Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 361) commemorating Irena Sendler, a woman whose bravery saved the lives of thousands during the Holocaust and remembering her legacy of courage, selflessness, and hope.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this resolution.

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

Madam Speaker, this measure has been brought to us by our colleague, the gentlelady from Chicago (Ms. Schakowsky). It notes the loss of a true humanitarian last May, with the passing of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic social worker who rescued 2,500 Jewish children from near certain death in the Warsaw Ghetto.

When it became clear to her that the Nazis planned to exterminate Poland's 1,000-year-old Jewish community, Ms. Sendler joined Zegota, the Council for Aid to Jews, an organization run by the Polish underground, committed to providing assistance and safe haven to the country's Jewish population.

Ms. Sendler became head of Zegota's children's department. Using her contacts from her days as a social worker, she placed thousands of Jewish children smuggled from the Warsaw Ghetto, often under Christianized names, in convents and orphanages to shelter them throughout the war.

These convents and orphanages were intended as temporary refuges, as Ms. Sendler recorded the actual names of these children on tissue paper. She stored those records in jars, buried them in her garden, in the hope that after the war, they would be reunited with their families.

In 1965, she was given the honor of being named Righteous Among the Nations by Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. Her legacy of courage and hope until then was little known in Poland.

In 2003, Irena Sendler finally received the widespread recognition she so greatly deserved when she was awarded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest civilian decoration, and in 2006, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

We all pay our respects and extend our condolences to the Sendler family.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield such time as she may consume to the author of the resolution, the gentlelady from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1266) congratulating Albania and Croatia on being invited to begin accession talks with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and expressing support for continuing to enlarge the alliance, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support this resolution, which was introduced by my good friend, the ranking member of the Europe Subcommittee, Elton Gallegly, the gentleman from California, a resolution that congratulates Albania and Croatia on receiving an invitation to begin accession talks with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and expresses support for further expansion of the alliance.

At the NATO summit held in Bucharest this past April, the alliance made notable progress on integrating the Balkans into this important Euro-Atlantic institution. Most significantly, NATO invited Albania and Croatia to begin accession talks. I was pleased to see that accession protocols were signed with both countries on July 9th.

These two countries, Albania and Croatia, have made remarkable progress in reforming their political institutions and strengthening their military capabilities in recent years. They will make important contributions to international security, as well as to the stability of Southeastern Europe.

NATO has also recognized the hard work and commitment demonstrated by other countries in the region. The alliance responded positively to a request from Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to intensify their engagement. Both countries have been active

participants in NATO's Partnership for Peace program for the last 18 months and will begin an intensive dialogue with NATO on a wide range of political, military and financial issues.

NATO leaders also extended a hand of friendship to Serbia, inviting the country to similarly upgrade its engagement to Intensified Dialogue, even though Belgrade has yet to indicate its interest in enhanced cooperation at this stage.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Chicago (Ms. Schakowsky).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy).

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1279) recognizing the Special Olympics' 40th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) for putting forward a very important resolution which celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Special Olympics and recognizes the lifelong achievements of one of America's great champions of compassion, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

Mrs. Shriver's leadership in the worldwide effort to improve and enrich the lives of people with intellectual disabilities is unparalleled. Her work led to the creation of the Presidential Committee on Mental Retardation in the Kennedy administration. She also organized the first International Special Olympics Summer Games on July 20, 1968 in Chicago's Soldier Field. Since that day, Mrs. Shriver has built the Special Olympics into an organization with global reach which has enriched the lives of 2,500,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities in over 180 countries.

The Special World Games, like the Summer and Winter Olympics, are held every 4 years. And since 1988, they have been officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee. They are dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities. These contests allow Special Olympians to enjoy the thrill of competition, to develop sportsmanship, self-esteem, and fellowship.

The oath of the Special Olympians is, ``Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.'' The Special Olympians are indeed brave. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers and so I reserve my time.

I yield back my time, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1370) calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to immediately end abuses of the human rights of its citizens, to cease repression of Tibetan and Uighur citizens, and to end its support for the Governments of Sudan and Burma to ensure that the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games take place in an atmosphere that honors the Olympic traditions of freedom and openness, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, despite commitments by Beijing to improve human and political rights in the run-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics, the situation has not improved and in some cases has become far worse. Likewise in the past few months, China's international behavior with respect to despicable regimes in Sudan and Burma has improved marginally at best. Beijing remains these countries' strongest supporter.

Because of China's failure to improve its record on supporting human rights at home and abroad, now is the time to call on China to take immediate, substantial and serious action if there is to be any hope that the Olympic games will take place in an atmosphere that honors the Olympic spirit of freedom and openness.

