Howard Berman

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I was unable to cast a vote on the Istook amendment to H.R. 1664 due to a family emergency. However, had I been present I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast a vote on the Conyers amendment due to a family emergency. However, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Stated against

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast a vote on the Hyde- Conyers amendment due to a family emergency. However, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Stated against:

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast a vote on the Nadler substitute due to a family emergency. However, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast a vote on final passage of H.R. 833 due to a family emergency. However, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast a vote on the Watt amendment due to a family emergency. However, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my good friend, Steve Fogel, who is being honored by Stephen S. Wise Temple in Los Angeles for his years of dedicated service. Steve has served as a member of the Temple Board for 15 years, and has recently completed a two-year term as its president. Steve has played a central role in the development of the Temple into one of the premier institutions of Jewish life in Southern California. Along with his strong commitment to Judaism, Steve is a successful businessman, an accomplished artist and an author. Steve is an outstanding example of the self-made man. He put himself through USC while working as a professional photographer. After graduation, he entered the field of real estate. With a couple of years Steve and his partner, Howard Banchik, formed Westwood Financial Corporation, which owns and operates over 125 shopping centers across the Western United States, plus office buildings and apartment complexes. Steve's literary skills are also extremely impressive. He has written three books, including The Yes I Can Guide to Mastering Real Estate and an upcoming work on God and the universe. When he is not writing or tending to his business, Steve is painting. He is an oil-color artist with over 50 portraits in private collections. His work has been placed in public exhibitions and he was the subject of a one-man show at the Sylvia White Gallery in Santa Monica. Steve's wife, Darlene, also a devoted member of Stephen S. Wise Temple, serves on the board of the Fulfillment Fund and Friends of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. They are the proud parents of a son and three daughters, one of whom, Kelly, graduated from Buckley High School with my daughter, Lindsey. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Steve Fogel, a man of many talents and great generosity and community spirit. It is with considerable pride that I pay tribute to this fellow graduate of Hamilton High School in Los Angeles.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the San Fernando Valley Japanese Language Institute, which this year is marking its 75th anniversary. Throughout its history, this non-profit, tax-exempt school has done a remarkable job of introducing successive generations of children to the art, culture and language of Japan. Of course, the Institute holds a special place in the hearts of students of Japanese ancestry. But all students, regardless of heritage, have benefitted from the education and special attention that are so much a part of the Institute's tradition. The Institute, which is located in Pacoima, was started in 1924 under the auspices of 13 original members of the Shikishima Club. The intent from the beginning was for the Institute to promote the language and culture of Japan, and to serve as a central meeting place for members of the San Fernando Valley's substantial Japanese-American community. It has succeeded on all counts. By 1941, the Institute had increased its annual enrollment to 180 students. However, the school closed following America's entry into World War II. Cabinet officers were accompanied by FBI agents to the various relocation camps set up to intern Japanese-Americans. The Institute did not reopen until 1949, four years after Japan had surrendered to the United States. The initial class had 35 students. In 1966, the original property was sold due to the deterioration of the building. With the cooperation of 220 past and current parents, a new school building was completed at the present site. Today the Institute offers classes to students from Nyumon (kindergarten) through high school in the Japanese language, as well as teaching the ancient ceremonies and traditions associated with Japan. A dedicated staff and involved group of parents work hard so that the Institute can meet its financial and educational goals. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting the San Fernando Valley Japanese Language Institute, which for 75 years has provided a unique and quality education to hundreds of students.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher), a distinguished member of the subcommittee and a member who has spent a long time working on this issue. (Mr. BOUCHER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) ranking member of the full committee.