Floor Statements

Will the gentleman yield?

At the point where I am recognized, I will be also seeking unanimous consent for the same kind of referral of time to your control.

Mr. Speaker, I would also yield 5 minutes of my time to the gentleman from Ohio and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control those 5 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), a national leader on the issue of nonproliferation and human rights and particularly our efforts to stop Iran's nuclear weapons program, the Democratic whip of the House.

I am pleased to yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 750, and I yield myself 2\1/2\ minutes.

The bill before us today marks a significant step forward in our sanctions effort against the Iranian regime and its illicit nuclear program, the sanctions effort which even Tehran acknowledges is already having a stressful impact on Iran's economy. I want to commend my colleague, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for her work on this legislation; and I'm proud to be the bill's chief cosponsor in the House.

Building on previous sanctions, this bill adds to what the gentlelady and I set out to do when we introduced it. For example, through further limiting transitions with the Central Bank of Iran, an initiative I originated, this legislation restricts Iran's ability to repatriate the revenue it receives from its diminishing oil sales. It includes provisions that clamp down on Iran's oil exports by targeting the National Iranian Oil Company and the National Iranian Tanker Company; and it expands sanctions on Iranian shipping, insurance, and financing in the energy sector.

The bill also increases sanctions on transactions with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the spearhead of Iran's nuclear proliferation and terrorism effort and the dominant player in the Iranian economy. Further, at my suggestion, this bill now includes a measure which expands CISADA sanctions beyond financial institutions to include more than 200 additional individuals and companies that have been linked to Iran's nuclear weapons of mass destruction and terrorism programs.

And of critical importance, this bill vastly strengthens sanctions on both Iranian and Syrian human rights abusers. These provisions are very important, but the Iranians should not be fooled into thinking this is the last word on sanctions. Far from it.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to call on the administration to implement the authorities we have given them, fully and without delay. Iran's nuclear clock is ticking, and time is not on our side. The actions the executive branch took yesterday, including the first-ever CISADA sanctions on foreign banks--more than 2 years after CISADA became law--are a good beginning, but Iran's nuclear weapons program continues apace. Every day, it is enriching more uranium and at higher levels.

The only hope we have for a peaceful solution is to apply enough pressure to ensure that Iran ends its nuclear weapons program. The bill before us and the action the administration has taken applies significantly more pressure; but let there be no doubt, there is more we can do and more that we will do if Iran doesn't end its nuclear weapons program verifiably and completely. We have more work to do.

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Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Nonproliferation and Trade.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend from Florida (Mr. Deutch), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the author of the bill which declares Iran's energy sector a zone of proliferation.

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman who organized the Iran Working Group 7 or 8 years ago to focus congressional attention on the looming threat of a nuclear Iran, my friend from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

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

I'm very pleased to yield 1 minute to a former member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, my friend from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, could I get another indication of the time remaining?

In this case, I'm pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, a longtime member and leader on the Foreign Affairs Committee and a very active legislator on the issue before us today--that is, the effort to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon--my friend from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I have no further requests for time.

And I'd like to just raise a couple of the issues that my friends, Mr. Paul from Texas and Mr. Kucinich from Ohio, have put forth in the context of opposition to this bill.

This is not the next step to war. This is the alternative to war. Iran having a nuclear weapon is unacceptable for many, many reasons:

It means the end of the nonproliferation regime;

It means countries all through that part of the world will seek their own nuclear weapons;

It raises the specter of nuclear weapons being passed on and dirty bombs being passed on to terrorists, and there is nothing in the comments of the regime that could let one relax and think they would never be the first to use those nuclear weapons.

That is unacceptable. Our alternatives are either war or finding a diplomatic resolution of their nuclear weapons program, the end of that program.

They've been found, not by the White House, not by some Vulcans in foreign policy, but by the IAEA and the U.N. Security Council, over and over again, to have violated their obligations under the nonproliferation treaty to which they are a signatory. They don't ratify the additional protocols. They move ahead with enrichment plants that they don't need for a peaceful weapons program.

They do not have a right to enrich. You could argue they have a right to a nuclear energy program, but not a right to enrich. They conceal information in violation of their treaty obligations.

This is, hopefully, the final step, but if not we will have to intensify the sanctions to achieve that diplomatic program.

