the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission and urge others to join with them to participate in this commemorating this special occasion.

I thank the gentleman. I thank him for yielding.

I want to thank Mr. Berman and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mr. Chabot for bringing the bill up.

I also want to thank President Bush for meeting yesterday with the dissidents, and I know they were probably passionate with him to explain how important it is to speak out.

I also want to second what Mr. Chabot said about the Speaker. I appreciate Speaker Pelosi raising this issue on human rights and religious freedom in China. There is tremendous persecution. Catholic bishops are in

jail. A large number of house church leaders are still in jail. As Mr. Smith said, there is a list of 730 dissidents that we should advocate publicly for.

In the days during the Reagan administration, President Reagan would advocate publicly for names. That is very important. We know what they've done in Tibet in the Drapchi prison in the persecution of Tibetan monks and nuns. We know the Uighurs, Rebiya Kadeer, whose children have been arrested and are in jail as we now speak. They're plundering, beating the Falun Gong. And even in Flushing, New York, we believe--and the FBI is investigating--that the Chinese embassy was involved in a counter-demonstration beating of the Falun Gong in Flushing, New York. Not in Flushing, China, but in Flushing, New York.

We know of the labor camps, the laogais. We know what Harry Wu has told us of the labor camps that are still operating, and there are more labor camps in China today than there were gulags in the Soviet Union.

We know when the Speaker said, very accurately, the genocide in Darfur, the Chinese government is the number one supporter of the genocidal government in Khartoum. And as Mr. Smith and Mr. Pence said on the one-child policy on forced abortion, we know what they're doing.

What I would urge the administration to do and the President to do--I want to make sure we don't violate the rules and I speak to the Speaker--is to give a speech the way that President Reagan gave a speech at the Danilov Monastery. It was a very powerful speech. As Natan Sharansky said, when Ronald Reagan gave the speech in Orlando, Florida, where he called the Soviet Union the Evil Empire, it sent a message through the Perm. The prisoners in the Perm knew of what President Reagan was publicly speaking out and advocating for, and the people in the Perm and the people in jail knew when President Reagan gave the Danilov Monastery speech that he was speaking out.

So I would urge the President to give a Danilov Monastery/Evil Empire speech in China. Select a Catholic church or a house church or a university and boldly speak out. Keep in mind Reagan boldly spoke out and called the Soviet Union the Evil Empire, boldly spoke out in the Danilov Monastery.

I thank the gentleman.

Ronald Reagan spoke out both times very boldly. If you recall, at President Reagan's funeral, Gorbachev came and attended the funeral. You can do it in that way. So I urge the President.

I would also urge the committee to bring up Congressman Smith's Global Online Freedom bill so we can send a message, because when we were there, we saw that sometimes some American companies are cooperating with the Chinese government using American technology to cooperate.

My closing comment, Madam Speaker, is that we urge the President to give a Ronald Reagan Danilov Monastery-type speech so that when he leaves China, it is clear to the dissidents who are in prison--because they will hear him--it is clear to the family members of those dissidents--because they will hear him--and it will be doubly clear, triply clear to the Chinese government that America and the President of the United States stands for freedom, and that must be done publicly.

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of this measure, I rise in support of H. Res. 1351. In 2004, I led the first congressional delegation to Darfur with Senator Sam Brownback, and witnessed the nightmare there first hand.

In July 2007 the United Nations' Security Council passed resolution 1769 which authorized a joint African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur to take necessary actions to support the Darfur Peace Agreement and to protect its personnel and civilians. However, to date, only 10,000 of the 26,000 peacekeeping troops authorized by resolution 1769 have been deployed. They are in desperate need of proper equipment and air transportation and have increasingly become subject to attack by various rebel groups.

It has been widely acknowledged in the international community that these troops do not have the necessary resources to effectively carry out their mandate. On July 8, seven UNAMID peacekeepers were killed and 22 were wounded in a rebel ambush in the northern region of Darfur. The peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur have become demoralized by the impossible conditions on the ground.