This resolution does just that. It is a direct call to China by the House of Representatives to end human rights abuses, honor its commitments for freedom of the press and freedom of movement ahead of the Olympics, permit peaceful political activities during the games, enter into direct discussions with the Dalai Lama over the future of Tibet, and end its political and economic support of the regimes in Sudan and Burma.

President Bush has decided to go to the Olympics opening ceremony. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his decision, it is clear that the President should not pass up this opportunity to make a strong statement in support of human rights, one of our central policy goals. This resolution calls on the President to make such a statement before and during his trip to Beijing for the games. It is important for the House of Representatives to speak with one voice on the issue of human rights and political freedoms in China ahead of the Olympics. I strongly support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my colleague from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the Speaker of the House, who came up with the idea for having this resolution at this particular time, our Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, for 1 minute.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and urge strong support for this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1351) expressing support for the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and calling upon United Nations Member States and the international community to contribute the resources necessary to ensure the success of UNAMID, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I first want to thank Congressman Steve Chabot for introducing this resolution which expresses the outrage of Congress towards recent attacks on the peacekeeping forces in Darfur and for the shameful lack of resources still experienced by these brave shoulders trying to protect innocent civilians.

On July 8, just 3 weeks ago, seven peacekeepers serving under the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur were killed and another 22 wounded while carrying out UNAMID operations in Sudan. These operations are designed to bring stability and security to the region. One week later, a Nigerian peacekeeper was shot and killed by militiamen while on patrol in Western Darfur.

This recent violence sponsored by the Sudanese Government and targeting UNAMID forces is one more justification for the recent indictment of Sudanese President Al-Bashir as commander-in-chief of his armed forces.

A shameful part of Darfur's unrelenting nightmare has been the failure of the international community to make available to UNAMID the resources, equipment, aviation, and transportation assets and personnel needed to carry out the peacekeeping mission. UNAMID requires the 26,000 troops authorized by the U.N. Security Council and at least 18 utility helicopters and six tactical helicopters and crews. These needs have not been met.

Years ago, Congress and the President declared the crisis in Darfur a genocide. As a result, we have a moral duty to commit sufficient resources to protect civilians in Darfur. The President and the Secretary of Defense must marshal U.S. Defense Department assets, including helicopters, and immediately deploy them to UNAMID.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support this measure.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I want to acknowledge the contribution not only of Mr. Chabot in offering this resolution but of our colleague Mr. Capuano, the gentleman from Massachusetts, whose own resolution, a great deal of the language in that was incorporated into this resolution. And it is truly a collaborative effort, and I wanted to thank him as well.

I have no further speakers at this time, and so I reserve the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and so I will reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1008) condemning the persecution of Baha'is in Iran, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, first let me thank our colleague, Mark Kirk, for introducing this important resolution.

The Baha'i community in Iran certainly is no stranger to severe government persecution. But as a result of arrests in March and May of 2008, the entire national leadership of the Iranian Baha'i community is now being held incommunicado.

The May arrests are the most direct action taken against Baha'i leadership in Iran since the early 1980s, when the Iranian Government abducted and executed the entire leadership of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is. In 1983, all formal Baha'i administrative institutions were outlawed.

In the past 4 years, 166 Baha'is have been arrested in Iran. Among the charges brought against them is ``creating anxiety in the minds of the public and those of the Iranian officials.''

Conditions for the Baha'i in Iran are deteriorating, including an upsurge in violent attacks, the destruction of property, the demolition of homes, and arson. Ministry of Intelligence officers and agents continue to summon, arbitrarily detain, and interrogate Baha'is about all aspects of their lives and about any Muslims who may participate in Baha'i activities.

The resolution before the House calls on the Government of Iran to immediately and unconditionally release Baha'is imprisoned as a result of their religion, and to cease its systematic persecution of the Baha'i community. It sends a strong signal that Congress will continue to watch closely the treatment of the Baha'i people in Iran.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1362, I call from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 5501) to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to provide assistance to foreign countries to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I offer the motion at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, and I yield myself 7 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, a few short months ago the House gave its strong bipartisan approval to H.R. 5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008. Last Thursday, the Senate followed suit, approving its amendment to the House bill by an overwhelming margin of 80-16.

We meet today to take up the Senate amendments and to send this bipartisan legislation to the President for his signature. The measure before the House today is a compromise, a compromise between Democrats and Republicans, between the House and the Senate, and between Congress and the executive branch. The fact that compromise was achievable in this highly politicized era is a testament to the bipartisan roots of this legislation.

Five years ago, Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde, our dear deceased colleagues, working closely with the White House, crafted a global HIV/ AIDS bill that enjoyed broad bipartisan support. This groundbreaking legislation had a clear and achievable goal, to respond with compassion to those who were dying of AIDS, dramatically increase our Nation's efforts to stop the spread of HIV virus, provide care to children orphaned by AIDS, and get lifesaving medications immediately to those in need.

