Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of reauthorizing a program that has proven to be crucial to the lives of children across the Nation. The State Children's Health Insurance Program--or SCHIP, as it is known--provides access to health care for 6.6 million children. Through bipartisan efforts, Congress is trying to expand eligibility to nearly 4 million additional underserved and uninsured kids, but the President a few weeks ago decided to ignore the will of the people and veto the bill to renew this popular, worthy and socially responsible program.

I can't overstate how extraordinarily troubling this veto is. Rather than spending the $3.50 a day it would cost to provide health insurance for these children, the President instead has cynically claimed the mantle of fiscal responsibility. Had he not already presided over the largest increase in government spending since the New Deal, this claim might not ring as hollow as it sounds. Let's be clear: the President has chosen insurers and tobacco companies over the well-being of more than 10 million children and their families.

This is the wrong issue and the wrong time to pander to business interests.

Madam Speaker, it is unconscionable that American families must choose between buying a warm coat for the winter and having their children immunized. No American families should have to choose between putting food on the table and getting a life-saving operation for their son or daughter.

We go back to our respective districts and meet the people who are forced to make these sorts of decisions on a daily basis. We feel and see the utter insanity of vetoing $3.50 a day for health coverage for our neediest children. As members of the House of Representatives, we speak directly for the American people and we come to the floor to vote with their hopes and wishes foremost in our minds.

Each day that we fail to provide basic health care to kids, is a day we have failed as leaders.

Congress is The People's House, and we have a duty to represent the needs of the American people, not of multi-billion dollar international insurance companies. This administration has sided with big business too many times and at too heavy a cost to the little guy.

Republican President Calvin Coolidge once said, ``The business of America is business,'' and it seems that the current President agrees with him. I say that this Congress' business is the people's business. I urge my colleagues to override the President's veto and allow an entire generation of America's children to grow up healthy.

Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I never speak for the whole committee, only for myself, but this is an exception.

Jo Ann Davis was respected and admired across the total political spectrum, and as I was listening to my colleagues paying tribute to this extraordinary woman, to this remarkable Member of Congress, to this unique public servant, I, of course, agreed with everything they said. But there is one aspect of Jo Ann's life that has not yet been mentioned, and that is what I would like to address.

She loved her district, she loved the State of Virginia, but she was also one of the great Atlantises in this body. She was passionately committed to rebuilding the alliance between Europe and the United States, and she did an extraordinary job over a long period of time successfully doing this.

My predecessor, Henry Hyde, and I had many conversations about her little-noticed, but enormously important, work on behalf of our effective foreign policy, on behalf of rebuilding so many of the ties that over the years had been weakened by a variety of actions.

Jo Ann will be missed in all of her endeavors, but those of us on the Foreign Affairs Committee will particularly miss her enormous contribution

to building alliances for the United States, for being a multilateralist, for recognizing that while we may be the one remaining superpower, we are a superpower in need of allies and friends and collaborators.

I want to express my deepest condolences to her family and I want to express on behalf of all of my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee our respect, our admiration and our love for our dear colleague Jo Ann Davis.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most successful participants in a U.S. sponsored program for former gang members, who was brutally murdered in the prime of his life. On September 17 in Guatemala City, Daniel de Jesus Ochoa Vasquez was shopping with his wife when unknown assailants came from behind and shot him in the head, killing him instantly.

Five years ago, Daniel Ochoa sought refuge at a home for at-risk youth run by the Alliance for the Prevention of Crime, an initiative begun with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID. He left his gang, and soon graduated to teaching other at-risk youth the baking skills he had learned there, thus gaining the nickname ``Panadero,'' or ``Baker''. Like many of the estimated 14,000 youths involved in gangs in Guatemala, Daniel Ochoa grew up in poverty, and lacked family support and educational or economic opportunities. He soon turned to gangs for social support, a source of livelihood, and protection. His father abandoned his family when his mother was pregnant with their third child; he grew up in a neighborhood without potable water or electricity; dropped out of school after the fourth grade to work full time as a bricklayer's assistant at age 11. By age 13 he joined the M18 gang. In the 5 years he spent in the gang, he landed in prison 12 times, turning 18 in a jail cell. He explained that his last time in jail scared him enough that he decided to leave the gang. Many gang members who decide to leave their past life behind take refuge in a church; Daniel left on his own accord, at considerable risk to himself.

Last year Daniel was selected as 1 of the 10 members of the ``Desafio 10: Paz para los Ex'' (``Challenge 10: Peace for Ex Gang Members'') reality TV show, a program through which USAID and the Guatemalan private sector helped former gang members find new ways to make a living. With ongoing support from USAID's Youth Alliance program, ``Panadero'' established and ran a successful shoe repair and shine business in which he took great pride. He had gone back to school and planned to attend college with the money he earned from his shop. He impressed many people with his honesty, hard work, and courage. Daniel provided authentic testimony that it is possible for a young man to turn his life around if he has the will and is given an opportunity. He gladly shared his story with such visitors in the hope that other youths would continue to be given such opportunities for a new life, and that USAID and other donor agencies would continue to reach out to at-risk youth. As one of those who worked with him said, ``Through his example `Panadero' has confirmed the value of working with youths who have abandoned gangs and decided to take a new path in life.''

