Shelley Berkley

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California, an esteemed Member of Congress, Mrs. Susan Davis.

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. On July 11, 2010, bombs ripped through a crowd gathered in Kampala, Uganda to watch the World Cup finals. The Somali terrorist group al- Shabaab claimed responsibility for these cowardly attacks which killed at least 70 innocent civilians. Among those was one American, Nate ``Oteka'' Henn, a committed volunteer with the San Diego-based NGO Invisible Children. Dozens of others were injured in the blast, including several members of a Pennsylvania church group. The perpetrators of the attacks claim they were in retaliation for Uganda sending peacekeeping troops to participate in the African Union Mission in Somalia, or AMISOM. Uganda currently has 3,400 troops deployed to Somalia in support of AMISOM and has pledged to deploy an additional 2,000 troops. Mr. Speaker, the United States and our allies must support efforts by the Somali people and the African Union to achieve lasting peace, rule of law, democracy, and respect for human rights in Somalia. We must work together to eradicate extremism and terrorism from Somalia and the entire region and to counter the destabilizing influence of radical groups like al-Shabaab. I would also like to thank my good friend from California (Mrs. Davis) for introducing this important resolution. I urge all of my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BERKLEY. 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.

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1538) condemning the July 11, 2010, terrorist attacks in Kampala, Uganda, as amended.

Ms. BERKLEY

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

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

Ms. BERKLEY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BERKLEY. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from the great State of Oregon, Congressman Wu.

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 266) expressing the sense of Congress that Taiwan should be accorded observer status in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

