Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, many of us seek a place in this hallowed institution to serve our country and our constituents, to make a difference, to help change the world for the better. Mr. Speaker, today we are given an opportunity to edge ever closer to the accomplishment of these goals.

Today we have an opportunity to positively impact the lives of countless human beings worldwide by recommitting ourselves to fighting and eliminating a great threat to our international security, and that is the global AIDS pandemic.

The bill before us reauthorizes the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003. Before this bill was enacted, known as PEPFAR, only 55,000 people living in sub-Saharan Africa were receiving life-saving treatment, but according to the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, through PEPFAR, the United States now has supported treatment for 1.68 million people in Africa and 1.73 million people worldwide.

Further, the United States has provided prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services for women enduring nearly 12.7 million pregnancies. We have also prevented an estimated 194,000 infant infections. We have supported care for more than 6.6 million people in need, including more than 2.7 million orphans and vulnerable children. We have supported over 33 million counseling and testing sessions to date for men, women, and children.

These successes are truly remarkable and serve as a testament that all can be accomplished when Members from the House and the Senate on both sides of the aisle work together to find solutions to one of the world's most pressing challenges.

The 2008 reauthorization seeks to consolidate and advance the successes of the past 5 years by providing the funding and the framework to transform this from an emergency program to a sustainable program. It stands as a noble legacy of the late Henry J. Hyde and Tom Lantos who spearheaded this mission of mercy 5 years ago, and I am proud that the bill bears their names.

The stakes for this initiative, Mr. Speaker, are higher than ever. Despite the best efforts of responsible nations to confront the global AIDS pandemic, there are now over 33 million people around the world living with this disease. An estimated 7,000 new infections occur every day. In its wake, the HIV/AIDS pandemic is leaving a trail of poverty, of despondency, of death, which has destabilized societies and undermined the security of entire regions.

Our former House colleague and current ambassador to Tanzania, the Honorable Mark Green, wrote to me highlighting the threat that HIV/AIDS poses to the security of our country. And he said, ``In tearing apart the social fabric and leaving a generation of orphans, the scourge of HIV/AIDS could create a long-term breeding ground for radicalism.''

So it is therefore incumbent upon us, Mr. Speaker, to advance this critical program which not only saves lives and exemplifies the generous humanitarian nature of the American people, but it also helps to preserve our national security.

It is important to note that even in the most remote areas of Kenya or Haiti, for example, people know about the PEPFAR program. They know from where the test kits, the medicines, and other life-saving support is coming. They recognize the leadership and the resources that the United States has provided in an effort to fight this deadly disease, and they are deeply appreciative. This is not just a health program. This is a public diplomacy program as well, and it has greatly enhanced global understanding of the true nature and the essence of the American people at a critical time in our Nation's history. We have led by example, and our success has been measured in human lives saved.

Now, the House has debated and adopted this bill by an overwhelming margin in April of this year. This House text was the product of a bipartisan compromise that preserved the spirit of the 2003 Act while balancing a number of congressional imperatives. Just as in the House, our Senate colleagues sought to produce legislation that would capitalize and expand upon the success of the energy plan while maintaining the bipartisan political consensus that has guided this program from its inception.

After 3 months of negotiations, the amendment before us was approved in the Senate by a margin of 80-16, demonstrating the strong bipartisan commitment of the Senate of their own carefully constructed compromise.

The Senate amendment contains numerous modifications to the text approved by the House in April. It reduces the authorization of HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria programs from $50 billion to $48 billion. It allows for a gradual increase of resources over time rather than authorizing $10 billion for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2013. It requires more than half of all funding appropriated for bilateral HIV/AIDS assistance be expended for treatment and care. It replaces the hard target for treatment with a sliding scale whereby the treatment target will increase over $3 million in direct proportion to increased appropriations. And further, it authorizes the use of compacts as further vehicles for HIV/AIDS assistance in an effort to promote sustainability.

Mr. Speaker, the Senate amendment preserves and strengthens other critical provisions that were at the heart of the House compromise overwhelmingly adopted in April. For example, it corrects an unintended omission by including care under the conscience clause which allows faith-based organizations to disassociate themselves from any program or activity to which they have a religious or moral objection. Also, it amends the abstinence and fidelity language contained in section 403 by striking behavior change programs including abstinence and fidelity, and inserting activities promoting

abstinence and fidelity. This modification provides clarity to the compromise reached in the House last spring.

The Senate amendment also includes two provisions that have raised some concern, including the establishment of a $2 billion emergency plan for Indian safety and health, and the lifting of certain restrictions under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The first provision, the Indian Safety and Health title of the Senate amendment initially raised concerns about mandatory spending and unfunded mandates. However, the Congressional Budget Office has verified that the language in question is an authorization and does not have implications for direct spending.

It also bears mentioning that the health programs will be implemented through the Indian Health Service which is subject to the rules and regulations of the Department of Health and Human Services.

With respect to the second item, Mr. Speaker, lifting the ban is largely symbolic because the authority to waive the restriction already exists and is routinely exercised, albeit on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, an alien with HIV would still be inadmissible under current HHS recommendations on communicable diseases of public health significance, and this would continue to be the case until and unless the regulations are changed. The Senate amendment includes offsets for the estimated additional costs involved with the processing of these new visas.

