Floor Statements

Madam Chairman, let me begin by thanking the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes) for doing this. And every Member of this House on both sides should thank the gentleman. And I thank the chairman and the staff of the Judiciary Committee for moving this legislation.

March issue of Newsweek: ``They are a violent force in 33 States and counting. The most dangerous gang in America, MS-13.''

They killed 10 people in Northern Virginia. And I will tell the gentleman from Los Angeles, they have killed a number of people out in your area too.

There was a Washington Post editorial about this and a story where it talks about a young parent. The eldest son, age 15, was sitting on the steps of a nearby apartment with two friends when he was gunned down. The friends were wounded, but survived. The son was killed almost instantly. The mother remarked, we moved here to get away from the gangs.

The brutality of these gangs. They took Brenda Paz, who was in the Witness Protection Program down to the Shenandoah Valley and slashed her throat to where her neck was cut all the way almost through, and stabbed her 16 times.

They prey on the poor. They prey on the poor in the inner cities. They prey on the poor in Culmore. I have said, the people of Culmore and the people of the inner city have just as much right to live in the upscale neighborhoods where they may not be.

This is a good bill. And when we protect the most vulnerable in our society, we protect everybody. I have talked to the community in different areas of my district and in Culmore through this region. They live in fear. And I say whether you have been in this country for 50 years and are wealthy or whether you have been here for 50 hours and you live in an area where you are trying to work your way out, you deserve the right to be protected. And the bill by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes) protects the poor.

This bill protects those who are being preyed upon. And I hope and I pray, on behalf of Brenda Paz who was stabbed 16 times and the families that live in Culmore and the families that live out in L.A. and the families that live in Houston, and the families that live throughout the State of Virginia that are suffering with this, that this bill passes overwhelmingly and goes on to the Senate, and they pass it so we can finally get relief, not for the wealthy but for those who live in Culmore and the inner city, who, up until this time, have been forgotten by this institution.

Finally, with the Forbes bill, this will do more to help them.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. Let me read an article from the Washington Post, ``In what officials suspect is the latest horror committed by gangs, 28 people, including six children, were killed December 24 when gunmen opened fire on a bus full of passengers near the northern Honduran city of San Pedro Sula.'' Twenty-eight individuals, six of them were children.

Another article said there was a request by the presidents of four Central American countries for help in gang battles. The request came as U.S. authorities revealed that they had issued an alert for the suspected mastermind of the killing of these 28 people near San Pedro Sula. The individual is a suspected member of the MS-13 gang and may have already entered the United States illegally.

The gentleman is right. That individual who was involved in the killing of 28 individuals in San Pedro Sula in Honduras was arrested in McAllen, Texas, coming back into the country after killing 28 people.

I think the gentleman's amendment is exactly right on target. There are many cases whereby they come back into the country and commit violent crimes after having committed violent crimes down in El Salvador. But 28 people in that little village in that town of San Pedro Sula, and then the man is arrested not in Honduras but up here in Texas.

With that, I just urge Members to strongly support the amendment. It is very good.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report to fund urgent supplemental requirements for the military.

For the State Department, we have included just over $2 billion, a reduction of $199 million from the President's request.

The bill includes the necessary funds to maintain our diplomatic presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for allowing our personnel to carry out their duties in the safest and most secure manner.

Iraq and Afghanistan are the front lines of our foreign policy. This conference report provides the necessary resources for operations, logistics, and security in those dangerous, but critically important, parts of the world.

There is also $592 million to allow State to move quickly to build a secure compound in Baghdad and, as the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) said, these facilities are not secure now, and they are needed. This money will result in the completion of a secure living and working compound facility within 24 months.

The $680 million, $100 million below the President's request, pays for the U.S. share of ongoing peacekeeping missions, including a new mission for Sudan, where it is absolutely critical, now that there is a north-south peace. And, by sending this mission there, hopefully, it will bring peace to Darfur.

The conference report also includes $241.6 million for domestic appropriations to support the war on terror, including FBI counterterrorism efforts and, for DEA, a counternarcotics program in Afghanistan.

Finally, it includes $17.2 million to jump-start the improvement of the United States tsunami warning capabilities on both coasts.

The conference report before us provides funding for important security measures for our diplomatic personnel, for our ongoing State Department and Justice Department commitments, and I strongly urge support of the conference report.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, I wrote President Bush urging him to boldly triple the innovation budget--federal basic research and development--over the next decade.

