Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents, Mr. Zachary Barter of Brown University. Mr. Barter is a teaching student and is a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Award. This grant is given to promising individuals to aid them in their academic and cultural pursuits abroad.

The Fulbright Program was established by Congress in 1946 and is sponsored by the U.S. State Department. This program was designed to help build mutual understanding between Americans and the global community. Individuals who are awarded this distinction have demonstrated outstanding academic or professional achievement and have proven themselves as leaders in their field.

Madam Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to Mr. Barter and wishing him the best in his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I spoke recently in support of Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Organization.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that Taiwan has a world-class health care system and is willing and able to make meaningful contributions to the WHO's efforts, Chinese pressure to block Taiwan's efforts once again triumphed over fairness and common sense.

President Chen recently penned an editorial that was printed in the Washington Post that I would like to commend to my colleagues. In the piece, President Chen makes an eloquent and indisputable case for why Taiwan deserves membership in this and other international organizations.

I hope my colleagues will take the time to read the editorial, and to support Taiwan's future endeavors to contribute to international organizations like the WHO.

[From the Washington Post, May 11, 2007]

The Shunning of a State

(By Chen Shui-bian)

In recent years the outbreak and spread of avian flu has

brought illness, death and economic peril to countries in

Asia and elsewhere. Memories of the fear, pain and suffering

that accompanied the 2003 SARS outbreak--after failed

coverups by the Chinese government--are still vivid in many

places. While disease heeds no national borders, Taiwan has

had to fight pandemics without help from the World Health

Organization--a humanitarian agency that is supposed to serve

all humankind.

Taiwan is not a member of the WHO, nor is it an observer at

the World Health Assembly (WHA)--unlike the Palestinian

Authority or the Malta Order of Chivalry. But under mounting

international pressure prompted by fear of an avian flu

pandemic, China was persuaded in 2005 to consent, in

principle, to Taiwan's meaningful participation in WHO

conferences focusing on that threat. China conceded after

demanding that the WHO secretariat sign a secret memorandum

of understanding. As a result, Taiwan's participation in the

WHO is subject to China's approval, even for technical

meetings. Such participation is minimal rather than

meaningful.

It is improper and unprecedented for an international

humanitarian organization to enter into a secret pact with

one of its member states, especially an authoritarian one.

More important, the memorandum has been used to obstruct

Taiwan's participation in WHO activities. Our representatives

were unable to attend the majority of conferences they sought

admission to last year. The WHO secretariat has effectively

jeopardized the health of people in Taiwan and other

countries.

For a decade, we have striven relentlessly to participate

in the WHO, to no avail. Even our humble pursuit of

``meaningful participation'' has yielded little success. With

95 percent of the Taiwanese people supporting full WHO

membership, I must act upon the will of my people as a

democratically elected president.

On April 11, I sent a letter to the WHO formally requesting

our nation's application for membership under the name

``Taiwan.'' The secretariat responded on April 25, claiming

that Taiwan is not a sovereign state and therefore is not

eligible for WHO membership. This is legally and morally

deplorable.

Article 3 of the Constitution of the World Health

Organization stipulates: ``Membership in the Organization

shall be open to all States,'' while Article 6 provides that

states such as Taiwan that are not members of the United

Nations ``may apply to become Members and shall be admitted

as Members when their application has been approved by a

simple majority vote of the Health Assembly.'' Rule 115 of

the WHA Rules of Procedure stipulates that ``Applications

made by a State for admission to membership . . . shall . . .

be addressed to the Director-General and shall be transmitted

immediately'' to WHO members.

Clearly, the authority to determine whether Taiwan is

eligible for admission to the WHO belongs to its members,

many of which have diplomatic relations with Taiwan and

cannot be co-opted by any individual or administrative

office.

When East Germany applied for WHO membership in 1968, many

questioned its sovereignty and the legitimacy of its

government. But East Germany's application was circulated,

and although it was voted down that year, it was approved in

1973.

Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China, is

indisputably a sovereign state, satisfying all of the

criteria cited in Article 1 of the Montevideo Convention on

the Duties and Obligations of States: It has a permanent

population, a defined territory, a functional government and

the capacity to conduct relations with other states. It also

has its own internationally traded currency and issues its

own passport, honored by virtually all other nations.

