Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Deborah Marica Clemonts one of my most deserving constituents who is being honored as Small Business Owner of the Year by the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Deborah Clemonts is a small business owner in Halifax County who owns a beauty shop, barber shop, restaurant and has held the food service contract for Halifax Community College and the local community Adult Day Care for the past 3 years. Many of the special events that I have held in my Weldon Congressional Office have been catered by Deborah so I know first hand of her impressive, conscientious, professional work.

With all of the activity associated with managing these businesses, Deborah still finds the time to dedicate to the youth of First Baptist Church in Weldon, North Carolina, where the dynamic Reverend Quientrell Burrell is the pastor. Deborah is responsible for all of the youth- related activities of the church which include the Youth Choir, Junior Usher Board and the First Baptist Church Praise Dancers. I have learned that any evening of the week you can see Deborah driving around in the First Baptist Church van picking up and dropping off children or taking them to the Pizza Hut treating them to a pizza before turning them back over to their parents. Deborah is compassionate about the community youth and is trying to do her part in assisting in their growth as grounded, productive citizens. Mr. Speaker, I have learned that the youth have a special affection for Deborah such that they often willingly confide in her and look to her for advice and counsel with many of the problems that they are forced to confront daily. Whenever there is an opportunity, Deborah hires some of the youth to assist her with restaurant-related activities and takes every opportunity to mentor them about work ethic, professionalism and the importance of putting their best foot forward.

Mr. Speaker, I know the Clemonts family well and I know that Deborah's father, Reverend James Clemonts would be so proud of this honor bestowed upon her by the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce. I know that none of what Deborah has accomplished was easy. But in spite of the many obstacles, Deborah pressed on and I wish her continued success. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to one of the pillars in the First Congressional District, Ms. Deborah Marica Clemonts.

Madam Speaker, House Republicans are ignoring the priorities of America's families. Once again they refuse to bring up one single bill that will help working families who are struggling to make ends meet.

This morning I would like to offer my Republican colleagues a challenge: Name for me one bill that you have passed into law this year that has significantly helped middle-class Americans.

The American people want a government that works for them, and right now under this House Republican majority, they are not getting it. Middle-class Americans are struggling. For 5 years their wages have remained stagnant, while everything else, housing and health care, energy costs, food, and college costs, has increased dramatically. If you factor in inflation, hourly wages are only .7 percent higher today than they were in 2001. Weekly wages are about the same.

It is no wonder that a large majority of Americans are concerned about their futures. But House Republicans refuse to listen.

Madam Speaker, America works best when we work together for the common good. It is time for a change in Washington.

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

Mr. Speaker, as the chairman said a moment ago, this bill is intended to preserve the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego, California, and it allows for the immediate acquisition of this memorial by the United States Government.

The distinguished chairman, my friend from California, feels obviously very strongly about this issue, and apparently the people of that region also feel very strongly about it, by virtue of a vote that they took, a popular vote, indicating some 76 percent support for this idea.

Mr. Speaker, for that reason I will not be opposing the resolution. I will have some speakers who would like to speak to the issue.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to a distinguished member of the House Armed Services Committee, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman).

I do not have any additional speakers, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the leadership on both sides of the aisle for their bipartisan work on this great, historic legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation was enacted weeks after I finished high school in eastern North Carolina. At that time, there were no black elected officials and no prospect of electing minorities to office.

There was the literacy test and at-large elections and staggered terms and numbered seats. These were all devices that were used to disenfranchise the African American community. The Voting Rights Act has made a difference.

Section 2 has enabled minority communities to require significant changes in election procedure through legal action.

Section 5 has been the safety valve that has prevented jurisdictions from

changing their procedures to further dilute the minority vote.

In my congressional district, in 1965, there were no black elected officials. Today, Mr. Speaker, I count 302. It was the Voting Rights Act that made it happen.