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

Ms. BERKLEY. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 266, expressing the sense of Congress that Taiwan should be accorded observer status in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the ICAO. As cochairman of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I have seen firsthand the amazing progress that Taiwan has made in its economic and political development. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Taiwan's economy grew by more than an amazing 10 percent per year and is now the United States' ninth-largest overall trading partner, with two-way trade in 2008 valued at $61.6 billion. Taiwan also is the sixth-largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports, about $2.5 billion annually. Meanwhile, Taiwan has developed one of the strongest democracies in the region, having had several peaceful, democratic transfers of power. I have met their current President, President Ma Ying-jeou, who is a well-spoken, Western-educated leader who has worked very hard to reduce tensions between Taiwan and China and concluded an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with the PRC Government recently. All the while, however, Taiwan has been shut out of participating in international organizations like the International Civil Aviation Organization. Founded in 1947, ICAO's goal is to ``meet the needs of the peoples of the world for safe, regular, efficient, and economical air transport.'' These goals can only be reached through a cooperative approach that brings together the world's leading economies to share best practices and information. We need look no further than this past Christmas for a reminder of how our aviation security transcends national boundaries and can only be addressed through a cooperative, international strategy. Mr. Speaker, Taiwan deserves to be brought into the ICAO as on observer. Over 174,000 international flights travel to and from Taiwan each year, carrying more than 35 million passengers. Their air traffic controllers now provide service to over 1.3 million flights each year. By cargo volume, Taiwan has the eighth-largest airport in the world. Yet Taiwan has been excluded from ICAO since 1971, which has impeded Taiwan's efforts to maintain civil aviation practices that keep up with rapidly evolving international standards. It is unable to even contact ICAO for up-to-date information on aviation standards and norms, nor can it receive ICAO's technical assistance in implementing new regulations or participate in ICAO technical and academic seminars. Despite these impediments, Taiwan has made every effort to comply with ICAO's standards, but their continued exclusion from such an important organization is nothing short of absurd. It not only hurts Taiwan, it puts us and the entire world at risk. With such a heavy volume of flights, Taiwan's exclusion has prevented ICAO from developing a truly global strategy to address security threats based on effective international cooperation. And regardless of one's position on the One-China Policy, ICAO's own rules allow for ``noncontracting countries'' to participate through observer status. With this resolution today, we call upon the world community to grant Taiwan observer status at the ICAO, not only to help Taiwan but to ensure ICAO can fulfill its own stated mission and address threats to aviation security. We call on the U.S. government to take a leading role at ICAO to assist Taiwan in gaining this status and look forward to working with our administration officials to track the development of these efforts. Mr. Speaker, enough is truly enough. It is time for the international community to recognize Taiwan as one of the world's leading economies, democracies, and responsible actors. It is a beacon of hope and liberty in a very difficult region, and we should be embracing, not excluding, these peace-loving people at every opportunity. I hope ICAO will be only the beginning of Taiwan's reentry into the world community, to ICAO, to the World Health Organization, and other international organizations as appropriate. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5138) to protect children from sexual exploitation by mandating reporting requirements for convicted sex traffickers and other registered sex offenders against minors intending to engage in international travel, providing advance notice of intended travel by high interest registered sex offenders outside the United States to the government of the country of destination, requesting foreign governments to notify the United States when a known child sex offender is seeking to enter the United States, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Ms. BERKLEY. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in very strong support of this bill. I would like to first commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the ranking member from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for their hard work and dedication to this bill, International Megan's Law of 2010. Mr. Speaker, this is a product of a 2-year investigation into international child sex tourism and exploitation. Staffs on both sides of the aisle, including staff from the Judiciary Committee, have worked very hard to craft a bill that would serve as an important tool in protecting children abroad from child sex predators. Some child sex offenders, who are really perverts, travel from the United States to other countries solely for the purpose of committing sexual acts with children. Others decide to stay abroad, taking advantage of their anonymity where laws against these sex acts are weak or are rarely enforced. International Megan's Law would establish a system for providing advance notice to foreign countries when a convicted child sex offender travels to that country. It also mandates a registration requirement for child sex offenders from the United States who reside or stay abroad. Worldwide, over 2 million children are sexually exploited each year through trafficking, prostitution, and child sex tourism. The damage inflicted on these children by sexual crimes can be incredibly severe and beyond comprehension to most of us. Not only are exploited children at risk of physical trauma and diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, but they suffer very serious psychological, emotional, and spiritual damage that can last for the remainder of their lives. Between 2003 and 2009, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cooperated with INTERPOL and foreign law enforcement agencies to investigate cases of the sexual exploitation of children abroad, obtaining 73 convictions for such crimes committed in other countries. This bill will strengthen that enforcement capability and will discourage child sex tourism by requiring these offenders to notify relevant authorities of their intentions to travel abroad. It will also establish a nonpublic registry at U.S. consular and diplomatic missions where U.S. citizens and residents who live abroad and who have been convicted of sex offenses against minors will be required to register. To know that an individual poses a danger to children and to do nothing simply because that person leaves our territory is unconscionable. We have the capability to help other governments protect their citizens, and we need to do all we can to prevent these predators from circumventing our laws to prey on children of foreign countries. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Rainbow Company as the 2010 recipient of the Medallion Award from the Children's Theatre Foundation of America. In 1976, the Rainbow Company opened the first children's theatre company in Las Vegas. Patricia Marchese, the Manager of the City of Las Vegas' Cultural and Community Affairs Division asked Jody Johnston to teach drama classes that proved so popular they asked Jody to produce plays. The Rainbow Company's first production was Pippi Longstocking. Pippi toured locally and was later recorded and given the ``Best of the West Award'' for the best educational programming in the western United States. In 1980, the Rainbow Company produced a show that acquired national consideration. Odd Man Out, an original script by Brian Kral, focused on a dance teacher and her class of disabled students. The play featured both disabled and non-disabled children and was preceded by months of drama classes with disabled young people. This led to a 1981 People magazine article that noted the Rainbow Company's achievement as ``the first theatre in the U.S. to totally integrate handicapped and non-handicapped'' students. In 2001, the Rainbow Company began to put on workshops that became so successful they were expanded to full-day camps that last for 8 weeks. In addition, they provide outreach classes for at-risk children at local elementary schools and shelters. Rainbow Company has obtained several other accolades including the Nickelodeon's Parents' Picks' 2009 Award and the National Recreation and Park Association's first-place Dorothy Mullen Arts and Humanities Award. As the Representative for Nevada's First Congressional District, home to the Rainbow Company, it gives me immense pride to recognize this outstanding and unique company for their achievements in providing the children of my district with unparalleled touring and main-stage acting opportunities, outreach programs, educational programs and annual workshops. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing this outstanding organization for their contribution to the arts and education and for their 2010 Medallion Award from the Children's Theatre Foundation of America.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Thank you very much for yielding. Let me tell you something about the State of Nevada. We have the highest unemployment rate in the country--14\1/2\ percent unemployed-- our fellow citizens with no jobs to go to and no jobs to seek. We have the highest mortgage foreclosure rate in the country. Nevadans are suffering. It has taken far too long for this Congress to act. Unemployment benefits are not a handout. It's not welfare. It's giving a helping hand to our fellow citizens that need it the most, to get them where they are now--which is without a job--to where they're going to be when there is an economic recovery. The gentleman from northern Nevada had an amendment in the Rules Committee that said unobligated stimulus money should go to pay for this. How many times does he have to hear that there are no unobligated funds in the stimulus bill? For any Nevadan to condemn the stimulus bill is to ignore what's going on in the State of Nevada. Let me tell you what the stimulus bill did for us. It put $700 billion into our education system. I'm not talking about only paying teachers and keeping them employed, I'm talking about the possibility of having to close schools. It put $500 billion into Medicaid so that poor children and poor adults aren't going to be out on the streets dying for lack of medical care. Our unemployment compensation trust fund was broke. Zero. Zippo. We were able to put money into that. And in addition to that, the construction projects that came directly from the stimulus package--not public but private contractors bidding on these projects and then hiring construction workers, the downtown transportation center, the park-and-ride in Centennial Hills, the Boulder Highway Transportation Center, and so many more came directly from this stimulus bill. In addition to that, we had a middle-income tax cut, we had $250 that went to every Social Security recipient, $250 went to every disabled veteran in Nevada. We welcomed this money. We needed this money. It kept us afloat.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate once again the anniversary of Turkey's illegal invasion and occupation of Cyprus, beginning in 1974, lasting up to the present time. The division of Cyprus has wreaked havoc on the island nation and left its Turkish- occupied section in disarray. It is cruel that the Cypriot people should continue to be subjected to this conflict. This anniversary is particularly troubling, given Turkey's role in recent events in the Mediterranean. In May, the Turkish government supported a flotilla of boats attempting to run Israel's blockade of Gaza. Those so-called ``peace activists'' attacked the Israeli soldiers with bats, clubs and bricks, demonstrating their real intent: to harm Israel, rather than to help the people of Gaza. In the aftermath of these events, Turkey had the audacity to criticize Israel's behavior toward Gaza, as though they themselves had ``clean hands.'' Before they criticize Israel, the world must remember that Turkey has occupied and continues to occupy Cyprus, for no apparent reason, other than to increase their own sphere of influence in the region. I hope Turkey will do in Cyprus as Israel did in Gaza: remove their troops and grant the people there a chance to govern themselves, without foreign interference. Unfortunately, the people of Gaza turned to violence rather than peaceful coexistence with their-neighbor. By contrast, I believe the people of Cyprus are truly ready for peace, as has been demonstrated by the millions of incident-free crossings between the two sides. It is time for Turkey to remove their troops from Cyprus. That way, the Cypriots--and the Cypriots alone--can make the decisions affecting their future.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I am going to be putting into the Congressional Record an article in the Annals of Internal Medicine entitled Early Disaster Response in Haiti: the Israeli Field Hospital Experience. It talks about how the Israeli Defense Forces Medical Corps Field Hospital was fully operational only 89 hours after the earthquake struck and was capable of providing sophisticated medical care. In the 10 days the hospital was operational, the Israelis treated over 1,100 patients, hospitalized 737 patients, and performed 244 operations. At the same time, the Iranians were shipping Scud missiles through Syria to Hezbollah to rearm them on the northern border of Israel; the Turks were trying to create an international incident with their ridiculous flotilla; the Iraqis, the Sunnis and the Shiites kept killing each other. In Pakistan, the government seems to be immobile when it comes to the terrorist attacks in that country. In Afghanistan, the Taliban keeps killing Americans; and Hamas continues to terrorize its own Palestinian people in the Gaza. All of that while the Israelis are actually doing something important for humanity. I think we ought to wake up and appreciate what the Israelis do. [From Annals of Internal Medicine, May 4, 2010] Early Disaster Response in Haiti: The Israeli Field Hospital Experience (By Yitshak Kreiss, MD, MHA, MPA; Ofer Merin, MD; Kobi Peleg, PhD, MPH; Gad Levy, MD; Shlomo Vinker, MD; Ram Sagi, MD; Avi Abargel, MD, MHA; Carmi Bartal, MD, MPH; Guy Lin, MD; Ariel Bar, MD, MHA; Elhanan Bar-On, MD; Mitchell J. Schwaber, MD, MSc; and Nachman Ash, MD, MS) (The earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010 caused an estimated 230,000 deaths and injured approximately 250,000 people. The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps Field Hospital was fully operational on site only 89 hours after the earthquake struck and was capable of providing sophisticated medical care. During the 10 days the hospital was operational, its staff treated 1111 patients, hospitalized 737 patients, and performed 244 operations on 203 patients. The field hospital also served