And Iran is not some bucolic, peace-loving state that has never done anything against its neighbors. Everyone knows that Hezbollah is a direct foreign agent of Iran that gets its funding, its training, and its sponsorship and its directions from Iran.

We know what they've done to the marines in Lebanon. We've known what they tried to do to the Saudi Ambassador here in Washington. We know that in Delhi and in Bulgaria and a number of other capitals around the world, their effort to commit terrorist acts against Israeli diplomats and Israeli citizens. Their record as a state sponsor of terror is the largest and most impactful in the world.

They are pursuing a nuclear weapons capability. It is our obligation to do every measure we have to stop them from getting that, and we want to do it peacefully. This strategy that we are embarked on is an effort to find a way to do this without resorting to war, and I urge my colleagues to stand strongly behind this bill.

This is the alternative. It is the only feasible alternative. Otherwise, we are faced with two very dismal prospects: a military action or an Iran with nuclear weapons and all that means.

I urge an ``aye'' vote.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2362, the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011. My reasons for opposing this ill-conceived and unnecessary legislation are spelled out in a dear colleague I issued with several of my colleagues, and which I submit for the record. I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2362.

Vote No on H.R. 2362

Dear Colleague: We urge you to oppose H.R. 2362, the Indian

Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of

2011, when it is considered on the House floor today. This

bill provides for investment activities by WTO member nations

in a select number of Indian tribal lands, with implied

special consideration for Turkish businesses. Although the

bill ostensibly applies equally to all WTO member nations,

its Findings section exclusively discusses Turkey's relations

with Native Americans, alleging that Turkey has

``demonstrated a unique interest in bolstering cultural,

political, and economic relationships with Indian tribes and

tribal members''--without explaining the nature of this

``unique interest.'' Moreover, in both the operative and non-

operative sections of the bill, the concept of ``all WTO

member nations'' is expressed as ``Turkey and other World

Trade Organization member nations''--an odd description that,

if adopted by Congress, would suggest that the United States,

for no apparent reason, prefers Turkish investment in tribal

areas over that from other WTO member nations.

Turkey is an important NATO ally, but we are concerned

about the prospect of singling out Turkey for special

consideration at a time when Ankara is pursuing so many

objectionable policies. For example:

Turkey recognizes the terrorist Hamas government in Gaza

and even received its leader in the Turkish parliament

earlier this year--disturbing hypocrisy from a state that

receives U.S. support for its own fight against terrorism.

Turkey also demands that Israel end its naval blockade of

Gaza, despite the deadly security threat Hamas poses to

Israel. Turkey's repeated, flagrant criticism of Israel is

particularly troubling and potentially destabilizing.

As a member of the UN Security Council two years ago,

Turkey voted against sanctions on Iran.

For 38 years, Turkey has illegally occupied the northern

third of the island Republic of Cyprus, a member of the

European Union. More recently, Turkey has threatened the use

of force to stop Texas-based Noble Energy from drilling for

oil and gas off the shores of EU-member Cyprus and to

blacklist any businesses that work with Cyprus for natural

resource extraction.

Turkey continues to deny the Armenian Genocide during which

1.5 million Armenians perished and has threatened punitive

measures against the United States if Congress recognizes

this tragic event. Since 1993 Turkey has maintained a

destabilizing blockade of Armenia.

On July 19, Congress sent H.R. 205 to the President for

signature into law. That bill, known as the HEARTH Act,

provides that all Native American tribes, not just a few,

would have the right to lease tribal lands for economic

development purposes to any party, domestic or foreign--not

just to Turkish parties. H.R. 205 would also maintain

traditional federal government oversight of economic use of

tribal lands; in contrast, H.R. 2362 would limit that

oversight for the tribal lands to which it would apply. But,

even at it is best, H.R. 2362--with its focus on only a few

tribal areas and its implied preference for Turkish

investment--is redundant and an unusual, unprecedented, and

unnecessary endorsement of a state that, though an ally,

continues to pursue problematic policies.

We encourage you to vote no on H.R. 2362.

Howard L. Berman.

Gary Ackerman.

Eliot Engel.

Shelley Berkley.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to my dear friend Dolores Huerta, who recently received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This coveted honor is the highest civilian award for service to the nation. It recognizes individuals who have made an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

Dolores is a world renowned activist and is regarded as the most prominent Chicana labor leader in the United States. She is currently the President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, whose mission is to build active communities in disadvantaged areas and to work towards fair and equal access to healthcare, housing, education, jobs, civic participation and economic resources with an emphasis on women and youth. Dolores gives a voice to the voiceless and countless Americans owe a debt of immense gratitude to her for making their causes her own.

