Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill on behalf of the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York, all of them, and in particular Trish and Marty Fullam.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the memory of native Brooklynite, global connoisseur and dear friend, Congressman Stephen Solarz.

Congressman Solarz worked tirelessly on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific to address some of the most controversial topics and political figures of our time. Congressman Solarz combined American foreign policy with a Brooklyn twist, being both affable and austere when necessary. His work affected numerous corners of the world from North Korea to Israel to Turkey and beyond.

Furthermore, Congressman Solarz's legendary staff members, including Assemblyman Peter Abbate, have gone on to contribute greatly to New York City. I have had the pleasure of working with his colleagues and have seen the Congressman's great work live on through them.

Today, on the day of his funeral, my thoughts and prayers are with his family and his wife, Nina. It brings me great sadness to say goodbye to an American hero like Congressman Solarz. He will truly be missed across the globe.

I just want to be very clear that we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Congress Members Maloney and Nadler from New York for their leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, my district of Staten Island was particularly hard hit from the 9/11 attacks. Nearly 300 of my constituents were murdered, including one-third of the firefighters killed on that day, and sick today are those uniformed and hard hat-wearing heroes--the operating engineers, the laborers, the steelworkers, ironworkers, and all the volunteers and residents.

When I think about why we need this law, I think about Marty Fullam, a 30-year veteran FDNY lieutenant from Staten Island, who spent weeks going through toxic debris in the wake of 9/11, and years later his doctors confirmed his illness related thereto. He was told he would die without a new lung. And while he ultimately received a new lung earlier this year, his health continues to suffer. The last time he was here in July to fight for this bill, he actually made his condition worse. And he continues to recover from that. Our thoughts go out to him and his wife, Trish, and their daughters.

Despite their deteriorating health, many first responders like Marty send this message. For that reason, Mr. Speaker, we must pass this bill. We must pass this bill.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 561, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3960) to provide authority and sanction for the granting and issuance of programs for residential and commuter toll, user fee and fare discounts by States, municipalities, other localities, as well as all related agencies and departments thereof, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3960.

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 3960, the Residential and Commuter Toll Fairness Act of 2010. This bill aims to protect locally provided residential commuter toll and fare discounts throughout the Nation.

Many of us represent people in communities burdened by high tolls and fares. Due to specific isolating geographic factors, like residents on an island or peninsula, as well as the location of tolled roads and bridges, residents in and commuters to certain localities endure a disproportionate toll burden. These people are captive toll payers, toll payers who have little or no choice but to pay much more in tolls than their fellow citizens even within the same region.

In order to address these inequities for captive tollpayers, many States, local governments and local transportation agencies have enacted toll and fare discount programs. My district of Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York, suffers from some of the highest toll burdens in the Nation. In fact, per capita, Staten Island is the highest tolled county in the United States, and the cost of these tolls is truly outrageous. Just to put this issue in context for my colleagues, let me give you some examples:

The toll on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which connects the Staten Island and Brooklyn sides of my district, now costs $11, and is scheduled to increase to $12 in the next few months. It may be hard for many Americans to believe, but discussions are already underway to further increase the toll on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to $13 in the coming years--$13 just to cross a bridge in order to visit a relative, to go to school, to go to work or just to get off the island. It is not much better on all the other bridges surrounding Staten Island. The Bayonne, the Goethals Bridges and the Outerbridge Crossing--all to New Jersey--each cost $8. Staten Islanders are truly captive tollpayers. No matter which way they travel, they have no choice but to pay these tolls if they want to get back on the island.

To help alleviate the situation, the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which are the transportation agencies that run these bridges, have instituted a series of residential discount programs for Staten Islanders which reduce the amount that islanders pay for these bridges, sometimes reducing the cost by almost 50 percent. Many of these discounts have been in place for a decade or more; but even with these discounts, Staten Islanders pay almost $500 million in tolls every year, making it more than 7 percent of all tolls paid nationwide even though Staten Island represents less than .16 percent, or 1/600th, of the U.S. population. These statistics take into account the tolls paid with the residential discount programs in effect. Just imagine how much worse the situation would be without these residential discount programs.

But my district is not unique. Many other States and localities grant similar residential discounts to captive tollpayers on roads across the country, including the Massachusetts Turnpike, the Sumner and Ted Williams Tunnels in Boston, the Marine Parkway and Cross Bay Vets Parkway in Rockaway, Queens, New York, the Tappan Zee Bridge in the Hudson Valley of New York, the New York Thruway, the Delaware Bay Bridge, the Rhode Island Turnpike, and the Newport Pell Bridge in Rhode Island, just to name a few.

