Joseph Cao

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Madam Speaker, the New Orleans Saints are having a historic season. This success has benefited our city tremendously. And with their first playoff game kicking off this Saturday, I wanted to give constituents a chance to honor them. Today's statement is from Jewelyn Wellborn. Jewelyn writes: ``The reason we are proud of the Saints, the reason we rally behind them, has less to do with the scoreboard and more to do with the heart, soul, and fire of the city. Your average New Orleanian is characterized by different concepts that seem so opposite of one another. There are those who have always called New Orleans home and some who came for only a few years and fell in love. ``Watching the Saints helps us escape from rebuilding, yet reminds us of why we came home. The Saints are an exact reflection of us, our city, our home, and that's why the Saints are my home team.''

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, the New Orleans Saints are having an historic season. Their success has provided our city so much hope that I wanted to give constituents a chance to honor them. Today's statement is from Michael DesJardins of New Orleans. Michael writes: ``I believe! Finally. It's been 40 or so years of hope and disappointment--much more disappointment. As I bask in the glow of another victory by the Saints, I have finally let my heart believe that this could be the year. They have the spirit, the talent and the determination. They seem to like and support one another. Their success is not a product of stardom but of common effort by the whole team. They have transformed the Saints into a powerful organization that lifts up the whole community. We can all learn from them. ``Long-suffering, leading to hope, only to be dashed by the heartbreak of defeat and disappointment. This story of the Saints' past could be the story of our city government. ``Our Sainted team has been transformed into a constellation of bright shining stars. Dare we believe that New Orleans can share in that transformation?'' Thank you, and I yield back. Who Dat!

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. I want to thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding, and I just want to thank him personally for his continued commitment and compassion for the people of the gulf coast. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I offered a bipartisan amendment to the Tax Extenders Act of 2009 for myself and my colleague, Charlie Melancon. This amendment would have extended the place-in-service deadline for low-income housing tax credits under GO Zone for 2 years. If included, it would have freed up more than a billion dollars in delayed housing projects and supported thousands of jobs in the gulf coast and would have contributed greatly to the sustained redevelopment of the hurricane-impacted areas. The amendment had bipartisan support in both Chambers of Congress. Representatives from HUD, the Obama administration, housing groups and private companies called and wrote letters in support of this amendment. Yet even with this level of support, the Rules Committee voted along party lines not to allow it in the bill. I cannot say how disappointed I am that this happened. It is disappointing that the committee would choose to act in a partisan fashion rather than with the best interests of the people of the gulf coast in mind. I have spoken before about how Congress is at its best and serves the people the best when we put partisanship aside and attend to the people's business. It is part of our job description as Representatives to represent their issues and concerns to the best of our abilities. When we conform to party politics, we fail to make the right decisions for the American people. While it is not unusual to mix policy and politics in our line of work, there are some issues which ought not to be partisan. The development of affordable housing for hurricane victims is one of them. Among the projects placed in jeopardy by this deadline is the Lafitte Housing Project in New Orleans. It is one of the city's oldest and was once made up of 896 units. This site was slated for redevelopment with the same number of units to allow any resident who wished to return the opportunity to do so. Additionally, the site would have had parks, support centers, and homes for sale. Now it looks as though it will remain in limbo because of party politics. I challenge my Democrat colleagues to look low-income families in the eyes and say that the decision that they made was best for hardworking families. Low-income families along the gulf coast trying to survive the ravages of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita do not care about party politics. The only thing that they care about is: Will I have affordable housing to shelter my children from the cold? We have to get beyond party politics to address the needs of American families. And I hope that we can correct the language in the tax extenders bill in order to address those who are in need along the gulf coast.