I am pleased to support H. Res. 1351 and reaffirm the commitment of the United States of America to the people of Darfur and the peacekeepers who are putting their lives on the line to protect them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res, 1008, condemning the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran. The Baha'is are Iran's largest non-Muslim minority and have faced severe and often brutal persecution since the Iranian government banned all formal Baha'i activity in 1983. Incidents of violence and persecution targeting members of the Baha'i community have increased under the current regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

On July 18, the house of the Shaaker family in Kerman was torched only weeks after their car went up in flames. Officials investigating the scene attributed the incidents to electrical problems despite a series of threatening phone calls received by the family in the days leading up to the incident. This is one of over a dozen cases in a string of arson targeting Baha'is over the past 15 months.

These attacks follow the arrest and detention of the seven members of Iran's national Baha'i coordinating group in May. All of these individuals remain isolated in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran without access to legal representation and are prohibited from contacting their families. At this time, no formal charges have been brought against these seven individuals.

I am pleased to join a bipartisan group of my colleagues as a cosponsor of this important resolution, and I hope its passage will send a strong message to the Iranian government that the United States Congress will always stand in solidarity with the persecuted people of the world.

Madam Speaker, I had the privilege of attending the 100th anniversary commemoration event for the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 17 at the National Building Museum.

I insert for the record the remarks of Robert S. Mueller III, who was appointed the sixth director of the Bureau just one week before the

terrorist attacks on America of September 11, 2001, and salute Director Mueller and the thousands of FBI employees and leaders over the years for their dedication and bravery in protecting their country and their fellow citizens.

100th Anniversary Commemoration, National Building Museum, Washington,

DC, July 17, 2008

(By Robert S. Mueller III, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Good morning. It is truly an honor to be here today to mark

this significant milestone in the Bureau's history and to

share in the celebration of this occasion--the 100th

anniversary of the FBI.

My thanks to Attorney General Mukasey and the many other

distinguished guests for joining us today.

My special thanks, also, to Directors Webster, Sessions,

and Freeh, for being here. Together, they represent three

decades at the Bureau in which we saw a strong emphasis on

white collar crime and organized crime, as well as

counterintelligence cases. We witnessed innovations in crime-

solving technologies and a dramatic expansion of our

international program.

But let's go back a bit further in history.

One hundred years ago, Attorney General Charles Joseph

Bonaparte organized a group of investigators under the

Justice Department. In July, 1908, the Bureau of

Investigation opened its doors.

The first Bureau employees numbered just 34--nine

detectives, thirteen civil rights investigators, and twelve

accountants. They investigated, among other things, antitrust

matters, land fraud, and copyright violations.

Compare that to today's FBI--a threat-based, intelligence-

driven, technologically supported agency of over 30,000

employees--employees who are working in 56 field offices and

61 offices overseas. Employees who are combatting crimes as

diverse as terrorism, corporate fraud, cyber crime, human

trafficking, and money laundering. J. Edgar Hoover would have

been proud.

Today's FBI is often, and I believe accurately, described

as one of the world's few intelligence and law enforcement

agencies combined.

The culture of the FBI is now, and for the past 100 years

has been, a culture of hard work and dedication to protecting

the United States, no matter what the challenges.

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, it became clear

that the FBI's number one priority must be the prevention of

another terrorist attack. We refocused our mission, revised

our priorities, and realigned our work force. We strengthened

lines of communication between the Bureau and our partners in

the global intelligence and law enforcement community. And we

are now stronger and better equipped to confront the threats

we face today.

Today's FBI continues to reflect and embody its motto--

Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity. It is a motto emblazoned on

the FBI Seal. And it is worth its weight in gold.

For the past 100 years, the men and women of the FBI have

lived out their commitment to Fidelity, Bravery, and

Integrity. It is precisely because they have done so that the

Bureau has the reputation that it enjoys today.

Even so, these are qualities that need to be constantly

burnished by the men and women of the Bureau, to ensure they

do not rust for lack of use.

For most of us, fidelity is faithfulness to an obligation,

trust, or duty.

For the men and women of the FBI, fidelity also means

fidelity to country. It means fidelity to justice and the

law, fidelity to the Constitution, fidelity to equality and

liberty.

Bravery is the quality of being willing to face danger,

pain, or trouble; to remain unafraid. Bravery is not merely

the act of rushing in where others flee. It is the quiet,

diligent dedication to facing down those who would do us harm

and bring them to justice.