Daniel's finest hour was his trip last May to Washington to address a group of business leaders and policymakers, including Guatemala's Vice President Eduardo Stein, at the Guatemalan Embassy. With the help of the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala, Daniel obtained a last minute Department of Homeland Security waiver to allow him a visa to travel. Daniel's talk motivated the Guatemalan Embassy to begin to raise funds for a tattoo removal project. Daniel may have been killed because he was mistaken for a gang member: a possibility, because of the tattoos on his hands and neck, which he had hoped to have removed.

Daniel once said that he did not want to be just ``a former gang member,'' and he achieved that goal. A week before his death, Daniel volunteered as an election observer with Mirador Electoral, a Guatemalan civic coalition that monitors elections. Mirador Electoral has demanded an investigation into his death. He showed that an ``ex'' can be an active as well as law-abiding citizen. He sought a better life not just for himself and his family, but also for Guatemala. Daniel Ochoa was not only a rehabilitated ex-gang member; he was a rehabilitated human being.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 200) expressing the sense of Congress regarding the immediate and unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as amended.

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

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

Madam Speaker, the images from Burma that have flashed across our television screens over the past two weeks have stirred the conscience of the entire civilized world. Buddhist monks draped in their simple crimson robes, peacefully gathering to press for change. Rangoon citizens pouring from their homes to join their holy men, their numbers swelling to over 100,000. Sandals hurriedly abandoned in the road as peaceful marchers were chased away by baton-wielding police. Soldiers firing automatic weapons into unarmed crowds. The charred body of a Buddhist monk, slain by the ruling junta, lying face down in a pool of dirty water stained crimson with his innocent blood.

These indelible images, Madam Speaker, will not soon fade, nor will the anguished cry to us made by the leader of the Burmese Democratic movement, Noble Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and I quote her: ``Use your liberty to promote ours.''

So today, Madam Speaker, we use our liberty here in the Congress of the United States to condemn the violent crackdown on dissent in Burma. We use our liberty to call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the imprisoned Buddhist monks, and all other Burmese prisoners of conscience. And today we use our liberty here in the Congress of the United States asking our friends in Asia and Europe to join us in using economic leverage to promote democratic change in Burma.

Since the last bloody crackdown in Burma 17 years ago, we in the United States have led the way in imposing tough economic sanctions against the ruling junta. Each year, I ask my colleagues to join me and my good friend Peter King of New York in renewing import sanctions against Burma, and each year this Congress, under both Republican and Democratic control, has responded overwhelmingly to our request.

But Burma's elite will only feel the economic squeeze when other countries join us. The enormous flow of aid and trade from China to Burma, not to mention China's political support for the regime in the United Nations Security Council, must come to an abrupt end. The military packages for Burma offered by the world's largest democracy, India, must be removed from the table. And our friends in ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, who have begun to speak out for democratic change in Burma, must move beyond words and suspend Burma's membership in this very important regional organization.

Madam Speaker, when the generals run out of cash, change will come to

Burma. When military officials cannot send their children to be educated abroad, change will come to Burma. And when the Burmese officials are no longer welcome at the table of ASEAN, change will come to Burma.

And to those Burmese military officers who are on the fence deciding whether to join in the violent campaign of repression or to refuse orders to kill and torture your fellow citizens, I have a simple message: Do the right thing. As in Germany, as in Rwanda, as in Yugoslavia, those who commit war crimes will be brought to justice before an International Criminal Tribunal. Put yourself on the right side of history.

The crimes committed by this junta, Madam Speaker, stretch far beyond the atrocities of the past few days. This regime has systematically used rape as a means of war against ethnic minorities. Recently released satellite images show that it has burned and destroyed entire villages. And since the regime nullified the democratic elections in 1990 won by Aung San Suu Kyi, it has arbitrarily arrested and tortured dissidents, real and imagined, by the thousands.

Just a few days ago, the world caught a brief glimpse of Aung San Suu Kyi peaking out of the gate of her home, which has become her virtual prison. Today, we stand with Aung San Suu Kyi, this courageous woman, demanding her freedom, demanding the freedom of all those prisoners of conscience in Burma, and demanding far-reaching democratic change.

Change will not come overnight to Burma, but it will come, and it will be my great pleasure to join our distinguished Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, a true champion for human rights around the globe, in witnessing the inauguration of Aung San Suu Kyi as the true prime minister of a free Burma.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, before yielding to our distinguished Speaker, I would like to say a word comparing our Speaker to the subject of this resolution, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

These are two extraordinary women of deep courage and commitment, but there is one profound difference in their political lives: when Members of this body elected Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of this House, she assumed that position. When the people of Burma elected Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to serve as their Prime Minister, she was subjected to onerous imprisonment and persecution for almost two decades.

It gives me a great deal of pleasure and pride to yield such time as she may consume to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, an indefatigable fighter for human rights and the champion of a fellow woman political leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to our distinguished colleague from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Madam Speaker, before yielding back our time, I would like to make mention of a visit I had yesterday afternoon from the ambassador of China on the subject of Burma.