America today finds herself at a crossroads when it comes to leading the world in science and innovation. We can continue down the current path, as other nations continue to narrow the gap, or we can take bold, dramatic steps to ensure U.S. economic leadership in the 21st century and a rising standard of living for all Americans.

Our current levels of investment in innovative research and development are not enough to keep us at the forefront. Countries such as China and India are quickly gaining ground on the United States and few people realize it.

The United States faces stiff competition in sheer volume because our population is a fraction of that of China and India.

In 2000, Asian universities accounted for almost 1.2 million of the world's science and engineering degrees and European universities accounted for 850,000. North American universities accounted for only about 500,000.

Additionally, according to the National Science Foundation, the United States has a smaller share of the worldwide total of science and engineering doctoral degrees awarded than either Asia or Europe.

This is most alarming when you consider that since 1980, the number of science and engineering positions in the United States have grown at five times the rate of positions in the civilian workforce as a whole. This trend should be setting off alarm bells, especially as more high- tech products, and the high-tech jobs behind them, are located elsewhere.

America has a proud history of rising to the occasion. We need to be mobilized as we were after the former Soviet Union launched Sputnik, when we made a commitment in the late 1950s to build our space program and greatly enhance our educational system in the name of national defense through the passage of the National Defense Education Act.

Recently we fulfilled the commitment to double the National Institutes of Health budget to jump-start work on medical research to help find cures to debilitating and fatal diseases. Our nation must make a similar bold commitment to invest in the future of our country by tripling the innovation budget--federal basic research and development--over the next decade.

I believe that a bold initiative like this is necessary to ensure for future generations that America continues to be the innovation leader of the world.

I know my colleagues share my concern about the future competitiveness of American industry and are committed to improving job opportunities for all Americans. Your attention will send a clear message about the gravity of this situation.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, May 3, 2005.

Hon. George W. Bush,

The President, the White House,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. President: America today finds herself at a

crossroads when it comes to leading the world in science and

innovation. We can continue down the current path, as other

nations continue to narrow the gap, or we can take bold,

dramatic steps to ensure U.S. economic leadership in the 21st

century and a rising standard of living for all Americans.

I know you share my concern about the future

competitiveness of American industry and are committed to

improving job opportunities for all Americans. However, our

current levels of investment in innovative research and

development are not enough to keep us at the forefront.

Countries such as China and India are quickly gaining ground

on the United States and few people realize it. This trend

should be setting off alarm bells, especially as more high-

tech products, and the high-tech jobs behind them, are

located elsewhere.

The United States faces stiff competition in sheer volume

because our population is a fraction of that of China and

India. In 2000, Asian universities accounted for almost 1.2

million of the world's science and engineering degrees and

European universities accounted for 850,000. North American

universities accounted for only about 500,000. Additionally,

according to the National Science Foundation, the United

States has a smaller share of the worldwide total of science

and engineering doctoral degrees awarded than either Asia or

Europe. This is most alarming when you consider that since

1980, the number of science and engineering positions in the

United States have grown at five times the rate of positions

in the civilian workforce as a whole.

Foreign advances in basic science also now often rival or

even exceed America's, and published research by Americans is

lagging. Physical Review, a series of top physics journals,

last year tracked a reversal in which American scientific

papers, in two decades, dropped from the most published to

minority status. In 2004--the most recent year statistics are

available--the total number of American papers published was

just 29 percent, down from 61 percent in 1983.

America also is losing ground in the area of patents. The

percentage of U.S. patents has been steadily declining as

foreign nations, especially in Asia, have become more active

and in some fields have seized the innovation lead. The U.S.

share of its own industrial patents now stands at only 52

percent. Another measuring stick is number of Nobel prizes

won. From the 1960s through the 1990s, American scientists

dominated. Now, the rest of the world has caught up as our

scientists only win about half of the Nobel prizes with the

rest going to Britain, Japan, Russia, Germany, Sweden,

Switzerland, and New Zealand.

Federal research support serves two essential purposes.

First, it supports the research required to fuel continued

innovation and economic growth. Second, because much of it

takes place at the nation's colleges and universities, it

plays a critical role in training our next generation of

scientists, engineers, mathematicians and others who will

comprise the future scientific and technological workforce. I

am concerned that with the current levels of federal

investment in research and technology our country will fall

victim to the fierce manpower competition we face from

developing countries.