As a result, our Nation has provided lifesaving antiretroviral medicines to nearly 1\1/2\ million men, women and children, supported care for nearly 7 million people, including nearly 3 million orphans and vulnerable children, and prevented an estimated 150,000 infant infections around the world.

Most importantly, the United States has given hope to millions infected with the HIV virus, which just a few short years ago was tantamount to a death sentence.

This law worked well as an emergency intervention to deal with the rapidly expanding HIV/AIDS crisis. But the nature of that disease has changed significantly since then. We now have 5 years of experience in grappling with this pandemic on a global scale, and the reauthorization bill before us reflects what we have learned.

The law we passed in 2003 was designed to deal with the emergency phase of the HIV/AIDS crisis. This legislation moves our programs towards long-term sustainability that will keep the benefit of U.S. global HIV/AIDS programs flowing to those in need. With this reauthorization, host governments will also gain the ability to plan, direct and manage prevention, treatment and care programs that were originally established with U.S. assistance.

The reauthorization bill authorizes nearly $50 billion over 5 years for these three pandemics. These additional funds allow us to significantly boost the health care workforce in those countries hard hit by HIV/AIDS with new professional and paraprofessional training programs, and to increase the number of HIV positive individuals receiving lifesaving medicine.

The 2003 law focused on creating new programs to tackle the crisis. The reauthorization bill increases the number of individuals receiving prevention treatment and care services. It builds stronger linkages between the global HIV/AIDS initiative and existing programs designed to alleviate hunger among those treated. It helps to improve health care and bolster HIV education in schools.

The 2003 law began to address the needs of women and girls. But given the changing nature of the epidemic, we clearly did not go far enough to meet these needs.

The new legislation remedies this situation by strengthening prevention and treatment programs aimed at this extremely vulnerable population. The Lantos-Hyde bill eliminates the one-third abstinence- only earmark, but requires a balanced approach to sexual

transmission programs and a report regarding this approach in countries where the epidemic has become generalized.

In an effort to ensure that our contributions to the global fund are being wisely spent, the bill provides for certain benchmarks to improve the transparency and the accountability of the fund. The bill incorporates tuberculosis prevention from H.R. 1567 sponsored by Congressman Engel. It seeks to further integrate HIV/AIDS programs with TB and malaria programs and create linkages and referrals between these programs for patients.

H.R. 5501 heightens U.S. efforts to combat malaria by requiring the development of a comprehensive 5-year strategy to combat this disease. It creates a new U.S. Government Malaria Coordinator, and it enhances support for clinical research for new diagnostics, treatments, and interventions to prevent, cure, and control malaria.

The Senate made several changes in our bill. It overturned the existing visa ban on HIV-positive individuals. It targeted $2 billion of the $50 billion authorization for Indian health care, water resources, and law enforcement issues. It modified the goal for people living with AIDS and removed a linkage between the global HIV/AIDS program and family planning.

Despite these changes, the language before the House today is very close to what we approved last April. With passage of this reauthorization bill, Congress signals to the world that the United States would exercise continued leadership in the global battle against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.

So what we have here is a bipartisan bill providing nearly $50 billion for the battle against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, a bill that has strong bipartisan support, and one that the President has indicated he will sign into law.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I want to take special note that in the short time that I have been chairing this committee, I want to mention two particular people who have both helped educate me, two Members, colleagues on the committee who have played a major role in helping to guide this legislation and the earlier legislation: the chairman of the Africa Subcommittee, Don Payne, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, both of whom have been involved in this legislation and the previous legislation from the beginning and were pushing for this even long before that passed.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady very much for her great words, and more importantly, for her really complete commitment to this project before and now.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material.

Mr. Speaker, I am now very pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman I referenced earlier, the chairman of the Africa Subcommittee, Mr. Payne of New Jersey.

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

I yield myself 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, without joining issue with the gentleman on his other comments, the suggestion that this is not curing AIDS is directly contrary to the evidence I saw firsthand in Africa earlier this month. There are huge numbers of people there who would now be dead, who are alive simply because of the drugs that this money allowed them to get. I don't know what the definition of the gentleman's cure is, but they are living normal, active lives as a result of the drug therapies.

I insert a Statement of Legislative Intent regarding nutrition into the Record at this time.

On behalf of Chairman Payne, Mr. McGovern, and Mrs. Emerson, I would like to make the following statement regarding the intent of the House on H.R. 5501.

H.R. 5501 and the Senate amendment to H.R. 5501 provide clear and specific instructions to the USAID Administrator and the Global AIDS Coordinator to address the food and nutrition needs of individuals with HIV/AIDS and other affected individuals, including orphans and vulnerable children; and to fully integrate food and nutrition support in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care programs carried out under this act.