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1554, a bill to make substantial and important amendments to the Copyright Act and minor and tangential amendments to the Telecommunications Act. This bill before us today will afford more American consumers the opportunity to view copyrighted programming, a laudable goal that I heartily embrace. At the same time that I endorse the competitive parity that we seek to achieve in this legislation between the satellite and cable industries, it is certainly the case that this bill does so at the expense of certain principles. First, I have made no secret in the past of my distaste for compulsory licenses, yet this bill extends the satellite compulsory license for another 5 years. On a related point, I strongly supported the approach in the 1994 Satellite Home Viewer Act amendments; namely, that the royalty fees paid by satellite services for programming obtained under the satellite compulsory license should be pegged to a fair market value standard. Yet, H.R. 1554 discounts the rate set by the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel and upheld earlier this year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Having said that, I support the bill before us today because I am a realist; because I believe that, on balance, the bill goes a long way towards resolving significant competing policy objectives. Certainly by allowing satellite carriers to transmit a local television station to households within that station's local market, we mark major progress towards the goal of enhancing consumer choice without undermining the financial viability of local broadcasters. This new local-to-local authority, which legally empowers the satellite carriers there to do what developing technologies now enable them to do, is probably the most important feature of this legislation. It is my hope that ultimately marketplace negotiations between broadcasters and satellite providers will serve as a mechanism for establishing the terms for delivery of that local signal. Surely my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in particular would concur that private sector agreements are the ideal means for arriving at such terms. That is why I am particularly heartened that my colleague, the gentleman from Virginia, the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Commerce, has committed to joining us in conference to clarify that the ``must carry'' provision in section 103 of the bill should apply only when a satellite carrier avails itself of the satellite compulsory license. By the same token, while it is important that multichannel video programming distributors have the opportunity to negotiate for retransmission consent, we do not in this bill subject the price or other terms and conditions of nonexclusive retransmission consent agreements to FCC scrutiny. In the 16 years I have served on the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, successive new members of the subcommittee have grappled with a complex web of compulsory licenses and the artificially-set royalty rates that accompany such licenses, all in the name of giving a leg up to so-called ``fledgling industries''. But increasingly on the dais at subcommittee sessions I hear members asking why. I think that reaction is appropriate, and I encourage it. I urge my colleagues today to support H.R. 1554 because it provides the framework for achieving important policy objectives, and moves the legislative process forward. But I hope in conference that we all take pains to make sure that our legislative product enhances and does not detract from the ability of the marketplace to achieve the principles of competition and consumer choice we all endorse. I thank my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble) and his exemplary staff, in fact, the entire subcommittee staff, for their hard work on this bill. I look forward to working together as we move this bill to enactment. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friends, Ozzie and Dorothy Goren, and their children, Jerry, Carol, and Bruce, who are all being honored this year by Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles. Every member of the Goren family gives tireless and selfless service to a wide variety of Jewish organizations and agencies. The Goren family is legendary for its generosity and commitment to human rights, civil rights and human relations. The Gorens have not only served their community in Los Angeles, they have extended their benevolent service to many institutions in Israel as well. Since their first visit in 1962, Ozzie and Dorothy have returned 62 times. Like few other visitors, the Gorens have left their mark on Israel. If you are in Mitze Ramon, you can visit the Dorothy and Ozzie Goren Day Care Center, which serves children from infancy to 3 years old. Together with our mutual friends, Richard and Lois Gunther, the Gorens created a special park in Tel Aviv where Arab and Israeli children play together every day. The Gorens taught their children well and the entire family is involved in philanthropic activities. Jerry Goren, (the Goren's oldest son) and his partner Julia Coley, have implemented a law and public school magnate program at Dorsey High School in southwest Los Angeles. Daughter Carol, together with her husband Rob Corn, volunteers at the Board of Hertzel School, the Colorado Humane Society and the Jewish Family Service of Denver. Bruce, Dorothy and Ozzie's youngest son, met his future wife, Susie, during a leadership mission to Israel. Now a successful businessman, he is a past board member of Jewish Family Service of Santa Monica. Susie is active with the Stephen Wise Temple board, the Jewish Federal Council and is completing the Wexner Heritage Program. Among Dorothy's notable achievements is service as past president of Jewish Family Service, as a member of the Board of the Jewish