America has a proud history of rising to the occasion. We

need to be mobilized as we were after the former Soviet Union

launched Sputnik, when we made a commitment in the late 1950s

to build our space program and greatly enhance our

educational system in the name of national defense through

the passage of the National Defense Education Act. Most

recently we fulfilled the commitment to double the National

Institutes of Health budget to jump-start work on medical

research to help find cures to debilitating and fatal

diseases.

Our nation must make a similar bold commitment to invest in

the future of our country by tripling the innovation budget--

federal basic research and development--over the next decade.

We need to inspire young people to study math and science. As

chairman of the Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations

subcommittee, I understand the difficult budget environment

the nation is facing. But bold leadership from the White

House will help establish this as a national priority in your

next budget request to the Congress.

We must ensure for future generations that America

continues to be the innovation leader of the world. Investing

in research and development is a critical part of optimizing

our nation for innovation, a process that will require strong

leadership and involvement from government, industry,

academia and labor. We must choose whether to innovate or

abdicate.

I urge you to seize this opportunity to rally our nation to

the cause of innovation and stand ready to assist you in this

21st century challenge. I hope you will work with Congress,

with manufacturers and other producers and services

providers, and with the academic and scientific communities

to develop the necessary consensus that will ensure America

will remain the world's leader in innovation. The competitive

and economic future of America is at stake.

Best wishes.

Sincerely,

Frank R. Wolf,

Member of Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 127 calling on the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to transfer Charles Taylor, former President of the Republic of Liberia, to the Special Court for Sierra Leone to be tried for war crimes,

crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international law. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this important resolution.

We must do everything possible to see that Charles Taylor, a fugitive from justice, is held accountable for his heinous crimes and brought before the Special Court for Sierra Leone. There should be no safe harbor for tyrants like Charles Taylor.

The legacy of Charles Taylor's human rights abuses and corruption in Liberia is deplorable. Charles Taylor sponsored a 10-year civil war in neighboring Sierra Leone and has inflicted suffering on innocent men, women and children in unprecedented acts of cruelty, all done to satisfy the avarice of a cruel despot.

The UN-backed war crimes court unsealed an indictment on Charles Taylor in 2003. He is accused of bearing the greatest responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and serious violations of international humanitarian law. It is well known that he provided financial support, military training, personnel, arms and other form of assistance to the Revolutionary United Front to destabilize Sierra Leone and thereby gain access to her diamond wealth.

Charles Taylor organized and ordered armed attacks throughout Sierra Leone to terrorize the civilian population and ultimately punish them for failing to provide sufficient support to the RUF, or for supporting the legitimate government. The attacks routinely included unlawful killings, abductions, forced labor, physical and sexual violence, the use of child soldiers and looting.

I remain concerned that two years have passed and he has not been brought to justice before the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The United States must call on the Nigerian government to hand Charles Taylor over to stand trial. Charles Taylor has stated his plans to return to Liberia one day and is accused of meddling in the current affairs of West Africa.

If we fail to bring him to justice he may someday return to power in Liberia. Time is running out for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Charles Taylor's crimes can not go unpunished. There must be justice for the victims.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I introduced with Congressmen Ehlers and Boehlert, H.R. 1547, the Math and Science Incentive Act of 2005. This legislation would pay--over the life of the loan up to $10,000--the interest on the undergraduate student loans of math, science or engineering majors who agree to work five years in their respective fields. The idea for this legislation came from my friend Newt Gingrich's book, Winning the Future. America's dominance in science and innovation is slipping, but this legislation can help combat this trend.

We are facing today a critical shortage of science and engineering students in the United States. Unfortunately, there is little public awareness of this trend or its implications for jobs, industry or national security in America's future. We need to make sure we have people who can fill these science and engineering positions. In an era in which students are graduating college with record levels of debt, I am hopeful that this incentive will be a significant motivator in attracting or retaining math, science and engineering students.

How do we know that our nation is slipping in the areas of math, science, engineering and technology? Americans, for decades, led the world in patents. But we can no longer claim that lead. The percentage of U.S. patents has been steadily declining as foreigners, especially Asians, have become more active and in some fields have seized the innovation lead. The United States share of its own industrial patents now stands at only 52 percent. Foreign advances in basic science now often rival or even exceed America's. Published research by Americans is lagging.

Physical Review, a series of top physics journals, last year tracked a reversal in which American scientific papers, in two decades, dropped from the most published to minority status. In 2003--the most recent year statistics are available--the total number of American papers published was just 29 percent, down from 61 percent in 1983.