Another broadly affirmed criterion for recognizing the

legitimacy of a state is the principle, enunciated in the

U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that the

sovereignty a state exercises should be based on the will of

the people. A truly ``sovereign'' state, in other words, is

free and democratic. We find no better words to describe

Taiwan.

Ultimately, the question of Taiwan's participation in the

WHO is a moral one. The systematic shunning of Taiwan is

unconscionable not only because it compromises the health of

our 23 million people but also because it denies the world

the benefit of our abundant public health and technical

resources. Taiwan's public and private sectors have donated

more than $450 million in medical and humanitarian aid to

more than 90 countries over the past 10 years.

We in Taiwan are grateful that many governments and

legislative bodies such as the U.S. Congress and the European

Parliament have supported our bid for observer status in the

WHA. As humankind seeks to control global pandemics, victory

will require collaboration that is not restricted by

political obfuscation or subject to discriminatory picking

and choosing of participants. We must not allow an all-but-

one scenario to undermine our common mission--health for all.

Madam Speaker, dedicated and passionate teachers are vital to the education and development of our future generations. Today, I am honored to recognize Ms. Pam Schmidt, an eighth grade science teacher, in Aurora, Colorado. Ms. Schmidt is a recipient of the 2007 Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence for her exceptional efforts and commitment to provide her students with an outstanding science curriculum.

Ms. Schmidt, the 1997 Colorado Teacher of the Year, seeks to inspire her students to explore the world around them by providing hands-on experiences such as collecting fossils in the Badlands of Wyoming or caring for one of the 47 classroom snakes. Through her efforts and example, Ms. Schmidt has helped foster a love of science and provided a better learning environment for her students.

The Award for Science Teaching Excellence is given by Amgen, an internationally known biotechnology company with branches in Colorado. The Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence is given to teachers in public and private schools whose dedication to imparting a love of learning and interest in science to the future generations. The recipients are selected by an independent panel that judges the applicants on effectiveness and creativity of teaching methods and how they plan to use the grant money to further science education in their schools.

Madam Speaker, dedicated and passionate teachers are vital to the education and development of our future generations. Today, I am honored to recognize Ms. Carolyn Crapo, a high school physics teacher, in Aurora, Colorado. Ms. Crapo is a recipient of the 2007 Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence for her exceptional efforts and commitment to provide her students with an outstanding science curriculum.

Ms. Crapo seeks to inspire her students to explore the world around them by providing hands-on. Through her efforts and example, Ms. Crapo has helped foster a love of science and provided a better learning environment for her students.

The Award for Science Teaching Excellence is given by Amgen, an internationally known biotechnology company with branches in Colorado. The Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence is given to teachers in public and private schools whose dedication to imparting a love of learning and interest in science to the future generations. The recipients are selected by an independent panel that judges the applicants on effectiveness and creativity of teaching methods and how they plan to use the grant money to further science education in their schools.

Madam Speaker, dedicated and well-prepared first responders are one of the greatest assets to a community during an emergency. Today, I am honored to recognize Mr. Robert Waples of Rural/ Metro Ambulance in Aurora, Colorado. Mr. Waples has been named as a Star of Life Award recipient by the American Ambulance Association for his exceptional service and commitment to the Colorado community.

Mr. Waples has been a member of EMS for the past 30 years, over which time he has sought to improve the standard of medical transportation for the Aurora region. His hard work and efforts are shining examples of leadership and vision, helping the ambulance community better respond to the public.

The Star of Life Award is given to outstanding individuals nationwide within the ambulance service field who have shown above-and-beyond dedication to their profession and society. Recipients are medics, dispatchers, and EMS personnel who have promoted the success of pre- hospital care and the effectiveness of medical transportation. This May, the American Ambulance Association will honor these men and women in Washington D.C., recognizing their heroic, life-saving achievements and contributions to their local communities.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Waples for this honor. May he continue to be an inspiration to his organization as well as to the medical transportation community as a whole.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate Ms. Amber Rose, an outstanding young woman from Elizabeth, Colorado. Ms. Rose, a student at Elizabeth High School was recently named a recipient of the 12th Annual Prudential Spirit of Community Award as a State recipient. The award honors this young woman as one of the top two youth volunteers in Colorado for 2007.

Created in 1995 in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Prudential Financial's Spirit of Community Award program has become America's largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteerism. It is designed to emphasize the importance of service and encourages young Americans to give back to their communities.