I support the rule, Mr. Speaker, and I support the underlying legislation. I urge my colleagues to defeat the amendments and pass this legislation into law.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Fannie Lou Hammer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. I want to thank the Speaker and Majority Leader for their willingness to go forward with this debate prior to our upcoming recess.

The 1965 Voting Rights Act changed America. It created the opportunity for minority citizens to fully participate in Democracy. Prior to the enactment and enforcement of the Act, black citizens in the South were disenfranchised primarily because of the Literacy Tests and because of the design of election systems that submerged concentrations of black voters into large, majority-white election districts. The result was that African-American communities could not elect candidates of their choice to office.

Why? It was because black voters did not comprise sufficient numbers within the district and white voters refused to vote for candidates who were the choice of the minority community. And so, the votes of black citizens were diluted which is a clear violation of the principal of one-person, one-vote.

The Voting Rights Act permits minority citizens to bring Federal lawsuits when they feel their vote is being diluted. Hundreds of these lawsuits have been successfully litigated in the Federal courts. In my prior life I was a Voting Rights attorney in North Carolina. As a result of court ordered remedies, local jurisdictions have been required to create election districts that do not dilute minority voting strength. The result has been absolutely incredible. When I was in law school 32 years ago, there were virtually no black elected officials in my congressional district. Today, I count 302.

The Voting Rights Act also requires some jurisdictions to obtain Department of Justice pre-clearance to any change in election procedure. This, at first blush, may appear to be unfair to those jurisdictions. But the jurisdictions that are covered have a significant history of vote dilution and this requirement of pre- clearance simply assures that the jurisdiction does not, intentionally or unintentionally, make changes in their election procedures that will discriminate. This is called section 5. Section 5 has prevented many, many election changes that would have disenfranchised minority voters. It serves a useful purpose and should be extended.

A short story. In 1953, in my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina, the African-American community worked very hard to teach the literacy test and qualify black citizens to vote. They then organized and elected an African-American to the City Council in a district with a large concentration of black voters. That was big news. When it was time for re-election in 1957, the City Council arbitrarily and without notice or debate, changed the election system from district voting to at large voting which resulted in the submerging of black voters. The change also required voters to vote for all city council seats on the ballot. If not, the ballot was considered spoiled. It was called the ``vote for six rule.''

Needless to say, that candidate, Dr. G.K. Butterfield, was handily defeated. If Section 5 had been in place in 1957, this jurisdiction would not have been able to implement the changes and this community would have continued to have representation.

Mr. Chairman, we have made tremendous progress in this country with respect to civil rights and voting rights. We must not turn back. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 9 as reported by the Committee on the Judiciary and require covered jurisdictions to get the Department of Justice to analyze voting changes to determine if they will have the effect of diluting minority voting strength.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, it is my understanding that the House leadership has agreed to bring to the floor this week the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. I want to thank the Speaker and the majority leader for their willingness to go forward with this debate prior to our upcoming recess.

Madam Speaker, the 1965 Voting Rights Act changed America. It created the opportunity for minority citizens to fully participate in democracy. Prior to the enactment and enforcement of the act, black citizens in the South were disenfranchised, primarily because of the literacy tests and because of the design of election systems that submerged concentrations of black voters into large, majority-white election districts. The result was that African-American communities could not elect candidates of their choice to office.

Why? It was because black voters did not comprise sufficient numbers within the district and white voters refused to vote for candidates who were the choice of the minority community. And so the votes of black citizens were diluted, which is a clear violation of the principle of one-person, one-vote.

The Voting Rights Act permits minority citizens to bring Federal lawsuits when they feel their vote is being diluted. Hundreds of these lawsuits have been successfully litigated in the Federal courts. In my prior life, I was a voting rights attorney in North Carolina. As a result of court ordered remedies, local jurisdictions have been required to create election districts that do not dilute minority voting strength. When I was in law school 32 years ago, there were virtually no black elected officials in my congressional district. Today, I count 302.