as a referral center for medical teams from other countries that were deployed in the surrounding areas. The key factor that enabled rapid response during the early phase of the disaster from a distance of 6000 miles was a well-prepared and trained medical unit maintained on continuous alert. The prompt deployment of advanced- capability field hospitals is essential in disaster relief, especially in countries with minimal medical infrastructure. The changing medical requirements of people in an earthquake zone dictate that field hospitals be designed to operate with maximum flexibility and versatility regarding triage, staff positioning, treatment priorities, and hospitalization policies. Early coordination with local administrative bodies is indispensable.) An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter magnitude scale struck close to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on 12 January 2010. The official death toll was set at 230,000, and local authorities estimated that 250,000 people were injured. This catastrophic event galvanized a strong and rapid response worldwide, and the Israeli government quickly decided to launch a medical humanitarian mission to provide medical care as advanced as possible under the circumstances. Whereas the fate of patients with life-threatening internal-organ injuries is determined within the first hours of a disaster, early provision of treatment for the multitudes of patients with open fractures can prevent life- threatening sepsis and limb-threatening infections. In addition, situations involving substantial casualties combined with extensive damage to local medical facilities and infrastructure highlight the need for a resourceful, experienced, and trained medical team backed by a logistics contingent. The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps (IDF-MC) Field Hospital comprises such a unit. The field hospital staff consisted of 121 servicemen and servicewomen (Appendix Table 1, available at www.annals.org) and was organized into medical, surgical, orthopedic, pediatric, gynecologic, and ambulatory care divisions, as well as auxiliary units (Appendix Figure, available at www.annals.org), with a capacity of 60 inpatient beds that could be expanded to 72. To ensure maximum optic independence and to shorten the time to deployment, we brought all hospital supplies; a fully stocked pharmacy, including sufficient oral antibiotics to be distributed on discharge; imaging machinery; a laboratory that could perform blood tests and urine chemistry, hematology, blood gases, and microbiology analyses; and autoclaves for sterilization. Energy sources (generators) and accommodations (tents and latrines) were also brought from Israel. This crucial effort was carried out by a highly trained, skilled logistics unit of 109 personnel, including computer and communication specialists, security staff, kitchen staff, carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, electricians and a burial team.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Mr. Brad Beal, president and CEO of Nevada Federal Credit Union, and outgoing chairman of the Board for the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU). Mr. Beal's dedicated service at Nevada Federal Credit Union made him an outstanding candidate for chairman of the NAFCU Board, and his fellow board members bestowed on him this great distinction in the summer of 2008. From the outset of his chairmanship, Mr. Beal proved to be an invaluable asset to the NAFCU family. His more than 30 years of financial services experience served him well while sitting on several NAFCU committees, testifying before Congress on relevant legislation, and keeping a close eye on issues and legislation surrounding the entire credit union community. Mr. Beal, a tireless advocate for federal credit unions across the country, faced the challenges and opportunities he was presented with during this time with great professionalism and vigor. Mr. Beal's selfless commitment as chairman of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions has not gone unnoticed. As he ends his term as chairman, I am sure his colleagues on the NAFCU Board will miss his leadership. I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring Brad Beal as his chairmanship comes to an end this July.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for extending me this courtesy. I am not at all concerned about finding a campaign issue to run on in November. What I'm looking for is relief for the people that I represent. Nevada's unemployment rate went up last month. We are the highest in the country, officially over 14 percent, probably closer to 20 percent, which means a fifth of the people living in the State of Nevada have no jobs. And the problem is, there's no jobs to have. When I hear people say, well, we shouldn't extend unemployment benefits because people are going to get accustomed to being on unemployment. Not one of the people I represent that's unemployed has come to me and told me what a picnic it is living on the brink with their unemployment benefits. You know what they're saying to me? Find me a job, Congresswoman. I want to work. Until this economy recovers, until people can go back to work we have an obligation and responsibility to keep these families afloat. So let's stop talking about nonsense like campaign issues, and let's start talking about how we're going to save our fellow citizens from going under in such a way that they're never going to be able to bounce back, no matter what happens with this economy. I strongly support this.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, it's time to put partisan politics aside and pass a jobs bill that would do the following: extend unemployment benefits to the thousands and thousands of our fellow citizens that find themselves unemployed due to no fault of their own, that would protect the health of our seniors dependent on Medicare by restoring a 21 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement to our doctors, and extend tax credits and benefits essential to the American people. Surely there are three Republican Senators that are willing to break with their partisan beliefs and stand up with the American people so that those that are unemployed can get their benefits and take care of their families; the doctors can continue to take care of Medicare patients; our seniors will continue to see their doctors; and we can provide the necessary tax credits and benefits that the American people are demanding and asking for. I ask everybody to think of the American people instead of their own narrow interests. Let's get this thing done.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your extraordinary work. Every day I receive calls from dedicated physicians who tell me that if this 21 percent cut goes through they are no longer going to be able to continue to treat their Medicare patients. They're not threatening me when they say it. They're talking the truth. They simply can no longer afford to treat their senior patients. Doctors are small business people. They've got payrolls to make and rent to pay, utilities, just like the rest of us; but time is long past due to permanently fix the way doctors in this country get compensated for treating Medicare patients. We need to fix this SGR. We need to fix it permanently. We're playing a very dangerous political game with our seniors' health care, and we are forcing doctors to make unspeakable choices. I am supporting this 6-month fix to keep the doctors working and to give seniors the health care that they deserve and that they are entitled to, but I would urge my Republican colleagues in the Senate that they should do what's right by the American people and let's get this thing permanently fixed.