The well-known tennis champion and social humanitarian,

Arthur Ashe, once said, ``True heroism is remarkably sober,

very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at

whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever

cost.''

Bravery is the capstone in the stories of Special Agents

Rodney Miller, John O'Neill, and Lenny Hatton. On September

11, Miller and O'Neill went up, not down, the stairs of the

North Tower of the World Trade Center to help others get out.

Rodney Miller went all the way up to the 86th floor, offering

assistance to fire and police personnel on the scene. Through

radio transmissions, Lenny Hatton reported the crash of the

second plane, and then assisted with evacuation efforts.

Neither he nor John O'Neill survived.

And we will never know how many lives were saved as a

result of their and the other first responders' extraordinary

bravery on that day.

Although their stories are unique, their bravery is

repeated by the men and women of the FBI working each and

every day around the country, and around the world.

Whether cracking down on public corruption or white collar

crime that corrodes the public trust. Or capturing criminals

who exploit children on the Internet, or commit violent

crime, hate crime, organized crime, espionage, or terrorism.

Such bravery can be seen in the story of Jay Tabb, a member

of our Hostage Rescue Team. Tabb received the FBI Star after

being shot and seriously wounded during the arrest of a

wanted fugitive. Just months later, during a search of a

terrorist safe-house in Afghanistan, he was injured again by

a suicide bomber. Despite his own injuries, he rescued four

wounded soldiers. After each incident his first question was,

how soon can I get back to work with my team?

Bravery can be seen in the story of Port Authority Police

Detective Tom McHale, who has served on our Newark Joint

Terrorism Task Force since 1995. The morning of September 11,

McHale was blocks from the World Trade Center when he heard

the first plane fly overhead. He raced to the scene to assist

with evacuations and rescues. He was caught in both building

collapses and injured. And yet as a trained ironworker,

McHale spent the next weeks in the rubble cutting through

steel and recovering bodies. He worked at Ground Zero for 12

hours a day, before reporting for duty on the Joint Terrorist

Task Force to help with thousands of leads.

Bravery can be seen in the work of Jennifer Keenan, the

first female Special Agent to be stationed in Pakistan and

Yemen, and who helped carry out dangerous missions in both of

those countries. Along with Tom McHale, Keenan was part of

the FBI team in Pakistan who captured Al Qaeda suspect Abu

Zubaidah.

Bravery can be seen in the story of Special Agent Bruce

Bennett and three other agents, who were seriously wounded

just last March in a terrorist bombing, also in Pakistan.

And it can be seen in the story of Walter Walsh, our oldest

living Special Agent, who survived shootouts with gangsters

in the 1930s.

And it so happens that each of these individuals is with us

today. Would you all please stand so we can recognize you?

And yet there is no shortage of heroes in the FBI. I am

certain there are also many unsung heroes with us in the

audience today--heroes whose stories may never be told. We

honor them as well.

For the men and women of the FBI, bravery is reflected not

only in the physical courage often necessary in the job. It

can be seen in the courage of conviction, in the courage to

act with wisdom in the face of fear, and in the courage it

takes to admit mistakes and move forward.

This brings us to the third quality that defines the

Bureau, and that is integrity. It is the quality of being of

sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity.

For the men and women of the FBI, integrity is reflected in

all that we say and we do--in honesty, in keeping promises,

in fairness, in respect for others, and in compassion.

Integrity is, in some ways, the most important of the three

words that make up our motto. Integrity is the fire by which

fidelity and bravery are tested.

Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity set the expectations for

behavior; they set a standard for our work. More than just a

motto, for the men and women of the FBI, Fidelity, Bravery,

and Integrity is a way of life.

And it has always been a way of life. It has been said of

FBI employees that they stand on the shoulders of their

predecessors. Indeed, we do.

And while it is a time of change in the FBI, our values

will never change.

It is not enough to stop the terrorist--we must stop him

while maintaining his civil liberties.

It is not enough to catch the criminal--we must catch him

while respecting his civil rights.

It is not enough to prevent foreign countries from stealing

our secrets--we must prevent that from happening while still

upholding the rule of law.

The rule of law, civil liberties, and civil rights--these

are not our burdens. They are what make us better. And they

are what have made us better for the past 100 years.