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. When we passed this bill out of the Oversight Committee on September 9, this bill only applied to FBI officers who died in the performance of official duties. After working with our Democratic colleagues, this bill, as amended, would authorize the employing agency of any Federal law enforcement officer who dies in the performance of his or her duties as defined under title 5, section 5541, to pay the moving, transportation, and relocation expenses due to a change of residence within the United States of the immediate family of the officer. It would also authorize the employing agency to cover the expenses of preparing and transporting the remains of the deceased to the place where the family will reside following the employee's death. Federal law enforcement officers are often asked to relocate to new areas all across the country and the world, and, frequently, these officers bring their families with them to these new areas. In the case of Federal law enforcement officers who die in the performance of official duties, the family is often left stranded, with no means to return to an area they call home. Caring for the families of these heroes who have died while serving this Nation is a priority for Congress, and the costs of H.R. 2711 are relatively insignificant. Mr. Speaker, I support this measure and I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2711. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my friend and colleague from the State of Michigan (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 4017, and I would like to congratulate Mr. McGovern. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4017, which designates the United States Postal Facility located at 43 Maple Avenue in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, as the Ann Marie Blute Post Office. Ann Marie Blute was born on May 30, 1925 in Boston, Massachusetts. As the oldest of eight, she helped raise her siblings, which would only help prepare her for raising 11 children of her own one day. In 1947, she married Dr. Robert Blute, Sr., an Army doctor, and sailed to Germany where they lived for 2 years. After returning to the States, her husband began practicing medicine in Worcester, Massachusetts, while she raised her family and volunteered tirelessly within the Catholic church. A parishioner at St. Mary's Church in Shrewsbury since 1954, Mrs. Blute served on many committees as a mother at the school. She taught catechism, worked with the Women's Guild, and was a Eucharistic minister. In 1994, she received the ultimate honor for all of her service to the Shrewsbury community through the Catholic church with the title of Dame of Malta, one of the oldest Catholic religious orders dedicated to charitable service. Her generosity extended outside of her family and her neighbors. After her children had left for college, Mrs. Blute offered her home and her hospitality to young Vietnamese immigrant, Lucy Hoang, who was searching for a better life. Ms. Hoang, now 44 years old and a chemical engineer, said of her host, ``When I first came here, she was standing at the door waiting for me with arms wide open. I felt shaky, but as I came to her, she hugged me.'' Ann Marie Blute's kindness knew no bounds. Mrs. Blute sadly passed away at the age of 84. She is survived by her husband, children, and large extended family. Please join me in supporting this bill in honor of Ann Marie Blute who fervently served her community in Shrewsbury. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3951 to designate the Uptown post office building located at 2000 Louisiana Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, in honor of Roy Rondeno, Sr., a 34-year USPS letter carrier and military veteran, who was the epitome of a loyal and beloved public servant and community member. In late September 2009, while working on his day off because the postal service was short-staffed, Mr. Rondeno was sorting through mail in the back of his truck when he was hit by a car. The vehicle blew through a stop sign and critically injured him. Six days later, on October 2, 2009, he died from heart failure during surgery, a few weeks short of his plan to retire and spend time with his family and recently founded outreach ministry. Mr. Rondeno, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, lived in Metairie and worked at the USPS Uptown Station in New Orleans. He was known as a dedicated, charismatic, and beloved letter carrier. Survivors include his wife Shirley of Metairie; and sons Richard of Houston, Ryan of Los Angeles, and Roy, Jr. of Metairie. Mr. Rondeno's accident and subsequent death came as a complete shock to those whom he loyally and lovingly served for and with during the past 37 years. The merchants and community members whom Mr. Rondeno served established a donation fund in his honor and organized a block party to raise funds for his family. Shortly thereafter, the community members and Louisiana district postal employees asked that we dedicate this post office in his honor. According to the Times-Picayune, those whom Mr. Rondeno served said they formed a ``close bond'' with Mr. Rondeno and described him as a ``happy man with a kind word for everyone and a dutiful postman who introduced himself to new residents, never delivered junk mail addressed to previous tenants, and would stand outside in pouring rain to deliver even the smallest package.'' As one constituent, Susan Hereford, expressed to the Times-Picayune regarding Mr. Rondeno's service to and passion for those whom he served: ``To have that constancy with someone who doesn't just have his head down and drop mail in your box, he connected with everyone on his route. And they connected with him.'' To those whom he served, Mr. Rondeno was a great letter carrier, civil servant, New Orleanian, American, veteran, and friend. To those he leaves behind, he was a loyal and loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. I am proud of his service to the postal service, the United States Military, and the citizens of New Orleans, and I am proud to dedicate this post office in his honor. As another constituent, Mary Nass, said to the Times-Picayune: ``The outpouring of grief on the part of hundreds of people following Roy's death should teach us that we do not need to know others intimately to positively impact their lives. Here was a kind, humble, and conscientious man who made each and every person whose path he crossed feel a little happier, a little more connected to the human race, after his daily passing. No one could have left us a finer legacy.'' Mr. Rondeno was beloved by the community, his colleagues, and his wonderful family. And I can think of no greater way to honor him than to dedicate the Uptown post office located at 2000 Louisiana Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, in his name as a reminder for all who go there of the dedication and passion of this public servant. I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3951. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call upon the administration and Congress to ask the Vietnamese Government to unconditionally release Father Nguyen Van Ly to his family. Father Ly is one of many Vietnamese citizens who have been harassed for religious and democracy advocacy. He has been placed on trial without defense and imprisoned more than once for a total of almost 17 years. As a Roman Catholic priest and prominent Vietnamese dissident, Father Ly has become a powerful icon in the ongoing fight for human rights. For his continuous imprisonment and nonviolent protests, Amnesty International adopted him as the Prisoner of Conscience in 1983. His support for the Bloc 8406 Manifesto, which called for a democratic Vietnam, has led to his most recent sentence on March 30, 2007, for an additional 8 years in prison. Sadly, Father Ly suffered his second stroke just 5 days ago, leaving the right side of his body paralyzed. In a letter to His Excellency Nguyen Tan Dung, the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Members of Congress asked the government of Vietnam to unconditionally release Father Ly on humanitarian grounds; provide access for his immediate and long-term medical care; and grant his family unencumbered admittance to lend moral, physical, and spiritual support during this difficult time. We believe Father Nguyen Van Ly to be a prisoner of conscience held solely for the peaceful expression of his dissenting political and religious beliefs. Asking for his release is an opportunity for Congress to take a bold stand for human rights.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Thank you, my friend from New Jersey, Christopher Smith, for yielding me time. I just want to say that you have been my mentor, and you have been my friend, and I have been very honored to be part of your life and to have known you all of these years. So thank you very much. Madam Speaker, abortion is a destructive perversion of our society. It is a distorted emphasis on rights to the disregard of individual responsibilities. Our country was founded on fundamental human rights, and rightly so. ``We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'' These rights were reinforced and more succinctly elaborated in the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. These 10 amendments, more commonly known as the Bill of Rights, have served as the heart and soul of our legal tradition and as the foundation upon which we have built the most powerful democracy in the history of the world. But life is ``short and brutish,'' said Sir Thomas Hobbes, and if left to our devise, absolute right will lead to anarchy and chaos. Rousseau, Hobbes, and other thinkers of The Enlightenment saw the dangers of absolute rights, and proposed a social contract upon which to build a civil society where mutual obligations are imposed on all parties to the agreement. The balance between rights and responsibilities has served as a basis for an ethical context, but our society has disrupted this delicate balance between rights and responsibilities by accentuating rights, and it has contrived an anthropology detached from the moral conscience and has called it ``social progress.'' The result is a skewed social politic devoid of moral coherency. In his encyclical ``Caritas in Veritate,'' Pope Benedict XVI loudly proclaimed, ``Individual rights detached from a framework of duties can run wild.'' This is what we have seen in our society today. We provide rights to convicted murderers, but at the same time, sanction the slaughter of the innocent. We protest in rage at the slaying of dogs, but barely blink an eye at the murder of millions of innocent children. Traditional principles of social ethics, like transparency, honesty and responsibility, have been ignored or attenuated. As a result, our moral tenor does not respect the right to life and the dignity of a natural death. To protect individual rights, we have distorted the continuity of human development to portray the human fetus as something less than human and, therefore, as something that can be disposed of. What happened to personal responsibility--the responsibility to respect and nurture a human life who happens to be one's own child? Our children cry out for life, for justice, and until the U.S. Supreme Court can garner enough courage to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is up to the voices of the Christopher Smiths, of the Bart Stupaks, of the Jean Schmidts, of the Marsha Blackburns, and of others like myself to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Yes, health care reform is important, and I support responsible reform; but, Madam Speaker, as my friend Christopher Smith so eloquently articulated, abortion is wrong, and I can never support a reform bill that seeks to fund abortion with the tax dollars of hardworking Americans. Thank you.