We had a long and difficult discussion. The Chinese Ambassador outlined for me the various steps his government has taken in recent days to deal with the crisis in Burma. I pointed out to him that gestures are not enough, that with the enormous leverage China has over Burma, China must take serious, substantive measures to compel the Government of Burma to give back the freedom to its own people and her freedom to Aung San Suu Kyi, the legally elected leader of Burma.

I call on the Government of China, just a few months short of the opening of the Beijing Olympics, to do the right thing, to exert its enormous influence on behalf of the people of Darfur, on behalf of the people of Burma, and by inviting His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, for a dialogue in Beijing. Nothing would make the climate for the opening of the Beijing Olympics more positive and salutary than a serious dialogue between the Government of China and the Dalai Lama.

There have been so many negative developments from China's point of view in recent times: the selling of food, the selling of tooth paste, the selling of children's toys, all of them dangerous to consumers in this country. There is a deep concern here that China's insatiable appetite for raw materials closes their eyes and minds to human rights violations across the globe, from Darfur to Burma.

This is a glorious opportunity for the government in China to do the right thing, and to do the right thing vis-a-vis Burma is to put pressure on the military junta to ease up on the Burmese people and to give Aung San Suu Kyi her right to live in freedom as the elected leader of the Burmese people.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and good friend from Washington, Congressman Adam Smith, for this legislation and his commitment to ending poverty worldwide.

The statistics are hard to believe: More than one billion people worldwide still struggle to survive on less than $1 per day, and another 1.6 billion eke out a living on less than $2 per day.

So, close to three billion men, women, and children--or a population 11 times the size of our own nation--awake each morning to little or no food, dirty water, inadequate shelter, and a lack of rudimentary health care. The entire international community should be ashamed at this massive failure.

Alleviating crushing poverty around the globe is our most profound moral imperative. Our unending compassion as an American people and our position as the world's sole remaining superpower demand it.

But more than just an appeal to our generosity should move us to pass this bill through the House of Representatives today: Reducing poverty around the world is in our national interest.

Persistent poverty gnaws at the bodies of men and women, making them vulnerable to global infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, that demand our resources and threaten health around the globe.

And the despair that inevitably accompanies stifling poverty also chews at the souls of the afflicted, making them vulnerable to ideologies of hate that foment violence around the world.

For all these reasons, we must support this bill. This legislation makes it a central U.S. foreign policy goal to eliminate extreme poverty and to achieve the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, which this Administration has committed to time and again.

Many observers have noted that the Millennium goals are ambitious. But the only way to even come close to achieving them is to remain committed--as a Congress and as a nation--to addressing poverty head- on.

This legislation requires the Administration to develop a comprehensive strategy to eliminate extreme global poverty. And it calls on the Administration--and future Administrations--to present to Congress the specific steps it has taken to develop and implement its strategy.

The bill enumerates several methods that serve as a blueprint for the overall strategy: development policies, continued investment in key programs, debt relief, and coordination with international organizations.

We could all glance at the statistics I mentioned earlier, shrug our shoulders, and shake our heads. But this Congress will not settle for apathy and indifference. We will use our generosity and our foreign policy to lift up the people in extreme poverty who deserve our immediate attention.

I strongly urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1400) to enhance United States diplomatic efforts with respect to Iran by imposing additional economic sanctions against Iran, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will address the United Nations General Assembly in just a couple of hours, the latest step in his campaign to remove all obstacles to Tehran's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. We, in turn, must resolve to use every available peaceful means, economic, political, and diplomatic, to put a stop to that deadly, dangerous pursuit.

Peaceful persuasion in this instance will require a lot of leverage. Strong international sanctions must be imposed against the regime in Tehran, biting sanctions that will bring about a change in policy.

Ideally, Mr. Speaker, such measures would be undertaken through the United Nations. But if China and Russia continue to block effective U.N. sanctions against Iran, the United States must move ahead in the company of as many other like-minded nations as possible. And if multilateral sanctions are not in the offing, the United States needs to be prepared to tighten and to fully enforce our own sanctions without any exceptions.

Current law imposes sanctions in the U.S. market on any foreign company that invests $20 million or more in the Iranian energy sector. But the law lets the executive branch, at its sole discretion, waive those sanctions. And for years, Mr. Speaker, administrations of both parties have done so without fail.

Since 1999, giant companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, France's Total, Italy's ENI, and Inpex of Japan have invested over $100 billion, over $100 billion, in the Iranian energy industry, and the United States has done nothing to stop them.

If we wish to impose serious and biting sanctions on Iran, effective measures that will change the behavior of the regime in Tehran, it is clear what we must do. We must take away the power from the administration to waive sanctions we pass.

Two days ago on 60 Minutes, the President of Iran had this to say about the issue of nuclear weapons: ``We don't need a nuclear bomb . . . In political relations right now, the nuclear bomb is of no use. If it was useful, it would have prevented the downfall of the Soviet Union.''

I wish that we could take Ahmadinejad at his word, but we obviously cannot. This is the same man who yesterday said, ``Our people are the freest in the world'' and ``there are no homosexuals in Iran.'' We are all aware of the many other absurd and irrational statements that have emanated from Tehran since this man took power.