The men and women of the FBI today are part of history in

the making. We understand that we have been passed a legacy

and that it remains our responsibility to both build on and

to pass on that legacy to those who will succeed us.

John F. Kennedy once said, ``. . . when at some future date

the high court of history sits in judgment on each of us . .

. our success or failure, in whatever office we hold, will be

measured by the answers to four questions: First, were we

truly men of courage? Second, were we truly men of judgment?

Third, were we truly men of integrity? Finally, were we truly

men of dedication?''

The men and women of the FBI, here and around the world,

past and present, can resoundingly answer yes to each of

these questions. That is because they live our motto each and

every day.

Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity remain the attributes of

an organization with a proud history of distinguished service

to the nation. And each of us is indeed honored to be part of

that.

With Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity defining every FBI

employee, we stand fully ready to face the challenges of the

next century.

Thank you all again for being here with us today and God

bless.

Madam Speaker, over the Fourth of July recess, Representative Chris Smith and I traveled to Beijing, China.

We had become increasingly disturbed by reports of harsh crackdowns by Chinese security forces on the dissident community in the run up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Although both Representative Smith and I have been outspoken critics of the Chinese government over the years, we embarked on this trip with open minds ready to be convinced that the Chinese government had taken steps to improve its abysmal human rights record.

Unfortunately, what we saw while we were on the ground cannot be considered by any stretch of the imagination to be progress.

Upon our arrival, we were informed that the three people that we had invited to have dinner with us that evening were threatened by Chinese security forces not to attend and placed under house arrest. One of these individuals, a prominent human rights lawyer to whom I had presented the National Endowment for Democracy Award just weeks earlier on Capitol Hill, was taken several hours outside of Beijing and detained for the duration of our trip.

I insert two articles for the record from The New York Times and The Washington Post, which further detail the detention of these individuals.

We also visited a ``house church,'' an underground Protestant church which is forced to operate illegally out of private homes because the Chinese government refuses to recognize these churches as legitimate places of worship.

It was clear that we were being followed to the house church by Chinese security forces so we were only able to stay a short time because we did not want to endanger members of the congregation.

House church members and leaders are often targeted for harassment and detention by the Chinese security forces because they are viewed by the government as a threat to the stability and control of the communist regime.

One example of this repressive policy is Pastor Zhang Rongliang, also known as Uncle Liang. Paster Zhang is the leader of the China for Christ Church, a network of house churches that is estimated to have over 10 million members throughout China.

Chinese authorities raided Pastor Zhang's home on New Year's Eve 2005 and formally arrested him. He was detained for 6 months without being charged. On June 29, 2006, Pastor Zhang was charged and convicted of fraudulently obtaining border exit documents and sentenced to 7\1/2\ years in prison. Pastor Zhang is currently being held at Henan Prison Number One and has reportedly been subjected to electric shock while imprisoned. He suffers from diabetes and hypertension. He is only allowed one 30-minute visit a month from members of his family and prison guards surround him during these visits.

During a two-hour meeting with Ambassador Li Zhaoxing, the former Chinese foreign minister who now chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, Congressman Smith and I both pressed for the release of detained individuals, such as Pastor Zhang. We presented Ambassador Li with a partial list of political prisoners compiled by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and asked for the immediate release of all 734 individuals on the list. A copy of this list is available online at www.cecc.gov. I have met with many former political and religious prisoners and dissidents like Pastor Zhang. These are peaceful people. They are not violent rogues seeking to overthrow the Chinese government. All they ask for is freedom; they yearn for freedom--the freedom to gather together and worship and celebrate and share their religious beliefs.

But the Chinese government will not allow this. They throw their own people in jail and subject them to the most base and violent forms of torture. And despite all this, the government of China was awarded the honor of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games.

In 1988, in the midst of the cold war, President Ronald Reagan publicly addressed religious leaders at the Danilov Monastery in Moscow and called on the Soviet Union to promote religious tolerance.

I call on President Bush to follow the example of Ronald Reagan. While he is in Beijing for the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, he should make a public speech calling on the Chinese government to release all the political and religious dissidents who languish in labor camps and prisons across China.

The people of China, and the dissidents who sit in their jail cells day after day, week after week, year after year, should know that the President of the United States of America and leader of the free world stands with them in their quest for freedom, and not with the repressive communist regime of China.