The Voting Rights Act also requires some jurisdictions to obtain Department of Justice pre-clearance to any change in election procedure. This, at first blush, may appear to be unfair to those jurisdictions, but the jurisdictions that are covered have a significant history of vote dilution and this requirement of pre- clearance simply assures that the jurisdiction does not intentionally or unintentionally make changes in their election procedures that will discriminate. This is called section 5. Section 5 has prevented many, many election changes that would have disenfranchised minority voters. It serves a useful purpose and should be extended.

A short story, Madam Speaker, and then I will close. In 1953 in my hometown of Wilson, NC, the African-American community worked very hard to teach the literacy test and qualify black citizens to vote. They then organized and elected an African American to the city council in a district with a large concentration of black voters. That was big news. When it was time for reelection in 1957, the city council, arbitrarily and without notice or debate, changed the election system from district voting to at-large voting which resulted in the submerging of black voters. The change also required voters to vote for all city council seats on the ballot. If not, the ballot was considered spoiled. It was called the ``vote for six rule.''

Needless to say, that candidate, Dr. G.K. Butterfield, was handily defeated. If section 5 had been in place in 1957, this jurisdiction would not have been able to implement the changes and this community would have continued to have representation.

Madam Speaker, we have made tremendous progress in this country with respect to civil rights and voting rights. We must not turn back. I urge my colleagues on Thursday to vote for another 25-year extension of section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and require covered jurisdictions to get the Department of Justice to analyze the voting change to determine if it will have the effect of diluting minority voting strength.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have a chance to give more than 6 million Americans a much-deserved pay raise. Would you believe that the minimum wage has not been increased in 9 years? It is the second longest amount of time that hardworking Americans have had to go without a pay raise, resulting in the hourly wage being at its lowest level in 50 years.

House Democrats want to expand economic opportunity for all Americans. We want to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25. It is only fair. These workers play by the rules every day. All they want in return is to make a living wage.

Do my Republican colleagues really believe that $5.15 an hour is still a living wage? House Republicans claim that the only people who make the minimum wage are teenagers. Wrong.

Mr. Speaker, 75 percent of minimum wage workers are either the sole or one of two breadwinners in the family. House Republicans also like to claim that if we increase the minimum wage, jobs will be lost. Wrong again. Today in the States that mandate a higher minimum wage, job growth has actually gotten higher. No more excuses.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans are going to try to demonstrate that they are serious about reversing the record deficits that they have created. What is their plan?

They want to give President Bush a line item veto. Incredible.

If the President was really interested in curbing Federal expenditures, he could have vetoed any number of appropriations bills over the last 5 years. To this date, Mr. Speaker, the President has not vetoed one bill that has come out of this Republican Congress, not one. President Bush is the longest sitting President since Thomas Jefferson not to exercise the veto.

So one might ask, why does the President need a line item veto when he refuses to use the veto? The fact is, Mr. Speaker, this is nothing more than a smokescreen invented by the Republicans to show that they are serious about deficit reduction.

They are trying to divert attention away from the fact that under their control record surpluses have turned into record deficits. If President Bush really wanted to exercise discipline, he would have vetoed other legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I will be managing the time on behalf of the Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee. And I certainly want to thank Mr. Moran for bringing forth this resolution and thank Mrs. Drake of Virginia for managing the time and urging the adoption of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, in 2004, my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina, suffered its first casualty of war since Vietnam. Our community is a rather small community of 43,000 people, and all of the residents of my community including myself felt the sting of this terrible tragedy.

It is abhorrent to me to denigrate this honorable ceremony; yet somehow a few people have found a reason to justify the terrible act of picketing a military funeral. That in my opinion, Mr. Speaker, is despicable. A military funeral is a farewell; it is a farewell for loved ones and a final act of thanks from a grateful Nation. Every soldier in our history, no matter who the enemy has been, has been granted this one simple act which has tragically been repeated so many times and too many times during this and other wars, but always with pride.