Home for the Aging, and as the first woman to chair the overall United Jewish Fund Campaign. Ozzie has also chaired the United Jewish Fund Campaign and served as Jewish Federation President. His close work with the Southern California Human Relations Commission and the Urban League has benefitted thousands of people, including those who received the 1,000 Christmas dinners he has provided annually to the poor for the past five decades. He is dedicated to the causes of civil rights and human rights. I saw his devotion first hand in our work together to initiate a program which used Israeli institutions to train South African leaders of the anti-apartheid movement. This listing is only a sample of the good works of the Gorens and so it is with enormous pride that I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Dorothy and Ozzie Goren and their family, and in recognizing their extraordinary spirit of charity and compassion.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday, April 24, marks the 84th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide. I rise today to commemorate this terrible chapter in human history, and to help ensure it will be forgotten. On April 24, 1915, the Turkish government began to arrest Armenian community and political leaders. Many were executed without ever being charged with crimes. Soon thereafter the government deported most Armenians from Turkish Armenia, ordering that they resettle in what is now Syria. Many deportees never reached that destination. From 1915 to 1918, more than a million Armenians died of starvation or disease on long marches, or were massacred outright by Turkish forces. From 1918 to 1923, Armenians continued to suffer at the hands of the Turkish military, which eventually removed all remaining Armenians from Turkey. We mark this anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide because this tragedy for the Armenian people was a tragedy for all humanity. It is our duty to remember, to speak out and to teach future generations about the horrors of genocide and the oppression and terrible suffering endured by the Armenian people. We should not be alone in commemorating these horrific events. We will know that humanity has progressed when it is not just the survivors who honor the dead but also when those whose ancestors perpetrated the horrors acknowledge their terrible responsibility and honor as well the memory of genocide's victims. Sadly, we cannot say that such atrocities are history. We have only to recall the ``killing fields'' of Cambodia, mass ethnic killings in Bosnia and Rwanda, and ``ethnic cleansing'' in Kosovo to see that the threat of genocide persists. We must renew our commitment never to remain indifferent in the face of such assaults on humanity. We also remember this day because it is a time for us to celebrate the contribution of the Armenian community in America--including hundreds of thousands in California--to the richness of our character and culture. The strength they have displayed in overcoming tragedy to flourish in this country is an example for all of us. Their success is moving testimony to the truth that tyranny and evil cannot extinguish the vitality of the human spirit. Surrounded by countries hostile to them, to this day the Armenian struggle continues. But now with an independent Armenian state, the United States has the opportunity to contribute to a true memorial to the past by strengthening Armenia's emerging democracy. We must do all we can through aid and trade to support Armenia's efforts to construct an open political and economic system. Adolf Hitler, the architect of the Nazi Holocaust, once remarked ``Who remembers the Armenians?'' The answer is, we do. And we will continue to remember the victims of the 1915-23 genocide because, in the words of the philosopher George Santayana, ``Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.''

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friends, Art and Sandy Ginsburg. Art and Sandy are the owners of Art's, one of the best delicatessens in Los Angeles. In addition to their skills as restaurateurs, Art and Sandy are known for their dedication to assisting others. They never seem too busy to help another worthy cause, or to provide much-needed support to another outstanding organization. This year, Art and Sandy Ginsburg are being honored by Women's American ORT, in recognition of their service and generosity over many years. Sandy, in fact, has been a member of Women's American ORT for 34 years! The Ginsburgs are committed to ORT's goal of providing technical training to students around the world and preparing them for good jobs in the emerging global economy. Hundreds of thousands of men, women, and teenagers have benefited from the education provided by ORT schools. Closer to home, the Ginsburgs are tireless in their support of the activities of the Jewish community. They have helped to establish a program at Temple Beth Hillel that has integrated disabled and handicapped people into the mainstream of Jewish life and Art's Delicatessen has consistently provided food for the Shabbat dinners that are sponsored by this program. Art and Sandy's generosity extends to other programs and organizations as well. Art's Deli donates food to Chandler House, which provides alcohol rehab services, and also participates in a program that feeds the poor and homeless throughout the Southern California area. Art has also served his community as Vice President/Board of Directors of the Studio City Improvement Association and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce. As the parents of three grown children, Art and Sandy have also spent a good portion of their lives helping such organizations as the Girl Scouts, as well as a variety of schools in the San Fernando Valley. They contributed to the athletic program at Grant High School, and to this day they invite kids from a local junior high school to tour the Delicatessen as part of a careers program. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Art and Sandy Ginsburg, devoted parents and grandparents, successful business people, and great friends of our community. Their altruism and compassion inspire us all.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 769, a bill to implement the Madrid Protocol Agreement providing for an international registration system for trademarks. I am strongly of the belief that the one-stop shop provided for in the Madrid Protocol whereby trademark applicants can file one application in their own country and in their own language and, in so doing, achieve worldwide protection for their trademarks is in the interest of American businesses. But while the Protocol took effect 2 years ago, it may never achieve its purpose unless and until the U.S. elects to participate. However, the State Department has not forwarded the treaty to the Senate for ratification because of continuing concerns on the part of the United States regarding the voting rights of intergovernmental members of the Protocol. In particular, under the Protocol, the European Union receives a separate vote in addition to the votes of its member states. The State Department is concerned that it is a violation of the concept of one vote per country and could set an unfortunate precedent in future international agreements. While the State Department pursues its concerns with European Commission officials, I believe it is important that we in this body signal our support for the substantive provisions of the Protocol. I know of no opposition to these provisions, nor to this bill. I urge its support. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support also of H.R. 1189, a bill making technical corrections in title 17, the Copyright Act. If ever a bill were truly technical, this is it. Our committee labored long, hard, and successfully last Congress to produce landmark legislation in the copyright area. The brevity of the bill before us today is testimony to a job well done by all concerned in that effort, and I commend those people. I commend this technical corrections bill to my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am truly heartbroken today to rise to say a final farewell to my friend and former staff member, Joyce Chiang. On January 9, Joyce vanished from her neighborhood. On April 1, she was found on the shore of the Potomac River in southern Fairfax County. Word yesterday of positive identification brought an end to the long vigil kept by her friends and family, and brought an end to the hope that we would see her bright smile once again. Joyce was born in Chicago, but she lived in California, and she was a California girl. Bright, beautiful, smart as a whip, she volunteered as an intern in my Los Angeles office when she was still a teenager. In 1990, while a student at Smith College, she spent January in my Washington office as an LBJ intern. At the end of the month, she had to rush back to Smith, because she was Senate Finance Committee Chair of the Smith College Student Government Association, and she had to plan for budget season. In her senior year, Joyce's fellow students elected her to be president of their student body. Last year, as my daughter was deciding where she might want to go to college, she sought Joyce's advice and, as a result, she is today a student at Joyce's alma mater, Smith College at Northhampton, Massachusetts. Joyce graduated from Smith in 1992 and showed up in my office looking for a day job so she could go to law school at night at Georgetown University. I was delighted to give her that job, knowing the benefit was more mine than hers. True to form, she was a wonderful friend and staffer. In the years from 1992 until 1995, she advanced in responsibility until she became my expert advisor on immigration law. That expertise led the INS to offer her a job as a special assistant to the Director of the Office of Congressional Relations. Upon her completion of law school, she transferred to the INS office of General Counsel where she was primarily responsible for coordinating and directing the myriad of activities required to implement the 1996 Immigration Act. Joyce was not only hardworking, bright, and selfless, her personality was so engaging that she literally lit up any room she entered. She was both within and without a beautiful person. That I had the opportunity to know her and work with her will always be a memory of great joy to me. I cherished her friendship as I do that of her two brothers, Roger and John, and her mother, Judy. I know that they have found some consolation in learning just how many people loved their daughter and sister. Hundreds of her friends from Smith College, from Capitol Hill, from the INS, from Georgetown Law School, and from her community and neighborhoods came together to search for her, to stand vigil in both Washington and Los Angeles, and to pray for her and her family. I send to Roger, John and Mrs. Chiang my deepest sympathy and love, and pray that they will find comfort in knowing the full extent to which Joyce's life fit the words of the Prophet Micah: ``What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God?''

