Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, July 14, 2006 the Coast Guard Sector Miami will be holding a Change of Command ceremony. The event will also be the retirement ceremony for Captain James Maes who will be retiring after 26 years of distinguished service in the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard represents the best in public service and selfless sacrifice for our fellow Americans, and I am proud to be a strong supporter of the Coast Guard's vital missions.

An occasion such as this serves to remind us of the important role the Coast Guard serves in defending our national security, ensuring public safety, facilitating commerce, and protecting the environment. Many have contributed for the benefit of protecting our shores, for the safety of those who travel to and from our coastlines, and for the general support our law enforcement and maritime communities gain from key cooperation with the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Sector Miami is the first Sector in the history of the Coast Guard. It was established in Miami Beach on July 12, 2004. Sector Miami is one of the busiest and most dynamic operational units in the Coast Guard. The 650 active duty, reserve and civilian, men and women, and 1000 Auxiliary volunteers who make up Sector Miami continue in the long tradition of dedicated service in South Florida. That tradition dates back to 1876 when the U.S. Lifesaving Service established the Biscayne House of Refuge at a location near what is now 72nd and Collins on Miami Beach.

Under Captain Maes' leadership, Coast Guard Sector Miami units saved hundreds of lives, and seized thousands of pounds of illicit drugs. Sector Miami implemented and enforced new port security requirements under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, the most sweeping regulatory changes for the Coast Guard since World War II. He fully integrated the Coast Guard into regional security operations during the Free Trade Area of the Americas in 2003, and the Organization of American States General Assembly in 2005. Captain Maes was the incident commander for rescue and recovery operations after the tragic Chalk's Flight 101 crash, the largest loss of life aviation disaster in the United States since 9/11. During the devastating 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, Coast Guard Sector Miami made critical decisions to restore essential ports for commercial traffic, and open waterways for recreational boaters, as quickly and safely as possible.

That is why I am pleased to call myself a supporter of the United States Coast Guard. I congratulate Captain Maes on his distinguished service, particularly the past 3 years in South Florida where he will leave a legacy of trust and cooperation among federal, state, local, volunteer, and marine industry partners. I would also like to welcome Captain Karl Schultz and look forward to the continued success of Sector Miami.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 887) congratulating the Miami Heat for winning the 2006 NBA Championship.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate south Florida's own Miami Heat for winning the 2006 NBA championship. This momentous occasion marks the first NBA championship title for the Heat, a young franchise with a proud basketball tradition.

Despite some hardships in the beginning of the 2005-2006 season, the Miami Heat remained persistent throughout the playoffs and the finals.

I would like to recognize especially the Heat fans, as they are an integral part of this championship. Their relentless support energized the Heat players to compete each and every game. The ``White Hot'' Heat fans also helped to sell out the American Airlines arena and cheer their hometown team on to victory. An estimated 200,000 Heat fans came together last Friday during a parade down Biscayne Boulevard to celebrate the team's first championship in 18 years as a franchise.

The Miami Heat players are not only an inspiration on the court, Mr. Speaker, but they are also role models to the youth of south Florida. Through its many charitable organizations, such as the Miami Heat Family Outreach Charitable Fund, Heat Scholarships, and the Miami Heat Read to Achieve program, the Heat franchise has contributed to the well-being of our community.

The Heat coaching and support staff, led by head coach Pat Riley and owner, Micky Arison, have shown a positive commitment to the Heat franchise by successfully acquiring, assembling, and maintaining a team of high-quality winning players. And, of course, we need to applaud the achievements of the Miami Heat players, whose hard work and dedication proved instrumental throughout this NBA championship.

The outstanding support given by the city of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and the State of Florida were all crucial in forging one of the best teams we have ever seen.

Congratulations to our 15-strong Miami Heat team for bringing the first NBA title, the first of many, Mr. Speaker, to the city of Miami and to everyone who has participated in this magnificent season.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

I just would like to congratulate Mr. Meek for rallying the support of our delegation behind the Miami Heat. Throughout every game, even those first tough ones, he was passing out beads for the Miami Heat and rallying support, along with Members of this body, even giving Heat beads to Dallas fans. So he was winning converts one fan at a time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to another fan of the Miami Heat championship season, my good friend, Mr. Foley.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my staff member, Eddy Acevedo, for his work in getting all of our Florida delegation united on this resolution.

As my good friend from Florida (Mr. Meek) has pointed out, the Miami Heat players are not only tremendous athletes, outstanding people, but they also give back to the community so much. We thank them for their contribution to making South Florida a better place in which to live.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Resolution 887.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4416) to reauthorize permanently the use of penalty and franked mail in efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing children.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4416, a bill which permanently reauthorizes the use of penalty and franked mail in efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing children. This bill was passed by the Government Reform Committee by a voice vote on June 8.

I would like to thank my colleague from California, Juanita Millender-McDonald, for sponsoring this very important bill.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, every day more than 2,100 children are reported missing somewhere in the United States. We are all familiar with the missing child notices that appear in the media, on government office bulletin boards, on advertising mail and, of course, on milk cartons. These notices provide immeasurable help in bringing missing children home. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one out of every six children featured on these notices are recovered.

This bill will allow Members of Congress and Federal agencies to continue to assist in the recovery of missing children by authorizing them to include missing child notices on their official and franked mail envelopes. The wider these notices are disseminated, the greater the chances that someone will recognize a missing child and contact the proper authorities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter from Congressman Vernon Ehlers, chairman of the Committee on House Administration, regarding the bill before us that is under consideration.

House of Representatives, Committee on House

Administration, Longworth House Office Building,

Washington, DC, June 14, 2006.

Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Speaker: I write concerning H.R. 4416, a bill to

permanently reauthorize the use of penalty and franked mail

in efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing

children. H.R. 4416 was ordered reported by the Committee on

Government Reform on June 8, 2006.

