Howard Coble

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 6116, as amended, currently under consideration.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 6116 authorizes direct review by the United States Supreme Court of decisions rendered by the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands. I thank Representative Christensen for her work on this bill. Created in 2007, the Supreme Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands is the equivalent of a U.S. State supreme court. It is authorized to review all final orders, judgments, and specified interlocutory orders of the Virgin Islands Superior Court. Appeals from the Virgin Islands Supreme Court are made by petitions of certiorari to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Federal statute specifies that discretionary review by the third circuit exists for the first 15 years following inception of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court or until it ``has developed sufficient institutional traditions to justify direct review by the Supreme Court of the United States from all [of its] final decisions,'' whichever is sooner. The third circuit's judicial council, Mr. Speaker, evaluates the progress of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court in 5-year intervals. Following extensive review, the council published its initial 5th-year report last April. The council recommends that the U.S. Supreme Court exercise direct review of all final decisions made by the Virgin Islands Supreme Court. H.R. 6116 adopts the third circuit recommendation. The bill simply authorizes the U.S. Supreme Court to review, at its discretion, all final judgments rendered by the Virgin Islands Supreme Court. The suspension version under consideration makes two technical changes to the bill as introduced. First, it clarifies that the U.S. Supreme Court may review final judgments of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court pursuant to cert petitions. In other words, the U.S. Supreme Court may exercise its own discretion to accept or reject cases. Secondly, the suspension version expands the U.S. Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction through an additional reference to chapter 81 of title 28 of the U.S. Code. Chapter 81 sets forth the jurisdiction and venue of the U.S. Supreme Court. Judges, lawyers, and litigants look to it when they have questions about the Court's appellate jurisdiction. The creation of an additional reference to chapter 81 makes it easier to find the new law. I again express my thanks to Mrs. Christensen for her work on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6116. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to express my thanks to Dr. Christensen and to my friend from American Samoa for their assistance, and Mr. Scott as well. I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5934) to amend title 18, United States Code, to include certain territories and possessions of the United States in the definition of State for the purposes of chapter 114, relating to trafficking in contraband cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5934 currently under consideration.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 5934, the Stop Tobacco Smuggling in the Territories Act of 2012, was introduced by Mr. Faleomavaega, my good friend from American Samoa--and I apologize if I did damage to that. I thank him for his work on this issue. Cigarette trafficking is one of the most lucrative smuggling operations in the United States and around the world. It is estimated that illicit cigarettes account for over 10 percent of the more than 5.7 trillion cigarettes sold globally each year. Here in the United States, approximately 4 billion cigarettes sold each year are illicit. Cigarette smuggling is typically carried out by sophisticated, large-scale criminal organizations that take advantage of the significant disparity between the taxes levied on cigarettes across the States. For example, Mr. Speaker, a pack of cigarettes that costs $13 in a high-tax State like New York will cost only about $5 in a low-tax State such as Virginia. These differences create a highly lucrative market for individuals to evade the local sales tax and purchase cigarettes in one locality and transport them to another for resale below the market value. Criminal organizations are able to make a profit of as much as $1 million on just a single truckload of illicit cigarettes. State cigarette taxes in the United States have been on the rise since 1992 and have increased more than 65 percent over this period; however, the States' gross tax revenues have increased by only 35 percent due in significant part to the illicit tobacco trade. Exploiting the price disparity for a single pack of cigarettes between individual States has proved profitable for criminal networks. According to the Justice Department, this illicit activity costs the States and the Federal Government approximately $5 billion each year. This is money that could--and should--be put to better use. Congress took steps to curb the sale of contraband cigarettes with the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act of 2009. The PACT Act prohibits the sale of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products over the Internet, and it made changes to the criminal anti-cigarette smuggling statutes. H.R. 5934, Mr. Speaker, provides a technical correction to ensure that the criminal prohibitions against cigarette smuggling apply to the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands in the same way that they do for the rest of the country. This is a modest but important change that will help to promote safety and tax revenues in these territories. I again thank my friend from American Samoa for his work on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to