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take the time previously allotted to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Joan K. Elam, Principal, James Monroe High School, North Hills, CA., one of ten educators selected from more than 500 applicants to receive the 1999 Readers Digest American Heroes in Education Award. Joan has dedicated her life to her students. She began her career as a school teacher in the Newhall area and later transferred to the Los Angeles Unified School District where she taught science. She was a school counselor at Holmes Jr. High, Assistant Principal and Counselor at Dorsey High School, and Principal at Sepulveda Middle School prior to coming to James Monroe High School, where she has been the Principal for the last 10 years. Joan understands the need of students to have stability and was responsible for reopening the school only one week after it sustained severe damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. She manifests Readers Digest's challenge of finding new ways to meet the fast-changing needs of students today. She launched ingenious programs at James Monroe High School which serves 4200 students in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. She initiated many vocational classes, including aviation lessons, a class that builds race cars, and police and fire academies approved by the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments. A day-care center that bears her name provides baby sitting services for the children of students. Among the school's most creative programs is the Law and Government Magnet, the first of its kind in California, which holds mock trials in the state of the art courtrooms and provides opportunities to explore many professional careers related to the fields of law and government. I am proud that my office has participated in this program for the last eight years. Each semester two students from the program serve for two days a week in my district office assisting my staff with various tasks involving constituents, district projects and federal agency inquiries. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join her students, family and members of the community in saluting Joan Elan. Her dedication and selflessness are an inspiration to us all.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Cesar Chavez not only because he was one of the great leaders of our country, but also because he was my friend. He was a man of courage, faith and love who shared his great strength with thousands and inspired millions of Americans. To know Cesar was to stand in awe of the enormous task he set for himself and the great moral leadership he gave to the campaign to challenge injustice and achieve peaceful change. His struggle for oppressed farmworkers fired our conscience. He insisted that this nation acknowledge that every human being, regardless of origin, is of worth and is entitled to reach for a better tomorrow. What made Cesar Chavez larger than life was that he lived the principles of truth and courage he preached. He knew what it was like to be treated without respect, to work all day, everyday, with little to show for it. A lesser man might have burned up with anger. But what burned inside Cesar Chavez was a love of justice. Cesar's struggle for justice is far from over and we must continue to help others help themselves. In Congress, still today, there are bills that would bring foreign guestworkers into our fields. The growers still want cheap labor from foreign workers without those pesky rights won by the sweat and tears of Cesar and Dolores Huerta and Arturo Rodriguez and hundreds of others. Cesar helped us see through the eyes of farmworkers--and what they saw was a dark and hopeless world. But under his leadership, farmworkers began to see a new world, one of strength and hope, united against poverty and exploitation. Under UFW contracts, they won higher pay and for the first time--health coverage and pension benefits. This is how the legacy of Cesar Chavez was born--and we will never let it die!

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 56, a resolution commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act and reaffirming Congressional support for that law. For many years, I have been a strong supporter of the Taiwanese people. In the last Congress, I was proud to have cosponsored legislation urging Taiwan's membership in the World Health Organization and a resolution calling on Beijing to renounce the use of force in the Taiwan Strait. This year I look forward to playing a role in additional Congressional efforts to demonstrate America's continued strong support for Taiwan. Taiwan's transition to a democratic state with a vibrant free market economy continues to be the rock on which Congressional support is based. Nothing in Asia has been more spectacular than the rapid, democratic political evolution in Taiwan. the formation of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in 1986, President Chiang Ching-kuo ending martial law in 1987, President Lee Teng-hui's ending the state of civil war with China and the special emergency powers which controlled dissent in Taiwan in 1991, and electing a new National Assembly in 1992 were all dynamic milestones on the road to Taiwan's complete political reformation. Since then, elections, including last December's legislative and municipal elections, have further demonstrated the political sophistication of the Taiwanese electorate. The emergence of a democratic Taiwan is one of the most encouraging developments in Asia, demonstrating to other states in the region which still linger under the control of one man or one party that the people can rule for themselves. Taiwan's success in managing the turbulence of last year's Asian economic crisis provides additional testimony to the strength of its institutions and people. Last year's elections sent a strong signal to Beijing that a change in relations between Taiwan and China cannot be imposed by China's self-appointed rulers. I believe that China should renounce the use of force as a means to bring about unification. I applaud the high level dialogue which has resumed between Taiwan and China. As we all know, Taiwan has extremely important economic and social ties with China. It would benefit both governments to take additional steps towards reducing cross Strait tensions. President Clinton's policy of engagement with China is the right policy. China is a critically important world power. We must engage China on economic, political, and security issues with the expectation that we can find a common ground for solving the world's problems. We need China's support if we are going to create an open international trading regime in which all countries benefit. We need China's support if we are going to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. And we need China's