Throughout this process, Members on both sides of the aisle have been forced to make difficult choices to arrive at a consensus that carefully balances U.S. priorities and the range of congressional concerns. The challenges have been great and at times have seemed insurmountable. But a failure to act now would imperil our ability to provide life-saving support to millions of people in need around the world and will ultimately undermine what is arguably the most successful United States foreign assistance and public diplomacy program today.

We have been given a unique opportunity to help make the world a better place for those who have been victimized by the AIDS pandemic while simultaneously enhancing our own Nation's security.

I urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendment to the Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 so that this bill can be signed by the President without further delay and we can get to work on saving even more lives.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on International Organization, Human Rights, and Oversight.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), the ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham), a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

I yield the gentleman 30 seconds, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my good friend from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield myself the balance of my time.

I believe that PEPFAR is the most successful example of American foreign assistance since the Marshall Plan. Just as the Marshall Plan protected American lives by helping to stabilize a continent ravaged by war, PEPFAR is protecting American lives today by helping to stabilize a continent ravaged by disease.

More than just express American compassion, PEPFAR also protects American security. Let us give our strong support to H.R. 5501.

In closing, I would like to thank the following staff members of our Foreign Affairs Committee who have dedicated many long hours to ensuring that this bill is signed into law and we can continue U.S. efforts to save lives. For the

majority, Dr. Bob King, Peter Yeo, Dr. Pearl Alice Marsh, David Abramowitz and Kristin Wells. On our side, the Republican side, Joan Condon, Mark Gage, Doug Anderson, Sarah Kiko, Sam Stratman, Sheri Rickert, and our fabulous GOP staff director, Dr. Yleem Poblete. Thank you so much.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that our colleagues will see the meritorious nature of this proposal, because the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a significant threat to global health. It's also a leading threat to global stability. We can help fill this void. We can help stabilize the continent. We can help save lives by passing this bill today and sending it to the President's desk. As soon as tomorrow, we can have it on the President's desk and have a bill signed by next week.

We are in a position where we can make a difference, because this virus is killing millions of people in the prime of life. These are parents. These are teachers. These are government officials, public health workers and military officers, people who hold the fabric of life together for their community. We have an opportunity to rise to the challenge, pass this bill and save their lives and save a generation of lives around the world.

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

I thank my good friend from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart) for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the emergency route priority amendment, as mentioned by Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and this is the Mario Diaz-Balart amendment, which is provided for in today's rule for the National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act.

I have the unique pleasure, Mr. Speaker, of representing over 265 miles of pristine Florida coastline from Miami Beach all the way south to Key West. But our paradise is complicated by the extreme vulnerability to hurricanes, especially in the Florida Keys.

Over 74,000 Keys residents are dependent on a single evacuation route, the Overseas Highway, a part of U.S. Highway 1, which runs many miles connecting a series of islands from Key Largo to Key West. A key, no pun intended, bottleneck in the evacuation route is the Long Key Bridge, which is the second longest bridge, next to the Seven Mile Bridge, in this stretch of highway. This is a 2\1/2\-mile-long bridge, and it marks the beginning of the approach to the first heavily populated Key, Key Largo; so almost all of the Florida Keys residents will be coming over this bridge if an evacuation is ordered. The Florida Department of Transportation has recently alerted my office to the fact that the Long Key Bridge is only rated as ``satisfactory'' in its structure. This means that it could be severely damaged in a category 3 hurricane.

As Mr. Diaz-Balart has pointed out in his remarks, the bridge was built in 1981, and it allows most of the population of the Florida Keys to evacuate to our mainland during hurricanes. If it were damaged in a storm, over 50,000 people could be trapped and, indeed, under water because most of the Keys are below sea level. Severe damage to the bridge would also likely cut off the water supply to most of the Florida Keys because it runs along the Overseas Highway.

Unfortunately, there are no definitive plans to fund the bridge, although there is a tentative date of the year 2012. This is because the needed improvements would cost $60 million. This includes replacing the present V-pier design to a more conventional configuration which would provide stronger structural integrity. It would also maintain the existing piers and top segments which are in good condition.

That is why the Mario Diaz-Balart emergency route amendment is so important to my congressional district. It's very simple, but it's a much-needed change to this legislation. It will emphasize the importance of public safety in prioritizing new highway bridge funding as well as including emergency evacuation routes as a reason to give a specific bridge risk-based priority for rehab or replacements.

Transportation infrastructure, especially bridges, play an important, a vital role during emergency situations, including our many natural disasters. In many coastal areas not only in the Florida Keys but, in fact, throughout the entire State of Florida and other hurricane-prone States, bridges provide the only mainland access for millions of residents and visitors alike. The 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons emphasized the need for safe emergency evacuation routes when millions of Floridians faced mandatory evacuations, including the residents of the Florida Keys and other barrier islands.