I met Dolores in 1972 when I was a member of the California State Legislature and she was the vice president and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America. Over the last forty years, I have had the pleasure of working with her on many issues.

In 1955, when she was only twenty-five years old, she found her calling as an organizer while serving in the leadership of the Stockton Community Service Organization (CSO), a grass roots organization that battled segregation and police brutality, led voter registration drives, pushed for improved public services, and fought to enact new legislation. Through her tireless lobbying efforts, she succeeded in getting the citizenship requirements removed from pension and public assistance programs. She was the leading force in the passage of legislation allowing voters to vote in Spanish, and the right to take the driver's license examination in their native language.

She has been arrested twenty-two times for participating in non- violent civil disobedience activities and strikes to protect farmers and women, which has resulted in great benefit to both groups. Due to her solid support for the grape strikes, farm workers won health and benefit plans for the first time, and those who had lived, worked, and paid taxes in the United States for many years were granted amnesty. Dolores fought tirelessly to provide a better working environment and stop the abuse of female immigrants across the U.S.-Mexican border, and she lobbied law enforcement agencies in both countries to stop the brutal rape and the murder of these immigrants.

Dolores was given the Outstanding Labor Leader Award in 1984 by the California State Senate. In 1993, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. That same year she received the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Roger Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award; and the Eugene V. Debs Foundation Outstanding American Award, and the Ellis Island Medal of Freedom Award. She is also the recipient of the Consumers' Union Trumpeter's Award. In 1998, she was one of three Ms. Magazine, ``Women of the Year'', and the Ladies Home Journal's, ``100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century.'' She received three honorary doctorate degrees for her extraordinary life work.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, I ask you to join me in honoring Dolores Huerta for her outstanding contribution to our community. Few Americans in our history have done more to protect workers and safeguard women's rights than Dolores Huerta. We are a better country because Dolores continues to play a vital role in shaping our laws and values.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my distinguished colleagues in welcoming the delegates and participants for the nineteenth annual International AIDS Conference, which will convene here in Washington from July 22nd to 27th. This is the first time that the conference has been held in the United States since 1985--a return made possible by our bipartisan efforts to remove travel and immigration restrictions against persons infected with HIV.

This international conference is important not just because of the issues it will highlight and the people it will bring together, but because of the scientific and informational exchange it will make possible. AIDS 2012, as it has been billed, is recognized as the premier gathering for individuals working in the HIV/AIDS field, as well as policymakers, advocates, care providers, people living with HIV/AIDS, and others committed to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It offers a unique opportunity to change the course of the epidemic by capitalizing on scientific advances in treatment and prevention, building consensus to improve service delivery and maximize outcomes, facilitating global civil society engagement, and accelerating momentum toward a cure.

Even today, the magnitude of the challenge posed by HIV/AIDS is difficult to fathom. Despite the fact that the disease is easily preventable and treatable, almost 2 million people die each year from AIDS-related causes. At last count an estimated 34 million people were living with HIV/AIDS, including 3.4 million children. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear the brunt of the disease, accounting for 68 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS -- 59 percent of whom are women. Here in the United States, as many as 1 in 5 individuals living with HIV/AIDS is unaware of being infected, and significant disparities persist across different communities and populations with regard to incidence of infection, access to treatment, and health outcomes. Our nation's capital has an HIV prevalence rate of nearly 3 percent, which is comparable to the rate in many parts of the developing world.

The enormity of the challenge calls for a sustained, coordinated and robust response. In 2003, President George W. Bush launched the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, which received bipartisan support in Congress. It represents the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease and has saved the lives of millions of people around the world by establishing and expanding the infrastructure necessary to deliver prevention, care, and treatment services in low-resource settings. In 2008, I worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act. That bill, which passed the House by an overwhelming margin of 308 to 116, authorized up to $48 billion over 5 years to combat those three diseases. The authorization will expire next year, and it's time for us to renew the same spirit of bipartisan cooperation that led to this record of success.