But there is one arena in which I agree with Ahmadinejad: when he says his country has the same right as every other country to use civilian nuclear power. Every country has that right. But if they all decide to get there by mastering the full nuclear fuel cycle, then the door will be wide open to an unprecedented global proliferation of nuclear weapons.

That is why earlier the House passed my legislation to authorize the creation of an International Nuclear Fuel Bank under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Every country, including Iran, can draw from that bank the nuclear fuel necessary for the production of civilian nuclear energy under strict IAEA safeguards, but no nation will be able to divert nuclear materials for military purposes. The International Atomic Energy Agency supports my approach, as do all five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, including our own administration.

One would think that the decision makers in Tehran would look upon this idea of an International Nuclear Fuel Bank as an elegant way to get Iran out of a difficult, unproductive, and singularly isolated situation. I hope that they will take this road and they will use this opportunity to move away from their current isolation in the international community.

And I hope as well that the administration will see its way clear to opening up serious and continuing dialogue with Iran. When I hear it said that it is somehow wrong to talk with Iran, I think back to the days when the Soviet Union had thousands of nuclear-tipped missiles aimed at the United States. Surely, the Soviets then were a great deal more dangerous to us than the Iranian leadership is today, and yet we talked with them daily. We maintained a very active diplomacy vis-a-vis the Soviet Union. We were engaged in trade, travel, and cultural exchanges of many types.

Mr. Speaker, I am not alone in hoping that relations with Iran can and will be improved. But as long as irrationality prevails in Tehran, we must be prepared to employ all peaceful means at our disposal to ensure that the regime renounces its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Iran today faces a choice between a very big carrot and a very sharp stick. It is my hope that they will take the carrot, but today we are putting the stick in place.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the Middle East Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Ackerman of New York.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Sherman of California.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to my good friend from Texas (Mr. Edwards) for a colloquy.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Texas for raising this issue. The Nunn-Lugar program is one of the most valuable international pieces of legislation since the end of the Second World War. It has gone a long ways in preventing nuclear materials falling into dangerous hands. It is imperative that the Russian Federation work together with the international community to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions. I very much look forward to working with my friend from Texas to ensure that that goal and the nonproliferation goals are fully met in this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Engel of New York.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\3/4\ minutes to the distinguished member of the Intelligence Committee, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman).

Mr. Speaker, I submit a series of letters from other committees that have jurisdiction over parts of this legislation.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Ways and Means,

Washington, DC, September 24, 2007.

Hon. Tom Lantos,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing regarding H.R. 1400--``to

enhance United States diplomatic efforts with respect to Iran

by imposing economic sanctions against Iran, and for other

purposes''--which was reported by the House Foreign Affairs

Committee on August 2, 2007.

As you know, the Committee on Ways & Means has jurisdiction

over import matters. Accordingly, certain provisions of H.R.

1400 fall under the Committee's jurisdiction.

There have been some productive conversations between the

staffs of our committees, during which we have proposed some

changes to H.R. 1400 that I believe I help clarify the intent

and scope of the measure. My understanding is that there is

an agreement with regard to these changes. Modifications were

made to section 202, relating to additional import sanctions

against Iran, and section 406, relating to certain tax

incentives, was removed. In addition, provisions were

included in section 201 and a new section 307 was added to

H.R. 1400 to clarify that other provisions of the Act did not

affect the President's authority under the International

Emergency Economic Powers Act, particularly as such authority

relates to measures restricting imports.

To expedite this legislation for floor consideration, the

Committee will forgo action on this bill and will not oppose

its consideration on the suspension calendar. This is done

with the understanding that it does not in any way prejudice

the Committee or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this, or

similar legislation, in the future.

I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming

our understanding with respect to H.R. 1400, and would ask

that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be

included in the record.

Sincerely,

Charles B. Rangel,

Chairman.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate, along with my remarkably diverse constituents, Hispanic Heritage Month. I am grateful that September 15th through October 15th has been set aside to commemorate the unique cultural legacy and the significant contributions that the diverse people of Hispanic descent have made to the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, this heritage is part and parcel of our shared American birthright. It is only fitting that we celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of the 43 million Hispanic Americans in this country, people who are making their mark in popular culture, business, athletics and politics. Theirs is the American Dream--a deep- seated belief that hard work can bring a better life and a brighter future for our children.

I wish to take this opportunity to honor some outstanding individuals living and working in the San Francisco Bay area. KQED, a nationally recognized public broadcaster, has named the following six outstanding individuals 2007 Latino Heritage Local Heroes. These hardworking citizens represent the best of both worlds--preserving their personal and family heritage while contributing great things to the community we all share.

Cio Hernandez has brought her language and leadership skills to the youth of Marin County. As the Bilingual Adolescent Mental Health Practitioner for Teen Clinic of Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, Cio is a youth group leader who inspires and motivates adolescents who want to make a difference in their community.

Martin Mora is a professional firefighter in the city of San Jose. In his 12 years with the San Jose Fire Department, he has promoted safety and awareness throughout the community. Additionally, Martin continues his family's legacy of dedicated volunteering by assisting children, women, and families in the Bay Area and Nicaragua.