We are concerned about the negative effect rising costs are having on our long-term and emergency food aid programs. This is a matter that affects a wide array of our food aid and development programs, including the effectiveness and success of our Global HIV/AIDS programs.

On behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and members who have been very involved in international nutrition, we wish to state that it is the legislative intent of H.R. 5501 and the Senate amendment to H.R. 5501 that food security and nutrition programs, especially those referred to as wrap-around services, are not to be funded with monies diverted from other standing commitments to address food insecurity elsewhere in the world or in these countries.

I'm very pleased to yield 5 minutes to my friend, just a major architect of this whole program, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Lee).

I am pleased to yield the gentlelady an additional minute.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remaining time.

The bill has been described, and its consequences have been discussed. But I can't help but come back to the comments from my friend from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) with respect to the effects of this bill. The notion that there are now pregnant women who, because of new discoveries in medicine, can take drugs which allow their baby to be born without being HIV positive, I call that saving lives and curing the problem. This is happening all over the countries where these programs are working. The notion that the United States is helping to take care of the orphans and other vulnerable children who are left without parents as a result of this epidemic I call saving lives and curing a problem.

And as the ranking member said in her opening comments, the effect on these people and their recognition of the role the United States is playing is having a--it's a secondary question, but it's an important one--it's having a massive impact on how they perceive this country at a time when, for many other reasons, this country has not been perceived well in this world.

This has been a remarkable program that has gone on. And I want to add my compliments to the staff, all the staff on the minority who worked on it, as well as Peter Yeo and Pearl-Alice Marsh and David Abramowitz, Kristin Wells, Heather Flynn with Chairman Don Payne, Christos Tsentas with Congresswoman Lee, as well as Mark Synnes with legislative counsel, Naomi Seiler and Jessica Boyer from the Oversight Committee staff, and on the Senate Foreign Relations majority staff, Brian McKeon and Shannon Smith. These are people who not only helped put this bill together, not only invested huge amounts of their time in working with the outside coalition forces, who have been working on the ground on these issues in Africa and other places, and also dealt with the administration, these are people who, when I got thrown into this issue, helped educate me. And I'm very grateful for all they have done to make this happen.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. And, Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Chairman Payne, Congressman Jefferson, Congresswoman Lee and Congressman Royce have all pointed out

various aspects of this marvelous individual's career. There are very few people one sees in a lifetime who can inspire by their strength, their commitment, their dedication and their perseverance to a noble and idealistic cause the way that Nelson Mandela has inspired so many of us. And so I'm happy to join with my colleagues in speaking on behalf of this resolution and urging its support.

In some ways, the most fascinating thing about Nelson Mandela's career is that after that incredible struggle against the evil of apartheid and the tyranny and the indignities that were suffered by the vast majority of the population of South Africa under the very regimented and institutionalized system of apartheid that they were forced to live under, that when victory came, and the apartheid regime ended and he took over the leadership of South Africa, that he dedicated himself to the concept not of vengeance against those who had perpetrated the evil, but to bringing forth the truth and then the reconciliation with his fellow countrymen and -women.

And even to the point where I read that the original president, when the legislation that institutionalized apartheid was adopted in South Africa, that he invited this man who didn't start the apartheid and the segregation, but he did more than anyone else to implement the repressive policies of apartheid, that after he became president, he invited the widow of this symbol of apartheid to come to his inauguration. And when she refused, he visited her in her house to demonstrate the depths to which he believed in that process of reconciliation.

He truly was an inspirational and marvelous individual, and I obviously urge all of my colleagues to support Mr. Jefferson's resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 385) condemning the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on July 18, 14 years ago, a devastating bomb exploded outside the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Eighty-five people were brutally killed and 300 wounded because they happened to be in the building at that fateful moment.

On that day, the world suffered yet another example of the consequences of radical violent religious extremism, and 85 more victims were tragically added to the list of those whose lives have been taken unnecessarily.

We recalled the shock felt in Jewish communities worldwide, and are reminded that as long as radical extremism exists, no religious group should consider itself free from persecution.

Almost a decade and a half later, the perpetrators of the AMIA bombings still have not been brought to justice.

The AMIA attack was approved in advance by Iran's supreme leader and by the highest officials of the Iranian government. The attack was orchestrated by the government of Iran and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.

Since 1994, Iran has greatly expanded its diplomatic, political, and economic presence in the western hemisphere, represented by the opening of nearly a dozen embassies in Latin America.

As the AMIA tragedy shows, Iran has made use of its embassies abroad as tools to perpetrate its radical Islamic goals. We cannot let our guard down as we face this threat of terrorism.

This legislation recognizes that in the past few years, the government of Argentina has made significant advances in the AMIA investigation, primarily through the dedication and determination of Prosecutor Alberto Nisman and those who support his work.

