Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly introduce legislation in tribute to Dr. Victor Westphall and Mrs. Jeanne Westphall, who dedicated their lives to honoring the courage and sacrifice of their fallen son, LT Victor David Westphall III, USMC, and all Vietnam veterans.

Following the tragic deaths of their son and 15 of his fellow Marines, on May 22, 1968, in Vietnam--40 years ago today--Dr. and Mrs. Westphall led the Nation in memorializing all Vietnam veterans by building an enduring symbol of the tragedy of war. In late summer of 1968, the Westphalls began construction of the Vietnam Veteran's Peace and Brotherhood Chapel in Angel Fire, New Mexico, in honor of their son and his fallen comrades. The chapel was completed in 1971 and dedicated on May 22nd that same year--37 years ago today--which was the third anniversary of David's heroic death. Ultimately, it was the Westphall's hope that the memorial would serve as a source of inspiration for all in pursuit of a peaceful world.

At a time of political unrest in a deeply divided Nation, constructing the memorial was not a popular idea, but Dr. and Mrs. Westphall persevered. Their strength and courage triumphed in the face of financial difficulties by being the first to commemorate those who had suffered, and those who had died in the war. Needless to say, the chapel's message has since become widespread and its message has been followed by many. The chapel is a place of peace and tranquility and has become a spiritual haven for reflection. Its doors have never been locked, and for many it represents serenity, nobility, and comfort for all.

The memorial is recognized as a monument of national significance and embodies the harmony and solace of Angel Fire's landscape and New Mexico's citizenry. The substantial financial and emotional contributions made by Dr. and Mrs. Westphall represent their efforts to honor all veterans and to properly memorialize the sacrifices made during the Vietnam war. In 2005, the David Westphall Veterans Foundation donated the memorial to the State of New Mexico and it is now officially the Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park--the only State park in the United States dedicated solely as a Vietnam veterans memorial. New Mexico State Parks plans to maintain and improve the Memorial and stay true to its purpose as a place of healing and education.

The memorial plays a large role in helping to heal the wounds of the Vietnam war. It helps bring us together not only to remember what occurred and what was lost, but also to ensure that we do not forget. In keeping with the traditions of all that Dr. Victor Westphall, Mrs. Jeanne Westphall, their son, and their family stood for, please join me in proudly recognizing them with this legislation.

Madam Speaker, Lobsang Lhalungpa was born on the other side of the world from New Mexico, but we considered him one of our own.

When he died in April, the state lost, as one resident put it, a ``teacher with a capital T.'' For decades, Lhalungpa was a great promoter of communication. As a translator and adviser for the Dalai Lama, he brought the ideas and the struggles of the Tibetan people to American audiences. As an exile and activist, he linked Tibetan communities from India and the United States to their troubled homeland and their brothers and sisters around the world. As a spiritual teacher in New Mexico, he introduced his neighbors to a history and a way of life that continues to provide comfort to those who knew him.

Lhalungpa's family had developed a habit of being one step ahead of disaster. In 1910, his father recommended to the Dalai Lama that he leave Lhasa immediately after the Manchu General Chao Erh Feng decided to attack. The move may have saved the Lama's life, and it sealed his relationship with Lhalungpa's family. In 1947, Lhalungpa left Tibet for India, two years before China began its invasion. His escape allowed him to help establish the Tibetan government in exile and rally Tibetans in India around the cause of their homeland.

Lhalungpa's life was cut short by a traffic accident, but he had already lived 84 years filled with action, reflection and joy. Friends claim that Lhalungpa would not want us to feel sorrow at his passing. As a teacher, he told his students that life is fleeting and death comes when we least expect it. Our responsibility is not to mourn death but to celebrate life.

I rise today to celebrate the life of Lobsang Lhalungpa. Buddhism teaches that those who don't find teachers in this life will live in vain. Those who had the privilege to be taught by Lhalungpa have lived lives more linked to their communities and more touched by the divine. He lives on in their hearts and in the memory of a grateful community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the Gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Murtha for his help on an important issue to me and the men and woman at Cannon Air Force Base in my district.

Since the early stages of this legislation, Mr. Murtha has worked with me to include aircraft for SOCOM and AFSOC, which has recently expanded to Cannon. Cannon is the new home to the 27th Fighter Wing, which is being stood up and is in need of aircraft appropriate to the specific job performed by these soldiers.