As you know, the Committee on House Administration received

a joint referral on the bill because of the Committee's

jurisdiction over matters concerning Congressional franking

privileges. However, in order to expedite this legislation

for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action on

this bill. This is being done with the understanding that it

does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to

the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional

prerogatives on this or similar legislation.

Sincerely,

Vernon Ehlers,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time; and I hope that our colleagues support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield the remainder of our time to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach) with whom I had the honor of visiting our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, the front line of the war on terror.

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

Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee, I have traveled to Iraq, having led a delegation just this last January. And I met with officials again and received a wealth of congressional testimony here in DC. All confirmed that the U.S.-led liberation of the Iraqi people is having a positive reverberation throughout the broader Middle East.

Iraq is a catalyst for hope, a vivid example that the future of the broader Middle East belongs to freedom and democracy. To fully comprehend just how far Iraq has come with the assistance of U.S. and coalition forces, we must consider the horror that was Iraq under Saddam Hussein: chemical attacks resulting in scores of innocent deaths; a gruesome campaign to exterminate Iraqi Kurds; the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees who fled Saddam's persecution; the deaths of 400,000 Iraqi children in his regime's final years killed by malnutrition and disease due to the failed policies of his regime; the use of rape and the beheading of women as tools of coercion and intimidation as part of their regime opposition.

Mr. Speaker, now let us consider what has been accomplished thus far since we removed Saddam Hussein from power. The progress achieved serves to honor all of our men and women as this chart shows. They have fought, and some have fallen for the fulfillment of our noble, our just, and our necessary mission in Iraq.

Some of the highlights of progress, Mr. Speaker: Iraqis participated in elections three times since 2005, with ever-increasing voter participation each time. The Iraqi press is free and it is growing. Iraqi women are playing an increasingly pivotal role in their society.

A market-based economy is being established as Iraq emerges from three decades of Saddam's neglect. Over 260,000 Iraqi police and security forces have been trained and have been equipped. Iraq now has a democratically elected government for the first time in its history that includes all ethnic groups.

We should therefore focus on what we need to do to help ensure a free and secure Iraq and not on how soon we can leave it, ignoring that it is in our national security interest to succeed there.

The jihadists are determined and they have declared Iraq to be the central front of their campaign of terror. Are we to waver in front of these challenges? Absolutely not. Terrorist mastermind al Zarqawi, now dead, acknowledged in a February 2004 letter to al Qaeda the threat that success in Iraq posed to the extremist effort.

He said, Our enemy is growing stronger by the day, by God, this is suffocation. One of Osama bin Laden's closest associates wrote about Iraq a couple of years ago. And he said, a far more dangerous threat is secularist democracy, because it drives Muslims to refuse to take part in jihad.

Mr. Speaker, this clearly demonstrates that our efforts in Iraq are serving long-term efforts of spreading democracy as an antidote to Islamic terrorism and extremism.

Mr. Speaker, it reminds me of President Ronald Reagan's words in his first inaugural address when he said, ``Above all we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenal of the world is so formidable as the will and the moral courage of free men and women.''

Every day the Iraqi people are proving how true that statement is. We too must demonstrate the will to press ahead. Leaders from the Arab world have confided their views on how important it is for their own efforts to have the U.S. in Iraq. However, the best evidence that we are on the right path comes from those closest to me, including my stepson, Dougie, and his fiance, Lindsay, both marine officers, both who have served as fighter pilots in Iraq.

And I hear it from one of my subcommittee staffers, Matt Zweig, who is currently deployed in Iraq. Their unwavering belief that success in Iraq will make us safer at home confirms that our strategy is correct and that our goals are sound.

They remind me that we must heed the advice issued by Winston Churchill when he said, ``One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half.''

Mr. Speaker, we must not, we will not flinch in Iraq.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Treasury, Transportation and HUD Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the chairman of the subcommittee on State, Justice and Commerce appropriations.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on International Relations.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations, of our International Relations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), who chairs the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation for our International Relations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to Mr. Buyer for the purposes of a unanimous consent request.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation of our International Relations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize for 2 minutes

the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter), who has been to Iraq three times.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3\1/4\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), a member of the International Relations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to clarify for the record that this resolution honors all those Americans who have taken an active part in the global war on terror, whether as first responders, protecting the homeland, as servicemembers overseas, as diplomats and intelligence officers, and in other roles.

And further, it honors the sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces and of partners in the coalition, and of the Iraqis and Afghans who fight alongside them, especially those who have fallen or have been wounded in the struggle, and honors as well the sacrifices of their families and of others who risk their lives to help defend freedom. This is a resolution to honor their sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris), a member of the House International Relations Committees.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett), who has traveled to Iraq and has witnessed the progress firsthand.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), a member of the International Relations Committee, who has traveled to Iraq, has met with our U.S. coalition, and Iraqi troops.

Mr. Speaker, before I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut, I would like to give myself such time right now as I might consume.

We have a strategy, and it is a strategy for success, Mr. Speaker. Every day in Iraq and in Afghanistan is proof positive that we are making progress and that we will prevail.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle say we need to have a debate on how to win. And I would point them to the Intelligence, to the Armed Services Committee, our own International Relations Committee, the countless hearings and meetings we have held to address the issues that have been raised here. And while I will let Armed Services discuss their oversight, I would like to read just briefly some of the sessions held by our International Relations Committee on Oversight.

Full committee hearings in the 109th Congress, in the 108th Congress, full committee Members only meeting, subcommittee hearings in the 109th Congress, subcommittee hearings in the 108th Congress, classified briefings in the 108th and 109th Congresses, as well as a total of 9 resolutions of inquiry on Iraq referred to our committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lewis).

(Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts), who has been to Iraq four times, to Afghanistan twice, and I had the honor of traveling to both places with him as well.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) who has been to Iraq four times to visit with our troops.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the previous speaker for the vote of confidence. I am sure that the troops are very happy with that support as well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my good friend, my Florida colleague, Mr. Diaz-Balart, who has been to both Iraq and Afghanistan and has spent Thanksgiving with our troops and our coalition forces.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman, my colleague from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), who has traveled multiple times to Iraq to meet with our forces.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining in our segment?