This amendment simply emphasizes the importance of public safety as well as ensures that Americans have access to safe evacuation routes during times of impending disasters, and I hope that our colleagues give it their serious consideration.

I thank the gentleman, my colleague from Florida, for the time.

Madam Speaker, Turkish Cypriots in the northern region of Cyprus mark every July 20th as the anniversary of Turkey's military intervention in that country in 1974. In fact, as part of the ``Peace and Freedom Day'' celebration this year, the Turkish Naval Frigate ``Gelibolu'' reportedly anchored off the northern region of Cyprus and the ``Turkish Stars''--Turkey's military jet acrobatics team--performed in the skies over northern Cyprus.

For over three decades, significant international efforts have been undertaken to peacefully reunify the island nation of Cyprus. The new Cypriot government is currently working hard to engage with the leadership of the Turkish Cypriots and find a way to end the division of Cyprus, once and for all. Nevertheless, a date for new reunification talks has yet to be set, barricades still stand across the island, and the government of Turkey continues to withhold its public support for the talks and has yet to remove its military presence on Cyprus.

Madam Speaker, these displays this past weekend by the Turkish military are unproductive, coming, as they do, at a time when the status of Cyprus remains in limbo. Cyprus cannot remain a divided island with a divided people.

Congress last year adopted House Resolution 405, a measure I was proud to cosponsor, which emphasized that the reunification of Cyprus should be based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation. Other responsible nations have also stressed that such a reunification should include a single sovereignty and a single citizenship, with the independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus safeguarded. It is commendable that some steps have recently been taken towards establishment of such a solution.

On May 23rd, the President of Cyprus and a designated representative for the Turkish Cypriot community--issued a joint statement in which they reaffirmed their commitment to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. Both sides also recently agreed to reopen a crossing point at Ledra Street in Nicosia, a key thoroughfare through that divided capital that has been closed for over 40 years. So there is some movement, but much remains to be done. There must be a solution that will end the occupation, reunite the island, and restore and safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Cypriot people as a whole.

I suggest that a more fitting celebration this year of the so-called ``Peace and Freedom Day'' that I mentioned at the start of my remarks would consist of an announcement of the resumption comprehensive talks on reunification and a public expression of support for those negotiations. At some point soon, the final parade of Turkish troops should be their permanent departure from the island of Cyprus and the removal of all Turkish military forces there.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to extend my congratulations to a dear constituent of my congressional district, Luis Diaz, upon his upcoming retirement as deputy director of Youth Co- Op.

He has dedicated his life to the betterment of the youth of South Florida by ensuring that they learn the necessary skills to be able to compete and to be productive members of today's society.

For more than three decades, Youth Co-Op has been a pioneer in assisting refugee children and young people in making the transition, sometimes difficult, into their new communities. Mr. Diaz' leadership and his dedication have been instrumental in helping maintain the vision of Youth Co-Op.

He is also a distinguished journalist, producer and talk show host.

He has been involved with the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council as well as with the Spanish American League against Discrimination, among many other civic organizations.

Luis Diaz' proudest role, however, Madam Speaker, is that of a husband and that of a father. His love and devotion to his wife, Xiomara, and to his three children mirror his commitment to our community.

I am proud to not only call Luis Diaz a South Floridian but also my friend, all of South Florida's friend. Happy retirement, Mr. Diaz.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor students from the University of Miami participating in NASA's 2008 University Student Future Aircraft Competition. These four students placed second out of sixty-one students from 14 universities around the world. This is a tremendous accomplishment not only for these four students, but also for the future of our Nation's air transportation systems. I know that I join with our entire community in honoring their success.

Each team was asked to create a future subsonic transport aircraft that could carry up to 50,000 pounds, operate on runways between 1,500 and 3,000 feet long, and cruise at speeds between 595 and 625 mph. The competition also stressed that the planes should use alternative fuels and be quieter and more environmentally friendly than today's commercial fleet. The team from the University of Miami successfully created The 2058 Aircraft: Quiet Ultra-Efficient Integrated Aircraft, which placed them second over all. The Nation's air transportation system is under tremendous pressure to increase performance and capacity without causing additional damage to the environment and this competition is paramount to aiding the advancement of aircraft technology.

With all their hard work, skill and commitment to excellence, these young adults managed to earn a very notable title. These students truly deserve to be recognized for their accomplishment.

I also recognize that it was with the support of their parents, professors and friends that these students were able to compete and stand out in such a demanding competition. Several NASA experts judge the University Student Future Aircraft Competition and it is no easy task to earn their approval.

I would like to submit the names of the University of Miami students recognized by the NASA's 2008 University Student Future Aircraft Competition: Sebastian Aspe, Joseph Dussling, Nicholas Heinz, and Daniel Martinez.

I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating these wonderful students and the faculty at University of Miami for their success at NASA's 2008 University Student Future Aircraft Competition.

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

I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) for his remarks, and I thank most especially our chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, also from California, Mr. Berman, who has been a joy for our side to work with on this and many other measures.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the author of House Concurrent Resolution 385 which is a bipartisan resolution condemning the 1994 attack on AMIA, the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I would like to thank Chairman Berman for working with me in bringing this bill to the floor, and I thank the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) who will also be speaking on this. So many on our committee and beyond have joined us as cosponsors of this important resolution.