That is why I am pleased that the supplemental includes money for CV- 22 and MC-130J aircrafts designated for AFSOC. This will greatly assist in accelerating the capabilities at Cannon and will give the men and women serving there the tools they need to help keep America safe. The CV-22s and MC-130Js are integral to the training and mission work done by the 27th.

I am fully committed to ensuring that our soldiers have the training and equipment they need to protect our nation, which is why I requested this funding. I would like to once again thank Mr. Murtha demonstrating our shared commitment to our soldiers by including funding for these aircraft.

Madam Speaker, medical science has made great strides in unlocking the mystery of illnesses that have plagued humanity for centuries. Medical breakthroughs have helped control and eliminate diseases that once threatened the life and health of millions. Yet for all our progress, we still face threats that we do not understand and therefore cannot stop.

One of the lesser known--but no less devastating--diseases is Cerebral Cavernous Malformation, also known as CCM, or Cavernous Angiomas. CCM's are caused by abnormal blood vessels that form clusters, known as angiomas, in the brain or spinal cord. If the angiomas bleed or press up against structures in the central nervous system, they can cause seizures, neurological deficits, hemorrhages, or headaches.

In the general population, 1 in approximately 200 people has a cavernous angioma and about one-third of these affected individuals become symptomatic at some point in their lives. In some Hispanic families, however, the rate of prevalence is significantly higher. It is what is known as an autosomal dominant disease, which means that each child of an affected parent has a 50 percent chance of inheriting it.

And Madam Speaker, tragically, for generations of these Hispanic families, that is exactly what has happened throughout the country, and especially in New Mexico. In New Mexico, this genetic mutation has been traced back to the original Spanish settlers of the 1580's and has now spread down and across at least 17 generations, resulting in what could be tens of thousands of cases of the illness in the state. In fact, New Mexico has the highest population density of this illness in the world.

Unfortunately, and in some cases tragically, many of the carriers of the gene and even the disease are unaware. To make matters worse, New Mexico, and the nation, face a shortage of physicians who are familiar with this illness. This makes it dangerously difficult to receive timely diagnosis and appropriate care and puts potentially thousands of individuals at risk of a stroke, seizures, or even sudden death.

One New Mexico resident, Joyce Gonzales, was diagnosed with an angioma in her cervical spinal cord and had it surgically removed three years ago. But this success story followed 15 years of pain and misdiagnosis. Tragically, Mrs. Gonzales's 9-year-old second cousin was not as fortunate, recently suffering a cerebral hemorrhagic death caused by CCM.

Madam Speaker, much of the misdiagnosis of CCM, the inexact figures, and lack of knowledge in the medical community is attributable to a lack of research of the disease. NIH funds only eight projects on CCM. This, despite recent indications that staff at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke believes CCM to be a ``paradigm illness,'' meaning research findings on CCM could apply to other illnesses that have similar characteristics.

It is clear, Madam Speaker, that more education, awareness, and research is necessary on this disease. That is why I am introducing this resolution today to express the sense of the House of Representatives that there is a critical need to do exactly that; expand education, awareness and research of CCM. This is only a preliminary step in the fight against this disease. I believe a Center of Excellence is needed to provide the highest quality medical and surgical care for families with CCM. An expansion of the existing DNA/ Tissue and Clinical Database is also needed. The current database is underfunded, which means that they cannot accept all the samples that are offered. I will be working to establish both of those.

In the meantime, Joyce Gonzales, Dr. Leslie Morrison of the University of New Mexico, and Connie Lee, the President of the Angioma Alliance, are on the forefront of the fight against CCM. It is my honor to join them in this fight by introducing this resolution today and I urge my colleagues to help raise awareness of this devastating disease. There is too much at stake to ignore it.

Madam Speaker, my district in Northern New Mexico is home to a number of Native American tribes. Stretching through the Rio Grande Basin are 18 Pueblo Indian communities who for centuries and countless generations have depended on that precious and rare commodity in the west--water. Water has always been an essential component of the traditions and day to day practices of these rich cultures, but as communities have grown and

new peoples have come to also rely on New Mexico's scarce supply of water, new approaches to its management have become necessary. Recent reports from the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Government Accounting Office have identified a state of disrepair among the Pueblo irrigation networks, and a gap in the Bureau of Indian Affairs' capacity to maintain these systems. The Rio Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Improvement Act seeks to address this issue of fundamental importance to New Mexico tribes.