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

Mr. Speaker, I can think of no better person to close our segment of the International Relations Committee, and I yield the remaining time to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), who served in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1979, decorated combat veteran with two silver stars, and as all of us know is a living hero, a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. We welcome him and we thank him for closing up our segment of the debate.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Moran amendment. Let us be clear: This amendment is not about agricultural sales to Cuba. This amendment seeks to prevent the implementation of safeguards that have been put in place to ensure that American farmers do indeed get paid.

Under current U.S. law, the sale of agricultural products to Cuba is authorized. There are no sanctions in place for such sales. The law only stipulates that these sales meet four simple conditions: payment of cash in advance, of payment prior to transfer of title, shipping and a licensing provision.

Again, these requirements were put in place to protect American producers, to protect American taxpayers, so that they will in fact get paid by the Cuban regime, and that these sales are in keeping with the U.S. foreign policy and commercial interests.

Given the Castro regime history, and you can see right there in Mr. Diaz-Balart's currency debt, and its history of insolvency, its poor credit rating, its debt levels, it is incumbent upon us in Congress to undertake necessary steps to protect Americans from getting cheated, from getting swindled, like so many others have by the Castro dictatorship.

Mr. Chairman, we have ample reasons to be concerned about the worthiness of the Castro regime. At $14 billion, Cuba's foreign debt reached an all-time high last year.

Cuba simply refuses to pay its debts. Now, we all know that the Cuban tyrant can afford it. Forbes Magazine recently listed him as among the top ten wealthiest rulers in the world. The U.S. must not allow its citizens to shoulder the burden of a corrupt foreign government, a deadbeat dictator.

Simply put, this amendment promotes lawlessness and the protection

of Americans against the Cuban regime's antics. I join Mr. Diaz-Balart and so many others in hoping that we vote ``no'' on the Moran amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my good friend from New York (Mr. Rangel). I know that he called this the For-America amendment, but I think it is the Blame America First amendment, because it says that if there is misery in Cuba, and there surely is, that it is the fault of the American people because of our foreign policy tools that we have been using of sanctioning the government of the regime of Fidel Castro.

I agree with the gentleman that the embargo should be lifted. It is the embargo that Fidel Castro has on the Cuban people, an embargo on freedom and an embargo on expression and an embargo on freedom to worship. That is the embargo that we would like to see lifted.

But here we go again. How interesting that we have this debate on today, of all days. This is Che Guevara's birthday, and Che Guevara, like Castro, was a bloody assassin, even though we have young people wearing

his T-shirts. They have no idea what that man stood for.

Like Che Guevara, Fidel Castro continues this bloody, tyrannical rule. Here we have an annual campaign to award an oppressive totalitarian state, a human rights violator, right here in our own hemisphere. If history has taught us nothing about the consequences of appeasing and awarding a brutal power hungry tyrant, we are again being asked to consider an amendment that in practice would lift all sanctions on the Cuban dictatorship as a reward for his good behavior.

In matter of fact, as the Cuban regime intensifies its crackdown on peaceful demonstration, people who are just for democracy, as it systematically harasses and seeks to intimidate our own U.S. Ambassador personnel in the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, as the regime increases its support to pariah states such as Iran and Syria, and the global jihadist organization, we should not, we cannot, we must not resolve that this is going to go unnoticed, that we will not be punishing Fidel Castro, that we will, in fact, be rewarding him for continuing to oppress his own people.

The misery that the Cuban people feel is Castro's own making. It is not the Blame America First crowd that wants you to believe that, but that is so.

There are three major conditions that must be in place before any sanctions are lifted on the Cuban regime. They are very simple. The liberation of political prisoners, the legalization of all political parties, and the holding of free, fair, multiparty, internationally recognized democratic elections.

This amendment suggests that demanding freedom, demanding democracy, demanding respect for human rights first is all too much to ask. I say it is not. The human rights condition in Cuba continues to deteriorate. Cuba's tyrannical rule punishes even harder those who seek to exercise their fundamental freedoms of expression, of assembly, of free association. As the steadily increasing number of Cuban political prisoners demonstrates, conditions are deplorable and the Cuban people are oppressed by this ruthless dictator.

So I ask you, are we to reward the imprisonment of peaceful demonstrators and independent journalists? No, I don't think we should. I don't think that we will.

Labor leaders, local civil rights activists, are being tortured today as we speak. They are being jailed by this tyrannical regime. In addition, sex trafficking is on the rise. According to our own State Department report on sexual trafficking, it says in Cuba women and children are trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced child labor.

The Cuban regime does not meet even minimum standards for this so- called thriving sex trade, but rather participates, participates in the commercial, sexual exploitation of these women and children. Are we to reward these violent harassers, this intimidation, these human traffickers? No, we must not.

In a post-September 11 world, Mr. Chairman, Congress should not, we must not, help subsidize trade with a regime that is committed to the destruction of the U.S. Cuba provides safe haven for globally wanted fugitives and pursues even closer ties with Syria and Iran.

Let us not forget then in May of 2001 Fidel Castro said, together, Cuba and Iran will bring America to its knees. The imperialist king will finally fall.

Then, Cuba also voted no on an International Atomic Energy Agency that would have condemned Iran's nonproliferation obligations. I ask my colleagues to stand on the side of political prisoners and reject the Rangel amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in strong opposition to my good friend, Ms. Lee's, amendment.

The proponents of this amendment say that it would allow American students to travel to Cuba. The reality is that under current law educational trips to Cuba by American students are permitted. The restrictions do exist, however, and they are in place in order to ensure that American students studying in Cuba are indeed engaging in legitimate educational activities with substantive academic and cultural components.