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, health care reform is an issue of paramount importance, and we must be deliberative in solving the main question, which is: How can we make our health care system affordable, accessible, and accountable? Unfortunately, the health care reform forum has not been used to address the problem of affordable health care, but to expand the controversial issue of abortion. When President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on September 9, he said, ``Under our plan, no Federal dollars will be used to fund abortion, and Federal conscience laws will remain in place.'' The health care reform plan presented by Speaker Pelosi does not reflect the long-standing policies that ban Federal abortion funding. America needs responsible health care reform, and it should not be a vehicle for expanding the abortion agenda. The majority of the American people, including those in my home district of Louisiana, are against the Federal funding of abortion. Real health care is about saving and nurturing life, not about taking life.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Thank you very much for allowing me to speak on behalf of my resolution. I rise today in support of House Resolution 828, to designate October 24, 2009, as Louisiana HonorAir Day in honor of the invaluable service of World War II veterans to our Nation. October 24, 2009, marked the 20th charter flight of World War II veterans from Louisiana to D.C. through Louisiana HonorAir to visit the National World War II Memorial. Louisiana HonorAir's mission is to provide every World War II veteran who is physically able to travel the opportunity to view the World War II Memorial for the first time. World War II veterans are granted a charter flight from Louisiana to Washington, D.C., for a day- long, all-expenses-paid-trip to visit the National World War II Memorial, the Marine Corps Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial and other memorials and to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The World War II Memorial was dedicated in 2004 for a generation whose youngest members are in their late seventies. Therefore, many of the men and women who fought and sacrificed for our country have not had the opportunity or ability to visit. Sadly, a few of the World War II veterans scheduled to go on the October 24 flight passed away or became too ill to travel and were, therefore, unable to be properly honored for their tremendous sacrifices. As Louisiana HonorAir prepares to fly its final flight on April 10, 2010, I am proud that these last three fall flights were out of New Orleans, Louisiana, home to the National World War II Museum. Mr. Speaker, I had the great opportunity to welcome home several members of the veterans community on their flights back from Washington, D.C., 3 weeks ago, and I have to say that from the receptions that I have received and from the faces of the many members who came back from Washington, D.C., on that HonorAir flight, they were very grateful and honored to be able to participate in the program. Under the leadership of T.D. Smith, the Louisiana HonorAir reminds our Nation's World War II veterans how indebted we are to them for their service. As the son of a war veteran, I consider it a personal honor to sponsor this legislation, and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of House Resolution 828.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, for yielding me time. I rise today in strong support of this amendment. Fifteen percent of all drywall contamination cases are in Louisiana. Just imagine, Madam Chair, that after Hurricane Katrina, many of these families had to spend all of their savings in order to repair their home, just to find out now that they replaced their drywall with Chinese contaminated drywall. I myself have repaired my home twice in the last 4 years, so I know of the inconvenience and the suffering that the people of Louisiana have to undergo in order to get this job done. With respect to myself, I was fortunate in that my damages were caused by the flooding of Katrina and Gustav. Therefore, my insurance company paid for the repairs in my home. But for many of these homeowners in Louisiana, their policy does not cover the problems with Chinese drywall. After spending all of their money repairing their homes because of Katrina, now they have no money whatsoever to spend in order to repair their homes due to the Chinese drywall. Therefore, I believe that this amendment is extremely important, and I urge that all of my colleagues vote for the passage of this amendment.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. CAO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, S. 1694, with an identical version in the House, H.R. 3633 and H.R. 3348, is an important bill because it would provide an additional 2 years for public safety officials, first responders, and firefighters to use communications grants. This will help many districts, especially ones like mine, where officials are still replacing and upgrading equipment. Only people who have lived through the horrors such as Katrina realize the importance of this grant. After Katrina, much of the communications systems in the Second Congressional District and throughout southeast Louisiana were down for a period of several weeks. First responders were trying to save lives and trying to fight crime, while at the same time they were unable to communicate with one another. So, with this grant, it will provide cities such as New Orleans the time to rebuild their emergency operations centers. That includes replacing the building in which they were housed as well as replacing an entire interoperable system. Some emergency personnel are still using radios on loan from FEMA 4 years after the storm because, without an