join me and Mr. Scott in support of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. I have no additional speakers. I reserve the balance of my time. (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. COBLE. In closing, I want to thank Mr. Scott as well, and my good friend from American Samoa. Eni, I apologize for my having fractured the pronunciation of your name earlier. But folks, this is a good bill that addresses a formidable threat, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill and support it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, I take this occasion to honor Jack W. Stanley--a great personal friend for many years--as he retires from 45 years of service in the cable television industry. Jack has been a true pioneer in the industry, helping to lead its growth from a service designed merely to extend over-the-air broadcast signals into hard to reach areas to what it is today--an industry that makes available to homes across the nation hundreds of linear video channels, on-demand programming, high-speed broadband services, digital telephone services, home networking and home security services. It is an industry that is driven by innovation and private investment. And Jack has seen it all and helped make it happen. In any conversation with Jack, it doesn't take long to find out about his roots--rural Georgia. He is proud to be a country boy. His professional life to this day remains grounded in the clay of Dodge County, Georgia, where he grew up in modest circumstances on his family's farm and learned the lessons of hard work and respect for others that he has carried with him throughout his carrier. Jack graduated from South Georgia Technical College where he studied Electronics Technology and completed an Executive Management Development Program at Denver University. Most recently, Jack has served as the Regional Vice President for Government Relations for Time Warner Cable with responsibility for North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Alabama. In this role, he has represented his company before various governmental bodies and coordinated its advocacy on important issues affecting the cable industry. Jack enjoyed many successes in this challenging role, including developing positive relationships with federal, state and local governmental leaders and helping to ensure consistent and fair regulatory treatment for cable operators. For the bulk of his working career, Jack served in a variety of operational roles in the cable television industry, including successfully leading cable systems in Georgia, Texas and North Carolina. He served as Division President of Time Warner Cable's Greensboro Division, where he managed a staff of some 700 employees. Under his leadership the Division was top-ranked in customer satisfaction and consistently exceeded the established business metrics. He is known among his peers as an innovative leader who is committed to exceptional customer service and who has the ability to forge positive relationships with consumers, employees and public officials. In 1988, Jack developed the first set of service standards for Time Warner Cable, which quickly became the basis for national industry standards and are still in use today. This commitment to customer service was recognized with a Chairman's Award and the National Public Affairs Award of the Maryland and Delaware Cable Association. As anyone who has worked with him will tell you, Jack always has the customers' interests foremost in his mind in any decision impacting the business. Jack carried this customer commitment over to his service to the industry. He served four separate terms as President of the North Carolina Cable Telecommunications Association where, in addition to being a terrific leader and gracious colleague, he was instrumental in establishing a college scholarship program to help provide higher education opportunities for children of members of the cable industry. Providing opportunities for others has always been a driving focus of Jack's career. Jack has also been an active leader in the community. He was appointed by former Governor Jim Hunt to represent the cable industry on a task force where he was instrumental in establishing a partnership between the Association of Public Telecommunications and the cable industry in OPEN/Net, a virtual ``town hall'' that provided citizens direct access to state and local leaders via cable technology. He eventually served on the APT Board for two terms. He also served on numerous other boards, including the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, and the Greensboro Partnership. Jack enjoys golf--and he's really good at it. You want to be on Jack's team in business and golf--especially golf! He has a passion for history, and realizes his most important accomplishment is his family, which includes twelve grandchildren. The depth of his experience and knowledge about the cable industry is matched by the depth of his character and judgment. When you shake hands in an agreement with Jack Stanley, you do not have to wonder whether you have a deal. A modest man, who came from modest means, he doesn't seek attention-- but he deserves it. Jack is a true Southern gentleman in the best sense of that term. I join with all of the residents of the Sixth District of North Carolina in honoring Jack for his fine career and to wish him all the best as he enters, what I am sure will be, a very active and productive retirement.