Another measuring stick: Nobel prizes. From the 1960s through the 1990s, American scientists dominated. Now the rest of the world has caught up. Our scientists win now about half of the Nobel prizes, the rest go to Britain, Japan, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and New Zealand. According to the National Science Foundation, the United States has a smaller share of the worldwide total of science and engineering doctoral degrees awarded than both Asia and Europe.

This is a real problem. In 2000, Asian universities accounted for almost 1.2 million of the world's science and engineering degrees. European universities (including Russia and eastern Europe) accounted for 850,000.

North American universities accounted for only about 500,000. Since 1980, science and engineering positions in the U.S. have grown at five times the rate of positions in the civilian workforce as a whole.

I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this legislation to help America continue to be the innovation leader of the world. The text of H.R. 1547 follows:

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1463, which my colleague and good friend, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), introduced to recognize the important contributions Justin W. Williams made to justice and freedom in our society.

The gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Davis) is in a markup in the full committee and asked if I would come over to read this statement to represent him.

Justice Williams was born in New York City in 1942, earned a Bachelor's Degree, as was said, from Columbia University in 1963 and a law degree from UVA in 1967.

After law school, he worked for the Department of Justice Criminal Division from 1967 through 1968, then served as Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Arlington County from 1968 to 1970.

His career as a Federal prosecutor began on May 11, 1970. During the ensuing 33 years he was either directly involved or supervised every major Federal prosecution in the Eastern District of Virginia; and, as Members know, that is one the more difficult districts in the country.

Mr. Williams was appointed Acting United States Attorney on two occasions, June, 1979, to November, 1981, and January, 1986, to June, 1986.

He was also at various times First Assistant United States Attorney, Senior Litigation Counsel and, for most of his career, Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

As Chief of the Criminal Division, Justin Williams supervised over 100

prosecutors and oversaw such high-profile trials as U.S. vs. Aldrich Ames, Aldrich Ames, a spy from the CIA who sold out his government; U.S. vs. Robert Hanssen, Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent who sold out his government to the Soviet Union, both of whom were convicted for spying for the Soviet Union.

He also led the prosecution of the Virginia Jihad Network.

His many accomplishments, far too numerous to list, include the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in furthering the Interest of the United States National Security, Section 2002, as well as three Director's Awards for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney.

On August 31, 2003, Mr. Williams died tragically at the age of 61 from an apparent heart attack as he jogged along the Potomac River in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia, leaving his wife, Suzanne, and children Andrew and Caitlin.

His untimely death marked the end of a career of a truly remarkable public servant who was loved and respected by all his colleagues and those who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Mr. Williams was revered as a mentor and role model, and his legacy will serve as a testimonial to courage, conviction, fairness and decency.

Madam Speaker, we owe Justin Williams and his family and all those in the legal field who have chosen a career in public service a debt of gratitude.

I urge my colleagues to forever remember Justin Williams and keep a record in our mind and in our hearts as we pass by the building. And on behalf of the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), Chairman Davis, I urge the support of this and will supply the statement for the record.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1463, which my colleague and good friend Tom Davis introduced to recognize the important contributions Justin W. Williams made to justice and freedom in our society.

Justin W. Williams was born in New York City in 1942. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from Columbia University in 1963 and his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1967. After law school, he worked for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division from 1967-1968, then served as Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Arlington County from 1968-1970.

Mr. Williams' career as a Federal prosecutor began on May 11, 1970. During the ensuing 33 years he was either directly involved in or supervised every major federal prosecution in the Eastern District of Virginia. Mr. Williams was appointed Acting United States Attorney on two occasions, June 1979 to November 1981 and January 1986 to June 1986. He was also at various times First Assistant United States Attorney, Senior Litigation Counsel, and for most of his illustrious career Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. As Chief of the Criminal Division, Justin Williams supervised over 100 prosecutors, and oversaw such high profile trials as U.S. v. Aldrich Ames, U.S. v. Robert Hanssen, both of whom were convicted of spying for the Soviet Union. He also led the prosecution of the Virginia Jihad Network.

His many accomplishments and awards, far too numerous to list, included the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interest of the United States National Security (2002), as well as three Directors' Awards for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney.

On August 31, 2003, Mr. Williams died tragically at the age of 61 from an apparent heart attack as he jogged along the Potomac River in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia, leaving his wife Suzanne and children Andrew and Caitlin. His untimely death marked the end of a career of a truly remarkable public servant who was loved and respected by all of his colleagues and those who had the pleasure of knowing him. Mr. Williams was revered as a mentor and role model and his legacy will serve as a testimonial to courage, conviction, fairness, and decency.