extension, the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program would have expired next year. My district could not fully take advantage of it. Other areas in the Gulf Coast and Midwest that were struggling to rebuild after disasters were also having trouble completing or even applying for communications grants because of the short window of the program. It became clear that the need for this program extended beyond those areas when we began to receive calls and letters of support from States like Vermont, Montana, Texas, and California, who all voiced the same concern--they needed more time to use these grants, and they needed Congress' help. The International Association of Fire Fighters, National Emergency Management Association, and Association of Public Safety Officials all lent their support to this effort. I would like to thank them for helping get this bill up for a vote. I would also like to thank the staff on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their fast, bipartisan work on getting this bill to the floor, and I would also like to extend my thanks to the gentlewoman from California, Congresswoman Jane Harman, who took the initiative to file H.R. 3633 when there was a slim chance that my own bill, H.R. 3348, would have a chance of passing. So I would like to thank her for her initiative in making sure that this important extension gets passed so that we can help people who need help. I would also like to thank my colleagues on the floor who have shown the bipartisan support and spirit to support this bill today. Mr. Speaker, it doesn't seem that I have any other speakers, so I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 177 to raise awareness of the need for crime prevention in communities across the country. The fight to reduce crime remains a top issue for my constituents in the Second Congressional District. Unfortunately, New Orleans, like any other great city in this country, is struggling to fight the issue of violent crime, and this has been the case for 9 straight years. Last month in New Orleans, an innocent 3-year-old girl was shot following a violent 11-hour stretch that saw 12 people shot and two people fatally wounded. Last week, an unsuspecting man was shot just two blocks away from a New Orleans school, and just this weekend, New Orleans was hit by a spate of eight armed robberies. That is why we must work to require local and Federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate their efforts in cities like New Orleans. We should provide resources for drug and violent crime sweeps, funding for additional prosecutors, and we should help create a police and court system database to help track and prosecute criminals. This resolution to designate October 1, 2009-October 3, 2009, as Celebrate Safe Communities Week and October as Crime Prevention Month will be an important step in fighting crime not only in my district but around the country. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join the national fight against crime and to support House Concurrent Resolution 177.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 761 to commemorate the lives and work of those that were executed by members of the Salvadoran Army on the 20th anniversary of their deaths next month. On November 16, 1989, members of the Salvadoran Army entered the Universidad Centroamericana Jose Simeon Canas in San Salvador and massacred six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter. This senseless mass murder was incited when the six priests took a stand for social justice and against the oppressive elements in the Salvadoran society, notably the tyrannical military. Among the victims were Father Ignacio Ellacuria, a rector of the university and an outspoken critic of the Army; Father Ignacio Martin Baro, a prolific writer and an intellectual on the effects of war on the human psyche; Father Segundo Montes, founder of the Human Rights Institute at UCA and a congressional adviser on Salvadoran refugees; Father Amano Lopez, a respected member of the Society of Jesus, gifted counselor, and a pastoral worker; Father Joaquin Lopez y Lopez, director of the Fe y Alegria education program in poor communities; Father Juan Ramon Moreno, a theological scholar and publicist; and Elba Ramos, the Jesuits' housekeeper, who was killed alongside her teenage daughter, Celina, when she wrapped her body around Celina trying to protect her from the shooting. Having spent 6 years in the Jesuit order studying to become a Jesuit priest, I have a deep appreciation for the sacrifice these people made in pursuit of religious freedom and human rights. These eight martyrs actually inspired me to join the Society of Jesus in 1990 and to carry on their struggle for religious freedom and human rights 19 years later. Today, the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States have annually observed the November 16 anniversary of the murdered Jesuits and the two murdered women. This resolution commends those institutions for their solidarity with the UCA and extends sympathies to the families, friends, colleagues, and religious communities of the deceased. Finally, the measure calls upon the President, the Secretary of State, and other United States Federal agencies to support efforts by the Salvadoran Government and other public, private, and religious organizations to reduce poverty and hunger and to promote educational opportunity, human rights, and the rule of law and social equity for the people of El Salvador. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to honor the lives of these human rights martyrs and support H. Res. 761. And in the words of the Jesuit Fathers, ``ad majoram dei gloriam.''