With the help of PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the world has seen truly remarkable advances in AIDS research, prevention and treatment over the past decade. What was once seen as a death sentence is now, for those with access to treatment, a manageable illness, and large numbers of people in even the poorest countries are receiving treatment that once seemed out of reach. By the end of 2011, the Global Fund alone had supported anti- retroviral treatment for 3.3 million HIV-positive people, anti- tuberculosis treatment for 8.6 million, and 230 million insecticide- treated nets for the prevention of malaria, in all saving about 7.7 million lives. Recently the Fund has begun making comprehensive reforms to its structure and program to ensure that funds are spent in the most efficient, effective and accountable way.

President Obama has articulated a global vision of an AIDS-free generation, which means virtual elimination of new pediatric HIV infections by 2015, as well as a domestic goal of cutting new infections in the United States by 25% by 2015. As the eyes of the world are turned on our nation for the conference, we have an opportunity to step up to the plate and endorse these goals, not just in principle but also by making a commitment to provide the resources that are necessary to achieve it. We can't do it all by ourselves--each country needs to do its part, with the help of the private sector and civil society organizations--but neither can it happen without us.

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 6018, the Fiscal Year 2013 Foreign Relations Authorization Act.

This bill establishes the basis for our Embassies to function and our diplomats to promote U.S. national interests around the world. It provides some of the authorities and resources our State Department needs to promote peaceful international cooperation, protect U.S. national security, and demonstrate the values and principles that define us as a nation.

All around the world, our foreign and civil service officers operate on the front lines of the fight against global terrorism, putting their lives at risk to protect the lives of innocents. By shortchanging our diplomats, we only increase the likelihood of armed confrontation. Skillful diplomacy is also essential for opening foreign markets to American goods and services, which promotes economic growth and creates jobs here at home.

On balance, I do support this bill. It's not perfect. The authorization numbers are well below the FY13 requested levels, lower than what I think is needed to exert strong and effective global leadership, and in a perfect world, I would have preferred a more comprehensive bill that authorizes the full range of our global activities. But the distinguished chairman and her staff have worked with us diligently over the past few weeks to make the changes necessary to arrive at a text that we can wholeheartedly support, so I thank the chairman for her hard work on the bill and for the comity and respect she demonstrated throughout the process.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, consider my opening to be my closing, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2165, the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012, and I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I want to thank, first of all, my friends, Majority Leader Cantor and Minority Whip Hoyer, for bringing this important bill back to the floor of the House so that we can accept the Senate's constructive additions and send it to the President's desk.

I'd also like to thank, as did my chairman, Senators Boxer and Isakson, and Senator Collins, for their leadership on this resolution in the Senate.

And finally, I want to thank my friend and chairman, the gentlelady from Florida, for her continued leadership on the issue of the U.S.- Israel relationship.

Members should recall that in May we passed the House version of this bill, H.R. 4133, by a near-unanimous vote. We will be taking another vote today because the Senate has added an important extension of military stockpile reserve authorities. I strongly support this addition and thank the Senate for its contribution.

Mr. Speaker, since its founding, Israel has faced innumerable challenges to its survival, but the serious threats it faces today are unprecedented. Deadly cross-border attacks from the Sinai Peninsula have taken both Israeli Arab and Israeli Jewish lives.

Terrorism still penetrates Israel from Gaza in the form of rocket and mortar attacks. But unlike in years past, the Iron Dome Anti-Missile System, funded in part by the United States, has changed the rules of the game. In fact, Iron Dome has been successful in intercepting a remarkable 90 percent of incoming rockets aimed at once defenseless population centers.

Currently, there are only a handful of Iron Dome batteries operational in Israel. More are needed in order to protect all of Israel's 8 million citizens.

I'm pleased to say that S. 2165 retains language from the Iron Dome Support Act, bipartisan legislation I introduced which now has nearly 110 cosponsors expressing support for providing Israel assistance to produce additional Iron Dome batteries.

This bill also pledges to assist Israel with its ongoing effort to forge a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results in two states living side by side in peace and in security. Despite all the obstacles to achieving this goal, we cannot give up trying, as peace is profoundly in Israel's strategic interest.

I applaud Prime Minister Netanyahu's willingness to negotiate anywhere, anytime. The Palestinians should take him up on that offer, instead of pursuing a campaign to delegitimize Israel at the U.N. and elsewhere.

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the greatest threat to both American and Israeli security today is that posed by Iran's nuclear weapons program. I hope this problem can be solved diplomatically, but as we all know, only massive pressure from the United States and our allies has any chance of persuading Iran to give up its quest for nuclear arms.