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, we are excited to report that a city in the Sixth District of North Carolina has been nationally cited for its efforts to promote literacy. This is a prime example of where hard work pays off for Southern Pines, North Carolina. The plan to improve reading through the resources of a coalition of business, government and civic leaders has resulted in Southern Pines being named as an All- America City. Due to Southern Pines' development of a sensible and sustainable plan to increase grade-level reading proficiency by the end of the third grade, the National Civic League presented Southern Pines with the prestigious All-America City award on July 2, 2012, during the Grade- Level Reading Communities Network Conference and All-America City Award celebration. Southern Pines Library Director Lynn Thompson and her husband Bob Howell, Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Caroline Eddy, as well as PineStraw Magazine's Cos Barnes, accepted the award while representing Southern Pines during the conference in Denver. With the efforts of leaders in the community such as The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines Public Library, and Boys and Girls Club expanding their summer reading programs, they have renewed the enthusiasm for elementary literacy. ``I think the award recognizes what a great community this is to live in,'' Mayor David McNeill told The Pilot. ``I congratulate everyone who has worked so hard on this project, but the kids are the real winners. The efforts that they will put forth to improve their reading skills will benefit them for a lifetime.'' Deserving thanks and credit for their hard work and effort towards elementary literacy include Southern Pines Public Library, Boys and Girls Clubs of Sandhills, Moore County Chamber of Commerce, Moore County Literacy Council, Moore County NAACP, Partners for Children and Families, Sandhills Children's Center, and United Way of Moore County. Also deserving recognition for this prestigious award is Southern Pines Town Manager Reagan Parsons. On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we congratulate Southern Pines for being named as an All-America City. The city called its campaign, ``Southern Pines Grows Great Leaders,'' and we are thrilled that the National Civic League agrees with us that Southern Pines is a great place to learn and live.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman from Texas for having yielded, and I rise in support of H.R. 4078. I have the honor and privilege of serving as the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law, which among other things has jurisdiction over the Administrative Procedures Act. Our subcommittee has spent an enormous amount of time and energy reviewing proposals to refine the manner in which our Federal Government formulates and implements regulations. I have encountered two philosophies on improving our regulatory system. One philosophy is we routinely review and improve regulations, while others advocate that the Federal Government should issue yet more regulations. It appears to me that the Obama administration has embraced the latter philosophy because red tape has been flying fast and furious during his tenure. His administration has proposed regulations that are expected to exceed $100 million at the rate of 125 every 2 years. Currently, there are 24 major rules in the pipeline for review by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The results have been telling. During the first 26 months of the Obama administration, our Federal Government has added $40 billion of annual regulatory cost to our economy, and this year the Federal Register already exceeds 40,000 pages. In the transportation arena, new DOT passenger protection regulations are estimated by the American Aviation Institute to cost $1.7 billion annually. In total, there are 10 new Federal aviation regulations that will cost $4 billion annually. Although they will produce no significant benefit to the traveling public, they certainly and inevitably will be passed along in the form of fees, reduced services, or increased prices. Since 2008, the combined budget of regulatory agencies has ballooned 16 percent, topping $54 billion. During the same time, employment at the agencies grew 13 percent while our economy only grew by 5 percent and the number of private sector jobs shrunk by 5.6 percent. The scene is ominous, and I think it reflects what has happened to our economy, but I also do not believe that the situation is hopeless. The need for regulatory reform has been emulated by every administration since President Ronald Reagan, but efforts have not been successful. Enacting H.R. 4078 will be a step in the right direction. Several titles of this legislation which were approved by the Judiciary Committee will implement immediate relief. The original provisions of H.R. 4078, the Regulatory Freeze Act, could reportedly save our economy $22.1 billion and save thousands of jobs without jeopardizing our safety. H.R. 3862, the Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act, will end the practice of special interests using consent decrees to bypass the regulatory process and imposing their will and priorities on affected communities. H.R. 4377, the RAPID Act, will help end the permitting logjam that has stifled development investment without diminishing a single environmental standard or protection. Regulations that are narrowly tailored, effective, and routinely reviewed can make our society safer and our economy stronger, but when they are ineffective or inefficient, our security is jeopardized, and so is our economy.

Mr. COBLE. No, I was not aware of that. But job creators need some certainty about the regulatory forecast to make the kind of investments that will create jobs. The Freeze Act is carefully drafted to only freeze those regulations that cost the economy $100 million or more. Thus, a regulation that has $100 million in benefits would not be frozen by the bill.

Mr. COBLE. Yes, I am telling you that.

Mr. COBLE. Well, I don't know that, but if you will permit me, I will yield to the chairman for that.