Guillermo ``Memo'' Morantes is a longtime community volunteer in San Mateo County, with a special passion for education. As a member of the San Mateo County Board of Education, he continues the fight he has long been waging to provide all our children with the kind of quality education they deserve.

A Health and Nutrition teacher at Dover Elementary School in West Contra Costa County, Tony Ramirez imparts invaluable wisdom about healthy living and environmental preservation to our next generation of leaders. Tony has incorporated outdoors hands-on education into the curriculum, instilling the value of preserving natural habitats such as the local watershed, Wildcat Creek, and teaching students of their responsibility to maintain a healthy creek.

Mary Helen Rocha is another tireless advocate for children and families in our community. From bus monitor to den mother and Girl Scout leader, she has done it all, and currently works as Program Director for The Perinatal Council and coordinates the Antioch First 5 Center permanent facility, which serves families with children under 5 years of age.

As a master of the art of capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts and dance hybrid, Marcia Treidler, known to the arts community as Mestranda Marcia Cigarra, is working to spread hope and opportunity through the art form she loves. Marcia is the founder and Artistic Director of ABADA-Capoeira San Francisco (ACSF), which is dedicated to using capoeira as a vehicle to improve and enrich disadvantaged communities and the lives of people from all backgrounds.

Madam Speaker, it is not enough to celebrate this community one month out of every year. All of our Hispanic American friends and neighbors deserve the opportunity to build a better life for themselves and their children. They are the driving force behind the efforts of this Democratic Congress to bring a new direction to America--the real people who benefit from progressive legislation like increases to the minimum wage and programs that make college more affordable.

Hispanic Heritage month is more than a cultural celebration, Madam Speaker, as vibrant and fascinating as that culture may be. It is an opportunity to see the children for whom we have just increased funding for math and science education, funding that will give all Americans a chance to compete in the global economy. It shines a spotlight on the citizens who lack adequate health care, despite working full time. Hispanic Heritage month is certainly about the past, Madam Speaker, and it is an honorable past worth remembering. Yet this month, let us also look toward the future, and work toward building a better tomorrow for all American families.

Madam Speaker, 20 years ago--in October of 1987--His Holiness the Dalai Lama came here to Washington for the purpose of sharing with the leaders of our country his mission to end the systematic abuse by the People's Republic of China of the fundamental human rights of the people of Tibet.

In that effort, His Holiness did not have much success.

For fear offending the People's Republic of China, President Reagan chose not to meet with him.

At the Department of State, it was the same story.

But at the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, which I founded and of which I was then--and remain--co-chairman, we decided in the face of much protest to give to the Dalai Lama the forum he deserved. To this day, I am proud of that decision.

And I am proud that, just as this body was the first in our Government to give the Dalai Lama a venue to speak on behalf of his people, we will take the lead again and honor him with the Congressional Gold Medal.

I have come to know the Dalai Lama is one of our era's greatest moral heroes, sharing a commitment to peace of other great leaders of our time, including Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

At a time in history when national grievances are often expressed in the most strident language and when political violence and rage are everywhere, the Dalai Lama speaks with a different voice. Instead of hating his opponents, he recognizes the humanity of those who are oppressing his people. Always, he seeks to find the path to harmony and peace.

``I speak not with a feeling of anger or hatred toward those who are responsible for the immense suffering of our people and the destruction of our land, homes and culture,'' said His Holiness in his Nobel Lecture. ``They, too, are human beings who struggle to find happiness and deserve our compassion. I speak to inform you of the sad situation in my country today and of the aspirations of my people, because in our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess.''

We have before us today, a resolution whose purpose is to authorize the use, on October 17, of the rotunda of the Capitol as the venue for the ceremony at which my dear friend, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, will receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

That is an appropriate location. The Capitol is the great symbol of American freedom--and of hope to millions around the world. Who better to be honored there?

I strongly support the resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, on September 14, 1987, Dr. James H. Billington, who had already distinguished himself as one of this nation's most eminent cultural historians, was installed as the 13th Librarian of Congress. As one of Dr. Billington's many admirers, I want to extend to him my warmest congratulations on his 20th anniversary in that distinguished post.

As a youngster in his native Pennsylvania, Dr. Billington began what was to be a life-long pattern of exceptional intellectual accomplishment. He was one of those habitual valedictorians--first at Lower Merion High School and then, at Princeton University. He next went as a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford University, where he completed his Ph.D.

Dr, Billington has been a professor at two of our most famous universities--Harvard and Princeton.

He is the author of several notable books on the cultural and political history of Russia--The Icon and the Axe and Fire in the Minds of Men, to name just two. Another of his books--The Face of Russia-- became the basis of a three-part television series on PBS.

At last count, Dr. Billington had been awarded 33 honorary degrees from institutions all over the world, including Oxford, Moscow State University and Tblisi State University in the Republic of Georgia.

It is in his present job, however--that of Librarian of Congress-- that Dr, Billington has made truly monumental contributions to our nation's cultural and intellectual life.