This is in contrast to the time before the regulations were put in place in July of 2004. What was happening then? Students were participating in activities with little or no educational merit. These trips were organized under the guise of educational activity but they were in fact spring break getaways and island shopping excursions.

We have to understand and remember that when this amendment was offered last year the elected leaders of the opposition in Cuba wrote a letter to every Member of Congress saying please defeat this amendment; this does not help our cause for freedom.

Madam Speaker, because Islamist terrorism anywhere is a threat to free people everywhere, I ask my colleagues to render their strong support of H. Con. Res. 338.

This resolution which I drafted with the distinguished Ranking Member of the House International Relations Committee, and which enjoys the support of both Chairman Burton and Ranking Member Engel of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, calls for a preventive approach to rising threats in our hemisphere. Islamist terrorist activity in our Hemisphere has been increasing and becoming more prominent for at least 15 years.

Reports document that Hezbollah is active in the triborder area of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, raising money to support its murderous acts and recruiting people to carry them out.

Hamas and the Egyptian Islamic Group also reportedly maintain a presence in Latin America, and al-Qaeda is active there, too. Although such activity is dominated by financing and money laundering, these Islamist extremists have not hesitated in launching direct attacks as well.

In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Argentina was bombed, killing 29 people and wounding almost 250. In 1994, terrorists linked to Hezbollah and the Iranian regime, bombed the MIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 and wounding over 300.

Islamist jihadists often use countries in the Western Hemisphere as staging areas for entry into the United States.

Before Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was eliminated as a threat last week, it has been reported that he instructed members of Al-Qaeda in Iraq to go to Brazil, with the goal of entering the U.S. through Mexico and carrying out acts of terror.

Just 10 days ago, on June 2nd, 14 suspects in an Islamist terror cell in Canada were arrested. The cell possessed 3 tons of ammonium nitrate, 3 times the amount used in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. They planned to blow-up buildings and take politicians hostage. Such terrorists, with such explosives, were only two hours away from the U.S. border.

This cell was captured. Others, however, remain free and growing-- both to our north and to our south.

Islamist terrorists are ready, willing, and able to strike in this hemisphere. What should our nation and our allies do about this threat?

After September 11th, our Nation has vigorously combated terrorists and their state sponsors. We removed the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, and have captured and eliminated numerous members of al-Qaeda.

We have refused to wait for terrorists to again strike at our homeland by taking the battle to them and denying them sanctuaries throughout the world.

We must proactively identify and address emerging problems before they can threaten our homeland, our allies, and our interests-- particularly, in the Western Hemisphere; our neighborhood.

This resolution acknowledges the threat that Islamist terrorist groups and their sympathizers, operating in this hemisphere, pose to America and her allies.

Many governments in the hemisphere have cooperated with us on counterterrorism and have committed to denying the use of their territory for such fundraising, recruitment and operations. Despite these efforts, the Islamist terrorist presence in our hemisphere is growing. We must do more.

This resolution encourages the President to direct the U.S. Representative to the OAS to seek support from OAS member countries to create a special task force of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism. This task force would assist governments, and coordinate efforts between nations, in investigating and combating the proliferation of Islamist terrorist activities in this hemisphere.

The measure further calls for the U.S. Representative to the OAS to work with OAS member nations to designate groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and al-Qaeda as terrorist groups, if they have not already done so.

Madam Speaker, if we are to one day realize a more secure and peaceful world, we must address all threats, starting with those closest to our shores.

We see the growth of Islamist terrorist groups in the Western Hemisphere. The resolution before us provides us with a roadmap on efforts we should undertake to begin to eradicate the threat before it festers and strengthens.

I ask for a ``yes'' vote on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Ms. Eugenia Maria Bulnes, the Principal of the Sister Carolyn Learning Center. Principal Bulnes is retiring on June 9, 2006 after 8 years as principal and over 40 years as an educator and mentor to the youth of South Florida.

Eugenia, arrived in our great country in 1961 after fleeing the Castro regime. Since then, she found her life's calling working with children. In fact, Eugenia has spent the majority of her life, mentoring and guiding youth.

Throughout her career she has established herself as a selfless leader, and her dedication to her field is unquestionable. It is the perseverance and compassion of people like Eugenia that enables our country to continue to prosper and grow.

I am grateful for the tremendous diligence and dedication Eugenia exhibited on behalf of the student body at Carolyn Learning Center. Eugenia's dedication to enriching the lives of others is truly admirable. The passion she exerted towards her profession is not only commendable, but inspirational as well.

Once again, I commend Eugenia for her distinguished career as an educator and I applaud her for all the tremendous successes you have accomplished throughout the years.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Armando de Jesus Dominguez of Saga Bay for his remarkable work as an artist.

Most recently, Mr. Dominguez has been selected out of 4,000 entries as one of ten artists featured by the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Mr. Dominguez's works and journals are published on the gallery's ``Portrait of an Artist'' web site. His competition entry Mr. Williams is a riveting portray of a Palmetto Senior High School teacher, an expression of the artist's patience and skill.

Mr. Dominguez was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to Miami with his family at the age of 12. A self-taught painter, he works as a graphic designer for the Spanish-language network Univision. In his artistic work, he focuses on landscape painting and now has a three-year backlog of commissioned work. Dedicated to his community, he also visits local schools and gives presentations to expose children to the arts.

Mr. Dominguez, thank you for your continued commitment to the promotion of the arts. Your unwavering pursuit of your vision through painting has been an inspiration to others. It is this passion, incredible talent, and service to the community of Saga Bay that makes our lives richer and Florida stronger. I congratulate Mr. Armando DeJesus Dominguez on his achievement and service to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to have this opportunity to praise an intellectual giant, a true public servant, to honor my friend, my colleague, my chairman, Henry Hyde. He has had unparalleled leadership skills and that is the way that he steers the House International Relations Committee, of which I am a proud member.