[From the Washington Post, July 1, 2008]

U.S. Lawmakers Decry Olympics After Dissidents Blocked

(By Chris Buckley)

Beijing.--Two U.S. Congressmen on Tuesday urged President

George W. Bush to rethink attending the Beijing Olympic Games

after they were prevented from meeting Chinese human rights

activists.

Republican Congressmen Frank Wolf from Virginia and Chris

Smith from New Jersey said they had come to Beijing to meet

Chinese citizens pressing for greater political and religious

freedoms, including two who recently met the U.S. president.

But Chinese authorities pressured or forced nine activists

from meeting them at a dinner on Sunday or subsequently,

according to a document handed out by the lawmakers.

They said such actions, and other repressive steps taken by

the Chinese Communist Party, have cast a shadow over the

Games and over Bush's vow to attend them.

``Tragically, the Olympics has triggered a massive

crackdown designed to silence and put beyond reach all those

whose views differ from the official `harmonious' government

line,'' Smith told a news conference held in the U.S. embassy

in Beijing.

The friction between the visitors and wary Chinese

authorities has underscored the political tensions of the

Games, with Beijing under criticism from Western politicians

and international rights groups over Tibet, censorship and

restrictions on religion and political dissent.

Wolf, who with Smith presented Chinese officials with a

list of 734 Chinese prisoners they said were jailed for

dissent, said Bush should not attend the Games unless there

were big changes.

``I personally believe that unless there's tremendous

progress over the next few weeks whereby they release some of

these prisoners, I personally do not believe the president

should attend. Nor do I think the Secretary of State should

attend,'' said Wolf.

``SIMPLY RIDICULOUS''

China later hit back, saying the politicians' attempted

meetings violated the claimed purpose of their visit.

``The two U.S. Congressmen came to China as guests of the

United States Embassy to engage in internal communications

and consultations,'' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu

Jianchao told a news conference.

``They should not engage in activities incompatible with

the objective of their visit and with their status.''

Speaking by telephone before leaving Beijing, Wolf called

China's explanation ``simply ridiculous'' and said he

expected the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to take up the issue.

Two of the Chinese citizens who could not meet the

lawmakers, Beijing-based lawyers Li Baiguang and Li Heping,

met Bush at the White House on June 23 after receiving awards

from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy.

Li Heping said security officers had ostentatiously tailed

him and told him not to meet the U.S. politicians. He said by

telephone that he was surprised the audience with Bush had

not given him and Li Baiguang some immunity.

``He said he was very concerned about human rights and the

rule of law in China, especially religious freedom and the

freedom of the press,'' Li Heping said of the meeting.

``He also said that when he comes to Beijing for the

Olympics he will raise these issues with President Hu.''

Li Baiguang, an evangelical Christian who has now met Bush

twice, could not be contacted. His mobile telephone was cut

off and

other activists said he has been held by state security

police on the outskirts of Beijing.

Wolf said the U.S. government should apply more public

pressure to seek the release of jailed Chinese dissidents.

``I think you need to do it publicly,'' he said. ``Frankly,

they have to be done the way we used to do it with regard to

the Soviet Union.''

[From the New York Times, July 2, 2008]

China Blocks U.S. Legislators' Meeting

(By Jim Yardley)

Beijing.--Two United States congressmen who were in Beijing

to lobby for the release of more than 700 political prisoners

had hoped to have dinner on Sunday with a group of Chinese

human rights lawyers. But security agents had a different

idea: they detained some of the lawyers and warned the others

to stay away.

The incident is the latest example of how Chinese security

agents are increasing pressure on dissidents in advance of

the Beijing Olympics in August. The ruling Communist Party

has issued broader orders for local governments to defuse

public protests, as a violent demonstration involving an

estimated 30,000 people erupted last weekend in southwestern

China.

In Beijing, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said the

congressmen, Republicans Frank R. Wolf of Virginia and

Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey, had overstepped their

visas in arranging to meet the lawyers. The legislators, both

sharp critics of China, expressed outrage over the

interference by security agents.

``The people we were supposed to have dinner with all got

stopped,'' said Mr. Smith in a telephone interview on Tuesday

afternoon. ``All of the world is watching, and this kind of

behavior doesn't bring anything but more scrutiny to their

human rights abuses.''