This Friday, Mr. Speaker, marks the 14th anniversary of the AMIA attack. It was the deadliest bombing in the history of Argentina. Eighty-five people were killed, and more than 300 wounded that day. In the year 2006, the government of Argentina concluded that the attack was ``decided and organized by the highest leaders of the former government of Iran who at the same time entrusted its execution to Hezbollah.''

Among those found to be responsible were a former Iranian ambassador to Argentina; a former cultural attache at the Iranian Embassy in Buenos Aires; a former official at the Iranian embassy; a former Iranian Minister of Security and Intelligence; and Ayatollah Rafsanjani, Iran's leader at the time of the AMIA bombing, who continues to wield power at the highest level of the Iranian regime.

In the year 2007, INTERPOL issued red notices for a Hezbollah operative and for five of the Iranian officials wanted by the government of Argentina in connection with the AMIA attack. This enabled arrest warrants for those individuals to be circulated worldwide with an eye toward their arrest and their extradition.

Unfortunately, the government of Saudi Arabia made no attempt to detain or to arrest two of the Iranian officials implicated in the AMIA bombing during their time in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

The two departed without Saudi Arabia taking any action. The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had a failure to detain these two individuals. That is of grave concern, and I hope that it will not be repeated by other governments.

With this in mind, House Concurrent Resolution 385 urges all responsible nations to cooperate fully with the AMIA investigation by detaining and extraditing to Argentina any persons against whom Interpol has issued red notices for their role in the AMIA attack. Agents of the Iranian regime linked to the AMIA attack must once and for all be held responsible for their reprehensible actions.

Furthermore, the evidenced complicity of Iranian embassy officials in the AMIA attack clearly demonstrates that the Iranian regime has used its embassies as tools of extension of its radical goals. It also underscores the direct threat that these actions may have toward America's own national security. As the Iranian regime continues to greatly expand its diplomatic, its political and its economic pressure in our own western hemisphere so close, it is essential that we remain mindful of the danger that this may pose to us.

In closing, I would like to commend the government of Argentina on the significant advances that it has made in the investigation of the AMIA attack and congratulate the leadership of Argentina for the efforts that they have made to prevent similar extremist attacks from taking place in the future.

I am going to continue to work with my colleagues and others in the U.S. Government to ensure that we provide any support and cooperation requested by the government of Argentina to deepen and expand the investigation into this terrible AMIA bombing.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for time, and we yield back the balance of our time.

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

This past year has been an extremely tragic one for the nation of Burma and its long suffering people. Last fall, the world watched in horror as a corrupt and cruel military junta moved with barbaric vengeance against its own people. Even the monkhood, who led the people in the Saffron Revolution in this devoutly Buddhist nation, was not spared from the bayonets and the bullets of this blood-thirsty regime.

Television sets around the world were filled with images of midnight raids on temples and of monks and other peaceful demonstrators being shot at and arrested.

Many have simply disappeared into the Burmese gulag and have not been heard from again. International appeals for human decency and restraint have consistently fallen on deaf ears. This is a regime, after all, whose head general reportedly spent three times the national health budget on his daughter's wedding 2 years ago. A videotape smuggled out of Burma shows film clips of the bride dripping with diamonds.

The pictures are particularly disturbing when one reflects on the fact that Burma is one of the world's poorest countries. This is also the same regime who, following the devastation brought on by Cyclone Nargis, compounded its inept and inhumane response by actively blocking international relief efforts.

A flotilla of U.S. Navy ships, loaded with relief supplies, was forced to turn back after being rejected by junta leaders. This stonewalling took place as tens of thousands died and hundreds of thousands were left without food, without water, without shelter.

The U.S. humanitarian mission, as spelled out by the senior U.S. military commander in the Pacific, Admiral Timothy Keating, was to ease the suffering of hundreds of thousands. The international community must no longer subsidize the leaders of this immoral regime by trading in the commodities that they peddle in international markets, while their own people are left to starve and, indeed, to die.

The rainbow coalition of contraband products for sale by the military junta has included red rubies, white opium, green jade and brown timber.

The legislation we put forth today sends a clear message. It will not be business as usual for the repressors in Rangoon. They must stop their suppression of the people of Burma.

The automatic renewal of sanctions imposed by the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 will eliminate the annual requirement for congressional action. Is there any Member here today who has any doubts about making economic sanctions against the current Rangoon regime both permanent and hard hitting?

This legislation has the full support of leaders of the American gem industry. They have seen the necessity of putting principle ahead of profit when it comes to the reprehensible actions of the Burmese regime.

This bill also seeks to put the pain squarely on the backs of those who have earned it, the ruling generals and their families, and not on the backs of the Burmese people who have already suffered so much. It calls for frozen bank accounts for the generals, for an end to money laundering by the ruling junta, and a ban on visas to the United States for those involved in the continuing acts of repression and their immediate families.