The committee has truly flourished under the chairman's direction in ways that it had not previously known. We have turned out significant pieces of legislation on a range of issues. Henry Hyde's vision perhaps is best summarized by the words of Sir Winston Churchill, who said, ``All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: Freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.'' This sentiment captures the essence of Henry Hyde and of his style.

Serving as a subcommittee chair under Chairman Hyde, I have been privileged to witness firsthand the insight that has led him to be the skilled politician and public servant that he is. Pundits have referred to the chairman as a statesman; as a Washington icon; as a doer; as a wit; as one of the sharpest legal minds of Capitol Hill; an outspoken and articulate debater; a standard bearer for conservative principles, causes and beliefs; a Gibraltar of conviction; and an avatar of grace.

I would like to add a few of my own, Mr. Speaker. From what I have seen, Henry's character and in turn his leadership is shaped by his multiple roles. He is a man of faith, a Patriot, a humanitarian, a friend and a mentor.

I remember in my freshman term meeting Henry Hyde for the first time. Having followed Henry's efforts on behalf of freedom fighters who have valiantly fought communism in our hemisphere, to me, Henry Hyde was larger than life. As Congressman Steve Chabot said earlier, if Hollywood were to cast a statesman, they couldn't find anyone better than the impressive and dashing Henry Hyde.

I quickly learned that that imposing stature that he was nothing of a bullying nature in Henry Hyde. On the contrary, the chairman, even in his most heated debates in our committee, when he must keep order at our hearings, he is a consummate gentleman, able to restore order with a fleeting, withering glance that belies the twinkle in his eye.

How appropriate that Henry represents Illinois, as so many speakers have said, the land of Lincoln, for both the chairman and the American President are notable for their character, their eloquence, their determination.

Chairman Hyde's political career began 40 years ago as a representative in the Illinois legislature, where he served at as that body's majority leader from 1971 to 1972.

In 1974, he was elected to this House, the People's House. Among other issues, Henry became identified with the worthy cause of defending the unborn, championing his Appropriations Committee's amendments that would prohibit the use of Federal funds to pay for abortions. These were adopted into law in 1978, and the Hyde Amendment has been a great step forward in legislation that favors the sanctity of human life.

In this vein, Henry has also been a supporter of adopting children and of assisting poor women to care for their children. He has lent his name to legislative initiatives taking tougher steps to hold deadbeat dads accountable for unpaid child support.

Henry Hyde has come to be known as one of the House's great orators. His stirring speeches against term limits and against flag burning are particularly memorable.

In 1994, Henry Hyde accepted the gavel of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, where he shepherded through the House many important pieces of legislation. Among these were the landmarks anti- terrorism legislation of 1995; enforcing in the U.S. the international treaty against war crimes; the church arson law of 1996; a victim restitution act; an act limiting death penalty appeals; Megan's Law, requiring released sex offenders to report their addresses; and a law allowing senior citizen housing to be allocated by age. Also, a law banning state taxes on pensions of non-residents; the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, the authorization of $10 billion for prison expansion; protection of intellectual property rights in digital recording and biotech patents; the ban on partial-birth abortion; product liability; tort reform and so many others.

Turning to the chairman's leadership style, one of the most salient characteristics is his reputation for fairness. Indeed, the Washington Post noted in a 1998 article that Henry Hyde ``has managed to maintain a reputation for even-handedness, for patience and restraint, a remarkable feat for someone known both for his savagely held beliefs and for his keen sense of which way the wind blows.''

Indeed, the ranking member of the International Relations Committee, my good friend Tom Lantos of California, cogently addressed our chairman's embodiment of frankness and fairness when Tom said, ``although our opinions on issues have differed from time to time, Henry has always been very straightforward with me when he knows we might disagree. And once we have made our opinions known and once the voting is done, it has never had an adverse effect on our relationship.''

Indeed, one thing we can all agree upon is that Chairman Hyde's leadership reflects the values that he places on fairness and his focus on getting the job done rather than on mere politicking.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend the gentleman from California, Mr. Lungren, who would like to add some statements about our great chairman Henry Hyde.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Those are principles that he lives and stands on every day of his life.

One has to admire the chairman's measured judgment on foreign policy terrain as well, as when he noted with respect to the fall of Soviet communism, he said, ``There has been a palpable feeling that the Cold War is over, and there are no serious threats with the Russian bear comatose. But as I like to say, the forest is full of dangerous snakes. There is a very important need for the United States to recognize that no one will rescue us. We have to be self-sufficient to really survive.''

Truly, Henry's vision of the importance of this self-sufficiency is emblematic of his approach to foreign policy.

The chairman's wisdom encourages us to be vigilant, as when he expressed that with regard to China, ``The United States should be mindful that China was one of the world's most powerful nations for several thousands of years, and its relative weakness over the last two centuries is an historic anomaly that is coming to an end.''

The chairman too has no illusions about U.S. Latin America policy. Henry backs a strong American initiative to extend free trade between the United States and democratic nations in the hemisphere as a way of generating economic growth and creating jobs.

He said, ``A lot of the problems in our hemisphere could be addressed if not solved by free trade. There is so much we have in common. I think a common wealth of the Americas would help everyone. But it will take real leadership and a bit of luck''.

Regarding policy for the region over which my subcommittee, the Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee has had jurisdiction, Chairman Hyde's no-nonsense convictions, blended with his foreign policy expertise and his political leadership led him to the conclusion that on September 11, he said, ``Our enemies have no aim except destruction. Nothing to offer but a forced march to a bleak and dismal path. Theirs is a world without light''.

And he said, ``We are now in a war, a war that is directed at America and the civilized world. It is that simple,'' he said. ``We have to lead the world to oppose terrorism as a weapon against civilization, so this is a war for civilization. No country should harbor terrorists and we have tolerated countries that have tolerated terrorists. This must change''.

He continued by saying, ``The massive, obscene destruction of human life we saw in New York and Washington should show us all that terrorism cannot be tolerated. It has to be wiped off the map''.