Mr. Wolf called on President Bush to boycott the Olympic

opening ceremonies if the detained lawyers were not released

and if there was ``no progress'' on releasing 734 political

prisoners on a list the two congressmen presented to the

Chinese.

President Bush has been invited to the opening ceremony by

Chinese president Hu Jintao and has rejected calls that he

not attend.

On Tuesday afternoon, Liu Jianchao, the Foreign Ministry

spokesman, said the two legislators, who had travel visas,

should not have tried to meet with the lawyers. ``They should

not intervene in China's internal affairs or conduct

something that is harmful to China-U.S. relations,'' he said

during a regular news briefing.

Asked if visiting congressmen must get approval from the

Chinese government to meet with private citizens, Mr. Liu

added: ``The two congressmen applied to come to China to get

in touch with the United States consulate. We hope the two

U.S. congressmen can respect the country they visit and obey

Chinese laws. Regarding the issues on religion and human

rights, the exchange between the two countries is more

meaningful than meeting private citizens.''

The congressmen said they came to Beijing to discuss human

rights, religious freedom, the Olympics and Darfur. Mr. Smith

said they met Monday with the country's former foreign

minister, Li Zhaoxing, and gave him their list of political

prisoners. ``He took it and said they would look at it,'' Mr.

Smith said. ``Our argument is that these people have done

nothing wrong.''

The guest list at the Sunday night dinner was supposed to

include three activist lawyers, Li Baiguang, Teng Biao and Li

Heping. They were among this year's winners of the

``Democracy Award'' by the National Endowment of Democracy in

Washington. Li Baiguang and Li Heping have met with President

Bush.

On Sunday afternoon, authorities took Li Baiguang to a

Beijing suburb, where he was placed under house arrest,

according to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, an advocacy

group. Mr. Teng, who was also detained earlier this year, was

taken to the same Beijing suburb but later returned to his

apartment under house arrest. Another well-known lawyer,

Jiang Tianyong, was blocked from leaving his apartment by two

Beijing police officers, the advocacy group said. Still

another lawyer, Li Fangping, said three police officers were

stationed outside his apartment and threatened to follow him

wherever he went.

The two representatives did manage to meet with a Chinese

pastor, Zhang Mingxuan, but Mr. Smith said security agents

placed the pastor under house arrest afterward.

The tightened scrutiny of dissidents comes as China is

making broader efforts to increase security and curb public

protests as the Olympics draw near. On June 8, the central

government held a video conference to launch a national

campaign to prevent petition campaigns by disgruntled

citizens and to stop demonstrations and other ``mass

incidents'' in the name of preserving harmony for the

Olympics.

Localized demonstrations have become common in China,

especially in rural areas where peasants protest against

illegal land seizures and corruption. Often, peasants

organize petition campaigns and travel to Beijing to present

their grievances. But authorities, concerned about a

potentially embarrassing spectacle during the Games, are

calling on local officials to solve problems and prevent

petitioners from coming to the capital.

The potential for unexpected protests was illustrated over

the weekend when thousands of people burned government

buildings in the county of Weng'an in Guizhou Province. China

Daily, the official English-language newspaper, reported that

30,000 people participated in a ``mass action'' after a

smaller group protested against possible police malfeasance

in handling a case that involved the death of a local teenage

girl.

Family members of the girl believe she was killed by

relatives of local officials. The riot erupted after the

police ruled her death a drowning and cleared the officials'

relatives. Rioters burned government buildings and smashed

police cars. Paramilitary police have since been dispatched

to the county to restore order.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished career in aviation and aviation safety of Captain Edward K. Miller of Fairfax County in northern Virginia.

Captain Miller served for 6 years as a U.S. Air Force fighter interceptor pilot during the Korean War era and followed that service as a pilot for United Airlines, retiring in 1990. During his career with United, he became concerned with earthquake and volcanic ash hazards following the eruption of the Mt. St. Helens volcano in Washington State and served as a flight safety volunteer with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

After his retirement with United, he continued his air safety consulting activities with ALPA, focusing on volcanic ash and aviation safety. He became a recognized worldwide leader in this specialized talent and served on the Natural Hazards Committee chaired by the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology, which works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Federal Aviation Administration and other related agencies. In cooperation with ALPA, United Airlines, NOAA, NWS, FAA and USGS, earlier this year he was involved in the effort to produce a free volcanic ash aircrew training video for the aviation community.