Madam Speaker, we owe Justin Williams, and all those in the legal field who have chosen a career in public service a debt of gratitude. I urge all my colleagues to forever remember Justin Williams and to keep a record in our minds, and in our hearts, of the great sacrifices made by all men and women in the legal community who have served and continue to serve our great Nation.

I thank the Virginia delegation for their support of this resolution and I ask all members to support H.R. 1463.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to draw the attention of the House to the retirement of Keith Wood Meurlin from the position of vice president and airport manager of Washington Dulles International Airport. He will leave his position at the end of March.

Keith has helped Washington Dulles grow from an airport that was used by few to an airport that is well respected world-wide. I remember attending an event on the runway of Dulles Airport when I was first elected to Congress. Last year alone 22.9 million passengers traveled through Dulles Airport.

As airport manager, Mr. Meurlin directed operations, maintenance, and commercial activities at Dulles, which employs nearly 17,000 people and is one of the busiest in the country in terms of aircraft operations. During Keith's tenure as airport manager, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) has invested nearly $1.5 billion in expanding the airport facilities in the late 1990's and is currently undertaking an additional $3 billion construction program to keep pace with current and future growth.

Mr. Meurlin came to the Washington airports in 1977 following his active duty in the United States Air Force. He began his service as an airport operations officer and successively advanced through the organization in engineering and maintenance and operations management positions before becoming the airport manager in 1989.

Mr. Meurlin helped guide Dulles after the September 11 terrorist attacks and has helped lead the way as the airport and the aviation industry have grown since that time. Last year at Dulles saw a passenger increase of almost 35 percent compared to 2003.

Keith has been extensively involved in the community. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Reston and the Loudoun Chambers of Commerce; Board of Directors of the Loudoun County Convention and Visitors Association; member of Leadership Fairfax; the Board of the United Way for both Loudoun County and the National Capital Area; and is the past chairman of the Heart Association of Northern Virginia.

He was also the recipient of the 2000 Citizen of the Year award from the Loudoun Rotary and the 2002 Tower of Dulles Award from the Committee for Dulles.

In addition to his service with MWAA, Mr. Meurlin has continued his military service in the Air Force Reserve where he has attained the rank of major general, the highest rank a traditional reservist can achieve.

I wish Keith and his family the best as he retires from MWAA and again thank him for his efforts to make Dulles Airport the thriving aviation center it is today.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize U.S. Army Captain David Rozelle for his brave service to our country. Captain Rozelle, of the 3rd Armored Cavalry, was injured in June 2003 while serving in Hit, Iraq. His Humvee hit an anti-tank mine, which severely injured his right foot and leg and later had to be amputated. Captain Rozelle earned the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart for his bravery and courage through this trying ordeal.

Captain Rozelle returns to active duty in Iraq this month as the first amputee in recent history to reenter the battlefield. Captain Rozelle suffered through many months of rehabilitation and has recently released a book describing his trials called Back in Action: An American Soldier's Story of Courage, Faith and Fortitude.

Captain Rozelle, now 32 years old, grew up in Texas with his parents John and Judy Rozelle. Always an active athlete, he graduated from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, where he left the football team to participate in the Army ROTC program. His wife, Kim, and 18-month old son Forrest are currently residing in Colorado.

Captain Rozelle is a man worthy of great honor. He has overcome many challenges through his recovery from his injury and his strength and courage is shown in his willingness to return to the same battlefield where he was first injured. I hope all our colleagues will join in honoring and thanking Captain Rozelle for his valiant service to our country.

Mr. Chairman, the bill we bring to the floor today includes $2 billion for funding requirements under the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Science, State Justice and Commerce including State Department and FBI needs related to program expenses in Iraq.

There are two major issues that I want to summarize, because there is not a lot of time.

The embassy in Iraq. The embassy in Iraq, 45 people have died in attacks on the embassy in Iraq. We want security in this building; we want security in many other buildings around the city. This embassy will cost less in many respects than many of the other buildings. So there is going to be a lot to talk about. But to send our men and women in harm's way to live in a building that is unsafe or to delay the construction would be, quite frankly, wrong.

On the whole issue of peacekeeping, there may very well be an amendment to strike the peacekeeping section. Members should know that in the North-South war, 2.1 million people in Sudan, many Christians, some Muslims and Animists, died in the North-South issue.