We celebrate, as well, that Argentina has also recently enacted counterterrorism legislation which seeks to criminalize the financing, fund-raising and money-laundering activities of groups linked to terrorism. We encourage our South American neighbor to continue pursuing the criminals of the AMIA bombing and through this legislation commit to accompany them in that pursuit.

The resolution also commends the efforts of the General Assembly of INTERPOL to uphold and implement the international arrest warrants issued for the Hezbollah and Iranian operatives. We must continue to push the entire community of nations to work together to capture and arrest those who would harm us.

Mr. Speaker, only by taking the investigation of the AMIA bombing to its ultimate conclusion, capture and punishment for those who planned it, can the community of nations show Iran, Hezbollah, and those who support terrorism that their efforts will not bear fruit.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague, my friend, the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, for introducing this resolution, and urge all of my colleagues to support this important measure.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentlelady from Nevada, a former member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Berkley, 2 minutes.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1341) providing for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendments to H.R. 3890, with amendments.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, 2 short months ago, tropical cyclone Nargis struck the coast of Burma, killing tens of thousands of Burmese citizens. The response of Burma's military leaders to this devastating catastrophe demonstrated their fundamental disdain for the welfare of the Burmese people.

Repeated offers from the international community to provide desperately needed assistance went unanswered. Thousands of veteran international relief workers were denied visas. Instead of dispatching Burmese groups to help the victims, the government proceeded with its referendum on a constitution drafted by an illegitimate assembly. This referendum was written without the input of Nobel Laureate and Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Even today, the restrictions placed by the government on international aid workers have severely limited their ability to help cyclone survivors. The disastrous manner in which the Burmese government handled the cyclone comes on the heels of its violent crackdown on Burma's Saffron Revolution last September. Buddhist monks, draped in saffron robes, peacefully marched through the streets of Rangoon. They were joined by tens of thousands of other Burmese citizens calling for nonviolent change, freedom and democracy.

The reaction of the ruling regime to these peaceful demonstrations was predictable. Unarmed monks were shot in the streets. Those who weren't killed were hauled off to detention centers. Political dissidents were tossed in jail.

In short, the Saffron Revolution was crushed, along with the aspirations of the Burmese people for democracy and a better life. These brutal actions demonstrate the moral bankruptcy of the regime.

Unfortunately, the regime is not financially bankrupt. While the Burmese people live in great poverty, Burma's military leaders continue to take Burma's vast natural resources as their own. The legislation before the House today hits the regime where it hurts, in the wallet. By blocking the import of Burmese gems into the United States and expanding financial sanctions, the legislation will take hundreds of millions of dollars out of the pockets of the regime each year.

The legislation is supported by U.S. industry. The 11,000-store Jewelers of America supports a ban on Burmese gem imports to the United States. Major retailers like Tiffany's and Bulgari have also voluntarily implemented such a ban.

The amendments to this bipartisan bill provided for in this resolution, which have been carefully negotiated with the Senate, promote a coordinated multilateral approach to sanctions against Burma.

The European Union has similarly banned the import of Burmese gems, as have the Canadians. It's our hope that the financial sanctions contained in this bipartisan bill will push other countries to examine their own financial dealings with Burma.

As we move forward with H.R. 3890 today, I do want to thank the ranking Republican member of the committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as well as Peter King of the Homeland Security Committee, for their strong support for this legislation and for democracy in Burma.

Thanks also must be given to the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Charlie Rangel; the chairman of the Trade Subcommittee, Sander Levin; as well as their Republican counterparts, Jim McCrery and Wally Herger, for their enormous help in moving forward with this bill.

Finally, let me thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her continued leadership on this legislation.

Since the first shots were fired in Rangoon, the Speaker has firmly indicated our intention to significantly tighten sanctions on the ruling Burmese regime. Today, we fulfill that promise.

Burmese freedom fighter and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi memorably asked of the world community, ``Use your liberty to promote ours.'' So today we use our liberty in the United States Congress to ratchet up the economic pressure on the Burmese regime to move towards freedom, democracy and respect for human rights.

I urge all Members to support the resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my colleagues in the Congress to another successful meeting of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD) that was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from May 24-26, 2008. The United States delegation continues to flourish under the outstanding leadership of Chairwoman Shelley Berkley, the gentlelady from Nevada. She has injected energy and enthusiasm into this interparliamentary dialogue, while further strengthening American relationships with a wide range of European parliamentarians. The Republican vice-chairman, Representative Cliff Stearns from Florida, has also maintained an effective voice in European affairs and the TLD.

Representatives Berkley and Stearns should be praised for their efforts to recruit members to participate in the Slovenia session, with the delegation of 10 members being the largest and by all reports most well informed in recent years. I commend the members of this bipartisan delegation--Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Rep Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA), Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), and Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA)--for contributing to a rich and meaningful exchange of views.