We salute Captain Miller, who in June retired ``again'' from the aviation community, for his devotion to flight safety in a career that spanned almost six decades, and wish him the best in the future.

Mr. Speaker, when Congressman Chris Smith and I were in China 1\1/2\ weeks ago, all of the dissidents that we were to meet with were arrested, many before they even got to the meeting. And some of the dissidents were ones who had met with President Bush, and at the very time the Secretary of State was there in town, they arrested them.

I call on the President of the United States, if he is going to go to the Olympics, to give a major address the same way that Ronald Reagan gave a major address in the Soviet Union in the Danilov Monastery where he spoke out on behalf of religious freedom and human rights.

Thirty-five Catholic bishops in jail, hundreds of house church leaders in jail. They have plundered Tibet. They are persecuting the WEAGers. They are spying on this country.

I urge the President to give a major address the same way that Ronald Reagan did in the Danilov Monastery, and he should do it in a large church in China to speak out on behalf of those who are being persecuted for their faith, on human rights and religious freedom.

Mr. Speaker, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who stood up to the Nazis, said, ``The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.'' And this Congress is failing to serve the American people and failing to serve our children.

We have more than $53 trillion in unfunded liabilities and $9 trillion of debt. China, who violates human rights and religious freedom, holds our debt. The Saudis, who fund radical Wahhabism all over the world, hold our debt.

Standard and Poor's Investment Service predicts loss of AAA bond rating as early as the year 2012.

Is this bleak scenario what the 110th Congress wants to leave our children and grandchildren? If the ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children and grandchildren, this Congress is failing miserably.

Congressman Cooper and I have a bill, the SAFE Commission Act that has 105 cosponsors, that would put everything on the table, entitlements and tax policies, in order to rein in Federal spending. If we could come together, both sides of the aisle, we can ensure that our children and our grandchildren don't have to worry about the day when China and Saudi Arabia decide to call in our debt.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lt. Ron Haugsdahl of the Fairfax County Police Department. Lieutenant Haugsdahl has helped lead the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force and has personally supervised the evolution of the task force from its beginning to today's nationally recognized unit dedicated to fighting gangs and crime. His tireless efforts coordinating the 15 participating agencies have led to marked achievements in the fight against violent gangs in northern Virginia.

Lieutenant Haugsdahl has served in the Fairfax County Police Department since 1993, and previously served in the city of Falls Church Police Department from 1986 to 1993 as well as in the U.S. Army as a military police officer from 1983 to 1986. Over his many years in law enforcement, Lieutenant Haugdahl's duties have included patrol sergeant, gang detective, criminal investigator, and firearms instructor, in addition to his more recent leadership role with the task force.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to acknowledge today this fine public servant devoted to upholding the law and protecting the residents of northern Virginia. His service is greatly appreciated.

Madam Speaker, today I am introducing a resolution calling on the Government of Egypt to respect and uphold religious freedom for all of its citizens. In the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2008 report, Egypt remains on the watch list of countries that seriously violate freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief.

Members of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the largest non-Muslim minority in Egypt, have a very difficult time. In the last several years there has been an upsurge of attacks targeting Copts. Such attacks include arson of churches, destruction of Coptic-owned property and businesses and physical assaults. While authorities often arrest suspects in these cases, formal charges are rarely pursued.

The Baha'i religion has been banned since 1960 due to a presidential decree. Members of the Baha'i faith have difficulties obtaining civil documents such as official ID cards, birth certificates, passports, and marriage licenses.

Material vilifying Jews regularly appears in state-controlled and semi-official media, including anti-Semitic cartoons aimed at influencing the opinions of Egyptian youth. The Jehovah's Witnesses cannot congregate in numbers greater than five without facing harassment by government security services.

This resolution is modeled after a similar measure recently passed by the European Union Parliament. The United States was founded upon the principle that all men are endowed with certain unalienable rights, including religious freedom. Ronald Reagan once said that the Constitution is ``a kind of covenant. It is a covenant we've made not only with ourselves but with all of mankind.''