And it is not just our committee, or not just even our Nation that benefits from the leadership of Henry Hyde, but the world is the greater for the existence and the leadership of someone of the caliber, of the passion, of the conviction of Henry Hyde.

The chairman's dedication to diverting the United Nations from its course of scandal, of corruption, of secrecy, and instead toward accountability, toward transparency and effectiveness, culminated in the passage by this House last summer of the Henry Hyde United Nations Reform Act of 2005.

This reform measure with teeth urged that the U.S. should impose its leverage to motivate the U.N. which has to this point been reluctant to consider substantive reform on its own through withholding of U.S. assess dues.

Henry Hyde's AIDS funding legislation has also been a landmark piece of legislation. This measure authorizes $1.3 billion annually to fight this horrible disease, which Henry Hyde has said, ``It is not just the deepest, darkest Africa we are dealing with, it is Brazil, it is the Caribbean, it is Russia, it is here in the United States, it is everyone in the world. As this pandemic spreads, we must do what we can do''.

This body is truly fortunate to have had in its midst an individual who leads through knowledge gained. He has gained it in institutions of higher learning such as Loyola, Duke and Georgetown. He has gained it on the playing field, as when Chairman Hyde played basketball for the Hoyas, or in combat theatres with the U.S. Navy stationed in the Philippines, in the South Pacific, in New Guinea; or through the wise use of his gavel as majority leader, as chair of the Judiciary Committee, and now as chair of our International Relations Committee.

On his website, Henry Hyde puts his 32 years of service as a U.S. Congressman in context by noting that during his time in office, we have persevered through many conflicts, including the Cold War, the Communist takeover in Nicaragua and in Grenada, the invasion of Kuwait, the removal of Noriega from Panama, genocide in Bosnia, bombing of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, invasion of Afghanistan, invasion of Iraq, and the present defense of our Nation against Islamic insurgents and terrorists.

That is a lot of conflicts, and for that matter, 32 years means almost infinite constituent letters, town hall meetings, legislative victories, press interviews, but most of all, in the course of these 32 years, Henry Hyde has shared his passion, and his blood, sweat and tears with the American people.

I want to express any sincere gratitude to Henry Hyde not just for being a great legislator, a leader in wit, but also for being an inspiration to us all. You have touched our lives in ways that we could never truly express. And we are all the better for having had the privilege of serving alongside you.

Mr. Speaker, with that I would like to yield to my good friend on the International Relations Committee, Mr. Fortenberry.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for giving his insight.

Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure for Republican and Democrat Members alike to have served and to continue to serve under the tutelage of Henry Hyde. He has tackled all of the big issues. Tomorrow, as a matter of fact, in our International Relations Committee, we will be debating Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, he is not afraid to tackle those big, controversial issues. And that has been part of his character. He has taken on the issues. He has done it in a very fair, impartial way. And that is why in the coming months, because we still have Henry Hyde around for a long, long time, you will be seeing my good friend, Mr. Lantos, on the other side leading a series of special orders honoring a great statesman, the great leader, our chairman, Henry Hyde.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in memory of Eusebio Penalver Mazorra, who was one of the longest serving political prisoners and a man who President George W. Bush called a Cuban patriot. I would like to recognize his widow, Francis Martinez, who is with us today.

In Miami, Penalver led a group called ``Plantados until Freedom and Democracy Comes to Cuba,'' whose five founding members each spent more than 20 years in Castro's prisons. Eusebio himself spent 28 years in jail.

Penalver was a Cuban political prisoner who fought long and hard against Castro's tyranny. Born in Ciego de Avila, in Camaguey, Cuba, Penalver was a Plantado, a prisoner who firmly plants his feet in his cell and does not cooperate with his captors, and he struggled for freedom and democracy throughout his life.

He came to the United States as an exile in 1988, and he dedicated his life to fighting Castro's tyranny. He was loved and admired by our Cuban-American community for his dedication and courage in the fight for Cuba's liberty, and his presence will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduced a legislation acknowledging as refugees Jewish, Christian and other minorities that fled from Arab lands.

This measure serves to recognize major historical events, sheds light on other refugee populations that are often forgotten in discussions relating to Middle East peace, and underscores the need to address this issue in a comprehensive, balanced manner in order to resolve the conflict that currently exists in the Middle East.

It is imperative that the world knows about the displacement, which was spurred by ethnic and religious persecution, of Jewish, Christian and other minorities living in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf region.

For too long the world has failed to recognize the oppression, human rights violations, forced expulsion, and deprivation of assets these communities had to endure under Arab regimes.

It is essential that the plight of these communities from Arab countries be integrated into discussions toward any agreement regarding the issue of refugees.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of our Speaker, Dennis Hastert, who will soon become the longest serving Republican Speaker in our Nation's history.

Speaker Hastert guides this House in a bipartisan, fair manner. He is a patient listener who works towards compromise in an even-handed manner. In these days of rancor and bitterness, Speaker Hastert tries to bring balance and civility into this tumultuous legislative process.

It is irresponsible for media outlets to malign anyone with negative information from unnamed and uncorroborated sources. Speaker Hastert and everyone else who might be attacked deserves to have incorrect information corrected for the record.

Our Speaker has not been a Republican or a Democrat presiding officer, he has been the presiding officer for the whole House, a man who takes his oath seriously. We place our trust in Speaker Hastert, and he has not let us down. He is our coach.

Congratulations, Speaker Hastert, for this historic milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4681) to promote the development of democratic institutions in areas under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that debate on this matter be extended by 80 minutes, equally divided.

Mr. Speaker, I yield half of my time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and I ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

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 bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), the chief deputy majority whip.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), a member of the International Relations Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that debate on this matter be extended by 60 minutes, equally divided. Perhaps the opponents of the bill would have an opportunity to read the legislation. And I would like to yield half of my time to Mr. Lantos, and ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).

