Howard Berman

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my colleagues in the Congress to a successful meeting of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue, TLD, in New York City from December 4-7, 2009. Chairwoman Shelley Berkley led a strong bipartisan delegation, which included Vice-Chairman Cliff Stearns, Vice-Chairman Jim Costa, Gary Ackerman, Xavier Becerra, Dennis Cardoza, John Duncan, Jr., Eliot Engel, Virginia Foxx, Bart Gordon, Jay Inslee, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Ron Klein and Loretta Sanchez. I wish to recognize these members for their thoughtful contributions to an informed and productive exchange of views with Members of the European Parliament. The Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue serves as the formal response of the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress to the commitment in the New Transatlantic Agenda of 1995 to enhance legislative ties between the European Union and the United States. The TLD involves biannual meetings between American and European legislators in order to foster transatlantic discourse and exchange views on topics of mutual interest. Given the recent adoption of the Lisbon Treaty and the additional powers it provides to the European Parliament, it is even more important that legislators engage in this dialogue in order to seek joint solutions to the pressing issues facing citizens on both sides of the Atlantic. Participants at the New York meeting held extensive discussions about the financial crisis and international trade. The debate was informed by presentations from the Obama administration, including Michael Froman, Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs, and Mark Sobel, Acting Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at Treasury. The TLD emphasized the need for a strong and coordinated transatlantic policy response, while reiterating the importance of the Transatlantic Economic Council, TEC, as a framework for cooperation. Considerable attention was paid to foreign policy issues. TLD participants engaged in vigorous debate about the Middle East, hearing the administration's perspective from Jeffrey Feltman, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs. Other foreign policy debates focused on Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Iranian nuclear threat, relations with Russia, and the Balkans. These deliberations were further enhanced by the delegation's meetings on the final day of the TLD at the United Nations with Ambassador Susan Rice and Under- Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe. In addition, the delegates talked about the challenge of climate change and energy security with Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. They also discussed a range of civil liberties issues, including American travel regulations and President Obama's efforts to close Guantanamo. In conclusion, I submit the joint statement that was agreed upon by American and European legislators at the 67th TLD meeting held in New York. This document emphasizes the importance of continued transatlantic dialogue and cooperation in jointly addressing current financial and foreign policy challenges Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue, 67th Meeting of Delegations From the European Parliament and the United States Congress, Joint Statement (By Shelley Berkley, Cliff Stearns, Jim Costa, Elmar Brok, Sarah Ludford, and Niki Tzavela) We, the Members of the European Parliament and the United States House of Representatives, held our 67th Interparliamentary meeting (Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue) in New York City, from 4-7 December 2009. Building on the joint statement issued following our last meeting in Prague on 18-20 April 2009, we reasserted the importance of regular dialogue on the pressing political, social and economic challenges that affect citizens on both sides of the Atlantic. We agreed to report back to our parent bodies on the content and outcome of our discussions in New York, with an emphasis on the areas where joint efforts are likely to produce positive outcomes. The Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue appreciated the Lisbon treaty's entry into force, with its enhancement of the powers and competences of the European Parliament in areas such as International Trade and Justice and Home Affairs, as well as the appointment of an EU President and High Representative. We expressed our desire to continue building on the political momentum created by the election of new administrations in Europe and the United States in order to further strengthen the transatlantic relationship. We called for continued collaboration between legislators in the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament on legislation and issues of common concern, formalising lines of communication and information-sharing between EU and U.S. legislators to promote compatible legislation reflecting transatlantic cooperation through the work of the committees, in full respect for each side's sovereignty. We discussed a wide array of international political questions such as the situations in the Middle East, Afghanistan/Pakistan, the Balkans, Russia and Iran's nuclear programme. We also examined a wide array of issues of common interest, including global concerns relating to Energy and Climate Change, Financial Services and International Trade. We examined how the United States and the European Union could best cooperate in matters