Darfur is the scene of genocide today as we now speak, and every Member of this House voted to say there was genocide in Sudan, and every Member of the Senate voted the same way. To take away the peacekeeping money after the Bush administration has done such a good job of bringing North-South peace, to take that away to allow the raping and the pillaging and everything that is going on in Sudan would be morally unacceptable.

Now, President Bush, working with Secretary Powell and Senator Danforth, has negotiated, after 20 years, and keep in mind, Osama bin Laden lived in Sudan from 1991 to 1996, have negotiated for 20 years, and now to strike the peacekeeping money that will send troops in that regard, and we do not want to send American troops there, troops that will stop the pillaging and put insulation into the peace agreement that has been signed, and that will put pressure, pressure, on ending the genocide that is taking place in Darfur.

I would beg this Congress after the good work of this administration and Members on both sides, and almost everybody signed Dear Colleague letters urging the administration to do more on Sudan, they are now doing it. Keep in mind there was slavery in Sudan up

until 2 years ago. Without peacekeepers in Sudan, the North-South agreement will break down, 2.1 million Christians will have died in vain, and many Muslims and many Animists, and Darfur will not come to an end.

So I beg this institution, when this amendment comes up to strike peacekeeping for this area, do not support it, because if you support it and it carries, the genocide, I can guarantee you, will continue in Darfur and the North-South peace agreement will break down and the war will begin. And keep in mind, Hamas has training camps in Khartoum and so does Hezbollah.

The bill we bring to the Floor today includes just over $2 billion for funding requirements under the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce, including State Department and FBI needs related to program expenses in Iraq.

For the State Department, we have included $1.92 billion, a reduction of $285 million from the President's request.

The bill includes the necessary funds to maintain our diplomatic presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to let our personnel carry out this duties in the safest and most secure manner possible.

If we are going to conduct diplomacy anywhere, it had better be done, and done right, in Iraq and Afghanistan. These are front lines of our foreign policy, and we neglect them at our peril. This bill pays the costs necessary for operations, logistics, and security in those dangerous, but critically important parts of the world.

This bill also includes $592 million to allow State to move out quickly to build a secure compound in Baghdad. The current facilities are not secure. We need to move people out of harm's way as soon as possible.

State has secured a 100 acre site, and is ready to begin construction immediately upon receiving the funds in this bill. Since the bombings in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam, State has delivered many of these secure compounds on time and on budget. With this funding they will complete a secure living and working compound within 24 months of enactment.

The bill also provides $580 million, $200 million below the President's request, to pay for the U.S. share of ongoing peacekeeping missions and a new mission for Sudan, where the U.S. has been a driving force for a peace agreement.

We have also included requested funding for the FBI counterterrorism efforts, and for DEA counternarcotics efforts in Afghanistan.

Finally, the bill includes requested costs of $14.5 million to jump- start the improvement of United States tsunami warning capabilities.

The Committee has scrubbed the President's request and reduced where we thought it made sense to do so. The result before you provides funding for important security measures for our diplomatic personnel, and provides for our ongoing commitments in Iraq and elsewhere.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Chairman, Members should ask themselves how would they like if their children, their son, their daughter, or their husband or their wife was in this embassy here. Now we have talked a lot, and this committee has done a lot on body armor and Humvee armor. Forty-five people have been killed in the embassy in Iraq. From Irvine, California, Keith Taylor, rocket attack; Tracy Hushin, Long Island, New York, suicide bomber; Leslie Davis from Magnolia, Texas, suicide bomber; Rosharon, Texas, suicide bomber; Astoria, Oregon, suicide bomber; Chickasaw, Alabama, suicide bomber; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, near Fallujah attack; Cleveland, Ohio; Copperas Cove, Texas; North Branch, Minnesota; South Windham, Connecticut.

This embassy was not built to be an embassy. This was Saddam Hussein's palace. It is a symbol of torture. It is not to be the symbol of the United States Government. We need to act quickly. We need to act quickly. If this amendment, if the Upton amendment passes, there will be a 6-month period whereby they will not have the protection.

I will put this listing out so Members can review them. Fire in a wooded area, electrical fire in Saddam Hussein's palace, again the structure was not built for it. Fire in Saddam's palace, August, 2004. I will not mention the woman's name, blood on the wall of a rocket attack whereby this young woman was killed. And here is a picture of two Americans killed the day before the Iraqi election.