In the last few years, many of these discount programs have come under attack in the courts. Last October, in a case entitled Selevan vs. New York

Thruway Authority, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that toll discounts for residents of towns bordering the New York State Thruway may be unconstitutional. The plaintiffs in Selevan claimed, among other things, that these residential toll discount programs may be a dormant commerce clause violation, but the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York dismissed their case. The Second Circuit's decision remanded and reinstated the action, which will now move forward in the district court.

H.R. 3960 provides express congressional authorization for these discounts, and it makes clear that residential toll and fare discounts are constitutional, fair, and necessary to help alleviate the heavy toll burdens paid by so many captive tollpayers across the Nation. This is a national issue, affecting every person in communities burdened by high tolls and fares, many of whom would otherwise be unable to travel without these critical discounts. Let me be clear about a few things:

First, the bill does not in any way limit the existing ability of States, local governments or local transportation agencies to provide discounts to captive tollpayers or to other tollpayers, nor does this bill provide any additional Federal authority over State or local decision-making. In fact, the bill actually safeguards current State and local power.

All this bill actually does is provide an extra layer of protection against court challenges for those States, local governments and local transportation agencies that choose to offer discounts to captive tollpayers, like the people I represent, who suffer disproportionate toll burdens. Since article I, section 8 of the United States Constitution gives Congress ``the power to regulate commerce among the several States,'' H.R. 3960 provides an express congressional statement under that provision, supporting the current ability of States, local governments and local transportation agencies to issue discounts to captive tollpayers.

However, toll discounts or government actions designed to give preferential treatment to residents of their States at the expense of other States or of the national economy will receive no benefits from this bill, and they will likely be struck down by the courts as violating the commerce clause. Therefore, I urge all of my colleagues to support this critical legislation.

I thank Chairman Oberstar, Chairman DeFazio and their terrific staffs for working with me to revise this bill to be sure we protect captive tollpayers and for helping to bring this bill to the floor today. I also thank my legislative director, Jeff Siegel, a Staten Islander who grew up paying these unfair tolls and who knows quite well the inequity that exists.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6016) to provide for a GAO investigation and audit of the operations of the fund created by BP to compensate persons affected by the Gulf oil spill, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 6016.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6016 requires the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office to conduct an independent investigation and audit of the operations of the fund and claims process created by BP in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.

This fund and claims process, established by BP after negotiations with the Obama administration, was created to ensure that the lives and livelihoods of those adversely affected by this massive oil spill would be duly compensated for their losses. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster caused immeasurable damage to both the livelihoods of the gulf coast population and to the gulf coast ecosystem.

From the outset, BP volunteered that it would compensate victims of the spill for their losses. However, as with any process for compensation, there is a need for transparency, for efficiency and for equity in compensation. This legislation can provide another avenue to ensure that these essential elements are included in any compensation paid out of the BP fund and claims process.

Specifically, this legislation directs the GAO to undertake an ``ongoing independent investigation and audit'' of the BP fund and claims process--specifically targeting the effectiveness of the fund and claims process, the efficiency in which the claims process operates, and the accuracy in accounting for and paying out of claims. The legislation authorizes GAO to use its underlying subpoena power, where necessary, to ensure the accuracy and completeness of its audit and investigation.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, this legislation requires the GAO to issue a report to Congress every 90 days during its audit and investigation, as well as a final report to Congress when the BP fund and claims process is completed. This information is essential for Congress to continue its ongoing oversight of the response and recovery of what is now likely the world's fifth largest oil spill in history.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to champion the House companion of S. 2781, H.R. 4544, the Elizabeth A. Connelly Act, so I rise today in strong support of S. 2781. I thank Mr. Pallone for his leadership on the subcommittee. And Mr. Chairman, I thank you for your leadership in this body, and especially as chairman on the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, and the work that you do there.

This bill will replace the term ``mental retardation'' with the term ``intellectual disability'' throughout the United States Code. Now, in July of this year, just recently, New York Governor David Paterson signed similar legislation into law, joining 48 other States that have dropped the ``R'' word. Over 70 Democrats and Republicans have cosponsored my bill and agreed that the time has finally come to put an end to discrimination against individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Every day, millions of children and adults have difficulty with tasks such as problem solving, decision-making, and communications because of intellectual disabilities. These Americans are often ridiculed, ignored, or even abused by their peers. Sometimes they are referred to publicly by insulting terms and treated as second class citizens. In particular, the term ``mental retardation'' has acquired a distinctly pejorative meaning, and is used intentionally and unintentionally to deride and humiliate many of our citizens.