The United States Congress has a responsibility to speak out for these religious minorities. I encourage all my colleagues, who care about persecuted believers of all faiths, to cosponsor this resolution and add the House's voice to that of the EU Parliament in calling on the Government of Egypt to fully implement and protect the rights of religious minorities as full citizens.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the historic Town of Leesburg in the 10th Congressional District of Virginia.

Leesburg was established in September 1758 by an act of the Virginia House of Burgesses who appointed Nicolas Minor to design the initial layout of the town. The Town of Leesburg quickly grew from a quiet town of sleepy streets to a bustling epicenter in the early 18th century. Settlers flocked to the town for its strong sense of community and numerous market-to-town opportunities. The agriculture and transportation industries grew as Leesburg became the center of commerce in Loudoun County and other regions of northern Virginia.

Leesburg was the temporary capital of the United States during the War of 1812 and also served as a battleground during the American Civil War in the Battle of Balls Bluff. Leesburg has been home to many prominent Americans including President James Monroe, noted African- American attorney Charles Houston, General George C. Marshall and entertainer Arthur Godfrey.

In 1970, Leesburg received a place in the National Register of Historic Places and was cited as one of the best and most picturesque downtowns in Virginia. Today, Leesburg maintains its status as the center of the crossroads of northern Virginia and is the largest town in northern Virginia. I encourage my colleagues to join me in celebrating this historic event by driving 40 miles northwest from the Capitol to visit historic Leesburg and partake in some of the town's year-long festivities in honor of the anniversary. The town is holding a flag-design contest in honor of this historic event, to design an official flag for the town. On September 14, 2008, the town will celebrate her 250th birthday and I invite all to attend to commemorate history and enjoy the distinctly Americana spirit of the day's activities.---

I have been proud to serve the people of Leesburg since the start of my terms in the House and I share in the town's celebration of this significant anniversary.

Madam Speaker, next Tuesday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen will visit the White House. I sincerely hope that the President will seize this opportunity to be bold and make Vietnam's deplorable human rights record a point of focus. Any further cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam should be contingent upon establishing benchmarks for improved human rights and increased religious freedom in Vietnam.

Vietnam's human rights record remains a disgrace despite its ascension to the World Trade Organization--a move that many believed would help liberalize the political as well as the economic situation. The citizens of Vietnam today remain unable to change their government. Last November, the government arrested and imprisoned two Vietnamese citizens and three foreign citizens for preparing

pamphlets which advocated democratic change in Vietnam. One of those five is an American citizen, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan, who continues to languish in prison despite numerous appeals by the U.S. government for his release.

According the Human Rights Watch, since mid-2006, 40 peaceful activists have been arrested. They join the over 350 religious and political prisoners sentenced since 2001. Vietnam it not progressing, it is regressing. Government officials continue to harass religious groups.

Religious institutions are required to apply for permits; but many of these applications are ignored or denied leaving congregations without protection of the law and vulnerable to abuse. In the Central Highlands, provincial officials have been trained to deny medical, educational, financial and other government services to religious families. Local police beat a Protestant man in Phu Yen province for refusing to renounce his religion; he later died of internal injuries from the beating. The activities of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam are actively banned.

I was disappointed when the State Department removed Vietnam from its list of Countries of Particular Concern in regard to religious freedom. I have asked the State Department that Vietnam be added back onto the list.

Trafficking in persons also remains a major problem. Vietnam was listed as a Tier Two country in the State Department's 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report. Poor women and teenage girls in rural areas remain most at risk of being trafficked, primarily for sexual exploitation.

I was very disappointed when I read of an exchange U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak had with journalists and he only mentioned human rights one time. I have written to Ambassador Michalak several times and urged him to make promoting human rights his top priority.

The U.S. Embassy in Vietnam should be an island of freedom and work to promote human liberty and dignity. Regrettably, it is not. Several of my colleagues have joined me in writing Ambassador Michalak and asking that he invite all Vietnamese dissidents to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi on July 4--America's Independence Day. I look forward to his response.

I will continue speaking out for the Vietnamese people who want to see their government turn away from violence and repression, and embrace the universal principles of human rights and religious freedom.