In fact, we are currently negotiating a sanctions bill with the Senate, the Iran Threat Reduction Act, which Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and I introduced and which the House passed late last year. That bill will dramatically increase the economic pressure on Iran. Meanwhile, the bill before us today makes clear that the U.S. Congress will continue to help Israel meet the Iranian threat.

Gaza-based terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Iranian nuclear program are not the only threats faced by Israel. Recent events in Egypt and Syria, along with the presence of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, require Israeli vigilance against danger from all directions.

To that end, this bill, once again, reaffirms our determination to support Israel's qualitative military edge against any possible combination of regional threats. In reinforcing that commitment to Israel's security, this bill extends for 4 years a loan guarantee program for Israel that was initiated in 2003. The extension is based on legislation that Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and I introduced in March.

Mr. Speaker, our relationship with our ally Israel is one of the most important and closest that we have with any nation in the world. The United States and Israel face many of the same threats, and we share the same values. Israel's defense minister, Ehud Barak, recently said that he can hardly remember a better period of U.S. ``support and cooperation'' and common U.S.-Israel strategic understanding than the current one.

The passage of this bill will help ensure that this cooperation continues into the future. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman representing American Samoa and the ranking Democrat on the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Faleomavaega.

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

Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time is remaining on each side.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 5 minutes to our distinguished whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.

After what we just heard, I would not suggest any further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am joined by my colleague Congressman Henry Waxman to pay tribute to Deputy Sheriff Shervin Lalezary for his outstanding courage and bravery in capturing an infamous arsonist that wreaked havoc in the city of Los Angeles. Shervin is a real estate attorney

during the day and dedicates his time to volunteer as Reserve Deputy Sheriff with the L.A. Sheriff's Department at night.

At 3 a.m. on January 2, 2012, Deputy Sheriff Lalezary became a local hero and a national sensation when he captured Harry Burkhart, a 24- year-old German national whom Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca called ``perhaps . . . the most dangerous arsonist in the county of Los Angeles.'' Burkhart was arrested for setting a rash of car and building fires across the city. Following his arrest, there were no more suspicious fires documented in Los Angeles.

Deputy Sheriff Lalezary is a hero who demonstrates exemplary values and integrity and most-importantly inspires his peers. During his numerous press conferences, public events, and even an appearance on the TV show ``Ellen,'' he has continued to impress us with his selfless dedication and altruism. He continually downplays his role in the arrest, deflecting questions about himself and his personal life, and praising the deputies at the sheriff's West Hollywood station.

Shervin's commitment to serving Los Angeles and keeping us safe reflects the Jewish value of tikkun olam and the importance of giving back to our country. 30 Years After, an Iranian-American non-profit organization that promotes civic participation, rightfully presented Shervin with the 2012 Public Service Award on behalf of 30 Years After and the Persian-American community.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, we ask you to join us in recognizing Deputy Sheriff Shervin Lalezary for his years of service and dedication to the safety and well being of our community. He is the epitome of a true humanitarian.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to pay tribute to Dorit and Shawn Evenhaim for their generosity and dedication to help the less fortunate as well as provide the highest possible quality of education in our community.

Dorit and Shawn Evenhaim are Israeli Angelenos that own and operate California Home Builders. Both Dorit and Shawn grew up in Southern Israel where they learned the Jewish value of tzedakah, the act of charitable giving and helping the less fortunate. They came to the United States following their service in the Israeli military and continued to practice this philanthropy. They have contributed countless hours of community service and provided leadership to many charitable organizations throughout the San Fernando Valley such as the Israeli Leadership Council, the Jewish Federation, and StandWithUs.

In 2004, Kadima, a 34-year-old Solomon Schecter Conservative day school in the West San Fernando Valley, had to relocate when LAUSD needed the campus that Kadima had been leasing. The Evenhaim's generous donation provided the resources for Kadima to purchase a former hospital about a mile away from the previous campus.