This legislation, Mr. Speaker, is dedicated to the memory of our former colleague and chairman, Tom Lantos, a champion of human rights. It provides an opportunity to send a strong bipartisan message that where human freedom is concerned, politics does, indeed, stop at the water's edge.

I therefore rise today to urge my colleagues to join us in voicing their enthusiastic support for a free Burma by supporting the Block Burmese JADE Act. So I call on my colleagues to join me in taking a firm stand in favor and in support of the people of Burma.

Let us pass this legislation in honor of Tom Lantos, and the August 8, 20th anniversary of the Burmese democracy movement. That movement represents a far more important milestone than the scheduled opening on August 8 of the Olympics in Beijing.

Now is the time for our voices to be heard. People of Burma, we stand with you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. McCrery), the ranking member on the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor one of South Florida's most outstanding citizens, the Honorable Mickey Novack, who recently turned 90. In the aftermath of the Second World War, former Surfside vice mayor Novack left London, where she was born, and came to this country. Having arrived in New York, she later moved to Surfside, Florida, where she established herself as an exemplary citizen both in her public and family life.

Former vice mayor Novack has contributed to many different types of organizations in her community, in several different capacities. She has consistently played a proactive role in Surfside and was both the vice mayor and the commissioner of the city's government. She has also utilized her financial expertise in her positions of president of the Surfside Taxpayers Association and as the treasurer of numerous other organizations. These range from the PTA to Women in Government Service. Professional life aside, she has been the cornerstone of a family dedicated to public service, education and the improvement of their community.

The fervor and ardor with which former vice mayor Novack devoted herself to the community and her family in conjunction with her life achievements are truly inspirational. I am proud to represent her as her Congresswoman and delighted to share with you her achievements.

I thank the gentleman from Indiana, the ranking member of Veterans' Affairs, for this time.

I am so honored to be here tonight congratulating our good friend, Mr. Miller of Florida, for this bill, and Congressman Bilirakis, another Florida colleague, for speaking on this bill as well.

I rise in strong support of House Resolution 4264 to rightfully name the Department of Veterans Affairs Spinal Cord Injury Center in Tampa, Florida as the ``Michael Bilirakis Department of Veterans Affairs Spinal Cord Injury Center.''

I had the honor and the pleasure of serving with Congressman Mike Bilirakis here in the House for almost 17 years. He was a colleague, a statesman, a fellow Floridian. Mike was and continues to be a strong voice for our country's men and women proudly serving our country. He was also an advocate for Florida's environment, including the protection of our pristine coastlines. But his time here in the House was truly defined by his supreme dedication to veterans, serving on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs for his entire tenure in the U.S. House.

After 24 years in Congress, this fine public servant retired in 2006. However, we all have the wonderful pleasure to serve with his son, Gus Bilirakis, and I'm honored to serve with Gus on our Foreign Affairs Committee. We're delighted to see him follow in his father's footsteps in his passion for our veterans.

Naming this Department of Veterans Affairs after Congressman Mike Bilirakis is certainly a sound tribute to a man who gave so much to his community, to our brave service men and women, and indeed, to our country.

I urge all Members to vote in favor of this resolution that rightfully honors a man such as Congressman Mike Bilirakis, a friend to all, and especially to our veterans.

I thank the chairman and the ranking member.

Mr. Speaker, I am so honored that we have this legislation before us. H.R. 4918 honors a brave soldier, a brave marine, who gave his life for our country. And this legislation to name the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center located in my hometown of Miami, Florida, as the ``Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'' is a great honor not just to the family and to the legacy that Bruce left, but also it honors the selfless sacrifice of all of our members and all of our veterans.

Bruce was born in New York, and he moved with his family to Texas, then Louisiana, and then they settled in South Florida. He attended Miami Springs Elementary School and then Miami Springs High School before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in Jacksonville, Florida. He was promoted to Private First Class January 1, 1969, and deployed to Vietnam in April of that year, serving as a radio operator with Hotel Company, 2nd battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division.

Sadly, his hopes, his dreams, his lifelong ambitions were brutally cut short in Vietnam. On August 7, 1969, in combat north of the Vandegrift base in the Quang Tri province, Private First Class Carter threw himself on an enemy grenade, giving his life in service to our country so that his fellow Marines could survive.

His sacrifice embodies the honor, the courage, and the commitment to freedom which is characteristic of both a hero and a United States Marine.

On September 19, 1971, at a ceremony attended by his mother, Georgianna ``Georgie'' Carter-Krell and other family members, Private First Class Carter was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his unwavering patriotism and sacrifice. For his valor Private First Class Carter has also received the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Star, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

However, the legacy of Private First Class Bruce Carter's commitment to our Nation endures. It endures in his mother, Georgie, who has carried on her son's legacy through her leadership in an organization known as the Gold Star Mothers organization. Today Georgie is serving her second term as national president of Gold Star Mothers, an organization committed to paying tribute to the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of liberty.