The TLD serves as the formal response of the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress to the commitment in the New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA) of 1995 to enhance legislative ties between the European Union and the United States. Building on the existing interparliamentary relationship, the TLD involves bi-annual meetings between American and European legislators in order to discuss topics of mutual interest and foster transatlantic discourse.

The most recent session in Slovenia addressed a wide range of foreign policy challenges, including the Middle East, China, Russia, and Kosovo. Members discussed regulatory initiatives being undertaken by the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), with American members reinforcing Administration

concerns about European initiatives on poultry and chemicals used to manufacture cosmetics that have a detrimental effect on American farmers and producers. American members also responded to European concerns about the visa waiver program and legislation requiring 100% cargo scanning to ensure port security. In addition, the delegates discussed the challenge of climate change, the importance of energy security, and the current global financial crisis.

Madam Speaker, I would like to place in the Record the joint statement that was agreed upon by American and European legislators at the 64th TLD meeting in Ljubljana. It underscores the rich agenda of this meeting and highlights the many areas in which there was strong transatlantic agreement.

Transatlantic Legislator's Dialogue--64th Meeting of Delegations From

the European Parliament and the United States, Ljubljana, 24-26 May

2008 Joint Statement

We, Members of the European Parliament and the United

States House of Representatives, held our 64th

Interparliamentary meeting (Transatlantic Legislators'

Dialogue) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 24-26 May 2008.

Building on the joint statement issued following our last

meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 5-8 October 2007, we

stressed the importance of regular dialogue on a range of

political, social and economic issues that affect all of our

citizens. We agreed to report back to our parent bodies on

the content and outcome of our discussions, particularly in

the areas where joint efforts are likely to result in

positive outcomes. We agreed that legislators in both sides

of the Atlantic should increase dialogue and consultation

amongst themselves in order to prevent possible conflicts of

legislation. Direct and timely contacts between specialist

committees from Congress and the European Parliament--such as

those that have occurred within the TLD framework--have been

valuable means of reinforcing cooperation; this exchange of

information should be continued and enhanced.

We examined a wide array of foreign policy issues,

agreeing that joint action by the European Union and the

United States is the most effective way to approach problems

that affect both sides of the Atlantic. We took stock of

recent developments with regard to the Middle East Peace

process, the nuclear threat posed by Iran and the situation

in Iraq. On Afghanistan, we recognized the need for a joint

long-term strategy aimed at stabilizing the internal

situation and reducing risks for regional security. We noted

a proposal to develop a joint fund for humanitarian services

and infrastructure development in Afghanistan. We discussed

the future political an economical development in Kosovo, and

recognized that joint efforts were essential in order to

ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for the Western

Balkans, including an EU perspective. We analyzed development

in Russia's domestic and foreign policies, including the U.S.

Administration's proposed missile defense plans as well as

European efforts to diversify their energy supply and ensure

their energy security. We also assessed our economic and

political relationship with China, expressing concern over

recent events in Tibet.

The dialogue focused on the ongoing discussions between

the U.S. and the EU in order to extend access to the U.S.

Visa Waiver programme in the future to all EU Member States,

as well as to the importance of ensuring safe trade an port

security.

We also discussed the current global financial crisis. We

agreed on the need for continued discussion and joint actions

to address the effects of climate change.

With regard to the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC),

we noted with satisfaction the engagement of the TLD on 13

May 2008 with TEC Co-Chairs Gunther Verheugen and Dan Price

in the framework of the `Advisory group'. The European

Parliament Resolution on the TEC and the letter by the U.S.

TLD leadership to the TEC formed the basis for this dialogue.

We took note of the EU-U.S. High Level Regulatory Forum, the

joint reports on strengthening cooperation regarding the

safety of imported products, and the impact assessment

guidelines. We advocated stronger involvement of legislators

in contributing to and overseeing these initiatives. We

supported the identification of compatible biofuels standards

in order to achieve international harmonization at the level

of international standards organizations. We also welcomed

the joint statement on open investment, as well as the start

of the second phase of negotiations for the air services

agreement.

We welcome the fact that the TEC has become a permanent

feature of the EU/U.S. relations. We also welcome the

decision taken on 13 May 2008 to develop a short term agenda

and long term roadmap for TEC activities, and consider that

this represents and important step towards ensuring the

continuity of the process. As we have done throughout the

establishment and initial meetings of the TEC, we continue to

assert that the TEC initiative should be characterized by

transparency and consultation of stakeholders and we call on

the EU and U.S. Administration to reinforce the flow of

information to the TLD in advance of the TEC meetings.