The Evenhaim's involvement did not end with their donation. They were also instrumental in locating the site for the new campus,

acquiring the necessary permits, and remodeling the site to fit the needs of the school. Kadima's facilities now include separate yard spaces for the Early Childhood Education Center and Kindergarten, as well as athletic fields, an auditorium and swimming pool, ample classroom space, a 6,000 volume library, and a full kitchen and cafeteria. Both Dorit and Shawn have done a great job serving on Kadima's Board of Trustees.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, I ask you to join me in recognizing Dorit and Shawn for their philanthropy and their years of service and dedication to the education and service of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I am joined by my colleagues Congressmen Steve Cohen, Jim Cooper, Marsha Blackburn, Jerrold Nadler, Howard Coble, Lamar Smith, Barney Frank, and John Conyers to honor the life and memory of one of the First Ladies of American music, Frances W. Preston, the former president and Chief Executive Officer of Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI).

Frances Preston was a trailblazer who opened up doors of opportunity for a new generation of female executives in the music and entertainment industries. No barriers stopped Frances in advocating for songwriters' rights, and on Capitol Hill, her tireless advocacy was critical in protecting the music industry. Her counsel was indispensible and we sought it often.

The business acumen of Frances Preston was exceeded only by her charisma and charm, and by the respect, affection and admiration her colleagues and peers had for her. She was lauded for her empathy and for the gracious manner in which she treated every person, from the hottest star to the humblest worker. She was an exceptional executive, leader, role model and friend.

With Frances at its head, BMI grew to represent over 300,000 American and foreign songwriters, composers and music publishers in licensing music, and collecting and distributing royalties from play on radio and in television, films, ads and other media. Its artists represent all types of music and its catalog contains 4.5 million works. During her 18 years as president, its revenue grew more than three times to more than $625 million.

BMI has become an internationally respected leader and a unique success story as the entertainment industry has been transformed by digital technology and globalization. Sensitive to the changing world of music, Frances focused on domestic licensing, foreign performing rights, legislation for fair compensation for writers and publishers, and copyright protection.

Frances joined BMI in 1958 after working in music and broadcasting in Nashville. She opened BMI's regional office there, and led her company to preeminence in the South, signing writers and publishers with roots in both country and other types of music.

In 1964, the year the Nashville BMI building opened on Music Row, Frances became a vice president of BMI--reportedly, the first woman corporate executive in Tennessee.

She has often been called a trailblazer in the music business but Frances was also a trailblazer among women. She was the first woman Rotarian in the State of Tennessee. She was the first woman to work with the National Chamber of Commerce. She was one of the first four women--and the first businesswoman--to be invited to join the Friars Club in New York and the first woman to serve on their board of governors.

Frances was an industry pioneer and a compassionate humanitarian who touched the lives of many people, and she will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 683, which expresses regret for a series of discriminatory laws passed between 1879 and 1904 that targeted individuals of Chinese descent in the United States, and yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I'd like to begin by thanking the gentlelady from California, Ms. Chu, for her leadership on this bipartisan resolution. To my friend, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Smith, thank you for your work on this resolution and for bringing it to the floor so quickly.

Beginning in 1879, Congress passed a series of discriminatory measures against the Chinese that restricted immigration and violated the civil rights of the Chinese living in the U.S.

At the height of Chinese immigration to the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries, many Chinese--like immigrants from other parts of the world--were searching for the opportunity to create a better life, driven by their hope that America could be their new promised land.

With the enactment of multiple Chinese Exclusion Acts, immigrants from China were denied the right to be naturalized as American citizens.

Six decades of anti-Chinese legislation resulted in the persecution and political alienation of persons of Chinese descent and legitimized racial discrimination, excluding them both from the democratic process and the American promise of freedom.

Chinese-Americans have since achieved prominence in all walks of American life. Though we may not be able to reverse the past, we can take action now.

By acknowledging and expressing regret for this bleak period in our history, we reaffirm our core principles of equality and justice upon which our country was founded.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 683 is an important demonstration of our bipartisan commitment to recognize the continued contributions of the Chinese-American community in the United States, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a young and talented jazz trumpeter from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Etienne Charles, in celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month, nationally recognized during the month of June.

Born on the island of Trinidad in 1983, Etienne Charles defies easy musical categorization. An alumnus of the prestigious Julliard School, Mr. Charles has received critical acclaim for his exciting performances, thrilling compositions and a knack for connecting with audiences worldwide. Etienne's musical lineage runs at least four generations deep: His great-grandfather emigrated to Trinidad from the overseas French department of Martinique bringing his folk music to the village of Mayaro. The young trumpeter's grandfather's distinct cuarto style can be heard on the classic folk and calypso recordings of the Growling Tiger; and, Etienne's father was a member of Phase 11 Pan Grove, one of Trinidad & Tobago's most progressive steel bands and one that Etienne himself would later join. Immersed in his father's vast record collection, and suffused with the sounds of calypso, steel pan and African Shango drumming, Etienne imbibed many of the influences that presently constitute the diverse colors of his harmonic palette.