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. I thank the gentleman from Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 672, calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to release imprisoned bloggers and respect Internet freedom. It is vital that the United States take a bold stance against the tyranny of the Vietnamese Government and more effectively promote democracy there and throughout the world. While the Vietnamese Government continues to control and stifle its citizens, this bill lays out very specific goals that will push for freedom of speech in Vietnam. It promotes the actions of the Vietnamese people who desire to have a say in government policy and actions. It will repeal statutes that restrict an individual's Internet usage and calls for the release of all political prisoners who have been incarcerated under the false pretenses of causing unrest and disturbance. The Vietnamese Government fears these changes and continues to promote backward policies that restrict the Vietnamese people's basic freedoms. In the United States, we have been blessed with these rights. With these gifts comes great responsibility. It is necessary that we advocate on behalf of the Vietnamese citizens who simply hope for a better future. We, as leaders of the most powerful democracy in the world, must not only pass this resolution, but we also must pass the Vietnam human rights bill. We must put Vietnam back on the CPC list. We must require Vietnam to pay the $3.5 million in restitution that the High Court of American Samoa adjudicated 10 years ago. We must deny Vietnam the GSP status that it so desires until it improves its labor laws. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I ask that the Members of the House support House Resolution 672.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Madam Speaker, in 1620, 102 Pilgrims and a crew of approximately 25 people left England on the Mayflower to escape religious oppression. After an arduous 66-day journey plagued by disease, they landed on the shore of Plymouth and founded this great Nation. The story of the Mayflower is a symbol of the struggle against religious oppression, and the symbol still resonates in the hearts and minds of the American people today. But this struggle for religious freedom did not end with the Mayflower. The struggle continues today worldwide in countries such as Tibet, China, the Sudan and Vietnam. Two days ago, I had the great honor of speaking to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He encouraged the U.S. Congress to continue speaking out against religious oppression and to stand up and defend the values that founded our great Nation. This is what I'm doing today. Madam Speaker, the country that I would like to challenge today, and have done many times previously, is Vietnam. Vietnam, for decades, has exemplified religious and human rights oppression. And this image today has not changed. Since receiving its preferred status and being selected a member of the World Trade Organization, Vietnam's record on human rights and religious freedom has gotten worse rather than better. This regression is well documented by Human Rights Watch as well as by the Commission on Religious Freedom. Madam Speaker, let me briefly outline for you what the Vietnamese Government has done. Ten years ago, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs directly oversaw and operated two state-owned labor companies that were involved in the largest human trafficking case ever prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice. The High Court of American Samoa rendered a judgment against the Vietnamese Government in the amount of $3.5 million, and they have yet to pay. Recently, the Vietnamese Government assaulted, arrested and imprisoned dozens of Catholics in the Diocese of Vinh for erecting a temporary place of worship on Tam Toa Parish Church that was destroyed during the Vietnam war. They attacked the parishioners of Thai Ha Parish as they were conducting a prayer service. They then arrested and wrongfully prosecuted church members for inciting riot. They imprisoned Father Nguyen Van Ly, put the Venerable Thich Quang Do under house arrest, and forced members of Protestant churches to renounce their faith. They arrested and imprisoned human rights activists such as Le Cong Dinh, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and Nguyen Van Dai for criticizing the government. They forcefully evicted 400 Buddhist monks and nuns from Bat Nha Temple and shut down the monastery without just cause. These are just a few examples of the outrageous and egregious actions taken by the Vietnamese Government recently in violation of every principle of justice and fairness. If these examples are not sufficient to draw our attention and condemnation, I do not know what will. Unfortunately for these oppressed people, our world today does not allow them to simply leave their country to establish a country of freedom elsewhere. That is why they need the assistance of a country like ours, the most powerful democratic country in the world, to speak on their behalf. We must speak loudly by passing the Vietnam Human Rights Bill. The longer we wait, the longer people like Venerable Thich Quang Do, Father Nguyen Van Ly, Mr. Le Cong Dinh and countless others like them will continue to suffer.