Every parent deserves to lay their child to rest as a soldier and as a hero, a person to whom servicemen and servicewomen can look with reverence. Every wounded veteran, Mr. Speaker, can look to these fallen men and women and draw strength from their memories.

To those who are grieving and most vulnerable, the protest must be utterly devastating to them. They are nothing more than cowardly attacks on members of our communities most deserving of our gratitude and our respect.

Today, Mr. Speaker, we come to the floor to honor those who have shown courage in response to cowardness. I commend in the strongest possible terms the Patriot Guard Riders. These volunteers have come forward in defense of our military families, including a dear friend of mine from Greensboro, North Carolina, Mr. Steve Winsett. These men perform selfless acts in memory of servicemembers who will never be able to repay them. It is an act of compassion and is a part of what makes our great Nation strong.

Mr. Speaker, make no mistake about it, I support the first amendment's guarantee of free speech, but this sacred moment in the life of a family is out of bounds. I urge the members of the Westboro Baptist Church to find another venue to express themselves.

We express our deepest gratitude from the House Armed Services Committee and from this body; we express our deepest gratitude to the Patriot Guard Riders. And I want to thank again Mr. Moran for bringing forth this resolution, because it is most appropriate at this time.

I urge its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers at this time, but I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an upcoming event that should be of interest to my colleagues. The Democratic Pacific Union was founded in August 2005 and its Pacific Congressional Caucus (Taiwan Chapter) was inaugurated on May 20, 2006. Chaired by Taiwan Vice President Lu Hsiu-lien, the Taiwan Chapter has been very active in promoting democracy, peace and prosperity through the publication of the Democratic Pacific Union Quarterly, the scheduling of regional meetings in the East and the West Pacific regions, the initiation of the Pacific Economic Advisory Group and the Pacific Congressional Caucus project.

I commend Chair Lu Hsiu-lien of the Democratic Pacific Union for her hard work and applaud the Taiwan Chapter for all its initiatives on behalf of the Democratic Pacific Union in their pursuit of a stronger democratic process.

The Taiwan Chapter will also sponsor a symposium on congressional reform this summer in Taipei from August 12-14. The symposium will discuss the relationships between legislature and democracy, the electoral process, rules and campaign finance. As the world's strongest democracy, the United States can contribute greatly to this event. I urge my colleagues to attend this symposium and share their knowledge and expertise with fellow lawmakers from the Pacific region.

Mr. Speaker, the House is back in session for yet another week. The sad fact is that this House has only been in session 43 days this year; but once again, the Republican majority refuses to schedule any meaningful legislation to address our Nation's energy crisis. So that is why we call this the do-nothing Congress.

The Republican Party's cosy relationship with Big Oil is causing pain for the American consumer and jeopardizing our national security. Last year, Big Oil recorded record profits, thanks partly to billions in tax breaks that Republicans rewarded their friends last year. Yet, House Republicans remain defiant in their opposition to repealing the $8 billion in tax breaks they have given to their friends in the oil industry.

Mr. Speaker, this is really a question of fairness. Why should oil companies continue to receive giant tax breaks from the Federal Government when they are recording record profits. Democrats want to repeal these unnecessary subsidies so we can provide consumers with some relief.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise and ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring and celebrating the life and work of Mr. Jettie Purnell. One of Halifax County's most notable citizens, Mr. Purnell's work in civil rights and labor rights has changed forever the lives of the people of the First Congressional District and those of people far outside its limits.

As a young man, Mr. Purnell was thrust into service during World War II as a soldier in the U.S. Army. He continued his patriotic service by fighting racism at home and playing a key role in the civil rights movement. His work continued as he moved aggressively and persistently to unionize local textile mills. Mr. Purnell led the fight for justice and equal rights, and also led a successful effort to designate a section of U.S. Highway 158 as George Thomas Young Drive.

Mr. Purnell is indeed a pillar of his community. He was a plaintiff in the historic voting rights lawsuit in Halifax County that resulted in the creation of a district method of election for the Board of County Commissioners.