Perhaps more than any other musician of his generation or of Caribbean origin, Etienne brings a careful study of myriad rhythms from the French, Spanish, English and Dutch speaking Caribbean to the table. Crucially, this young jazz professional fully understands the New Orleans trumpet tradition (which is readily discernible in his trademark instrumental swagger) and what the famed Crescent City pianist, Jelly Roll Morton so succinctly captured in the now immortal phrase, ``The Spanish Tinge''.

In his latest opus, Kaiso, this Trinidadian trumpet maestro, Etienne Charles, cooks up an ambrosial bouillabaisse of New World music genres, with jazz and calypso genres standing out as piquant flavors. He explores the songbooks of three legends in calypso; The Lord Kitchener, The Mighty Sparrow and the Roaring Lion, using many different instrumental palettes ranging from duet to chamber orchestra.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize this young talent, Mr. Etienne Charles, for the many contributions he brings to the nationals of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the world.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to honor the Art Directors Guild, IATSE, Local 800, on the occasion of its 75th birthday on June 2nd of this year. Many of the movies and television shows we all enjoy would not exist without the hard work of the ADG and its members.

The Art Directors Guild is a trade union comprised of production designers, art directors, illustrators, storyboard artists, scenic, title and graphic artists, and set designers. Its members represent 2,000 creative crafts people who design motion pictures, television shows and commercials. These dedicated artists bring pleasure to millions across the globe.

In 1924, pioneers of art direction founded a fraternal order called the Cinemagundi Club, which, in 1937, became the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors. That assembly has become the Art Directors Guild we know today, a group that has served the industry proudly for 75 years. We are celebrating the Guild's journey this year, honoring their past and supporting and encouraging the many contributions they will make to the industry in the future.

The ADG also provides many cultural opportunities for members of the community to enjoy. The Guild runs an art gallery in North Hollywood that is open to the public. It provides panels, workshops and training for members as well as others interested in the field to foster a spirit of innovation in the entertainment industry. It also publishes ``Perspective,'' a monthly magazine that covers topics of importance to entertainment industry professionals.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, I ask you to join me in recognizing the Art Directors Guild and its members for their years of hard work and dedication to the entertainment industry.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to pay tribute to Esther Feldman, President of Community Conservation Solutions, in recognition of her outstanding achievements as one of the most effective conservation leaders in California.

Under her leadership, Community Conservation Solutions, CCS, has worked to solve the complex and challenging problems that emerge wherever people and nature meet. CCS creates innovative and practical solutions to serious environmental problems affecting California's natural and human communities.

Esther Feldman is one of California's most valued conservation leaders. For nearly three decades, she has worked continuously to protect the environment for future generations. Her technical, financial, community and policy expertise combined with her great organizing ability has lead to countless victories for conservation. Nearly every park, wilderness area, river, beach or trail in Los Angeles County has benefited from Esther's work. Esther's ability to unite diverse interests for a common goal created new parks and open space, and established over $3 billion dollars in new public funding sources to further expand conservation in California and throughout the United States.

Since founding CCS in 1998, Esther has built the organization into a leader in conserving natural lands and water resources and in working with communities. Under Esther's visionary leadership, CCS conceived of and spearheaded the two-square mile Baldwin Hills Park Project in the heart of urban Los Angeles, launched wetland restoration efforts in Upper Newport Bay, and has developed new project and funding approaches to creatively solving polluted runoff problems through CCS's Water Quality Improvement and Green Solution Projects as well as working on multiple projects of vital importance across my district in the San Fernando Valley.

Esther is known for being pragmatic and for her proficiency at acquiring funding to guarantee the longevity of the projects she directs. This has translated into a long list of successful outcomes and lasting public and environmental benefits.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, I ask you to join me in recognizing Esther Feldman for her invaluable service and dedication to the community and the environment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4041, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Export Promotion Reform Act is a bipartisan, noncontroversial bill that will help increase the export of American goods and services, and in the process create new, high-quality jobs. I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) for working with me on this legislation. He has been one of the strongest voices for export promotion and export control reform in this Chamber, and he's been a great partner to have on this legislation. I also want to thank my chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros- Lehtinen, and her staff for helping to move this through the legislative process to this point.