``This place has a destiny to be a living encyclopedia of democracy,'' he said in his inaugural address, ``not just a mausoleum of culture, but a catalyst for civilization.''

For two decades, he has worked to fulfill that destiny.

During Dr. Billington's tenure, the holding of the Library of Congress have grown from 86 million to over 135 million items. The Library's budget has grown in that same period by over 200 percent.

In the Billington years, the Library has launched many new services-- THOMAS, for example, is familiar to all of us here in Congress and the American Memory Program is being used in schools and libraries around the country.

Just recently, the Library's Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation began operations in Culpeper, VA. The Packard Campus, which is the result of the largest private gift ever made to the Library, is dedicated to transferring the Library's priceless, but deteriorating, collection of moving images and recorded sounds to digital files and placing these materials in a digital storage archive.

But of all the Billington era projects, the most-far-reaching is the National Digital Library. This massive effort, funded by a public- private partnership, has already placed 135 million items on the Library's web site--with many, many millions more to come.

In Japan, Madam Speaker, a person who has made exceptional cultural contributions can be designated as a living national treasure. We don't have that tradition here in America, but if we did, I do not think that I would be alone in submitting for that honor the name of James H. Billington.

I congratulate Dr. Billington on his 20th anniversary--and I thank him for the great things that he has done for our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to an extraordinary educator from my home district in California. Samuel Johnson Jr. has retired following four decades of service to students. Remarkably, for 39 of those years, Sam Johnson was employed at the San Mateo Union High School District, with the final three years as its Superintendent.

A native of Louisiana, Sam Johnson struggled against and rose above the racial challenges of his generation. His career displays a shining light of perseverance and professionalism, offering a pioneering example for all races.

Yet let me say, Madame Speaker, that Sam Johnson's legacy is his devotion to young people, his determination that every student should have the ability to excel, to achieve and ultimately to find success in higher education.

His first job as a teacher was in his home state of Louisiana, and his eventual move to the San Mateo Union High School District after that first year began a lengthy tenure of dedication at the district he would call home for four decades.

Beginning his career as a math teacher, Sam Johnson went on to hold nearly every administrative position in the district. His responsibilities ranged through the years from being the Director of Human Relations for the entire San Mateo Union High School District to being Assistant Principal and then Principal of Capuchino High School, where he was successful in acquiring a prestigious Carnegie Grant. He later served as Director of Personnel, Associate Superintendent for Human Resources and Administrative Services and finally, Superintendent of the District, overseeing seven schools.

Madam Speaker, I would like my colleagues to know that Sam Johnson will be remembered for his commitment to the advancement of young people from all walks of life. His innovative pursuit of an Academic Core Curriculum, guaranteeing that every student would be taking classes geared to success in college, was just one example of helping everyone realize educational dreams. He combined that vision with a push for seven periods in the school day, giving students the opportunity to benefit from additional elective classes. He also spearheaded a school year calendar change that more effectively linked the end of academic classes with holiday vacations. These changes, which required political and administrative strength to achieve, highlight much of Sam Johnson's talents and vision. His success at reaching these goals provided more academic opportunities for the students in his care. I am proud to say that the San Mateo Union High School District has reported successively improving student scores in recent years, something universally desired in any educational environment.

Madam Speaker, Samuel Johnson Jr. deserves respect and appreciation for an educational career focused on improving the opportunities and experiences of young people attending public school. He faced many challenges during his tenure, specific to the San Mateo Union High School District as well as relating to society in general. He met those challenges with dignity and what many of his colleagues described as class, while never wavering from the dream he held as a young teacher in Louisiana; a dream of helping students find the path to realizing their own hopes and dreams.

Madam Speaker, I want to wish Samuel Johnson Jr.; his wife, Della; and children Brad and Shana, happiness in his retirement and congratulations on his four-decade career in education.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to yield 1 minute to the distinguished Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms. Nancy Pelosi.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have before us today a resolution whose purpose is, ``Recognizing September 11 as a day of remembrance,'' extending sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, ``honoring the heroic actions of our Nation's first responders and Armed Forces, and reaffirming the commitment of defending the people of the United States against any and all future challenges.''

Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I remember. Like millions of others in this country and around the globe, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I first heard the news of this hideous atrocity.

Like millions of others, I was profoundly shocked, sickened, and horrified by the scenes I saw unfolding that day. And in me there grew a cold anger. We will get those who did this, I said to myself back then. No matter how long it takes, we will defeat them. We will do everything in our power to protect the people of the United States.

Recently, Mr. Speaker, we took a major step in that direction by enacting, with bipartisan support, legislation to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. By so doing, we addressed major security vulnerabilities, improving our homeland security across the board.

But much more needs to be done. Al Qaeda remains a serious threat to the United States. The leadership of that group has been reconstituted and the terrorists have formed many small independent cells. One such cell was broken up just within the last few days in Germany.

In order to triumph in the war of ideas with the extremists, we need to learn how best to use many forms of soft power, economic, financial, diplomatic, and cultural, which are available to us and to our allies.

We in Congress can help by making sure that the foreign operations budget is fully funded, our principle instrument of soft power. We need to stop frittering away our resources, military, diplomatic and economic, on a ceaseless religious war in Iraq.