I am privileged to represent the 18th Congressional District of Florida, hometown to many servicemen and women who have bravely defended our interests every day. My husband, Dexter, served our country in Vietnam as a U.S. Army ranger and was severely wounded in combat. My stepson Doug and his wife are captains in the U.S. Marine Corps, having served our country in Iraq. And I am deeply and personally interested in all of the affairs related to veterans to make sure that we honor them with the benefits that they so richly have earned through their sacrifice. They have served our country proudly, and they deserve to be treated with great respect.

Those who dedicated their lives to the service of others truly embody the heart and the spirit of all that is best in America. And that can truly be said of Private First Class Carter, of his dedication to freedom and of his fellow Marines, and it must never be lost in the dusty pages of our history book. Through the naming of this medical center, we will be remembering not just Bruce's sacrifice but the sacrifice and service of all of the brave men and women who proudly serve and wear our Nation's uniform.

I thank the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for this opportunity, and I especially want to thank the ranking member, my good friend from Indiana, for this time.

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to extend my sincere greetings to all the attendees of th Youth Co-Op ``World Refugee Day, Celebrating Human Rights''. As you gather today to celebrate the contributions of refugees throughout the would, I would like to thank the executive director, Maria Rodriguez, and all of Youth Co-Op for their commitment to the betterment of the entire south Florida community and the many refugees who have made new homes here. Since its inception, the Youth Co-Op has been a pioneer institution in assisting refugees in translating their strengths, skills and past experiences into assets in their new communities. I would also like to personally applaud the men and women of the Youth Co-Op for working closely with community members to providing a warm and secure welcome to all refugees.

Unfortunately, in a prison cell not much larger than a portable toilet, without a window to watch the days pass him by, or even another human being to soothe the pangs of loneliness, the prisoner lies helpless as we celebrate. He has lived his entire life in a world, just outside, where liberty has been suffocated and injustice reigns. Dr. Oscar Biscet is one of many prisoners of conscience incarcerated in Cuba and around the world for not cooperating with the government's unjust practices. Like Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jose Marti before him, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, has become universal symbol of dignified activism, liberty, peace, and resilience. The policies of the totalitarian regime which he dissented from are blatant violations of the human rights which we so cherish. Biscet has demonstrated the courage and resolve that has earned him international recognition as a champion of human dignity, even while denied a voice in his own homeland.

On this day, June 20, World Refugee Day, we must keep in mind what it means to be a refugee, an asylum seeker, and a political prisoner. Uprooted from their homes and livelihoods, escaping in the night with only that which you can carry, or beaten and humiliated into submission, refugees sacrifice everything in hope of a better future. By definition, a refugee is an individual who flees their country because their lives are jeopardized by an inability to feel free and secure in their homeland. A 2007 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Dr. Biscet represents the very principles for which any individual would become a refugee. His plea for justice and freedom for his people are resoundingly similar to those reverberated throughout history and across the world by anyone who has experienced oppression, especially those who are forced to resort to fleeing their country.

Biscet's physical incarceration exemplifies the figurative imprisonment of all Cubans and the worldwide struggle of every refugee. His commitment to his cause is demonstrated by his refusal to denounce his pleas for justice in return for release from prison. Even given the opportunity for freedom in exile, Biscet has chosen not to abandon his people saying ``I will continue to resist until realizing freedom for [all] my people.'' On this day, we unite to recognize and honor the continual struggle for basic human rights by people like Biscet. It is difficult to imagine that in many places around the world, including just 90 miles across our Florida straits, simply reading these words and advocating this cause could would easily result in being confined to a windowless, 3-by-6 foot cell.

Unfortunately, even as prisoners of conscience remain incarcerated and opposition movements like Las Damas de Blanco stage peaceful demonstrations challenging the governments crackdown on 75 dissidents in 2003, our country grows increasingly complacent. We cannot forget the systematic abuses being committed by oppressive regimes in places like China, Burma, Zimbabwe, and Cuba. A movement of low expectations only assumes that other fragments of freedom and democracy will follow. We must remember that small concessions to liberty are not a full and just realization of freedom. As a long time member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I believe that this is simply not enough. We must demand basic, internationally recognized human rights for all.

Today, as the world stand behinds us in solidarity, we must not forget that millions of people are still fighting for the rights which we take for granted in this country. It is unjust that the human conditions be constantly subjected to a tug of war between the tribulations brought about by oppression and the sanctity of human rights. It is paradoxical for human rights to exist on signed declarations alone but for those same signatories to forgo these same principles of life liberty, and security which are innate within every person. Jose Marti once wrote that ``We are free, but not to be indifferent to human suffering. Man is not free to watch impassively the enslavement and dishonor of men, nor their struggle for liberty and honor.'' We do not need to be enduring abuses and imprisonment in order to advocate for human rights. In fact, today on World Refugee Day, our liberty can serve as our best weapon against oppression

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and happiness that our country is honoring one of South Florida's most outstanding citizens and a dear friend, Dr. Donna Shalala. This week Dr. Shalala will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian award in the United States. This is indeed a tremendous honor and her lifetime of service to our Nation is a testament to her humility of character and steadfastness of vision. She was born in Cleveland and graduated from the Western College for Women. Dr. Shalala's enthusiasm for education did not cease after she received her bachelor's degree but grew alongside her passion for government and civic service as witnessed by the time she spent as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Having received her masters and then doctorate at Syracuse University, Dr. Shalala started an illustrious teaching career that started at the City University of New York and continued at Columbia. With great teaching experience, she commenced her professional path in academic administration as the President of Hunter College, then as the Chancellor of Wisconsin-Madison and finally in the position she now holds as the President of the University of Miami, my alma mater.