A 2000 report by the Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Indian Affairs entitled Pueblo Irrigation Facilities Rehabilitation Report determined that a significant percentage of Pueblo irrigation works are in disrepair. Additionally, a recent GAO Report (GAO-06-314) on Bureau of Indian Affairs' irrigation program also made clear that the agency has not had the financial and technical resources to maintain irrigation systems on Indian land. The lack of financial and technical resources within the Bureau of Indian Affairs is further compounded by the Department of the Interior's view that maintenance of Indian irrigation systems is not an obligation pursuant to its trust responsibility. The result is continued degradation of agricultural systems in Indian Country and no identifiable program to address irrigation infrastructure problems on Pueblo land.

Because a significant percentage of Pueblo irrigation works are in disrepair, and because of the Pueblos' inability to use land that was historically irrigated, there is an inefficient use of the limited water supplies available to the Pueblos. In the arid west, water inefficiencies impact everyone negatively. If the Pueblos lose this precious resource due to inefficiencies, it is a loss for the surrounding communities as well, and to New Mexico as a whole.

The Rio Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Improvement Act will direct the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, to work with the 18 Pueblos in the Rio Grande basin to first assess Pueblo irrigation infrastructure, and then initiate projects to rehabilitate and repair such infrastructure on Pueblo lands. It will be left to the individual Pueblo Councils to determine their interest in partnering with the Department of Interior to carry out a study of irrigation infrastructure and to carry out rehabilitation projects.

This legislation requires the Bureau of Reclamation to work with the Pueblos, rather than the Bureau of Indian Affairs, because of the lack of relevant resources within the BIA, as well as its historical lack of attention to this issue. The Bureau of Reclamation has a technical expertise in water infrastructure that will be invaluable to the Pueblos. Moreover, the activity authorized in the bill is consistent with Reclamation's Water 2025 program. While the expertise at the Bureau of Reclamation is key to filling the technical gap in irrigation infrastructure rehabilitation, it is recognized that there are limited resources available within Reclamation, and that every initiative functions better when the flexibility of collaboration and cost sharing is a possibility. As such, the bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the Army Corps of Engineers to identify opportunities to use the authorities of those agencies to collaborate on projects satisfactory to all involved.

As America moves into an era of climate change and resource scarcity, it is essential that areas such as the arid west mobilize creative new initiatives to address the new water resources needs. The Rio Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Improvement Act is one piece of the water puzzle that impacts New Mexico, and our nation as a whole.

Madam Speaker, I have the honor of representing the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which, throughout its history, has played a critical role in keeping our Nation safe from the many threats we have faced and continue to face today. Many of the men and women who have worked there, and continue to work there, are patriots, doing some of the Nation's most important work while hidden from the spotlight.

Tragically, many of these workers, unbeknownst to them, were exposed to cancer-causing doses of radiation during their employment. It has been a long, hard struggle for many of these employees to get compensation from the Federal Government, and many of them have passed away from the diseases they contracted in service to their country.

One of these heroes was New Mexico State Representative Ray Ruiz. Representative Ruiz was a LANL employee diagnosed with cancer as a result of his work for the lab. Tomorrow, May 9, marks the 4 year anniversary of his passing. From the time of his diagnosis to the time of his passing, Representative Ruiz worked tirelessly for a Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) designation for LANL to ensure that the workers diagnosed with cancer did not have to face the same impossible burden of proof as he did--to convince the government that their work was responsible for their illness.

Following his passing, Representative Ruiz's wife, Harriet, not only was elected to fill her husband's seat in the State Legislature, but carried on the work to secure SEC designation for the workers at LANL. While there was an initial, narrow SEC approved to cover a very small class of workers at the lab, the Ruiz's work, and the work of many others, came as close to realization as it had to date when on July 22, 2007 a much broader SEC designation for LANL became effective.

The SEC covers hundreds of workers and their survivors diagnosed with radiogenic cancers who worked at the lab from March 15, 1943 through December 31, 1975. While this was an incredibly important development, and one that was long overdue, there are many workers who should be included in this SEC, but are not.

I know one worker, Madam Speaker, who suffers from radiogenic cancer, but just falls a few months short of the recently enacted SEC because he does not meet the requirements for number of days worked through 1975. Extend the SEC further, however, and he would certainly qualify for compensation.