Mr. Purnell's friends and family say that dispensing advice is his second profession. He has often been the chief advisor on matters of local importance. His daughter Sonya is insistent that ``when my daddy spoke, people listened.'' Mr. Speaker, that is why this past week, Mr. Purnell was finally recognized for his tremendous work as a local leader. The longtime community activist was honored at a ceremony for the new apartment complex recently completed in the Roanoke Rapids area of my district. At the dedication ceremony the Olde Town Village Apartment Complex Activity Center was named in Mr. Purnell's honor.

Mr. Speaker, I could not imagine a more fitting facility to bear the name of Mr. Purnell than a community activity center in an area where he has been so adamantly committed to raising the quality of life.

I rise both to honor the life and service of Mr. Jettie Purnell and to thank him for his many years of service. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a man that has given to his community without ever asking to be recognized. This brief mention is the very least that we can do.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to offer this amendment today on behalf of the 23 rural counties that I represent in eastern North Carolina, and I might say that we are also the 15th poorest district in the Nation. I offer this amendment on behalf of the small and low-income and underserved rural communities all across America.

Mr. Chairman, before I continue with offering this amendment, I would like to say what a fine job that you and your staff have done on this bill. You were very courteous to me when I discussed this amendment with you a few minutes ago, and I thank you so very much. I also would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their spirit of bipartisanship on this committee.

Mr. Chairman, it is my intention to support the underlying bill. This amendment is offered to respectfully bring attention to this particular area of need.

If an individual is driving along interstate highway 95, and many of my colleagues when they travel south will travel that route, if you are driving along this interstate highway and you find yourself in an unfortunate collision, the odds are very likely that the emergency vehicles that respond to your situation were financed through the Community Facilities Account in Rural Development.

In all likelihood, the fire station and the police station and other facilities in the rural community that support these vehicles came from this account. Community Facilities, or CF as we call it, provides low- interest, long-term loans to rural towns and cities for buildings and emergency vehicles and other items. These loans are a net positive to the Federal Government over the life of the loan, and they have an exceptionally low default rate because the recipient is a local governmental entity. Because the funding is leveraged, a $5 million increase in this account will result in approximately $28 million in increased lending to local counties, cities, and towns.

Mr. Chairman, I realize that funding is tight this fiscal year. We all know that. But a small amount of money will allow a disproportionately large amount of lending to small communities across America to develop critical infrastructure that will save lives. So on behalf of the rural communities across America, I urge the adoption of this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I won't take the full 5 minutes. Let me thank the chairman for agreeing to this amendment and thank him for his leadership on the committee and thank him for his work on this Congress.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment is critically needed to provide financial assistance to our Nation's minority farmers, 1890 Land Grant Colleges and Universities, and our Nation's Hispanic serving institutions.

We must offer more outreach and more technical assistance to our farmers. During fiscal year 1983, President Reagan initiated the Small Farmer Outreach Training and Technical Assistance program in response to the USDA task force on A.A. farm ownership.

This is the only program--the only program--implemented by the USDA that directly helps minority farmers who are losing their farms at a rate that far exceeds their White counterparts.

Mr. Chairman, the USDA has already paid over $1 billion to settle discrimination lawsuits. By investing in the 2501 program, we can improve relationships between the USDA and socially disadvantaged farmers and prevent future lawsuits. This is a small investment that could potentially save millions in the future. I therefore, Mr. Chairman, urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the Baca- Butterfield-Hinojosa-Thompson amendment to increase funding for the USDA education grants program for Hispanic-serving institutions and for the Minority Rancher and Farmer Program. I would like to thank my colleague from California, my good friend, Mr. Baca, for his leadership role in building the capacity for our community to fully participate and contribute to the USDA research agenda.

I am also pleased to join in partnership with Mr. Butterfield and Mr. Thompson to offer this amendment to advance equality and equity in the agriculture sector.