Awareness of the transatlantic impact of proposed legislation

and regulations should be developed in the relevant

legislative and regulatory bodies, as well as information

about the benefits of rapid advancements towards a barrier-

free regulatory environment.

Several items have been identified within the TEC agenda

that require further legislative consideration: While

achieving reciprocity and mutual recognition of security

standards remains critically important, we call on the U.S.

Congress to review their legislation requiring 100 percent

cargo scanning in recognition of European concerns regarding

this legislation We call on the European Parliament to

facilitate an early solution to the ongoing discussions on

the ban on imports into the EU of U.S. poultry which has

undergone pathogen reduction treatment In regards to the EU's

regulation on the registration of chemicals (REACH) we call

on the European Commission to bring forward legislation

ensuring that European and U.S. producers of cosmetics are

treated equitably in their requirement to register substances

used in their products with the EU's chemical agency.

Finally, we welcome progress on items contained in the

`lighthouse projects' and related initiatives included in the

2007 Summit declaration. In particular, we call for: Steps

towards allowing the use in the United States of suppliers'

declarations of conformity for electrical, electronic and ICT

products; Further progress towards the mutual recognition of

U.S. GAAP and EU IFRS accounting standards; Discussion of

U.S. and EU regulatory issues in the insurance sector, in

order to enhance market access for brokers-dealers, exchanges

and other trading systems; and Progress in other areas of

regulatory cooperation, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics,

and animal testing.

In conclusion, both sides renewed their commitment to make

the TLD's work more relevant to the European Parliament and

to the United States House of Representatives. We agreed to

identify ways by which to reinforce the involvement of the

TLD and our legislatures in the preparation of the EU/U.S.

Summit. We also agreed to further improve the effectiveness

of our dialogue in order to realize the full potential of our

interparliamentary relationship.

Jonathan Evans, MEP,-

Chairman, European Parliament Delegation.

Benoit Hamon, MEP,----

Vice Chairman, European Parliament Delegation.

Hon. Shelley Berkley,

Chairwoman, U.S. Congress Delegation.

Hon. Cliff Stearns,

Vice Chairman (Ranking Republican), U.S. Congress

Delegation.

Hon. Gary Ackerman,

Vice Chairman, U.S. Congress Delegation.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6028) to authorize law enforcement and security assistance, and assistance to enhance the rule of law and strengthen civilian institutions, for Mexico and the countries of Central America, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill and yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, the drug crisis facing the United States remains a top national security threat. The GAO states that 90 percent of illegal drugs entering our country transit the Central American-Mexican corridor.

Drug gangs that operate in the United States, Mexico, and Central America are dangerously undermining the security environment for our neighbors to the south, and the spillover effects on our own soil are undeniable.

President Calderon of Mexico made a brave decision early in his presidency to fight illegal narcotics in a way that no Mexican government had done before, and he and his countrymen have paid a high price for it. Drug cartels have been blamed for 6,000 deaths in two- and-a-half years in Mexico alone, 4,000 of them in the year-and-a-half since Mr. Calderon assumed the presidency.

A significant percentage of these deaths are law enforcement personnel, outgunned and outspent from the proceeds of illegal drugs. There seems to be no limit to the brazenness of the drug gangs. A month ago, the chief of Mexico's Federal police was shot dead in his own home.

It is high time for the United States to do more than applaud President Calderon's courage. We must work together to tackle this difficult problem.

President Bush and President Calderon met in the Mexican city of Merida last year to craft a new and innovative proposal to confront this scourge. That proposal is largely reflected in the legislation we have before us today.

The central tenet of this bill is that, while the violence must stop and security must be restored, the ultimate solution to this problem lies in respect for the rule of law and the strength of institutions charged with upholding it.

H.R. 6028 represents the U.S. implementation of a new partnership with Mexico and Central American countries to face the immediate security threat of drug gangs, help these neighbors build the capacity of their law enforcement agencies, and enhance the rule of law in the region.

As many of my colleagues know, the supplemental appropriations bill includes funding for year one of the Merida Initiative, but the legislation before us today authorizes the full 3 years of this plan in an exhaustive and complete manner necessary to undertake this critical partnership with our southern neighbors.

For example, this legislation authorizes $1.6 billion over 3 years in the areas of counter-narcotics, the fight against organized crime, law enforcement modernization, institution building, and rule of law support.

Mexico has requested that the U.S. provide certain high-tech equipment. And in this bill we authorize transport helicopters with night operating capabilities, aerial and radar surveillance equipment, land and maritime interdiction equipment, and secure communication networks.

This legislation supports a variety of programs designed to enhance the transparency and capacity of civilian institutions at the Federal, State and local level. They include assistance in courts management, prison reform, money laundering capabilities, witness protection, and police professionalization. The latter emphasizes human rights and use of force training, as well as forensics and polygraph capabilities.