Mr. COBLE. I was not aware of the questions you put to me. I can neither embrace nor reject that.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to honor the legacy and achievements of one of the greatest friends America has ever known, Mr. Maersk McKinney Moller, who died recently at the age of 98 in his home country of Denmark. Mr. Moller, whom I've known personally for more than 2 decades, was a Dane and an American by virtue of his American mother, a loyal husband, a doting father, a brilliant businessman, and a leading figure in the development of the modern globalized marketplace. I initially met Mr. Moller, Mr. Speaker, in his Copenhagen office. We spoke for 35 to 40 minutes, and it became apparent to me that I was in the presence of a truly great man. Mr. Moller loved America. It is no coincidence that his company's U.S. flag business unit, Maersk Line, Limited, owns and operates the largest U.S. flag fleet of vessels serving our military today. In fact, these U.S. flag vessels employ more American mariners and have delivered more of the critical material to supply U.S. troops in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts than any other carrier. And the same is true of humanitarian aid and every other category of government- impelled cargo carried by U.S. flag commercial vessels. Maersk McKinney Moller believed in the mission and basic goodness of America, and he demonstrated that belief throughout his life. Mr. Moller, Mr. Speaker, was born in Denmark in 1913. He grew up in the shipping industry that his father, Arnold Peter Moller, had started in 1904. In 1940, after the occupation of Denmark by Nazi troops, all the company's vessels in international waters were ordered to neutral ports and a third of the fleet sought refuge in ports controlled by the United States. Mr. Moller traveled to New York soon after the occupation and ran the operations from there through 1947. Allied forces requisitioned the Maersk fleet and most were subsequently lost to German U-boats in the most devastating loss of merchant mariner life in history. At the conclusion of the war, Mr. Moller returned to Denmark and continued building a global business empire, becoming CEO of the group in 1965. In 1991, Mr. Moller wrote a letter to then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney highlighting the longstanding connections between America and Maersk. Among other matters in the letter, Mr. Moller wrote: Maersk is, and has always been, a strong advocate for uninhibited free trade and the principles of freedom consistently enunciated by the United States and Denmark. Our entire organization, and especially Maersk Line, Limited will be ready to serve anytime should that be desired. Mr. Moller stepped down as CEO in 1993, but remained chairman of the AP Moller Group until 2003. Even through the last few months of his life, however, Mr. Moller went to work every day, walking up five flights of stairs to his office. Through his vision and leadership, Mr. Moller built the largest container shipping company in the world, but never abandoned his love and appreciation for the United States and its people. Over 70 years, he personally cultivated and sustained a valuable partnership with the United States, one that continues to support and advance our commercial and national security interests around the world. Finally, Mr. Moller was a citizen of Denmark, indeed, the world; but he will always have a special place of respect, admiration, and appreciation from the people and the Government of the United States.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina wish to honor Revolutionary War Brigadier General Jethro Exum Sumner's recent re-interment at the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. Brig. General Sumner received his full Masonic Rites for his great contributions to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, as well as to the state of North Carolina and the United States. Born in 1733 in Virginia, he was a Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, and a member of the Provincial Congress of North Carolina. He fought during the French and Indian War as a commissioned officer in the Virginia Regiment, and served as Paymaster of the provincial troops of North Carolina. In 1776, he was appointed to the Provincial Congress as Colonel of the 3rd North Carolina Regiment. He earned his way from Colonel and all the way to Brigadier General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, fighting at Eutaw Springs and Camden. He recruited soldiers for General Nathanael Greene, before the battle of Guilford Courthouse. If it wasn't for Sumner's recruiting, Gen. Greene would not have been as successful. He was a member of Blandford-Bute Lodge, which is now Johnston- Caswell Lodge #10 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He was the one who planted the seed to form the Grand Lodge of North Carolina after the American Freemasons split from the Grand Lodge of England. He also was an officer of the lodge. Sumner was active in the creation of the Society of Cincinnati, serving as its first president. After he died in 1785, he was buried in Warren County, North Carolina. In 1891, his remains were moved to Guilford Courthouse by order of the North Carolina General Assembly. In a public event on May 29, 2012, Brigadier General Jethro Sumner was laid to rest under a newly-restored memorial at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in a Masonic Funeral Ceremony. As a member of the Masonic Society, I was invited to attend the ceremony, but because of my congressional responsibilities, I had to return to Washington and was unable to participate. On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we wish to honor Brigadier General Jethro Exum Sumner's re-interment and recognize his service and accomplishments.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5512) to amend title 28, United States Code, to realign divisions within two judicial districts, as amended.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5512, as amended, currently under consideration.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I support H.R. 5512, the Divisional Realignment Act of 2012, sponsored by Representative Bennie Thompson. On March 13, 2012, the Judicial Conference of the United States adopted a draft bill that realigns divisions within the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Mississippi. The Divisional Realignment Act of 2012 reflects the draft developed by the Judicial Conference which the Judiciary Committee marked up on May 16. The realignments equalize workloads among divisions, maximize the use of court facilities, and shorten commutes for jurors and attorneys. The bill is supported by the judges and attorneys from the two judicial districts and affected Members from Missouri and Mississippi. The Congressional Budget Office states that H.R. 5512 will have ``only minimal administrative costs and thus no significant impact on the Federal budget.'' The only changes to the bill subsequent to our markup is the effective date. The local judges and the Judicial Conference asked Representative Bennie Thompson, the bill's sponsor, and the other members of the committee to include a 60-day delayed effective date. This provides the local judges in Mississippi and Missouri with more time to adjust their jury wheels to account for the new realignments. This is a good, commonsense change that helps with the administration of justice in the Northern District of Mississippi and the Eastern District of Missouri. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that the Divisional Realignment Act of 2012 will be adopted by my colleagues, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his generous remarks. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to debate H.R. 5512, the ``Division Realignment Act of 2012.'' The Division Realignment Act of 2012 proposes to amend title 28, United States Code, to adjust divisions within two judicial districts. The realignment will occur between Missouri and Mississippi boundaries within the U.S. District Court. In response to population shifts and other factors, this legislation will transfer counties divisions in an effort to ensure more resourceful productivity on the district court level. In particular, H.R. 5512 will separate the Northern District of Mississippi into three divisions consisting of, Aberdeen, Oxford and Greenville. Additionally, it seeks to amend Iron and Saint Genevieve Counties, in Missouri, from the eastern subdivision to the southeastern subdivision. This legislation will aid in the equitable distribution of cases and administration functions for a faster and more efficient processing within the courts. H.R. 5512 is necessary in maintaining the regulation of Federal statutory authority governing the Federal judicial system. The passage of this bill will assist in reducing case loads, promoting speedy trials, and ensuring that there is accurate jurisdiction within the federal districts among the states. It is essential that we continue to aim for judicial effectiveness and sufficiency while adjusting to the continued growth and shifts within our communities. Consistency is critical when the issue of judicial efficiency arises. It should be noted that while this legislation was acted upon swiftly, other important acts have failed to follow it its path. Proficiency within our courts is imperative therefore I encourage the Senate to act on President Obama's nominees so that American citizens can rely on an organized and effective judicial system. As noted by Senator Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, despite the political party of the President in office, nominations to fill the positions of federal district court judges have always been confirmed quickly with deference given to the home state Senators who best know the nominees and their states. Never before in the Senate's history have the district court nominees been blocked for months as we have seen since President Obama's election. Like many of my colleagues, it is my hope that both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate can end the damage of filibusters and quickly work toward the purpose of easing the burdens on our Federal courts that risk delaying justice. Federal district court judges play an essential role in ensuring that Federal courts are able to provide fair hearings for all Americans. Similar to H.R. 5512, this is the same judiciary efficiency that the American people deserve.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, family-owned businesses provide the structure at the core of every great community. As a result, it is necessary to recognize and celebrate the growth and success of these companies. The citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina would like to recognize Brady of Greensboro on its 50th anniversary as a North Carolina business. Brady was started by its current chairman, Don Brady, in 1962, with only four other associates and a station wagon. The original company goal was the sale of HVAC commercial equipment. Today, Brady works to design integrated comfort systems for a broad array of North Carolina industries that exceed expectations of quality, reliability and efficiency. The Brady mission has evolved to helping building owners and asset managers maximize their energy resources by providing a complete suite of cost effective, integrated energy solutions to achieve significant overall cost savings, a goal which not only affects these industries, but our economy and the state, as well. What began as a small sales operation in Greensboro, Brady now employs more than 300 North Carolinians in offices and stores across the state. Brady values its employees as the backbone of its business, providing extensive training for personal growth and development, creating a skilled work force in our state. This year, Brady was also honored with the mid-sized ``North Carolina Family Business of the Year'' award from Wake Forest University. On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we would like to recognize and celebrate this leading local business on its 50th year of operation. We wish Brady more success and growth in the years to come.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, May 20, 2012, marks Taiwan President Ma Ying- jeou's second and final inauguration. It is not only Taiwan's democracy that its citizens and the world will celebrate that day, but also Taiwan's economic achievements of the last 60 years. Just as it was an early Asian proponent of democratic principles and ideals, Taiwan was also an early adapter and proponent of what is commonly today called globalization. Taiwan, Asia's first Economic Tiger, embraced market reforms in the 1950s and quickly launched some of the best known, and most efficient, original equipment manufacturers that came to serve many U.S. firms. Today, Taiwan is a technology powerhouse and the island is firmly entrenched in the top tier of developed world markets. While many other markets have shown a disturbing tendency to turn inwards when global economic conditions get tough, Taiwan has consistently kept its trade and investment doors open. A founding member of the Asia Development Bank in 1966, Taiwan also joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001 and further acceded to the VVTO's Government Procurement Agreement in 2009. Since his first inauguration in 2008, President Ma has steadily removed many of the longstanding trade and investment barriers to mainland China, positioning Taiwan as a global gateway to and from the so-called ``Greater China'' market. This new outlook culminated in the 2010 signing of the Economic and Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and mainland China. The ECFA benefits not only Taiwan firms and consumers, but aids U.S. interests by protecting intellectual property rights. I encourage all of my colleagues in congratulating Taiwan President Ma on his inauguration, applaud Taiwan's many economic achievements since the 1950s, and support enhanced economic relations between the United States and Taiwan.