The administration is making its case before Congress this week to stay the course in the Iraq war, which it continues cynically to conflate with the global balance struggle against fundamentalist extremism, even with the 9/11 attacks themselves. It continues to disturb me to hear the administration linking Iraq with the attacks perpetrated by Osama bin Laden and his thugs, especially when they are still at large.

The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that we will not forget what really happened on that dark day 6 years ago. We will not forget the victims of 9/11, or the heroic first responders who sacrificed their lives, or the fighting men and women who carried the battle to the mountains of Afghanistan and rooted out the Taliban.

We recommit ourselves today, as we have each year at this time for the past 6 years, to continue the fight against those who seek to destroy our American way of life, to deny us our constitutional rights and our freedoms.

We will not forget. We will not falter in our resolve to protect our homeland. We shall remember our heroes.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), a distinguished member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my good friend from Georgia, the civil rights conscience of the Congress, John Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 1 minute to my dear friend and our distinguished colleague from Rhode Island, Congressman James Langevin.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my good friend and distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare).

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my good friend and distinguished colleague from Tennessee, Mr. Steve Cohen.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield half of my time to our Republican colleagues if they need it.

I am pleased to yield 1 minute to my dear friend and our distinguished colleague from New York (Mrs. Lowey).

Mr. Speaker, we are happy to yield back our time, and we are standing united across the political spectrum in our remembrance and in our determination; remembrance of the heroes and the victims, and determination that we shall defend this Nation against all enemies.

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

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

Madam Speaker, one of the fundamental principles on which this Nation was founded is freedom of religion and respect for the religious beliefs of others. Religious tolerance and the freedom of religion for individuals to believe what they choose is one of the underlying concepts essential to our democratic system of government. Madam Speaker, it is in that spirit that I want to pay tribute to Master Wan Ko Yee, who has been recognized by world-renowned Buddhist masters as Dorje Chang Buddha III, the true incarnation of the primordial Buddha of the Buddhist faith in accordance with the rules of recognizing the incarnation in Buddhism.

Master Yee was born in Sichuan, China, and like many individuals over the last four centuries, has come to this land where there is greater opportunity and freedom to teach and practice his religion. As Master Yee said, ``The American people are kind and noble. People can freely believe in religion in the United States, a country that is spiritually wealthy, powerful, and blessed.''

I am pleased that he has found a new home in my own home state of California, where many Americans of diverse backgrounds have embraced principles of Buddhism, which include showing compassion toward others, benefiting others, being selfless, and striving for enlightenment and liberation.

Master Yee, who is recognized as His Holiness Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu, the Buddha Vajradhara Great Dharma King by the leaders of different sects of Buddhism in the world, has established a temple in San Francisco. Other similar places of worship for the benefit of believers have been established in other cities in California, New York, Washington, DC and abroad.

Master Yee not only is a widely recognized and admired Buddhist thinker and teacher, Madam Speaker, but he also is an artist whose work has been widely acknowledged and exhibited. His work includes a number of very different styles and media, including traditional Chinese calligraphy, traditional Chinese

painting, abstract painting, and a new style of art that is called Yun sculpture in which Master Yee has created beautiful colors and shapes.

In recognition of his artistic work, he has been named a ``Fellow'' by the Royal Academy of Art in the United Kingdom. His works of art have been displayed in a number of exhibits, including two recently here in Washington, DC at the Organization of American States and in the Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building, which was sponsored by our friend and colleague, David Dreier of California. An exhibit of his Yun sculpture in San Francisco last year was widely attended, and his work has been exhibited in a number of other locations.

Madam Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Master Wan Ko Yee, Dorje Chang Buddha III, a Buddhist leader of particular renown who has chosen to make his home here in the United States, and who is an outstanding artist, scholar, and religious thinker.

Madam Speaker, today I join my friend Kevin Brady of Texas in introducing the Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Education Act of 2007. This legislation will expand research and training efforts for treatment and an eventual cure for pulmonary hypertension, while establishing a nationwide clinical research network.

Pulmonary hypertension, more commonly referred to as PH, is a silent killer that increases the blood pressure in the lungs to dangerous levels. As the walls of the arteries that take blood from the right to the left side of the heart thicken and constrict, the heart must pump harder and harder, ultimately failing over time.

Over the past 5 years the number of patients of this deadly disorder has increased from 3,000 in 2001 to as many as 30,000 diagnoses in 2006. Among them is my 22-year-old granddaughter, Charity, who was diagnosed with PH in 2004. In following her treatment, I know all too well the need for increased education of medical professionals. With the growing number of patients, new and more effective treatments are becoming available for PH sufferers, but effective management of this condition remains complicated. It requires the close supervision of a highly-trained medical professional, and someone who is dedicated to remaining on the cutting-edge of treating this disease.

I believe our bill would give the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute the tools they need to improve collaboration among the top PH research centers and to reduce the incidents of misdiagnosis. I am hopeful that this legislation would create avenues for disseminating new and life-saving knowledge among experts.