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

Madam Speaker, Hamas' political victory in the January election presented an opportunity for this Islamic jihadist group to lay down its arms, to renounce terrorism, to recognize the State of Israel, and to dismantle its militant infrastructure, to become an entity that could lead the Palestinian people to peace, to prosperity, to security with the Jewish nation.

But, unfortunately, much like its predecessor, who never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity, Hamas has instead continued its violence, has aligned itself with pariah states and with state sponsors of terrorism that seek to extend their extremist, hateful ideology throughout the region and, indeed, throughout the world. Hamas has chosen to dedicate its resources and its energy to supporting continued terrorist attacks against Israel rather than to helping the Palestinian people.

It is its choice, so Hamas can spend its money on suicide and homicide attacks; but it is up to the United States to support and provide for the needs of the Palestinian people. It is our responsibility, instead of Hamas'.

Previous speakers in opposition to the bill have said, Madam Speaker, that this bill will deny chemotherapy to cancer victims. It is preposterous; it does not. That it would hurt the common Palestinian citizen. No, it does not. That it would undermine the Palestinian reformers by denying democracy. No, quite the opposite. That it has unbearable roadblocks to nongovernment organizations to provide assistance to the Palestinian people. Absolutely not.

The bill requirements are to ensure that humanitarian aid goes to the intended recipients for the intended purposes, oversight. The United States must make it unambiguously clear that we will not support such a terrorist regime, that we will not directly or indirectly allow American taxpayer funds to be used to perpetuate the leadership of an Islamic jihadist group that is responsible for the murder of hundreds and the wounding of scores of innocent Israeli civilians, of U.S. citizens and other foreigners throughout the years.

It has been almost 4 months, Madam Speaker, since this Islamic jihadist extremist won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliamentary elections. We have made our conditions clear, but Hamas' commitment to bloodshed has remained unabated.

Hamas' leaders have expressed their support for rockets being launched from Gaza into Israel, and stated that the recent attack, a bombing that killed nine innocent people and wounded 60 at a Tel Aviv restaurant, was ``justified.'' Their words, not mine.

Since the elections, the leaders of Hamas have officially expressed their refusal to change a single word in its charter. Their hate-filled covenant is Hamas' most valued document. It focuses on killing Jews and destroying Israel.

I would like to read some of the words that are included in the charter of Hamas and that accurately depict the group's violent views: ``The time of Muslim unity will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews and kill them; until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry, `O Muslims, there is a Jew behind me. Come on and kill him.'''

The Islamic extremists running the Palestinian Authority have made it very clear, crystal clear, that they do not intend to moderate their vicious views nor seek a peace agreement with Israel. They may speak of a long-term cease-fire, but this is only a temporary means to regroup and rearm for yet more terrorism.

A two-state solution envisioned and proposed by the Quartet is not part of Hamas' agenda, because it runs contrary to the core principles of this terror group that says, ``The land of Palestine from the river to the sea is considered an Islamic endowment, and no Muslim has the right to cede any part of it.''

So our actions here tonight and the vote tomorrow must be clear and it must be firm. We must work toward eradicating such Islamist jihadist hatred and the extremist ideology that feeds it, or we will compromise our own

immediate as well as long-term security interests and the stability and the security of our allies in the region.

In an effort to promote U.S. national security and foreign policy priorities and to help ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not reach the hands of Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups, I introduced, with my good friend the ranking member of the House International Relations Committee, Mr. Tom Lantos, this bill that is before us tonight, Madam Speaker. It has 295 cosponsors, and it opposes the provision of assistance or political recognition to any entity under the tutelage of a terrorist organization such as Hamas.

This bill does prohibit direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority, but it has exceptions, and we have talked about them. Many of the people who have spoken here tonight want to overlook those exceptions. It does seek to prohibit travel to the United States by members or associates of terrorist entities, it provides for the United States to withhold contributions to the United Nations proportional to the amounts the United Nations provides to these duplicative Palestinian-related entities that are directly tied to the Palestinian Authority, and it calls for the Palestinian Authority to be designated as a terrorist sanctuary under the 9/11 bill.

But it is not just about what is right for the U.S. in terms of our priorities and our allies, Madam Speaker. It also is about honoring the memory of all who have died at the hands of Hamas and other Palestinian jihadist groups.

That is why tonight we have spoken about and we have given our condolences to our good friend from Virginia, Mr. Cantor, whose 16- year-old cousin, Daniel Wultz from South Florida, close to my congressional district, died 2 weeks ago after suffering these fatal injuries caused by an April 17 suicide bombing in Tel Aviv while he was having lunch with his father. Daniel fought courageously for 27 days for his life, but the injuries were far too severe.

Our thoughts and our prayers go not just to Daniel, but also to all who have lost family members and friends to Hamas and other jihadist groups, and the list is, unfortunately, too long for us to mention all of their names. We want to pass this legislation to help ensure that we in Congress have done everything possible to prevent another Daniel Wultz from dying at the hands of these extremists.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to render their full support to this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I yield 8 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and I ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues who have participated in this debate and most especially my dear friend from California (Mr. Lantos). He is always on the right side of all of these issues. Thank you, Mr. Lantos, for your friendship and your leadership.

Madam Speaker, Hamas has a choice to make. It can be part of our broader post-9/11 policy of being with peace-loving, freedom-loving, democratic nations, or it can be with the Islamic terrorists. Yet, this is what Hamas' choice has been.

On its commitment to terrorism, the security forces head says, ``We have only one enemy, they are Jews. I will continue to carry the rifle and pull the trigger whenever required to defend my people.''

On refusing to recognize Israel, the Hamas spokesman says, ``I believe that

the question of recognizing Israel will never be at any time on the agenda of the Hamas movement, the PLC or the Palestinian government.''

The foreign minister has said, ``Even if the U.S. gave us all its money in return for recognizing Israel and giving up one inch of Palestine, we would never do so even if this costs us our lives. Our right to pursue the resistance will remain as long as the occupation continues over our lands and our holy sites.''