H.R. 4544 is aptly named for a great woman from my home State of New York, the Honorable Elizabeth A. Connelly. Mrs. Connelly was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1973 as the first woman from my district of Staten Island to be elected to public office. When she retired in 2000, she became New York's longest serving female legislator.

Throughout her career, she was a staunch advocate and champion for individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. She was instrumental in securing funds for mental health programs and creating the New York State Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled, led the charge to close the notorious Willowbrook State School, and led this Nation from warehousing individuals into providing group home settings.

Assemblywoman Connelly was known throughout the community for working with parents, advocates, and government officials to make New York a leader in providing high quality services and programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities. She is known as the guardian angel of the mentally disabled. She was not only a pioneer of her time and one of New York's greatest disability advocates, but she was my mentor. I was privileged to work as Ms. Connelly's staff member and counsel for many years. It is her personal commitment and leadership that has inspired me to also become an advocate for these important issues. Sadly, we lost her all too prematurely a few years ago, but we honor her and her husband Robert and her family with this bill.

So, Mr. Speaker, I cast my vote and urge my colleagues to do so as well in honor of Assemblywoman Connelly. I know she would be very proud to see the United States carrying out her lifelong mission by passing

Madam Speaker, thank you Chairman Berman for your leadership and for encouraging our government to help the people of Pakistan at this critical time.

Pakistan is suffering one of the worst natural disasters in recent history. The situation in Pakistan is dire. The United Nations estimates that more than 20 million Pakistanis have been displaced by the flooding, exceeding the combined total of individuals impacted by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2007 Myanmar Cyclone and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

The U.S. Agency for International Development's, USAID joint endeavor with the U.S. military in Pakistan has already resulted in the evacuation of more than 10,000 people and the delivery of more than 2.7 billion pounds of relief supplies.

Like the tsunami that wreaked havoc upon northern Indonesia in 2004, the Pakistani floods threaten to propel Pakistan, a key ally, away from the successful economic progress and growth that it has made over the last decade.

This outcome would inevitably cost Pakistan thousands of more innocent lives and years worth of development and sustainability, further increasing both the humanitarian crisis domestically and the security threat worldwide.

Just two weeks ago, I personally wrote to Administrator Shah of USAID and commended his decision to use a portion of the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan funding towards relief aid. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I know how important a stable Pakistan is to global stability. Redirecting more funds provided through the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act will demonstrate to our Pakistani partners that the United States is truly committed and will not abandon Pakistan in her time of need.

Pakistanis must know that we are in this for the long haul. Our dedication is not a matter of encroaching on Pakistani autonomy or manipulating a nation's internal politics.

The United States seeks to renew its commitment to the people of Pakistan through this tragedy and combat those who dare to take advantage of the suffering of innocent Pakistanis to further their radical beliefs.

On behalf of my over 30,000 Pakistani-American constituents, I urge this body to support this measure and its message, as well.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you and Majority Leader Hoyer for introducing this resolution and for honoring the memory of those who perished in 9/11, including the nearly 300 men and women from my district.

Many of us lost family and close friends in the attacks. Their memories are kept alive through the devotion and steadfast commitment of their strong families and kind-hearted friends. 9/11 will never be forgotten, but we must continue to recognize not only all who we lost, but the bravery of so many on that tragic day.

We will never forget the tearful wishes of loved ones speaking their final goodbyes and comfort to their spouses and children, and we will never forget those who heroically ran into the buildings or stayed behind to help others.

In the brutality of those attacks, we saw the heart of the American spirit and the bravery of all Americans.

In particular, I would like to recognize the thousands of emergency service workers and volunteers in New York City who rushed to the pile to aid the rescue and recovery to save lives, with little care for their own health and safety.

To this day, these brave men and women, which include people like Martin Fullam, a 30-year veteran FDNY lieutenant from Staten Island, still suffer from medical complications from the air in the days following the attack, which was thick with toxic smoke and debris.

On each anniversary of the attacks, we hear many touching tributes to the heroism of the innocent victims of that faithful day and of course, the brave men and women who rushed to Ground Zero.

But, remembering the legacies of those who are no longer with us and fulfilling our promises to those who are still here perhaps will be the greatest tribute to all to all those affected by this tragedy--both the victims and survivors of the worst attack on U.S. soil in the history of this great country.

To all the other first responders who are struggling with 9/11- related illnesses, I say we will help you.

To reiterate this significance of this day and of the work that goes unfinished, I would like to tell the story of another young man in my district by the name of Stephen Siller.

Stephen was on his way home when he heard on his scanner news of the attack on the Trade Center and he immediately turned his car around and drove back to Manhattan through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.