of Civil Liberties and Justice and Home Affairs. Our conclusions are as follows: International Political Issues (a) Peace in the Middle East requires a durable ceasefire, an immediate and unconditional end to terrorist attacks on Israel, a functioning and effective government in the Palestinian Territories and the resumption of the obligations under the roadmap, including an end to incitement and a solution for the question of settlements. The goal is a secure Jewish state of Israel and a viable Palestinian state, living side by side. (b) We held a strong debate exchanging a wide array of views between and within the delegations on the strategy for Afghanistan/Pakistan announced by President Obama on 1 December 2009, which provided a new impetus for renewed international commitment to confronting the ongoing challenges of security, terrorism, governance, corruption and socio-economic reconstruction. We look forward to the international conference on Afghanistan that will be held on 28 January 2010 under the auspices of the UN. The EU and the U.S. should enhance their cooperation and support, foster burden-sharing, work to improve the coordination and effectiveness of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), and seek to help build critical infrastructure across Afghanistan. Maintaining the stability and cooperation of Pakistan is equally important as well. (c) On Iran, the dialogue noted the recent, troubling moves by the Iranian Government regarding its nuclear programme, affirmed that a nuclear armed Iran is unacceptable and expressed its concern about the human rights situation in the country. We urge the leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to develop a common policy and unite the international community to meet this threat, including strong sanctions, if it continues to fail to comply with its international obligations in the nuclear area. (d) Relations with Russia should involve constructive cooperation on challenges and threats, including security matters, disarmament and non-proliferation, along with respect for democratic principles including human rights standards, and adherence to international law. The dialogue expressed concerns about Russia's continued failure to comply with the 2008 ceasefire agreements with Georgia negotiated by French President Sarkozy, as well as the potential for another energy dispute with Ukraine this winter. We also cited the need to enhance mutual trust between the transatlantic partners and Russia. We welcome the ongoing U.S.-Russia negotiations on arms reduction and look forward to Russia's membership in the WTO, once those negotiations are satisfactorily completed, with all its legal obligations. (e) Challenges remain in our efforts to integrate the Western Balkans into a united Europe. Cooperation between the United States and the European Union remains the most effective way to encourage political and economic development in Kosovo as well as to facilitate constitutional reform in Bosnia, and ensure respect for the rule of law, including cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, throughout the region. Energy and climate change We agreed that the Copenhagen Conference is one of the biggest challenges for international cooperation. We welcomed the announcement of President Obama's personal involvement in the COP-15 Summit in Copenhagen. We discussed the common goal to provide the necessary stimulus for sustainable economic growth, promoting green technologies and creating new jobs. We discussed how the EU and the U.S. could work together to reach an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting ambitious reduction targets for industrialised countries and identifiable actions by developing countries. We discussed cap-and-trade systems and the need to avoid incompatible emission trading systems to pave the way to a transatlantic, and ultimately a global carbon market. We noted the link between tackling climate change and addressing energy security and economic growth, recognizing that the fight against climate change could also be an opportunity to create new jobs and sustain economic growth. We welcomed the creation of a new EU-U.S. Energy Council at the last EU-U.S. Summit in order to strengthen the dialogue on strategic energy issues of mutual interest, foster cooperation on energy policies and further improve research collaboration on sustainable and clean energy technologies. We look forward to the Energy Council deliberations feeding the TEC process and we consider this as another area where the TLD can develop further. Financial Crisis We examined the consequences of the global economic and financial turmoil. We agreed that the crisis requires a strong and coordinated policy response by the U.S. and the EU. Recovery plans currently being adopted are critical in mitigating the effects of the crisis: approaches chosen should be compatible, strengthen financial supervision to ensure confidence in the system, avoid protectionist measures, and avoid distortions of competition in the transatlantic marketplace. We discussed the role of international cooperation in financial regulation and supervision, including better crisis prevention and management, and agreed that the EU and U.S. should cooperate on the reform of international financial institutions. We are pleased that the G-20 leaders have decided to give the emerging countries, within the International Monetary Fund, a position commensurate with their weight in today's global economy so as