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Thank you very much for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to support this very important legislation to bring awareness to breast cancer. For many women in my district and all over the United States, breast cancer is a life threatening disease. It is therefore imperative that we as a Nation do all we can to work towards a cure. The national statistics for breast cancer rates are intimidating. It is the leading cause of death in women ages 50-54. Thus, very few families are left untouched by the pain and suffering it causes. However, thanks to the efforts of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and other breast cancer awareness groups, breast cancer has the highest survival rate of any cancer that afflicts Americans. In fact, there are 2.5 million survivors that owe their lives to these efforts and to the power of early detection. My home district, the Second Congressional District of Louisiana, has the highest breast cancer mortality rate of any district in the United States and, unfortunately, the lowest early detection rates. Thanks to recent medical developments, early detection means more treatment options and higher success rates. It literally saves lives. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I want to stress the importance of having regular screenings to guarantee early detection and to improve women's chances for survival. I would also like to acknowledge a woman from Louisiana who's currently struggling with breast cancer, Mrs. Tara Stoulig Monistere. Mrs. Monistere is a 34-year-old wife and mother who was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer shortly after the birth of her daughter. Her situation is unusually difficult in that breast cancer rarely strikes young women and new mothers with such intensity. Every aspect of her life is compounded with greater stress levels and hardships as a result of this disease. However, she remains an active member of her community, maintains close relationships with family members, and fights her disease with great faith, bravery, and determination. Mrs. Monistere's personal struggle with breast cancer is one of countless examples that proves that this disease is too common for women of all ages. Breast cancer attacks a new victim every 2 minutes, and an estimated 3 million women are living with it in the United States today. I urge all women in my district and throughout the country to get tested regularly. Through continued awareness and preemptive action, we will proactively fight this disease and save more lives.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, for many immigrant families like mine, the struggle to preserve our culture and heritage and to contribute to the rich cultural fabric of our Nation assumes center stage. We make efforts to ensure, for example, that our children speak their native language and are familiar with their customs and traditions. One of the tools most often used by immigrant communities is multimedia through which cultural traditions are exhibited and transmitted. In the Vietnamese American community, for example, music and videos produced and distributed throughout the United States have cultivated and instilled in the minds of our children the love and respect for the heritage of their parents and grandparents. Unfortunately, organizations that produce these cultural expressions are being forced to close their doors due to significant financial losses from copyright infringement both here and abroad. Often, these organizations have lesser means and cannot survive this theft. Today, I call my upon my colleagues in Congress to join me in tough oversight of the Federal agencies responsible for prosecuting copyright infringement because enforcing these laws is critical for the survival of our cultural diversity.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 731 to observe National Preparedness Month. As a representative of a district that is prone to disasters and an original cosponsor of H. Res. 731, I speak on behalf of citizens who realize the significance of personal preparedness. The second district of Louisiana contains one of the world's largest ports. Thus, security and protection from external threats is important to us. It is imperative that all citizens are encouraged to prepare themselves and their families for possible emergencies by attaining supply kits, making a family emergency plan, and getting involved in the community in organizations such as Citizen Corps. Through H. Res. 731, we honor the public servants, government officials, and private citizens who work hard to keep our families secure from disasters and prepared for response to potential acts of terrorism. We express our appreciation for the commitment of law enforcement and emergency response personnel in supporting the goals and ideals of National Preparedness Month. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H. Res. 731.

Mr. CAO

Mr. CAO. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 151. Today I urge Congress to demand that China release democratic activist Liu Xiaobo from imprisonment. Liu Xiaobo has inspired millions of people to stare down their government and demand change. For his stance on democracy, he has unjustly been put under house arrest with almost no contact with the outside world. As the Chinese Government commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Communist Party's rule in China, we remember under Communist domination millions of innocent Chinese citizens were imprisoned and murdered. Liu Xiaobo once wrote that ``the most fundamental principles of democracy are that the people are sovereign and that the people select their own government. I must ask that the United States, as a representative of the free world, stand with the Chinese people and people all over the world in fighting for freedom and the abolition of totalitarian governments in favor of democracy.'' We must resolve to demand that the Chinese Government immediately release Liu Xiaobo and begin making strides toward a true representative democracy.