With tunnel traffic at a standstill, Stephen got out of his car, strapped on his gear and ran towards the burning towers. He eventually met up with his squad members as they rushed into the World Trade Center, where he helped save tens of thousands of office workers.

But sadly, Stephen and his entire squad were never to be seen again. Stephen's family and the people of New York City honor his memory and bravery with a 5K ``Tunnel to Towers'' run that retraces Stephen's steps. Stephen's memory also lives on in the good works the family has done by building Stephen's House and Home for orphans.

So in Stephen's honor, and in respect for the memory of the nearly 3,000 others murdered on that fateful day nine years ago, I urge my colleagues to vote for H. Res. 1610.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career, service, and achievement of Dr. Mary McInerney, Principal of the Richard Hungerford School in Staten Island, NY.

Born and raised in New York City by Irish immigrant parents, Dr. McInerney began her education in the parochial school system in the Bronx. After earning several degrees in psychology and history and education, she received her Doctorate from Columbia University in 1994, with her studies focusing on technology and the disabled.

Mary's teaching career was as long as it was exemplary: she served as a teacher with the Preschool-Early Intervention Program at the Kennedy Child Center before beginning her career with the New York City Department of Special Education, first starting as a teacher of a Track IV class, she became Coordinator of P.L. 89-313, then Data Manager and then Assistant Principal of the Manhattan Occupational Training Center. Ultimately she was designated the Principal of the Richard H. Hungerford School, formerly the Richmond Occupational Training Center. In addition to her roles as teacher, administrator, and supervisor within the school system, Mary has also served as Adjunct Professor and as part-time Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Adelphi University. At Columbia University, she served as Assistant Instructor and Guest Lecturer, and at the College of Staten Island she served as a member of the adjunct faculty.

Having published and presented extensively on subjects ranging from computer technology for the disabled to Inclusion and the Learning Disabled Child, and having received an impressive array of academic honors and community service awards (including Principal of the Year from the Association of Orthodox Jewish Teachers and Irishwoman of the Year from the New York City Board of Education Emerald Society), Mary is perhaps best known for her successful leadership at the Hungerford School. With the support of her staff, parents, and community, the school has attained a remarkable level of excellence with an enviable track record for independent problem-solving and participatory management. In 1998, the school was recognized by the United States Department of Education as having an exemplary program in teacher and staff development, thereby becoming the first New York City school to earn the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award.

Our community and our Nation are enriched and ennobled by individuals whose character, perseverance, and public contribution perpetually nourish the present and empower the future for us all. Dr. Mary McInerney is such an individual, and I call on all Members of the House to join me in recognizing her many enduring accomplishments.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to tell the human side of this story, to tell the story of Lieutenant Martin Fullam from my district. Five weeks or so ago I got on a train in New Jersey to come down to work and Martin was there with his wife. They were coming down because there was going to be a meeting and a hearing over on the Senate side, and they wanted to be there.

You see, Martin was a 30-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department, and right after 9/11 he went and he work on the pile; and like so many others, he became sick, one of the first to be diagnosed with World Trade Center disease. He had to have a lung replaced or otherwise he would have died.

And when I asked him what does he think about, as he kind of fought for his breath sitting in that train station, he said the only thing I think about is making sure that my medical bills are paid so my family doesn't have to worry about it. That's all we are asking.

So I say to you that if this is an entitlement, you should have your mouth washed out with soap because you lie, Mr. Speaker. And if I say to you that you think this is some sort of tax gimmick and you want to protect offshore

corporations and because we want to close the loophole, then I say you should have your head examined because there is something wrong with you.

And if you say that you support this bill but because of process, because of procedure, you will not vote with us tonight, then I say to you, speak to your confessor, because your judgment day is coming. These people fought for us. They fought for America. It's time for you to stand up on that side and fight for them and their families and give them peace of mind.

This is not an entitlement. It is paid for, and it is limited. And yet you hide behind this substitute.

Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Chairman, as I said, that's what you should do on that chair. You should understand what this is about, human lives. Stand up and be counted.

I urge my colleagues to vote tonight for the heroes of 9/11, all- Americans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Silvette Women's Golf Club of Staten Island on their 75th Anniversary and to recognize this organization as the oldest women's golf club in the State of New York.

On Staten Island in 1935, a group of women came together to form their own golf club. The Silvettes became pioneers in the field of women's golf because they formed the first public women's golf club not associated with a country club. These women played weekly tournaments at the Staten Island-Silver Lake Golf Course and the Latourette Golf Course. Combining the names of the two courses, this group became known as the Silvette Women's Golf Club. The club played their first tournament on May 4, 1938 at the Silver Lake Golf Course.