This is particularly troubling considering NIOSH has already conceded that doses cannot be reconstructed for workers through 1975, but there are employees such as the one I just referred to who are denied compensation because of the cutoff date. NIOSH can no more reconstruct doses for employees of the lab in January 1976 than they can for employees of the lab in December of 1975. Yet post-1975 claimants are forced to undergo dose reconstruction during a period for which NIOSH concedes information is not available.

That is why today I am introducing the Ray Ruiz Special Exposure Cohort Act to both honor the late Representative Ruiz, and to also help fully realize his and his wife's work to provide compensation to all employees who contracted illnesses from radiation exposure at LANL. This legislation would expand the current LANL SEC to cover claimants at the lab up to the present so that any worker diagnosed with the illnesses stipulated under the current SEC and who meets a required 250 aggregated work days at LANL are covered. The important national security work being

conducted at the lab did not stop on December 31, 1975, and sadly, neither did the harmful exposures to radiation that has caused many of these cancers. Post-1975 claimants have done the same work and been diagnosed with the same illnesses. These radiogenic cancers are not constrained by calendar years, and nor should be the compensation to employees and their families.

Madam Speaker, claimants and their families have made great strides in achieving some small measure of justice from the Federal Government. There are many, however, who continue to fight the battle not only with their illnesses, but with the government simultaneously. The EEOICPA program was designed to put the burden of proof on the government, not on the claimant. Unfortunately, that has not been the way the program is operating. The SEC designation for LANL was an important step towards rectifying this situation, but the Ray Ruiz Special Exposure Cohort Act will help provide much deserved compensation to the many other cold war heroes who have tragically fallen through the cracks.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today the House will take one of the final steps in securing a long overdue resolution to a dispute between the Jicarilla Apache Nation and Rio Arriba County in the State of New

Mexico. After 20 years of negotiation and effort, I am pleased that the House is moving this bill forward.

In September of 1988, a parcel of land formerly referred to as the Theis Ranch became part of the Jicarilla Nation Reservation. Since that land transfer, there has been continued dispute between the Jicarilla Nation and the County of Rio Arriba over the ownership of a particular road on this land.

A lawsuit was filed in October of 1987 to determine the ownership status of the disputed road. In the original lawsuit, Rio Arriba County sought to establish that the County acquired the disputed road by prescription and, therefore, that the County was the road's rightful owner. However, the Jicarilla Nation contended that the Nation owned the road because the road was, and continues to be, within the boundaries of the expanded 1988 Jicarilla reservation. On December 10, 2001, the District Court found in favor of the Jicarilla Nation, determining that the disputed road traversed the Jicarilla reservation in several locations. Rio Arriba County appealed the District Court decision, and the appeal is currently pending before the Court of Appeals of the State of New Mexico.

In an effort to settle the road dispute amicably, the Jicarilla Nation and Rio Arriba County entered into mediation, and the parties successfully reached a settlement. Representatives of the Secretary of the Interior approved the settlement on June 18, 2003. The settlement agreement, which would be implemented by this legislation, provides that the Jicarilla Nation will transfer approximately 70.5 acres of land located with the expanded 1988 Jicarilla reservation to Rio Arriba County. In exchange for the Jicarilla Nation's land conveyance, Rio Arriba County agreed to permanently abandon any and all claims to the disputed road. The settlement also provides that the terms of the agreement do not take effect until all parties complete their respective promises in the agreement and the United States, pursuant to federal law, approves of the conveyance of this particular Jicarilla trust land to Rio Arriba County.

I commend both parties and the Secretary of the Interior for having already executed the terms agreed to within the settlement agreement. All that stands between the parties to this dispute and long overdue resolution is Congressional approval.

The legislation we are voting on today upholds Congress' trust responsibility to the Jicarilla Nation by placing restrictive covenants on the trust land transferred to the County. As a result of the transferred land's proximity to the reservation, certain uses of the transferred land would have a detrimental effect on the remaining reservation. Therefore, this legislation allows the County to use the land only for ``governmental purposes'' and specifically prohibits the County from using the land for prisons, jails, or other incarcerated persons, and other purposes.

In the 109th Congress, this bill received broad support and passed the House by voice vote. Unfortunately, the bill was then held up in the Senate, but the provisions that raised minor objections have been resolved and I expect bicameral support and passage of this long overdue legislation.