to ensure support for the developing world and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs We welcomed the ``Washington Declaration'' on 28 October 2009 on enhancing transatlantic cooperation in the area of Justice, Freedom and Security within a context of respect for human rights and civil liberties. We expressed the hope that it will provide a framework to replace the ad hoc approach of the last decade on data collection and sharing arrangements (PNR, SWIFT, MoUs linked to visa waiver, etc.) with a more strategic approach of law enforcement and judicial cooperation through the Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition Agreements and through developing an agreement on data protection. We discussed President Obama's desire to close the Guantanamo detention facility within a year, taking note of the offer by several European countries to accept Guantanamo inmates and encouraging the U.S. and the EU to continue seeking joint solutions to combat terrorism. The dialogue also discussed the EU-U.S. negotiations to extend the Visa Waiver Programme to the remaining EU member states. We hope that the U.S. visa waiver programme will be extended to all EU citizens as soon as possible, when the criteria have been met. An exchange of views took place on the recent adoption of the U.S. Travel Promotion Act. In light of the concerns about the Safe Port Act raised by port operators and the trade community, in particular with respect to the cost/benefit ratio of the scanning requirement's possible negative effects on competitiveness and on transatlantic trade flows, we were of the view that the U.S. Administration should re-examine this legislation. International Trade and WTO negotiations We agreed that trade is as central to the EU-U.S. relationship as it is to world recovery. We call upon the European Commission and the United States to redouble their efforts to bring the Doha Round of world trade talks to a successful conclusion. We believe that international trade can make a contribution to the restoration of world economic growth and that work to integrate and harmonise EU and U.S. trade practices will lead to a global improvement in living standards and will help secure quality jobs in both the European Union and in the United States. We believe that participation by Congress and the European Parliament in the Parliamentary Conference of the WTO and in its Steering Committee would enhance cooperation at a global level. We, therefore, call on the leadership of both bodies to take appropriate steps in order to allow us to collaborate in this context. Development of Transatlantic Economic Council We reiterated our commitment to the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), stressing its utility as a framework to achieve a barrier-free market and for macro-economic cooperation between both partners. We welcomed the results of the meeting held on 27 October, particularly the extended dialogue between the Administrations with legislators that identified past challenges and future opportunities. We discussed progress made over the past year in promoting transatlantic economic integration, including investment, accounting standards, regulatory issues, the safety of imported products, and the enforcement of intellectual property rights. As we told our Administrations during the recent TEC meeting, transatlantic economic cooperation must be more accountable and transparent. In order to help achieve this objective, the schedules of TEC meetings, agendas, roadmaps and progress reports should be agreed upon between the core stakeholders as early as possible and then made public. Such measures are crucial to developing a clear and transparent process for setting the agenda of the TEC, extending the TEC to new sectors, and establishing a roadmap. We continued to encourage the EU and U.S. executive branches to facilitate more active participation by members of the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament in the TEC process, in particular via the TLD, especially for a pre-legislative dialogue between the respective committees of Congress and the European Parliament. TLD members should be full partners in the Transatlantic Economic and Energy Councils. We note that on the European side, responsibility for coordinating the TEC will pass from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry to its Directorate-General for Trade. We believe that this can provide a new impetus toward removing barriers to trade and investment and on fostering competitiveness in the transatlantic market. Strengthening the TLD We agreed that a working group should come up as soon as possible with a list of concrete proposals for the further work of the TLD. We noted the recent document written by the Atlantic Council of the United States along with several other policy think tanks, entitled ``Shoulder to Shoulder: Forging a Strategic U.S.