Nominated by her high school, Amber founded a nonprofit organization that distributed more than $30,000 worth of art supplied to disadvantaged children around the world. As a State Honoree, Amber will receive a $1,000 award, an engraved silver medallion and a trip to Washington, DC, from May 5 to 8 for the program's national recognition events. During this trip she will be considered to become 1 of 10 National Honorees.

Ms. Rose should be commended for her commitment and selflessness. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate Ms. Morgan McDonald, an outstanding young woman from Aurora, Colorado. Ms. McDonald, a student at Prairie Middle School was recently named a recipient of the 12th Annual Prudential Spirit of Community Award as a state recipient. The award honors this young woman as one of the top two youth volunteers in Colorado for 2007.

Created in 1995 in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Prudential Financial's Spirit of Community Award program has become America's largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteerism. It is designed to emphasize the importance of service and encourages young Americans to give back to their communities.

Nominated by her middle school, Morgan helps lead a school group that works to build leadership skills and improve the scholastic achievement of African-American students. Morgan will receive a $1,000 award, an engraved silver medallion and a trip to Washington, DC from May 5th to 8th for the program's national recognition events. During this trip she will be considered to become one of ten National Honorees.

Ms. McDonald should be commended for her commitment and selflessness. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincere congratulations to NumbersUSA on achieving its 10-year anniversary. For the past decade, NumbersUSA has worked to advocate for common-sense immigration reforms.

Formed in 1997 by Roy Beck, NumbersUSA has grown dramatically from 300 a decade ago to over 300,000 activist members today. They have provided a voice for the hundreds of thousands of Americans that expect their government to enforce our immigration laws and pursue policies that enhance the security, prosperity, and overall well-being of our Nation.

NumbersUSA honors our immigrant heritage and our commitment to the rule of law through its work toward a more sustainable national immigration policy.

So once again, Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate Mr. Beck and the staff and members of NumbersUSA on the achievement of this important milestone, and wish them the best of luck in the future.

Madam Speaker, Taiwan President Chen Shui-Bian recently announced that his country plans to pursue full membership in the World Health Organization. I wish President Chen and the 23 million people of Taiwan the best of luck in this endeavor, and I hope that all Americans will support their effort.

Taiwan has a modern, world-class health care system and has lent its talents and resources in the field to people around the world. Taiwan's expertise and contributions to world health are particularly important at this time when people, products, and threats to health and safety can travel great distances in relatively short periods of time.

The WHO's mission is ``. . . the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.'' Providing accurate information about the spread of health threats is a critical part of that mission.

Last year, however, the WHO disseminated an inaccurate map which classified Taiwan as an area affected with human cases of the bird flu--even though no cases had been documented on the island. Unfortunately, because the WHO--like many organizations pretends that Taiwan is a part of China, the WHO depicted Taiwan as an ``infected area'' because there had been an avian flu outbreak on the Chinese mainland. This is not only unfair, it is dangerous.

Madam Speaker, I am sure that the intent of the WHO is not to knowingly disseminate false information about such a dangerous health threat--yet because of Chinese pressure to exclude Taiwan from this body, that is exactly what happened. And unfortunately, unless the problem of Taiwan's exclusion from this body is remedied, this could easily happen again.

When China and the WHO play politics with people's health, it isn't just dangerous for Taiwan, it is ``bad medicine'' for the whole world. I hope that the Administration recognizes this fact, and I hope they will actively support Taiwan's bid for full membership in this world body.

Madam Speaker, today I am honored to recognize Nick Nemeth of Chapparal High School in Parker, Colorado. As a sophomore, Mr. Nemeth received an invitation to attend a 10-day National Young Leaders Conference this summer in Washington, DC.

Mr. Nemeth has demonstrated outstanding academic and leadership qualities as a young man, and is an archetype of his school and community. Completing the academic school year first in his class, he was chosen as a National Scholar, an honor presented to less than one percent of all qualified high-school students.

Students chosen to attend the National Young Leaders Conference are hand selected based on both their academic achievement and recommendations by educators, mentors, and community leaders.

The National Young Leaders Conference is a forum for promising youth designed to inspire and foster their full leadership potential. Supported by over 400 members from the U.S. Congress, this program provides young men and women a rare opportunity to gain an insider's perspective into the legislative and political process of Washington D.C. This unique interaction and exposure enables them to formulate valuable perspectives which will help them guide their communities into the future.