The Jicarilla Nation and Rio Arriba County have done their part; they have found a fair solution. Today, the House will do its part. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this important legislation. Both the Nation and the County have waited years for this agreement to be implemented.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kathryn Flynn, of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is being honored on May 2, 2008, with it 2008 Heritage Preservation Award for individual achievement from the New Mexico Cultural Properties review committee.

For the past 17 years, Kathryn has been committed to preserving the history and legacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal and its enormous impact on New Mexico and the Nation. She has labored tirelessly to locate, restore and document the undertakings of the Works Project Administration, WPA, and the Civilian Conservation Corps, CCC, in New Mexico. Functioning on shoestring budgets, Kathryn enlisted New Mexico volunteers to help in this effort and then went nationwide, state by state, to convince others to do the same. This resulted in the formation of the National New Deal Preservation Association, of which Kathryn was unanimously elected executive director, a position she holds today.

Through Kathryn's leadership, skills, talents and passion, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised in private and public funds for conserving New Deal art in New Mexico. This funding has allowed for the restoration and conservation of five Santos at the Palace of the Governor's Fine Arts Museum, seven Helmuth Naumer pastels at the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, the Bronson Cutter bronze statue on the Santa Fe capitol grounds, seven paintings and etchings in the Taos public schools, and seven murals in the Ilfeld Auditorium at Highlands University. Conservation work is currently underway on public art works at New Mexico State University and Silver City, and numerous other preservation projects have been conducted because of Kathryn's remarkable leadership and efforts.

Kathryn's and the National New Deal Preservation Association's efforts culminated into the honoring of the 75th anniversary of the New Deal. Several meetings in our Nation's capital have taken place among many departments, including the Library of Congress, various organizations and private citizens, who have joined the association in this noble project. During 2008, various events and activities will be held nationwide to call attention to the New Deal and the extraordinary time in which it took place in our nation's history.

It is appropriate that I also call attention to Kathryn's distinguished professional career. Earning a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling/Psychology, she served the State of New Mexico in health and rehabilitation services, as executive director for the Carrie Tingley Hospital and Foundation, and as executive director of Open Hands, Inc. She then became Deputy Secretary of State, where she edited for many years the Blue Book, an invaluable resource for such information as New Mexico history, landscape, government, educational institutions, political leaders, Native Americans and state attractions.

It was in the role of editing the Blue Book that Kathryn ``found her true calling.'' She wanted to include a piece of WPA art for inclusion in the 1991 edition of the Blue Book, but it was nowhere to be found. The search for this artwork led to Kathryn's realization that much of what was created during the New Deal was being lost, not only through physical deterioration, but also as a legacy to younger generations. Kathryn wanted to ensure that the New Deal's history, artistic beauty, public works and, perhaps most importantly, the encouragement and hope that it created in the minds and hearts of millions of citizens who were out of work during the Great Depression, be preserved for posterity.

Kathryn Flynn is considered by many as our nation's leading authority on the New Deal, and she is well deserving of recognition. I invite my colleagues to join me in congratulating her upon receiving New Mexico's 2008 National Preservation Heritage Award. On behalf of all New Mexicans, I extend our deepest appreciation for all Kathryn has done to protect and preserve the history and all that the New Deal created for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, roughly 60 years ago today, Harry Truman had a problem.

After 2,000 years as ``strangers in a strange land,'' the Jewish people were about to establish a homeland in the land of their fathers. Many Americans believed that our Nation would support the aspirations of the Jewish people. However, President Truman's own Secretary of State threatened to vote against the President in the next election if Truman backed Israel.

At midnight on May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence. Eleven minutes later, America recognized the new state. Truman's act of courage created an essential and vital bond. Every American Government since that day has recognized America's special relationship with Israel.

Since 1948, Israel has shown the world true courage and perseverance. They have made the desert bloom, fended off countless acts of aggression and built a lasting testament to the potential for democracy and freedom in the Middle East. Today, Israeli citizens speak dozens of languages and come from hundreds of countries. They include war-scarred Holocaust survivors, refugees from the ghettos of the Eastern Bloc and young pioneers from the New World. What they share is a common love of their country and commitment to their people. Like America, Israel has turned its diversity into a source of strength and pride.