-EU Partnership.'' We supported several of the recommendations in the document and will use them as a starting point. For example: U.S. Members of the TLD should be drawn from both House and Senate. U.S. House members should be appointed by the Speaker of the House. The U.S. Congress should open an office in Brussels. The office would service the TLD and monitor legislation affecting U.S. interests. We noted the European Parliament is opening an office in Washington in January 2010. The TLD should convene a joint consultative committee on the extraterritorial implications of domestic legislation; and focus regular exchanges on upstream regulatory legislation. The TLD should hold joint hearings and conduct joint study tours to areas of common concern, for instance to the Middle East. The U.S. Congress and the European Parliament should ensure regular contacts between appropriate staff, not simply in foreign affairs-related work but across the board in key areas of mutual engagement. The TLD should spearhead a new generation of internships in Congressional and European Parliament offices. Each Congressional office should offer to host one intern from the EU; each European Parliament office should offer to host one intern from the United States. In conclusion, we reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening the transatlantic relationship and working in partnership to solve common challenges. We pledged to continue improving the effectiveness of our dialogue in order to realize the full potential of our invaluable interparliamentary relationship, as well as to ensure the relevance of the TLD's work to the European Parliament and the United States Congress.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Gilbert Alvarez on the occasion of his retirement from the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center. Mr. Alvarez is being honored by his many colleagues, family and friends for his dedicated career and longtime commitment to the City of Los Angeles. A resident of Southern California, Gilbert began his career with the City of Los Angeles, at the Department of Recreation and Parks, in the intermittent part-time position of Recreation Assistant. During his eleven years as a part-time employee, he held a myriad of jobs in West Wilshire, El Sereno, Yosemite Pools, served as a supply manager for the Metro Region, and held the positions of Pool Lifeguard and Pool Manager. On May 23, 1999 he was selected as the first Aquatic Facility Manager in the City and the first supervisor of the newly rebuilt Hansen Dam Aquatic Center. During Gilbert's tenure as the Manager of the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center, his diligence and oversight of the pool helped detect a leak that would have cost taxpayers millions of dollars had it gone unnoticed. Furthermore, Mr. Alvarez created the annual Hansen Dam Triathlon, which introduced an activity that has greatly benefitted the community. Among his other achievements during the past thirty-seven years of service to the City of Los Angeles, Gilbert revived the Open Water Junior Lifeguard Program at Hansen Dam and Cabrillo Beach. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Gilbert Alvarez a happy and productive retirement.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, we are honored to pay tribute to our friend, John R. Fishel on the occasion of his retirement from the Jewish Federation, and honor him for his decades of invaluable service to our community. John has spent decades of his life at work with non-profit organizations and charitable groups. He has earned high esteem and respect for his diligence and hard work as well as his many achievements and contributions to these causes. During his time with the Jewish Federation, his attentive management style, vision, and dedication resulted in many innovative projects which transformed the organization. He created the Tel Aviv/Los Angeles partnership, a new way to nurture a close relationship with Israel and bring the people of these two cities together. In recent years, he launched efforts to engage young Jewish professionals in The New Leaders Project, a civic leadership training program for young adults. Under his leadership, many valuable programs were developed, such as KOREH L.A., a literacy program and Fed Up With Hunger, a community-wide movement to end hunger in Los Angeles. His effective leadership was especially evident following the Northridge earthquake and the 1999 shooting at the North Valley Jewish Community Center. His work to encourage increased support for Israel was on display during the second Intifada and Israel's war with Hezbollah. His resilience in these times of trouble was a calming source of inspiration to the community. Prior to his service at the Federation, he worked tirelessly as the top professional executive at the Allied Jewish Community Services (the local Jewish Federation) in Montreal, Canada, at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and the Council Migration Services in Philadelphia, as planning associate at the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Greater Philadelphia, and as a resource developer for the Ohio State Department of Health. Mr. Fishel graduated with a Bachelors degree in anthropology and a master of social welfare administration and policy from the University of Michigan. He and his wife, Karen, have one daughter, Jessica. They live in Cheviot Hills. Madam Speaker and distinguished colleagues, we ask you to join me in saluting John R. Fishel for his impressive career and dedication to the community and The Jewish Federation, and to congratulate him on the occasion of his retirement.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. I am pleased to yield the gentlewoman 1 additional minute.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), a very distinguished member of our committee.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute simply to point out that the relevance of the size of the Democratic health care bill to the Republican alternative is, I think, limited to the ratio of people covered under the Democratic bill and covered under the Republican bill, about 10 to 1. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. 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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of this resolution. This resolution expresses support for two Chinese activists who have been crusading for answers and justice for the parents of the thousands of children killed in the Sichuan earthquake of May 12, 2008. I would like to thank my friend the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) for introducing this resolution and for bringing the plight of these two activists to our attention. This past August, Chinese courts held separate trials for Huang Qi and Tan Zuoren, both of whom sought to help the parents of children who died in the collapses of school buildings during the May 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province. That devastating earthquake left almost 69,000 people dead and 18,000 missing. Five thousand three hundred thirty-five children were, according to official records, killed or missing in that earthquake. The collapse of such a large number of schools, while nearby buildings remained standing, raised questions of shoddy construction. Chinese officials acknowledged that poor construction may have contributed to the buildings' collapse. They also initially pledged to investigate the collapses and punish those responsible. But officials later were unwilling to honor those commitments and, even worse, responded with suppression and harassment. Mr. Huang publicized the parents' demands on his human rights Web site, while Mr. Tan organized an independent investigation into the causes of the collapses. For their actions, the Chinese Government charged Mr. Huang with illegal possession of state secrets and Mr. Tan with inciting subversion. The pair's separate trials were reportedly marred by procedural irregularities and misconduct, and both their trials have adjourned without verdicts issued. Mr. Huang and Mr. Tan were engaged in peaceful activities guaranteed under China's constitution and international law, and this resolution urges the Chinese Government to protect their rights to freedom of speech, expression and association. The resolution also calls on the Chinese Government to allow parents, concerned citizens and the media to conduct their own investigations into the school collapses, free from harassment or interference. I urge the Chinese Government to provide greater transparency regarding its own investigations into the building collapses and release any information it may have. The parents of those children killed at the school during the earthquake deserve answers and deserve justice. Mr. Tan and Mr. Huang deserve our support for their efforts in trying to help those parents. I strongly urge the resolution be supported. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), the chairman of the Asia, Pacific, and Global Environment Subcommittee. (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 877) expressing support for Chinese human rights activists Huang Qi and Tan Zuoren for engaging in peaceful expression as they seek answers and justice for the parents whose children were killed in the Sichuan earthquake of May 12, 2008.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), a former member of our committee and the sponsor of this resolution.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my good friend Judge Joseph Wapner on the occasion of his 90th birthday. Judge Wapner is being honored by his many colleagues, family, and friends in celebration of his outstanding accomplishments, both in his distinguished legal and television career and his tireless dedication to public service. Judge Wapner is a lifelong resident of southern California. After graduating from Hollywood High School, he earned his bachelors degree from the University of Southern California and his law degree from USC Law School. He served in World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his tremendously courageous acts in that conflict. After being appointed by Governor Pat Brown to the LA Municipal Court where he served for 2 years, he was elevated to the Los Angeles Superior Court, where he served until his retirement. During those years, Judge Wapner starred in the nationally syndicated program, ``The People's Court'' which made him a bona fide celebrity. Judge Wapner has also recently appeared as a judge in a ``Major League Baseball on Fox'' pregame People's Court parody segment called ``The Player's Court.'' He has starred, as well, in a number of influential political spots. Judge Wapner also is the author of two well-received significant books, A View from the Bench and Judge Wapner's Guide to Small Claims Court. The latter tome is widely used as a helpful tool to navigate the intricacies of our legal system. With an impressive list of civic organizations in which he takes an active interest, Judge Wapner is a highly respected member of the community. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Alternative Living for the Aging, and serves as honorary chairman of the National Jewish Hospice. He is also the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Golden Glow Award from Senior Health and Peer Counseling and the Maimonides Award from the Legal Services Division of the Jewish Welfare Fund. Judge Wapner and his wife, Mickey, have been longtime supporters of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, and the construction of the Moelle Library and tennis and basketball courts at the institute stand as symbols of their generosity and leadership. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending birthday greetings to my dear friend, Judge Joseph Wapner and in paying tribute to his dedication and outstanding contributions to our society.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 892) recognizing the 20th anniversary of the remarkable events leading to the end of the Cold War and the creation of a Europe, whole, free, and at peace.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. 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 bill under consideration.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. If, on January 1, 1989, anyone had predicted the events that would occur in Central and Eastern Europe during the following 12 months culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, he or she would have been called a hopeless dreamer, a lunatic, or a naive revolutionary. And yet by January 1 of 1990, the region and indeed the whole world had fundamentally changed. The events of 1989 were indeed remarkable, beginning with the opening of talks between the communist Polish Government and the Solidarity trade union in February and ending with the execution of Romanian dictator Ceausescu on Christmas Day. They began with a few ripples and became a tidal wave that swept throughout the region, toppling governments and destroying the walls, real and virtual, that had divided the continent of Europe for so many years. The initial fissures had begun some years before, aided by the actions and policies of the United States and Western Europe, as well as the reform measures of glasnost and perestroika introduced by Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. But the real cracks that led to the crumbling of the Wall and the entire regime were brought about by the courageous actions of the men and women of Central and Eastern Europe in 1989. This resolution commemorates those events and those people: The startling election victory of Solidarity, winning every seat it was allowed to contest in the lower House and 99 of 100 in the Senate; The unprecedented decision by the Hungarian Government to open the border to Austria, enabling thousands of East Germans to flee to the West; The amazing 400-mile-long human chain across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, comprising 2 million citizens linking hands to protest Soviet rule and to demand restoration of independent statehood; The ``Velvet Resolution'' in Czechoslovakia, which caused the resignation of the communist government and the free election of President Vaclav Havel; The protests in Bulgaria that led to the end of the 34-year rule of Communist leader Zhivkov and the first free elections since 1946; The uprising of the people in Romania against the efforts to arrest a popular priest and the brutal killing of innocent protesters that followed, that led to the deposing and the execution of Romanian dictator Ceausescu; And, of course, the iconic event of 1989, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and the joyous celebrations of people who were finally free. Today these countries are important, vibrant, strong democracies, important partners in NATO and the European Union. I am proud to call them our allies and our friends. We have worked together to address the challenges in Afghanistan, the threats posed by terrorists and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the risks to our environment, to energy security and economic well-being. We share the same values and hope for the future. We still have much work to do to resolve difficult issues remaining within Europe, but 20 years after it was considered inconceivable, the dream of a Europe, whole, free, and at peace is finally within reach. I urge my colleagues to join me in commemorating the 20th anniversary of the remarkable events leading to the end of the Cold War and the creation of a Europe, whole, free, and at peace. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Parliamentary inquiry.

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

Mr. BERMAN. Is it not correct that I sought and received unanimous consent for extraneous material to be introduced into the Record related to this resolution?

Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 1 minute to the majority leader, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I plan to be the last speaker. Correct me if I am wrong, but I understand that under the rules, I have the right to close, so I will reserve my time.

Mr. BERMAN. Could the gentlewoman, on her unanimous-consent request, which is not going to be entertained, yield to me?

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 711) calling on the United States Government and the international community to address the human rights and humanitarian needs of Sri Lanka's Tamil internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently living in government-run camps by supporting the release of such IDPs, implementing and facilitating an independent oversight of the process of release and resettlement, and allowing foreign aid groups to provide relief and resources to such IDPs, as amended.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. 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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), the sponsor of this important resolution. (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)