Madam Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure to acknowledge one of Colorado's own as one of America's young leaders. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Nemeth and wishing him well in his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents, Ms. Patsy Spier of Centennial, Colorado. Ms. Spier, a former Peace Corps volunteer, was recognized by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Office for Victim Assistance with the ``Strength of the Human Spirit Award,'' as well as by the U.S. Department of Justice with the ``Special Courage Award.''

Ms. Spier was among a group of schoolteachers who were attacked while based in Indonesia in 2002. Patsy and several others were severely wounded in the attack, while three were killed, including her husband Rick. When investigators concluded that there was a strong possibility that the Indonesian military had been involved, Ms. Spier began to lobby Members of Congress and the Departments of State and Defense to gain attention to her fight for justice. Working with several legislators, including myself, she was twice able to successfully block U.S. funding toward a military training program for the Indonesian military. Having gained the support of the Indonesian president, she was also successful in her pursuit of a life sentence for the leader of the attack.

Patsy should be commended for her bravery, determination and commitment to justice. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, a humanitarian crisis is occurring in Burma where political dissidents and ethnic groups are being suppressed. The existence of over 1,000 political prisoners, the practice of land confiscation and forced migration, demonstrates the totalitarianism with which this military government rules over its people. Citizens are being imprisoned for peaceful opposition while state members continue to violate fundamental rights to property and security. The house arrest of non-violent, prodemocracy activist Aung Sang Suu Kyi demonstrates this oppressive state of affairs.

Practices like forced evictions and internal displacement cements military control, especially in ethnic areas, at the expense of basic freedoms. I am here today to ask the government of Burma to address these numerous concerns. The government must draft a constitution with the input of all political actors, including members of the National League for Democracy. Land use, property rights, and political rights are issues that must be addressed. Human rights abusers must be punished and civilians brought to justice under a government that defends their freedoms.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate Ms. Annie Luu, an accomplished Gonzaga University student from Colorado's 6th District. Ms. Luu and a team of fellow Gonzaga students were recently honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, becoming finalists in the third annual EPA student design competition.

Since 2004, the EPA has honored college students from across the country for their research efforts towards environmental sustainability through the ``P3--People, Prosperity, and the Planet'' contest. This year, only 41 proposed projects were chosen for development out of more than 100 submissions. The 41 student teams will exhibit their designs on the National Mall on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at the National Sustainable Design Expo. The National Academy of Engineering will judge the competition and recommend the winners to the EPA.

Ms. Luu and her teammates will present their project, entitled ``Decentralized Waste Treatment and Energy Recovery in Rwanda,'' during this event.

Ms. Luu and her peers should be commended for their commitment and contributions to environmental sustainability. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate Ms. Karen Brown, an outstanding school teacher from Littleton, Colorado. Ms. Brown, who teaches at Coronado Elementary School, was recently named a recipient of the 2006 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award. The award program is one of the most prominent in the United States.

Honoring teachers, principals and specialists from across the nation, recipients are chosen based on such criteria as effective instructional practices, student learning results and educational accomplishments as well as their potential for leadership within the field. Ms. Brown joins a network of more than 2,200 Milken Educators who have been honored by the program since 1985.

In addition to a $25,000 individual award, Ms. Brown also attended the annual Milken National Education Conference in Los Angeles, California from the 21st to 24th of April.

Ms. Brown should be commended for her commitment to community and her contributions to education in Colorado. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a fallen policeman from Colorado, Doug Byrne.

Officer Byrne was killed earlier this week when he swerved to avoid a vehicle which stopped directly in front of him. At the time he was rushing to the aid of an individual in a life threatening medical emergency. He was just 37 years old.

Madam Speaker, Officer Byrne has a long and distinguished record of public service. Before becoming a police officer he was a member of the United States Marine Corps and a veteran of the first gulf war. Prior to working for the Aurora Police Department Doug Byrne was an officer for the Glendale Police Department for 6 years. He was awarded the Medal of Valor for rescuing several people from an apartment fire in 2003. After becoming an Aurora policeman, he was entrusted with the important task of training other officers.

Officer Byrne was a graduate of Gateway High School.

Madam Speaker, all Coloradans morn the loss of such a good person and dedicated public servant. The loss of Officer Doug Byrne will be felt not only by those who knew and loved him, but the community as a whole.