In New Mexico, we have a great deal of respect for those who make the desert bloom. Israel now ranks as New Mexico's 11th leading trade partner and since 1996, we have exported more than $490 million worth of goods to Israel. In 2006 alone, our State produced nearly $3 million in defense products for the Israeli military. Like those throughout New Mexico, I have consistently supported Israel's efforts to defend itself against terrorists and others who seek to harm her, and to seek peace with her neighbors.

As we pass this resolution honoring the 60th Anniversary of Israeli Independence, I want to express my congratulations, my support, and my hope that the next 60 years will bring peace and prosperity to Israel and the region.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Marian Bolton, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, upon her upcoming retirement from the YMCA. Marian has devoted 38 years of extraordinary service to the ``Y.''

Marian, a nationally-recognized leader among her peers, built her career on a foundation of high principles and character. Currently the President and CEO of the YMCA of Central New Mexico, Marian has always been committed to incorporating the virtues of Character Counts, a national organization, into all programs and activities of the ``Y.'' Because of her commitment to instilling trustworthiness, respect, caring, fairness, responsibility and citizenship into her staff, youth and their families, Marian is credited to a large extent with the success--personally, academically and professionally--of countless New Mexicans.

Marian also has been involved on the international stage with many non-profit agencies. A true champion for equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, culture or background, she has volunteered her time and unwavering efforts to conducting workshops in such areas as agency management, financial development, volunteerism, values and balancing personal and professional lives, to name only a few. Marian has also traveled to many countries whose youth are affected by such tragic conditions as poverty, hunger, slavery and lack of education and medical care. She has labored tirelessly to help improve their lives through the vital resources of the YMCA.

Marian Bolton is the consummate successful executive, who passionately cares about the lives of others. She has devoted her life to bringing as much motivation, education, training, tools for success, a positive attitude and, perhaps most importantly, hope for those striving for a better and brighter future. Her wisdom, experience and expertise is known across the globe, and she is highly sought after for consultation and training for those seeking to follow in her successful footsteps.

I invite all my colleagues to join me in congratulating Marian Bolton for her enormous contributions and accomplishments. Her shoes will be difficult to fill. On behalf of all New Mexicans, I extend our very best wishes to Marian for much happiness, success and fulfillment during the next stage of her life.

Madam Speaker, today, we mark the anniversary of one of the darkest moments in American history.

For the thousands of soldiers who were surrendered to enemy forces on April 9, 1942, the years that have passed since have been filled with memories of what occurred that day and in the hundreds of days that followed. Starvation. Torture. Forced work. Captivity. Death.

But in the 66 years since, the events at Bataan have conjured other memories for the rest of us. Bravery. Sacrifice. And an unbreakable demonstration of courage.

``The Battling Bastards of Bataan,'' they were christened by Frank Hewlett, one of the last journalists to report on the troops before they were surrendered. For 4 months they fought, battling daily against the enemy, against illness, and against time. And when there was no fight left, when the time for surrender was upon them, they were alone. Neither planes in the skies nor boats in the sea appeared, ready to give the boost of firepower that would turn the tides. Instead, the men at Bataan laid down their weapons and walked into a hell that would last over 3 years.

In TIME magazine, the surrender at Bataan was reported under the headline, Death of an American Illusion. ``These U.S. soldiers had stumbled ragged, sleepless and half-starved through the last days of the most humiliating defeat in U.S. history,'' wrote the correspondent. ``In no previous battle had so many U.S. fighting men gone down before a foreign enemy, and seldom had any beaten U.S. soldiers been in such pitiable condition--believing until the last hour of destruction that their country could and surely would send them aid. The U.S. had known the end was near. But it had not, could not, beforehand, taste the taste and smell the smell of crushing defeat.''

For those of us from New Mexico, the events at Bataan strike home particularly hard because of the involvement of the 200th and 515th regiments. These New Mexico National Guardsmen came from all parts of the State and from all walks of life. On the 12 columns here we see their names and we lament at the sheer number who shipped overseas and never returned. They came to serve and they gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their country.

We also must take note at the number of Hispanic soldiers who served, fought, and died. Their service during a time of discrimination, both in the military and in the public, poignantly epitomizes the struggle they faced in being treated with equality, with respect, and with dignity. For those who remained unequivocally devoted to their Nation even while being treated as second-class citizens, we salute you and promise that we will not forget your service.