Dr. Shalala's career has also expanded into the realm of government where she has held many positions in varying departments. She was the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research in the Carter administration and the Chair of the Children's Defense Fund in 1992. Most significantly, she was the Secretary of Health and Human Service for the eight years of the Clinton administration.

In March of 2007, Dr. Shalala was named co-chair, along with former Senator Bob Dole, of the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors. Her knowledge and experience with the health care system proved invaluable as the Commission crafted its final report.

I am proud to represent Donna Shalala as a Congresswoman and delighted to share in this momentous occasion with her family and peers. More importantly I am honored to call her a friend.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1270, which commends the efforts of those who sought to block an international arms transfer destined for Zimbabwe, and calls for an arms embargo against the Mugabe regime.

There was a time when Robert Mugabe spoke persuasively about an independent Zimbabwe governed by majority rule and inspired millions.

And when Zimbabwe finally won its independence, Mugabe was hailed as a liberator and a hero.

But at some point over the past 28 years, the vision of a peaceful, democratic Zimbabwe became distant and grossly distorted.

As early as 1982, Mugabe unleashed his infamous North Korean-trained 5th Brigade to crush an uprising in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces, and slaughtered an estimated 20,000 of his ethnic rivals.

Later in 2005, the regime launched ``Operation Clear out the Trash,'' destroying nearly 100,000 housing structures and depriving an estimated 700,000 people of their homes, livelihoods, or both during Zimbabwe's harsh winter.

The Mugabe regime has become a brutal kleptocracy, content to rule by the barrel of the gun, while the people of Zimbabwe struggle to survive.

Clearly, he has had a lot of practice.

Zimbabwe's disputed elections of 2000, 2002, and 2005, were all marred by substantial levels of state-sponsored violence, political repression, voter intimidation, vote-rigging and other forms of manipulation by the ruling ZANU-PF party.

That pattern not only continued, but also accelerated in the run-up to the elections of March 29th.

According to the State Department's 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the Mugabe regime, ``engaged in the pervasive and systematic abuse of human rights, which increased significantly [in 2007] . . . state-sanctioned use of excessive force increased . . . and security forces tortured members of the opposition, student leaders, and civil society activists.''

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum documented 586 incidents of torture, 855 incidents of assault, and 19 incidents of politically- motivated abductions and kidnappings in 2007 alone.

On April 19, 2008, Human Rights Watch reported that the Mugabe regime had established a network of informal detention centers to beat, torture, and intimidate political opponents and other civilians,

In the days following the March 29th elections, reports of violent political repression, illegal farm invasions, and, other gross violations of human rights by security forces and ruling party supporters increased at alarming rates.

In a report issued earlier this month, Human Rights Watch details the systematic campaign of terror unleashed by the regime ``in an effort to destroy the opposition and ensure that Mugabe wins the presidential runoff elections on June 27, 2008.''

In one incident, the report quotes soldiers threatening a group of villagers by saying, ``If you vote for MDC in the presidential runoff election, you have seen the bullets, we have enough for each one of you, so beware.''

So when a Chinese ship arrived at the port city of Durban, South Africa, reportedly carrying 3 million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades, and 3,000 mortar bombs and tubes for the Zimbabwean Defense Force in early April, observers were understandably concerned.

But before the international community even knew about the potential arms transfer, the dock and freight workers of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union had taken matters into their own hands.

Determined not to contribute to the brutal suppression of opposition voices in Zimbabwe, the dock and freight workers courageously refused to offload or transport the weapons.

The International Transport Workers' Federation, the Congress of Southern African Trade Unions (COSATU), religious leaders and other advocates quickly expressed their solidarity with the workers and launched a campaign calling for an international boycott of the vessel.

Before long, the governments of South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania reportedly were compelled to deny the ship permission to dock at their ports.

Zambian President and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairman Levy Mwanawasa publically praised their actions and appealed to all 14 SADC member nations to block the shipment.

The heroic efforts of the dock and freight workers, southern African trade unions, religious leaders, advocacy groups and southern African Governments to block the arms shipment deserve recognition and praise of the highest order.

Through their valor and steadfastness, these courageous individuals may ultimately save countless lives from Mugabe's reign of terror.

It is now incumbent upon all responsible nations to stand in solidarity with the governments and people of southern Africa, and to deny this murderous regime the means to continue oppressing its people.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1270, which commends those who boldly acted to block a shipment of weapons from China to Zimbabwe, and calls for an international moratorium on any future transfers until the current political crisis has been resolved.

I particularly call upon my colleagues who support strengthened ties between the United States and China to convey to their friends in Beijing that their continued engagement with the Mugabe regime can provide no tangible benefit.