In the realm of prevention, the bill supports programs to increase school attendance and expansion of intervention programs. It also seeks to promote development in areas where joblessness feeds the narcotics problem, including alternative livelihood and rural development efforts.

It concentrates considerable funding in the fragile Central America region, as well as in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, in programs tailored to that region's specific needs.

The legislation contains significant human rights safeguards as well as end-use monitoring provisions for equipment and training. It provides no cash transfers.

It calls on the President to devise standards up front that will be used to measure the success of the initiative, and to regularly report to Congress on progress made toward meeting these standards.

Significantly, because this was a specific request from our Mexican neighbors, the legislation bolsters by $73.5 million America's efforts to stem the illegal flow of arms going south by significantly expanding ATF's Project Gun Runner.

Finally, the bill establishes a coordinator for the initiative to provide accountability and harmonize its wide-ranging programs.

Perhaps most importantly the legislation recognizes that the spread of illicit drugs through Mexico and Central America and into the United States, as well as the violence that accompanies it, cannot be halted without a comprehensive interdiction and security strategy planned and executed jointly with our southern neighbors. Madam Speaker, with this authorization of the Merida Initiative we demonstrate our Nation's commitment to work closely with our friends and neighbors to the south in a meaningful and long-term fashion to battle illegal narcotics.

I strongly urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I greatly appreciate the gentlelady's strong comments on this bill.

I yield 4 minutes to the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute of time if I may.

The gentleman from Ohio raises an issue of controversy between the United States and Mexico. What I urge the Members of this body to do is to focus on the purpose of this initiative. This is an initiative that is in America's deep national interest. The whole issue of illicit narcotics trade, the role of the corridor between Central America and Mexico in contributing and supplying these illicit narcotics, the war going on in Mexico between the drug cartels, and a president and a leadership that is now taking this head on serves our national interests. Our effort to stem illegal immigration is directly connected, and the effectiveness of it will be greatly dependent on our ability to stop these cartels and to smash this trade in illicit narcotics.

Whatever one's concern is about a particular aspect of the U.S.- Mexican relationship, I would suggest from America's interest point of view that this issue, this initiative, is a compelling one and should be supported.

I am now pleased to yield 3 minutes to chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection and a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas.

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

I yield the gentlelady 1 additional minute.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have left.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green), a member of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record an exchange of letters between the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary and myself.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, June 6, 2008.

Hon. Howard L. Berman,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Berman: This is to advise you that, as a

result of your working with us to make appropriate revisions

to provisions in H.R. 6028, the Merida Initiative to Combat

Illicit Narcotics and Reduce Organized Crime Authorization

Act of 2008, that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the

Committee on the Judiciary, we are able to agreed to

discharging our committee from further consideration of the

bill in order that it may proceed without delay to the House

floor for consideration.

The Judiciary Committee takes this action with the

understanding that by forgoing further consideration of H.R.

6028 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over

subject matter contained in this similar legislation. We also

reserve the right to seek appointment of an appropriate

number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving

this important legislation, and request your support if such

a request is made.

I would appreciate your including this letter in the

Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the

House floor. Thank you for your attention to this request,

and for the cooperative relationship between our two

committees.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.,

Chairman.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Jayne Shapiro, a good friend and a wonderful person. Jayne is being honored at Chabad of The Valley's 35th Annual Banquet with the ``Woman of the Year Award'' for her outstanding contributions to the health and safety of children in the State of California, to the welfare of the State of Israel and to many charitable organizations.

Soon after Jayne received her masters of public administration from CA State University Northridge, she began to help young and old people from all walks of life regardless of their background, affiliation or financial status. Her professional experience as a nurse and a sexual assault nurse examiner led her to establish a vitally important non- profit organization, KIDS SAFE. Her organization actively advanced numerous educational programs for the protection of children and worked tirelessly to persuade the California State Legislature to introduce the landmark Megan's Law. In 1999, to safeguard school campuses, Jayne established the Los Angeles Task Force on School Safety, bringing together school officials, law enforcement, teachers and parents in an effort to make campuses safer places to learn.

Over the years, Jayne has generously given her time and resources to numerous worthy organizations. She is a member of the National Executive Committee on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and is the former chairperson of the Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of the San Fernando Valley. She was appointed by the

Mayor to the Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women, by the Governor to the State Developmental Disabilities Board, and by the Attorney General's Office of Continuing Justice Planning to the task force creating public policy on child internet safety. As Chair of the Los Angeles County Committee she helped pass the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) at the Federal level. Her dedication to the causes dear to her is an inspiration to us all.

Jayne is the proud mother of four sons who have the same passion and commitment to helping people in our community.

Madam Speaker, I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in saluting Jayne Shapiro and congratulating her upon receiving this richly deserved honor.