As a token of our remembrance, earlier this year I introduced legislation that would award the Bataan prisoners of war with the Congressional Gold Medal. This award, long past due, would be a fitting tribute and would forever signify the thanks of our Nation to the soldiers who served with honor and with courage.

Sadly, we are no longer graced with the presence of many of the original heroes who struggled and survived the ordeals of Bataan. The ravages of captivity and the passage of time have taken many of them from us and we are now left with their story and with their memory. Future generations of Americans will hear the story of Bataan second- hand, never able to meet a soldier who still bears the scars of torture or who still remembers the joy of liberation and returning home. For now, however, with those who are still here and who can still tell their story, we must grant them the widest forum and the most amplified voice to ensure that this tale of courage, this legend of the Battling Bastards of Bataan, is shared as far and wide as possible. We cannot, we must not, forget what happened at Bataan and our actions of honoring these soldiers will never meet the great sacrifice they gave on the battlefield so many years ago.

To those who suffered and who never returned, we honor your memory.

To those who have since passed, we remember your story.

And to those with us today, we praise your courage and give you our thanks.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res 1077 and to express my concern over recent and ongoing events in China. Since March 10th, when Tibetan protests began in Lhasa, there have been demonstrations in at least 48 locations. While there are some accounts of violent actions, most Tibetan protestors have been peaceful. Unfortunately, the Chinese government has not taken the same approach in responding to these protests and protestors. While we do not know the true number, it is estimated that at least 3,000 Tibetans may be under detention. And it is even more unclear how many people have perished because of the Chinese government's excessive response to these largely peaceful demonstrations.

The Tibetans are a peace loving and resilient people, and even under the Chinese occupation they have been able to retain their culture. Unfortunately, while responding harshly, the Chinese government has also placed blame for the situation at the feet of the Dalai Lama. This, despite the fact that none of the purported evidence is linked directly to the Dalai Lama.

As these demonstrations continue, it is important that the Chinese government distinguishes between the peaceful protestors and the rioters, and that it honor its own constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of speech, association, and demonstration.

Passing this resolution today sends the message to the Chinese Government that this is what we expect, and that we will not turn a blind eye to their actions. On the contrary, we are closely monitoring what occurs in Tibet and will continue to do so. As China's engagement in the international community continues to grow, we must call on the Chinese government to honor the commitments it has made to both Chinese and international law. This resolution does just that, and I strongly support its passage.

Madam Speaker, today I am very pleased to introduce a bill that will authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to help communities in eastern New Mexico develop the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System, ENMRWS. A companion to this bill is being introduced today in the Senate by my colleagues Senator Bingaman and Senator Domenici. There has long been a recognized need for a reliable and safe supply of potable water for eastern New Mexico. After years of drought and ever-increasing population growth, this water supply project is now absolutely critical for the continued economic well-being of Curry, Roosevelt, and Quay counties in eastern New Mexico.

The Entrada and the Southern High Plains, or Ogallala, aquifers currently provide 100 percent of the municipal and industrial water supplies and the vast majority of agricultural water for communities in these east-central New Mexico counties. However, both the quantity and quality of these ground water reserves have declined severely in recent decades. Despite voluntary conservation efforts and improvements in agricultural water-use efficiencies, these ground water supplies will not sustain current use levels in as little as 12 years, and may be functionally depleted within 25 years.

The water supply project authorized by this legislation builds upon more than 40 years of research, planning, and design. In 1959, after recognizing the water supply problems in eastern New Mexico, the New Mexico Legislature and Interstate Stream passed an Act authorizing the State Engineer to construct a dam on the Canadian River, thus establishing the the Reservoir. Since 1966, numerous congressionally- authorized studies have investigated the feasibility of a project that would utilize the Ute Reservoir as a reliable water supply for communities in eastern New Mexico. Finally, in the late 1990s, several communities, concerned about the increasingly urgent need, came together to begin planning for the development of a regional water system.

The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Supply Authority, consisting of nine communities in the Curry, Roosevelt and Quay counties of eastern New Mexico, was formed in 2001 to oversee the development of the ENMRWS. This authority has expeditiously and effectively finalized the studies and planning necessary to move forward with this project.