We have had 1,500 military people die in the war in Iraq. It is help bringing about freedom. It is making a difference in the Palestinian area. It is making a difference in Egypt. It is making a difference in Lebanon. It is inappropriate for us not to fund a safe workplace for American citizens who are going to work in harm's way.

Lastly, people say this is an expensive embassy. This is an embassy, but it is a village. There is a power plant. There are housing facilities. The Beijing embassy cost $434 million. There is no threat to American citizens in Beijing. There are no terrorist attacks.

In Lebanon, 1983, 241 Marines were killed in a barracks with no setback. That same year in the American embassy in Lebanon, a number of Americans killed. There was the American bombing of the embassies in Tanzania and Kenya 1989. We have a moral obligation to the people that we are sending in this region to live in a situation and work where they will be protected.

I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. As the gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham) said as I was walking down to the well, how would Members like it if your children, your son or daughter or husband or wife had to work in this facility. I urge a no vote on the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly). The gentlewoman is right, Charles Taylor has been responsible for having dealings with al Qaeda and conflict diamonds. Charles Taylor was the one responsible for cutting off arms and legs of young people in Sierra Leone and in Liberia. I think the gentlewoman is right, Nigeria should return Charles Taylor so he can have a fair trial. I think the administration has a moral obligation to ask the Nigerians and get him back to go before the court.

Mr. Chairman, I am a cosponsor of the bill. I understand this amendment is going to be withdrawn. It is subject to a point of order. It is very good. Some of our Guardsmen and Reservists have been called up twice. We are having a problem in this region whereby they are really going through a difficult, difficult time. I think the gentleman's amendment is a very good amendment. At the appropriate time, I hope it passes and becomes law.

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

Mr. Speaker, today is the 46th anniversary of the Tibetans who died opposing the Chinese occupation, and all Tibetans who suffered due to their religious, political or cultural beliefs or activities.

In 1949 communist China invaded Tibet. The Tibetan people rose up to revolt against Communist rule. In 1959 thousands of Tibetan refugees surrounded the compound of His Holiness the Dalai Lama out of fear he would be killed. In order to try to save his people the Dalai Lama fled to India. His people stayed and were attacked by the Chinese. Thousands of unarmed civilians were killed. During the 1959 uprising an estimated 87,000 Tibetans were killed, arrested, or deported to labor camps.

The harsh brutality still exists in Tibet today. The People's Republic of China does not tolerate Tibetan freedom in any form. Each year thousands of innocent people are imprisoned or put to death under a system plagued with corruption and secrecy. Many Buddhist monks and nuns are in detention for peacefully exercising their right to free expression, association and religion.

I have visited Tibet and I was shocked and saddened by the repression of the Tibetan people. They live in fear that they will be killed, will disappear or will be tortured for expressing their political and religious beliefs. The Chinese government routinely refuses to allow independent international human rights monitors, including the United Nations, to conduct an investigation into the human rights situation in Tibet.

As co-chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I had the honor of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2003. He is a man of great wisdom and vision who has the sole purpose for his people and his country to live free from oppression. He has worked for more than 40 years to promote self-determination for the Tibetan people. The United States stands with him and supports a negotiated settlement through dialogue.

Mr. Speaker, this day is to remind the world that the Tibetan people have been denied freedom for more than half a century. The clock is ticking for Tibet. I know one day we will be able to celebrate the anniversary of Tibetan Freedom Day.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to honor the 44th anniversary of the Peace Corps, as we concluded the celebration of National Peace Corps Week on Sunday. The Peace Corps has made great contributions over the past 44 years with 178,000 volunteers that have served in 138 countries.

I would like to thank all those who have served and recognize their service and contributions they have given to the world.

I would also like to honor those colleagues who have served in the Peace Corps. Among them are former Ohio Congressman Tony Hall, who is now U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture agencies in Rome and who served in the Peace Corps in Thailand from 1966-67. Senator Christopher Dodd from Connecticut also served as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1966-68 in the Dominican Republic.

I hope all Americans will join me in recognizing the valuable service of those who have served in the Peace Corps and their hard work in helping to portray a positive image of the United States throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues today in this special order tribute to the life and achievements of our former colleague, Congresswoman Tillie Fowler, who passed away suddenly last week.