Continuing the shipment of weapons to Zimbabwe at this time only makes them complicit in the campaign of terror and intimidation that has been unleashed upon the Zimbabwean people.

If China wishes to mend its tarnished image, denying weapons sales to known perpetrators of human rights violations might be a good place to start.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my warmest congratulations to a special group of cheerleaders in my Congressional District. The cheerleading team of Booker T. Washington Senior High recently took first place in their division at the Ameri-Cheer International Competition in Orlando, Florida. This is a wonderful accomplishment and I know that I join with our whole community in honoring their success.

With all their hard work, skill, and commitment to excellence, these young adults managed to bring home to their school a very notable title. These athletes truly deserve to be recognized as models for perseverance. All who know them can readily appreciate the can-do feeling that emanates from the group and their unyielding desire to succeed. They have shown us what it means to be the best.

I also recognize that it was with the support of their parents, teachers, and friends that these cheerleaders were able to win such a demanding competition. Those closest to this team were just as vital in its success as components in the motivation that allowed them to go so far. The devotion that family and friends offer is incredibly important and I am delighted with their involvement in this endeavor.

At this time I would like to submit into the Record the names of the cheerleading team from Booker T. Washington Senior High: Luria Davis, Head Coach; Sharon Parker, Assistant Coach; Frankeetha Roberts, Assistant Coach; Bridgette Godfrey, Senior; Samkia Kirkland, Senior; Tamkia Kirkland, Senior; Tania Hall, Senior; Prensata Adams, Senior; Constance Caffey, Senior; Rudellee Lewin, Senior; Tiffany Cruz-Brown, Junior; Sheltonise Clements, Sophomore; Laquanna Farquharson, Freshman; Tatianna Johnson, Freshman; Shamira Abbott, Freshman;

I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating these wonderful students and teachers for their success at this year's Ameri-Cheer International Competition.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise as a proud cosponsor of the Merida Initiative to Combat Illicit Narcotics and Reduce Organized Crime Authorization Act of 2008.

Based on co-responsibility and cooperation, the Merida Initiative creates an invaluable partnership between the United States, Mexico, the rest of

Central America, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic to work together to fight illicit drugs and organized crime. It is a historic opportunity, an essential collaboration between all of our countries to present a united front against the drug cartels and the gangs who callously threaten the safety and future of our communities every day.

The growing operational and financial capabilities of these groups pose a clear and present threat to the lives and well-being of our citizens. By supporting this authorization, we are supporting the goals of the Merida Initiative to confront these dangers. Furthermore, we are supporting the goals of our friends in Mexico, Central America, Haiti and the Dominican Republic to combat these dangers as well.

The Merida Initiative, as considered under this authorization, is a comprehensive program focused on strengthening democratic institutions, on bolstering law enforcement capabilities, on supporting local communities, and on promoting human rights at all levels of the Initiative's implementation.

For years, drug traffickers and organized crime have used a regional strategy to carry out their illicit activities. Now, under the Merida Initiative, we have a chance for our governments to join forces and match this transnational approach. In Mexico, President Calderon has deployed nearly 30,000 soldiers and federal police to the country's most dangerous drug trafficking hotspots.

In Guatemala, the government has announced plans to send hundreds of troops, elite presidential guards and antidrug police to its northern border to stem the growing violence.

In the United States, our law enforcement agents have been met with increasing hostile actions while working to preserve the security of our borders.

The Merida Initiative enables us to combine all of these efforts to capitalize on all of our strength and confront narcotraffickers and organized crime with the same determination that they so vigorously employ to wreak havoc on our communities.

I was pleased to see that both the House and Senate versions of the supplemental included funding to support the Merida Initiative. I am hopeful that the conferees will look at this bill for direction when determining the final face of the Merida Initiative. I believe that it offers an effective guide for ensuring U.S. interest, while respecting our partners' sovereignty.

For too long, narcotraffickers and organized crime have run free, plaguing the prosperity of our region. By supporting the Merida Initiative, we are making the way for democracy and for development to take hold, and addressing the precursor conditions that help breed instability in the region, and that help create fertile territory even for Islamic extremist recruitment.

Madam Speaker, again I rise in full support of this initiative, and I look forwarding to helping to enhance our Nation's security by fighting and overcoming these daily threats.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot). He is an esteemed member of our Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) who is also an esteemed member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), an esteemed member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller), a member of the Committee on Ways and Means. We will miss him greatly when he retires.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson).

Mr. Speaker, I know we only have 1 minute remaining, so I would like to yield myself that remaining minute to close on our side on the Merida Initiative.

I would like to point to the testimony that was given by an official of the Department of Homeland Security when he testified on the importance for the United States of the Merida Initiative, because this is not a bill for Mexico. This is not a legislative bill for Central America. This is not for Haiti. This is not for the Dominican Republic. This is for the United States citizens. This is to protect our homeland from these vicious gangs and these drug dealers.

As this gentleman said, rather than simply giving money to foreign governments, the Merida Initiative has been tailored to provide our foreign partners with the specific tools they each need to fight transnational organized crime and work cooperatively with us in the United States. This is a bill that will help our communities, our country, our national security and our children.

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