Madam Speaker, as you can see from this brief history, the citizens of eastern New Mexico have both proven the critical need and completed the necessary steps to form the basis for a project of this magnitude. This project is not new, and the need for water is becoming increasingly more urgent. In fact, I introduced this bill with my New Mexico Colleagues in the Senate in both the 108th and 109th Congresses. In the 108th Congress the Senate Subcommittee on Water and Power in the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on the bill, which I understand brought out some very positive support and feedback. Since that time, the need for this project has only become greater and support for the venture has continued to increase in the local communities and State government.

Without this project, it is clear that this important region will suffer economically. We cannot stand by and watch vibrant communities dissolve into western ghost towns, especially when solutions exist. I sincerely hope my colleagues will support this legislation and help provide a positive, long-term solution to a pressing water need in the rural West. This legislation represents the important next step toward addressing the overarching issue of water in the and West.

Mr. Speaker, for the past several months, Congress has debated one of the most important issues that we face: the struggle to protect America while preserving the guaranteed liberties that make America great. During this vital discussion, some argued that Congress should stop deliberating and pass a reckless proposal that would unnecessarily sacrifice our constitutional rights. I disagreed. The legislation we discuss today, which was the product of deep deliberation and compromise, will keep America both safe and free. It is a credit to this House and to the American people.

Today's legislation contains a number of carefully crafted provisions intended to protect the civil liberties of Americans at home and abroad while ensuring that the intelligence community can do its job. The wisest decision the House made in this bill was to grant telecommunications companies an opportunity to defend themselves in a confidential FISA court trial. This is in stark contrast to the administration's attempt to provide retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that may have violated the law. The Bush administration claims that the telecommunications companies have evidence that would exonerate them but cannot be revealed in court because of confidentiality concerns. Our bill ensures that the American people will get their day in court and the companies will have the chance to defend their actions. This compromise is fair to the companies and to those whose rights they may have violated.

I believe we can protect our Nation while upholding the values that make America a beacon of hope to people around the world. America is strong because we are a nation of freedom and a nation of laws. By refusing to grant blanket immunity to those who violated Americans' rights, the House reaffirms the rule of law and the importance of liberty. The Senate should follow our lead.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Unsafe Meat and Poultry Recall Act of 2008, a bill to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and grant the Secretary of Agriculture the power to order the recall of meat and poultry that is adulterated, misbranded, or otherwise unsafe.

The USDA announcement last week requesting a recall of 143 million pounds of beef from a slaughterhouse that is being investigated for unsafe practices makes clear the importance of bolstering the ability of the USDA to keep citizens safe from tainted meat products. In this instance, like most, the recalled beef had been distributed throughout the country, including to my State of New Mexico where the United States Department of Agriculture's Commodity Foods Program had sent 3,000 cases of the questionable beef to the state's Human Services Department to be distributed to school lunch programs.

It is imperative to the health and welfare of the American public that we bolster the regulation of the meat and poultry industry. The number of people affected annually from ingesting tainted meat and poultry products illuminates this proposition: 5,000 people die from food-borne illnesses each year. Furthermore, nearly 76 million people get sick annually from eating tainted food, of which 325,000 require hospitalization. In 2007 alone, there were 91 major food recalls.

The Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak of 1993 prompted the imposition of a new regulatory system on the meat and poultry industry

designed to help eliminate future deadly food-borne illness outbreaks. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) program shifted the responsibility for ensuring meat safety from USDA inspectors to the meat companies themselves and instituted microbial tests for harmful bacteria. Since the implementation of the HACCP regulations, however, controversy has erupted over whether the new rules place too much power in the hands of the meat industry to regulate itself.

Due to the huge political clout of the meatpacking industry, USDA does not have, nor seem to want, the power to issue mandatory recalls of tainted meat and poultry products. Complying with agency recalls, therefore, is at the industry's discretion. The meat industry says that it has never failed to cooperate with a recall request from the USDA, thus mandatory recalls of tainted meat are not needed. However, when USDA asks for a recall, a negotiation process ensues between the agency and the industry. Meanwhile, thousands of people could continue to eat potentially harmful meat. This is not a trivial matter. This is meat that is potentially contaminated and could result in death. From the time that contaminated meat or poultry is identified, there should not be a negotiating period. It should be recalled.

This is a question of accountability. Somebody must be held responsible for the quality and safety of the meat we consume. The government must ensure that the meatpacking industry produces only safe meat products. My bill will facilitate this need by amending the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act. My bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to order the recall of meat and poultry that is adulterated, misbranded, or otherwise unsafe or tainted from the market. The time has come for this necessary step.