This is the leadership of Hamas. So we have a choice, Madam Speaker. Allow American taxpayer dollars to help support Hamas and other Islamic extremists or prevent such a manipulation of U.S. funds and ensure that they help promote our U.S. interests. I hope that our colleagues make the right decision tomorrow, and I hope that they will help us pass this bill.

Madam Speaker, I attach an exchange of letters between Chairman Hyde and Chairman Oxley concerning the bill H.R. 4681 ``Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.''

House of Representatives,

Committee on Financial Services,

Washington, DC, May 15, 2006.

Hon. Henry J. Hyde,

Chairman, Committee on International Relations, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to confirm our mutual

understanding with respect to the consideration of H.R. 4681,

the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006. This bill was

introduced on February 1, 2006, and referred to the

Committees on International Relations, Judiciary and

Financial Services. I understand that committee action has

already taken place on the bill.

Section 9 of the bill as introduced falls within the

jurisdiction of this Committee and could be the subject of a

markup. However, in response to a request from this

Committee, I thank you for your agreement to support in

moving this legislation forward the modification of section 9

to remove from the certification requirement for

international financial institutions a determination of the

President that the Palestinian Authority has taken effective

steps and

made demonstrable progress toward ``ensuring democracy, the

rule of law, and an independent judiciary, and adopting other

reforms such as ensuring transparency and accountable

governance.'' Given the importance and timeliness of the

Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, and your willingness to work

with us regarding these issues, further proceedings on this

bill in this Committee will no longer be necessary. However,

I do so only with the understanding that this procedural

route should not be construed to prejudice the jurisdictional

interest of the Committee on Financial Services on these

provisions or any other similar legislation and will not be

considered as precedent for consideration of matters of

jurisdictional interest to my committee in the future.

Furthermore, should these or similar provisions be considered

in a conference with the Senate, I would expect members of

the Committee on Financial Services be appointed to the

conference committee on these provisions.

Finally, I would ask that you include a copy of our

exchange of letters in the Congressional Record during the

consideration of this bill. If you have any questions

regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to call me. I

thank you for your consideration.

Yours truly,

Michael G. Oxley,

Chairman.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the House in honor of Fausto Miranda, a legendary sports reporter and one of the most outstanding members of our Cuban-American community. Last week, Fausto Miranda passed away in his Miami home at the age of 91.

Miami and the Cuban people grieve in the face of this loss. Fausto Miranda was born on July 4, 1914, not knowing that history would turn this date into two reasons for him to celebrate. In 1960, Fausto Miranda came to the U.S. where, like so many other Cubans fleeing the newly installed Castro regime, he found a safe haven and the opportunity to continue his extraordinary journalistic career. The fourth of July from now on provided him with two reasons to celebrate-- the day he was born and the day America became independent and turned into a home for the oppressed and persecuted.

Born and raised in the town of Puerto Padre in eastern Cuba, Fausto Miranda dreamt of becoming a lawyer; instead his poor background forced him to work in the sugar industry for a mere 30 pesos a month. Young Fausto was very shrewd when it came to making a living--he took on such diverse jobs as street vendor, prison guard, trumpeter, orchestra manager, doorman, cleaning person, music critic, social annalist, and political reporter.

At the age of 20, fate showed him where his real talent lay buried. Working as a stadium announcer, he one day passed his notes on to a journalist of Diario de Cuba, one of the count's major newspapers. The next day, the article on the baseball game that appeared in the Diario was signed by `Fausto Miranda, Special Correspondent'. Years later, Fausto Miranda recalled: ``The night the newspaper came out and I saw the article with my name, I did not sleep.''

His career began to take off when he moved to Cuba's capital city of Havana in 1933. He started writing a column called ``Stardust'' which soon brought him further writing assignments for the newspapers El Crisol, Informacion, Diario de la Marina and Alerta as well as a job as sports commentator for radio COCO. Fausto Miranda rose to become ``an all-time pillar of Cuban sports journalism with an encyclopedic knowledge of baseball'', according to Felo Ramirez, a veteran sports commentator and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

During Fausto's time in Havana, the Cuban people were fortunate to have the best sports journalists in the hemisphere, including great personalities like Eladio Secades, Jessie Losada, and Pedro Galiana. When Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, Miranda was president of the Sports Writer Association. Like so many other branches of the vibrant Cuban civil society, the Association was closed down by the dictator and Fausto Miranda was forced to flee the tyrant's grasp.

He arrived in New York City, the haven to so many freedom-seeking immigrants, where he once again started off by taking on a simple job as doorman before entering the American sports journalism. While his little brother Willy Miranda was out on the field playing for the New York Yankees, Fausto was reporting from the American sports world for a wide variety of national and international media. He wrote for the newspaper La Prensa, the Gesto magazine as well as the French news agency AFP, and broadcast for the radio stations Canal 47, Radio X and WQBA-La Cubanisima.

In 1975, Fausto moved to Miami where he founded the sports section of El Miami Herald, predecessor of El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish-language version of the Miami Herald. In his famed weekly column ``Los viejos'', Fausto Miranda revived the Cuban-American's community memories of their tropical homeland. The popularity he gained was so great that even after his retirement in 1995, Fausto continued to publish the popular weekly column.

The Cuban-American community mourns an outstanding man, whose love of sports would always drive him forward. Calling himself a ``very bad athlete . . . very bad in everything'', his passion for the athletic world paved his way from a stadium announcer to one of the Western Hemisphere's most high-profile sports journalists. Not even the murderous dictator Fidel Castro could stop him--from stardom in Havana, Fausto went to stardom in Miami.

Fausto Miranda was not only an annalist of the times when legends like the boxers Kid Chocolate and Joe Louis were attracting huge crowds, and baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were filling the stadiums, but through his writing he also helped the Cuban American community to keep our memories of our native Cuba alive, ``the most beautiful land human eyes ever beheld,'' as he once said. We will greatly miss him.