H.R. 4041 would implement recommendations by the GAO, the Government Accountability Office, to make more effective use of our export- promotion programs. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill doesn't authorize any new programs, nor does it add any new spending or impose any new mandates.

The bill has been endorsed by a number of prominent business organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Business Roundtable.

The Export Promotion Reform Act would make sound, practical improvements that would benefit many of the

Nation's 293,000 exporting firms, more than 97 percent of which are small and medium-sized businesses, while exercising fiscal prudence on behalf of the American taxpayer.

American firms have renewed opportunities for growth and increased employment through increased sales overseas. However, the competition in world trade is fierce, and our export-promotion programs often don't measure up to those of our competitors. GAO has told us repeatedly that these programs would be more effective with improved coordination. To that end, H.R. 4041 would eliminate duplicative activities and improve service delivery to exporters; require a global plan to identify and target the best growth markets for U.S. goods and services; and require our ambassadors to develop country-by-country commercial diplomacy plans aimed at increasing U.S. exports, while making the effectiveness of their commercial diplomacy efforts part of their annual performance review.

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that every $1 billion of U.S. exports supports approximately 5,800 jobs here at home. With 95 percent of the world's consumers living overseas, expanding U.S. exports in world markets is one of the best ways for American business to grow and create jobs.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

U.S. Congress,

Congressional Budget Office,

Washington, DC, March 19, 2012.

Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4041, the Export

Promotion Reform Act.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be

pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita

D'Monte.

Sincerely,

Douglas W. Elmendorf.

Enclosure.

H.R. 4041--Export Promotion Reform Act

H.R. 4041 would require the Secretary of Commerce to assess

overseas markets, at least once every five years, to

determine which markets present the greatest opportunities to

increase United States exports. The Secretary would be

required to relocate personnel that promote U.S. trade

opportunities based on the outcome of the assessment. The

bill also would require Chiefs of Missions in foreign

countries to use those assessments in promoting United States

exports.

Based on information from the Department of State and the

International Trade Administration, the agencies that would

administer the bill's provisions, CBO estimates that

implementing H.R. 4041 would have discretionary costs of less

than $500,000 a year, totaling about $1 million over the 2012

2017 period, assuming the availability of appropriated funds.

Enacting H.R. 4041 would not affect direct spending or

revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.

H.R. 4041 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector

mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and

would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.

On January 17, 2012, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for

H.R. 2987, the American Export Promotion and Job Creation

Act, as introduced on September 21, 2011. The language in

that bill is similar to that in H.R. 4041 and the estimated

costs for the two bills are identical.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sunita D'Monte.

The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant

Director for Budget Analysis.

Thank you, Mr. Smith, for yielding me this time.

I rise in support of the manager's amendment, but to speak in support of the Smith amendment, which is part of the en bloc amendment which will be taken up next. I am pleased to join Ranking Member Smith, Chairman McKeon, and Foreign Affairs Chair Ros-Lehtinen as sponsor of the Smith amendment.

I am particularly pleased that this amendment incorporates most of H.R. 3288, the Safeguarding United States Satellite Leadership and Security Act, legislation I introduced last November, along with Don Manzullo, Adam Smith, Dutch Ruppersberger, Rob Bishop, Martin Heinrich, Mike Coffman, and Gerry Connolly. We have since been joined by 12 other cosponsors from both sides of the aisle, many of whom are also cosponsors of this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, this bipartisan amendment, which will be part of the en bloc, would help restore America's global competitiveness in high-tech satellite technology and protect vital U.S. national security interests.

Treating commercial satellites and components as if they were lethal weapons, regardless of whether they're going to friend or foe, has gravely

harmed American space manufacturers--a view borne out by numerous studies, industry assessments, and the administration's own recent ``1248'' report to Congress. We depend on these manufacturers for our own critical defense needs. If onerous restrictions prevent them from competing in the international marketplace, then they can't innovate and ultimately cannot survive.

This amendment also supports U.S. national security. It includes a strict prohibition on any satellite exports to China--the original concern that caused Congress to transfer all satellites to the Munitions List--as well as to Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, and Cuba.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I thank the chair and the ranking member of the committee for their support of this amendment.