Madam Speaker, the causes of pulmonary hypertension are still not fully understood. And it pains me to no end to note that there is no known cure. We can not waste anymore time. We must act swiftly to save 30,000 vibrant lives, including that of my own beautiful granddaughter, from this slow and steady killer. I hope my colleagues will join me and Mr. Brady in putting the full force of Congress behind this important research.

Madam Speaker, today I wish to pay tribute to Joy Rosenheim Simonson who passed away just a few weeks ago. Joy was a leading advocate for women's rights at a time when that was a steep uphill battle.

Joy rose to prominence in 1982, shortly after Ronald Reagan became President of the United States. At the first meeting of the National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs, of which Joy was the chairwoman, the Council replaced her with the notorious anti-woman's rights advocate Phyllis Schlafly, who quickly proposed abolishing the council.

The firing of Joy led to an uproar among women's rights groups around the country, and several Members of Congress, including our distinguished colleague from Massachusetts, my good friend Congressman Barney Frank, denounced her removal. Barney went further than simply denouncing the outrage. He immediately hired her as a staff member of the Subcommittee on Employment which he then chaired. It was a brilliant decision.

A few years later, Madam Speaker, I succeeded Congressman Frank as chair of the Subcommittee on Employment and Housing of the Committee on Government Operations. One of the wisest decisions I made was to keep Joy as a member of my staff. Joy was with me for the six years I served as Chair of that subcommittee. She was a loyal, devoted and energetic staff member. We met many times a week to plan subcommittee investigations and hearings. She sat right behind me in our frequent hearings.

Joy had a wonderful sense of issues that needed to be dealt with, and she had excellent ideas of how to take the next steps in promoting women's rights. We had outstanding hearings that resulted in tough reports adopted by the Committee dealing with women executives (the glass ceiling), discrimination against women owning automobile dealerships, problems women face finding daycare, discrimination against women who breastfeed their infants, and many, many others. When Joy retired from working for the Congress, she was the oldest staff member of the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, Joy Simonson dedicated her life to public service. Her decade of service on the staff of the Employment and Housing Subcommittee was only a small part of her very distinguished career of public service. She led several organizations devoted to women's issues and helped break down barriers for women. Born in New York City, Mrs. Simonson moved to Washington after graduating from Bryn Mawr College to serve on the War Manpower Commission in the early 1940's. Later, in 1945 she worked for the UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in Egypt and Yugoslavia, and then worked at Army headquarters in Frankfurt Germany. It was during this period overseas that she met and married her husband Richard Simonson. In 1948, they moved back to Washington, DC. Joy and Richard are the parents of a son and a daughter.

Joy Simonson was the first woman to head the District of Columbia's Alcohol Beverage Control Board, serving from 1964 until 1972. During this time she also founded the National Association of Commissions for women, and served as its president for three terms. She also notably fought for Title IX, protested the exclusion of women from the Augusta National Golf Club, and in 1967 organized the D.C. Commission for Women.

In 1992 Mrs. Simonson was elected to the D.C. Women's Hall of Fame for her untiring work on behalf of women. She was also later recognized by the National Center for Women, who gave her the prestigious Formothers Award.

Madam Speaker, Joy was here on Capitol Hill several months ago--after the election which finally gave us the first woman as Speaker of the House of Representatives. She was delighted and pleased beyond measure at seeing a woman preside over this body, where she devoted over a decade of remarkable service during her remarkable life.

I invite my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Joy Rosenheim Simonson.

Mr. Chairman, I claim the time allotted to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Let me first commend Speaker Pelosi for orchestrating an incredibly complex set of provisions across the full spectrum of issues and committees. It was a masterful achievement, and we are all in her debt.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I might consume.

Mr. Chairman, climate change presents a challenge to all of humanity. The bill before us today includes several groundbreaking international provisions to ensure America's role as the world's leader in the fight to save the planet, not as a reluctant and grudging participant.

Passing our bill will mark a historic turning point in this country's engagement with the international community on global warming. No longer will we debate and delay endlessly dealing with this crisis. No longer will we send low-level bureaucrats to crucial international climate change meetings with express marching orders to muzzle the science and to obstruct action.

I am very pleased that my friend from New Jersey, Congressman Chris Smith, joined me as the chief Republican cosponsor of the international provisions included in this bill.

Our legislation passed the Foreign Affairs Committee overwhelmingly on a bipartisan basis, and I encourage all of our Members to vote for this historic legislation.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield to my friend from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for a unanimous consent request.

(Mrs. MALONEY of New York asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Chairman, just to summarize briefly some of the comments made by my good friend from Florida, climate diplomacy has been sidelined under this administration to such an extent that expertise and diplomatic stability in climate negotiations is now almost absent in the Department of State. It is long, long overdue that we reinvigorate the capability of the Department of State on the issue of global climate change and our legislation does that.

We are also creating a foundation not as a bureaucracy but as an institution to act as a clearinghouse of ideas and the matchmaker amongst foreign public and private actors working on global clean energy technologies.

Probably no single item has contributed as much to the decline of the United States' prestige internationally than our cavalier attitude towards global climate change. With a new administration coming in less than 1\1/2\ years, we preparing the ground that our global partners will again respect us and look to us for international leadership on this all-important issue.

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

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

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