During the late 1930s and the 1940s, the Silvettes continued to grow as an organization. The Silvettes established an executive board and supported the war effort during World War II by giving out Defense Stamps as prizes. The club has also held many tournaments and events to support various charities.

The Silvettes are very active in Islandwide Golf Tournaments. The Silvettes frequently play against six other women's golf clubs on Staten Island. The club also plays interclub matches against New Jersey and Brooklyn clubs.

In 1968, as a result of overcrowding at the Silver Lake Golf Course, the Silvettes moved to their current home at the South Shore Country Club in the Huguenot area of Staten Island.

I would like to take this time to give special recognition to two members of the Silvette Women's Golf Club. Helen Sangiorgio, the former club president and current publicity chairlady, and Elissa Barry, the current club president, have worked tirelessly for many years to ensure the club continues to grow and prosper. The dedication of these women to the dub is representative of their love for the game of golf and for their love of Staten Island.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the Silvette Women's Golf Club on their 75th Anniversary and on the distinction of being the oldest women's golf club in the State of New York.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time I yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

I yield the gentlelady 1 additional minute.

I yield the gentlelady an additional 30 seconds.

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

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

I will just conclude by applauding the gentleman from Ohio for his passion and concern for our men and women in uniform, and certainly for the foreign policy of this Nation, even though I join in disagreement of his position with my colleague, the gentlelady from Florida, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

I think it's quite clear to anyone that America's relationship with Pakistan is one that is fraught with uncertainty, cloudiness, and opaqueness. It's been clear since 1979, when the American embassy was stormed in Islamabad, and we realized that there are many different layers to this onion which is the society of Pakistan.

That being said, however, we know from the many Pakistani Americans who live in our districts, who have come to this country that these are people, both here in this country and in Pakistan, who want to have in the majority a strong relationship with America. And that's why it's so important, Mr. Speaker, that we have these boots on the ground, as we said, these few hundred military personnel, who are making sure that not only our counterinsurgency funds, but also our civil funds that go to this country are used in the right way.

We are not engaged in hostilities in Pakistan, and therefore this resolution is misguided. It is dangerous. It sends the wrong message. For those reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues in this House to oppose it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 36th anniversary of the division of the Island of Cyprus.

Thirty-six years ago, Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island of Cyprus and divided

a community. While time may heal all wounds, the wounds of the division of Cyprus remain fresh today with thousands of Turkish troops continuing to occupy the northern third of the Island, with continuing support from the Ankara based government.

The Republic of Cyprus is a member of the European Union, a strong ally of the United States and a stable democracy in the Mediterranean. The Republic has opened the benefits of EU citizenship to both Greek and Turkish Cypriots on both sides of the divide. Since 2003 there have been confidence building exchanges and partnerships between the two communities and the residents have the ability to travel freely between the Republic of Cyprus and the occupied North.

With all these positive developments happening, some things still remain intractable.

The Turkish troop levels continue to be at the level present thirty- six years ago and Greek religious sites in the North still suffer from neglect. Communities may be free to travel but the Island is still divided based on ethnicity.

Bringing the Greek and Turkish communities together in a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation is the goal of President Obama, the European Union and most importantly it is the goal of the Cypriot people. On the thirty-sixth anniversary of the division of Cyprus, I urge both Cypriot President Demetrius Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu to re-double their efforts to insure the removal of Turkish troops, free movement between the Greek and Turkish communities and for a final end to the division of the Island. The time is now for us as a Congress and with our President's commitment to move Cyprus to a future of peace and prosperity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3104, which amends the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to give the Broadcasting Board of Governors permanent control of grants to operate Radio Free Asia.

Radio Free Asia is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide accurate and relevant news to those living in Asian countries where freedom of the press is restricted since 1996.

This organization is vitally important to the intellectual and political development of the peoples of Asia. Democracy cannot flourish without a free press, which is why Radio Free Asia is so important to those living under authoritarian regimes.

For this reason, totalitarian governments in Asia spend millions of dollars each year trying to jam Radio Free Asia. Despite attempts to suppress its influence, Radio Free Asia has been greatly successful in fulfilling its mission--even reaching remote regions of North Korea, arming refugees and peace builders with information from the free world.

Radio Free Asia has been the recipient of numerous awards, such as the Annual Human Rights Press Award International Activist Award and Edward R. Murrow Regional Award, both of which have been presented to Radio Free Asia multiple times.

I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to support this bipartisan bill.

Radio Free Asia represents the potential of technology to cultivate democracy in nations to which it is foreign, and it is important that we modernize the structure of the organization to ensure its future financing and success.