I would especially like to thank the chairman, my colleague from Texas, Mr. Bonilla, for working with us to craft an amendment that could draw bipartisan support.

The minority farmer and rancher outreach and technical assistance program provides outreach and technical assistance to encourage and assist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in owning and operating farms and ranches as well as participating equitably in the full range of agricultural programs offered by the USDA.

My region is home to a large number of hispanic farmers, and their numbers are growing. our nation is stronger when our minority farmers and ranchers are successful, and this program is a modest investment to advance that success.

The competitive USDA/HSI grant program is designed to promote and strengthen the ability of HSIs to carry out education programs that attract, retain, and graduate outstanding students capable of enhancing the nation's food and agricultural scientific and professional work force.

This program is making a difference in my community and across the nation.

Only 2.7 percent of Hispanic college graduates earn a degree in agriculture-related areas. The continued under-representation of Hispanics in these important demands a greater investment in such programs to expand funding to additional HSIs to better meet USDA goals.

Our amendment is a modest step in that direction.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Brenda C. Arnold, one of Bennett Career Institute's most dedicated, compassionate and qualified instructors. I applaud Ms. Arnold for all that she has done over the years to nurture, motivate, and instill confidence in the students who have crossed her path. In her own special way she touches the lives of so many daily.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Arnold is indeed the human catalyst at Bennett Career Institute who stimulates the cosmetology students in a very unique and special way. While encouraging the students to maximize their greatest potential, Ms. Arnold lets them know that she expects nothing but the best that they have to offer. Because of Mr. Chett Bennett, Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Arnold, Freshman Instructor, and other qualified and dedicated instructors, the Bennett Career Institute has grown over the years in leaps and bounds. The opportunities and exposure that this Institute provides to its students is unsurpassed.

Mr. Speaker, I have learned that Bennett Graduates who have taken instruction under Ms. Arnold, in past years eagerly return to Bennett Career Institute to pay tribute to her and to express their gratitude for the positive ways that she touched their lives. They return frequently to Bennett Career Institute to say ``thanks'' to Ms. Arnold for her role in enhancing their quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the experience at Bennett Career Institute, Ms. Arnold has provided instruction and held management positions at various other Institutions in the District of Columbia. She has worked as a Manager at Jazzmin's Hair Gallery; a Sales Representative with Barry Fletcher Products; as an Instructor with Parvane Institute of Esthetics; as an Instructor with the District of Columbia Beauty Academy; as a Freelance Stylist and Consultant with Added Attraction; as an Educational Therapy Assistant with the District of Columbia Public Schools--Central Diagnostic Placement Center; and as a Director and Instructor with Image Makers Beauty Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my Congressional Colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to help me pay tribute to this bright star, Ms. Brenda C. Arnold, for rekindling the life of so many of our young citizens who, but for her, may have gotten distracted and gone astray joining the ranks of far too many others who are still searching for direction and their station in life.

Mr. Seaker, I wish God's continued blessings upon Ms. Brenda C. Arnold, Mr. Chett Bennett, other members of the Faculty, Administrative Staff and the student body of Bennett Career Institute.

Mr. Speaker, with a population of 23 million people, Taiwan is a democracy and a global economic power, yet it is not a member of the United Nations. In January of this year a proposal failed concerning Taiwan's World Health Assembly observer status during the World Health Organization's Executive Board meeting in Geneva. I am concerned that with the outbreak of SARS and ongoing concerns related to the possible human-to-human transmission of H5Nl Bird Flu, Taiwanese membership in international health entities should be considered with a greater sense of urgency.

I urge the Administration to take steps to allow entry of Taiwan into all relevant international health organizations to ensure the best possible response to any potential future health outbreaks that could ultimately invade the United States and detrimentally impact Americans. Despite not being a member of the World Health Organization, Taiwan has declared its voluntary early compliance with all provisions of the International Health Regulations (2005).

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Administration to encourage key leaders of other nations to resume talks with Chen Shui-Bian as soon as possible.