I had the privilege of serving with Tillie. She was a good person--a woman of honesty and integrity--and a remarkable public servant. She had a distinguished eight-year tenure in the House of Representatives. When she retired in 2001 after a self-imposed four-term limit, she was the highest-ranking woman in the House leadership, serving as the vice chairman of the Republican Conference. She also served for six years as a deputy majority whip.

Representing the area around Jacksonville, Florida, Tillie quickly made a mark in the House after her election in 1992. She obtained a seat on the House Armed Services Committee, the only Republican woman on the committee at that time, enabling her to represent well the military and naval installations in her northern Florida district.

She also served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and chaired the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Emergency Management, from which she led an investigation of the nation's preparedness for a domestic terrorist attack. Eighteen months before 9/ 11, she authored legislation that would have centralized federal anti- terrorism efforts. After the 2001 terrorists attacks, many of the reforms she proposed were enacted in the creation of Department of Homeland Security.

She gained a reputation as a knowledgeable and articulate advocate for a strong U.S. military and when she retired from Congress, she received the highest civilian awards given by the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense--the Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award and the Defense Department's Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

An attorney by profession, Tillie became a Washington-based partner in the Holland & Knight law firm after leaving Congress, but also continued her public service work. She served on the Defense Policy Advisory Committee, later chairing the panel--the first woman to head the board in its 20-year history--which advises the secretary of Defense on strategic planning matters. She also led a panel created by Congress in 2003 to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and was a member of a blue-ribbon panel which advised the Defense secretary last year on issues related to the allegations of prisoner abuse by U.S. military personnel at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Tillie Fowler was a wonderful person, the beloved wife of Buck Fowler of Jacksonville and devoted mother of two daughters, Tillie Fowler of Washington, D.C., and Elizabeth Fowler of San Francisco.

We mourn her sudden passing and offer our deepest sympathies to the Fowler family and the many, many friends and colleagues in both the public and private sectors whose lives were touched and enriched by Tillie Fowler.

Mr. Speaker, underage drinking is a serious national health and safety matter. In the United States, alcohol is the primary substance abused by young people. It is a major contributor to the three leading causes of death among this population--unintentional injuries; homicide; and suicide. Young people who start drinking at the age of 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholics than those who start drinking at 21 and are more likely to try marijuana and cocaine.

Many parents don't realize the enormity of this problem and often underestimate the prevalence of alcohol use by teens. More young people consume alcoholic beverages than use tobacco or illegal drugs. Sadly, by high school graduation, most students have used alcohol.

It's tough for children to withstand the regular exposure to the alcohol industry's advertisements encouraging them to purchase and use alcohol. The industry's aggressive marketing of its products has led to children seeing regular--often daily--images promoting drinking.

I am pleased to be joining in a bipartisan effort in both houses of Congress to introduce The STOP Underage Drinking Act. This important legislation will help establish federal coordination and reporting of underage drinking information and coordinate the efforts and expertise. It also mandates annual report to Congress on efforts to combat underage drinking and an annual ``report card'' to track State efforts.

The legislation also authorizes a national media campaign to fight underage drinking and would provide additional resources to prevent underage drinking through the Drug Free Communities program. It would create a new program to providing competitive grants to states, non- profit entities, and institutions of higher education to create state- wide coalitions to prevent underage drinking and alcohol abuse by college and university students.

Finally, it would expand research and data compilation on the prevalence of underage drinking, specifically: reporting on the types and brands of alcohol that kids consume and the impact of underage drinking upon adolescent brain development.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be a part of this effort to draw attention to this important national problem that is confronting our young people. I look forward to continuing this work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of the Capitol to see that this important legislation is enacted.

Mr. Speaker, in celebration of Black History Month, I would like to honor Frederick Douglass, a great advocate of human rights. The Caring Institute along with the National Park Service is celebrating the 187th birthday of Frederick Douglass with an event called ``Honoring Frederick Douglass: A Celebration of Black History.'' The celebration was held at Ford's Theatre on February 14.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery, and after eventually buying his freedom he went on to become a popular orator, author and publisher. He fought against discrimination of all types throughout his lifetime. Mr. Douglass played a great role in bringing about the abolition of slavery in America. He worked for women's rights as well, stating, ``I would give women the vote, precisely as I insisted upon giving the colored man the right to vote. Right is of no sex--truth is of no color--God is the Father of us all and we are all brethren.'' Toward the end of his life, Mr. Douglass served as a recorder of deeds and marshall for the District of Columbia and also as an ambassador to Haiti.

I encourage my colleagues to remember this great man during this month honoring those who have played such an important part in our Nation's history.