support if we are going to ensure that the Asian region remains peaceful. But as we seek to engage China and deepen our relations with China, our search for common ground should not come at the price of our commitment to Taiwan's democracy and prosperity. I have urged and will continue to urge the Administration to fulfill the commitment it made in its 1994 Taiwan policy review to seek membership for Taiwan in appropriate international organizations. Taiwan's singular political and economic achievements give it the potential to play a tremendous constructive role in the international community. Taiwan has offered to assist its neighbors in the recent Asian financial crisis. It could play more of a role if given the chance. I would urge special consideration be given to finding a role for Taiwan in the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Health Organization. But this year I think special emphasis should be placed on gaining Taiwan's membership in the World Trade Organization. There has been much talk in recent weeks about the conclusion of a WTO accession agreement with China. I think we would all welcome a solid commitment by China to open its economy to fair trade and investment, but if such an agreement is not forthcoming, I think we should no longer hesitate to conclude an agreement with Taiwan. From all reports, Taiwan is just sentences away from completing the requirements for a WTO accession agreement with the United States. We should move rapidly to dot the ``I's'' and cross the ``t's'' for concluding the agreement and then press the other states to admit Taiwan even if China is not yet ready. If China does not want to be part of the international trading community, that is China's problem. It is not Taiwan's! And China should not be allowed to prevent Taiwan's entry into the WTO. Just as it made no sense for the United States to pretend that China did not exist during the Cold War, it is equal nonsense to pretend that Taiwan does not exist in the post Cold War period. As a senior member of the House International Relations Committee and as a Member on the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, I promise to do everything I can to see that Taiwan and the Taiwanese people are not forgotten by the international community.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a good friend and a great leader, Doude Wysbeek, Doude served two separate terms on the San Fernando City Council; from 1982-85 and 1989-99. Doude was a member of the council for the simple reason that he loves San Fernando, where he has lived since 1956. He ran for office to help make a good city even better. I can say without hesitation that he succeeded in reaching his goal. I have been lucky to work with Doude on several occasions in the past. I must say that in more than 25 years of public service, I have met very few people with Doude's intelligence, dedication and strength of character. He had a seemingly endless supply of innovative ideas to improve the quality of life for all the people of San Fernando. I know I could always count on Doude for sound advice on what the federal government could--and should--do for his city. It would require a book to list all of Doude's accomplishments as a member of the San Fernando City Council. His role in bringing businesses to the city, helping to guarantee public safety for all residents, and serving as San Fernando's diplomat to the outside world cannot be overstated. By mentioning a few of his proudest achievements, I don't mean to suggest that this is the complete picture. Doude left a legacy that few public-spirited citizens could expect or hope to equal. Doude was instrumental in securing passage of anti-gang ordinances at two local parks, which in essence returned the parks to law-abiding citizens. At the same time, Doude secured funding to hire a County probation department to work exclusively with at-risk grammar school students in San Fernando, and helped to implement a citywide tattoo removal program. San Fernando Police Chief Dominic Rivetti has praised Doude for his successful efforts to reduce the gang problem within the city. Doude also played a key role in bringing Home Depot to San Fernando, which created some 40 jobs. Doude is a true citizen of San Fernando. In addition to being a member of the council, he was President of the San Fernando Chamber of Commerce, was Chairman of the Morningside Elementary School Advisory Board, held a variety of posts with the San Fernando Lions Clubs and was a scout master. he was also San Fernando's representative on the Metropolitan Water District Board for 10 years. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Doude Wysbeek, a dedicated public servant, and a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His commitment to his community inspires us all. I am proud to be his friend.

Mr. BERMAN

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Dixon, and I rise today to pay tribute to our dear friends, Beverly and Herb Gelfand, who this year are being honored by the Bureau of Jewish Education. Behind the remarkable rise in Jewish education in southern California--28,000 students, 2,000 teachers and 172 schools--are the Gelfands, who stand second to none in their commitment to the cause. Over the years they have willingly given of their time and resources in order that an increasing number of parents can send their children to Jewish day schools. Beverly and Herb are owed a huge debt of gratitude not only for their commitment to the growth of Jewish education, but to the strength of the Jewish community as a whole. The record is impressive. Herb is the immediate past-president of the Jewish Federation Council; Chairman Emeritus of the Weizmann Institute of Science; trustee of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies and Trustee of Yeshiva University of Los Angeles. Beverly is past chairman of Chai Division of the United Jewish Fund and a supporter of Israel Now and Israel Museum and is a member of Bonds for Israel. This is only a partial list; due to limited space, we are unable to mention every Jewish organization that has been the beneficiary of the Gelfand's generosity and expertise. Suffice to say they have done more, much more, of their fair share on behalf of Jewish institutions. Beverly and Herb are also passionate about the arts. Once again they are not content to remain on the sidelines. Herb is a trustee of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, a member of the board of directors of the Westwood Geffen Playhouse and former director of the Los Angeles Music Center Opera Association. Beverly is active with the LA County Museum of Art and the American Art Council.We ask our colleagues to salute Beverly and Herb Gelfand, proud parents of three children, grandparents of six, and extraordinary supporters of their community. We are proud and honored to be their friends.