Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), my good friend.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney).

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I am honored to yield 6 minutes to my distinguished friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on July 16, 2003 Mrs. Celia Cruz passed away, however, her legacy will be eternal. Celia Cruz was a musical genius and an extraordinary human being, dedicated to improving the lives of all, to the most admirable humanitarian causes, and with a profound love for Cuba and her people. Celia Cruz's exceptional life is a model and inspiration to all people. Her blessed voice combined with her gentle soul brought comfort and happiness to every corner of the planet. Mrs. Cruz was not only the Ambassador of free Cuba's music, she represented the finest qualities of Cuban-Americans and Cuban exiles, and was a constant voice for freedom on the oppressed island nation. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Cruz died longing to return to a free and democratic Cuba, but as Reverend Martin Anorga so eloquently stated during her funeral mass, ``Celia did not leave Cuba because she took Cuba with her when she left.'' Hundreds of thousands of people of all nationalities paid their respects and tribute to the ``Queen of Latin Music'' in Miami and New York. Even at the moment of her death Mrs. Cruz made certain that her physical passing would be a celebration of the happiness she embodied. The passing of Celia Cruz is cause for deep pain. I send my deepest condolences to her husband, another great Cuban, Pedro Knight. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the record an editorial by The Washington Post which appropriately honors the life and legacy of Celia Cruz. A Voice of Cuba Sugar is a symbol of Cuba, not only a core industry but a key ingredient of its history and heritage and a timeless reminder of both sweeter and grittier times for the island's people. And in Spanish, ``Azucar!'' was also the signature trill of Celia Cruz, whose voice has embodied the sound of Cuba for decades. Ms. Cruz, who died Wednesday of brain cancer, was the voice of a generation, and the one after, and the one after that. She started out singing lullabies to her nieces and until the end continued to shake what her mama gave her. Young couples in the 1950s swayed to her rhythms as part of the band La Sonora Matancera; those same couples' grandchildren got down to her single ``La Negra Tiene Tumbao,'' whose album won a Latin Grammy in 2002. When Ms. Cruz defected from Cuba in 1960, her songs were banned in her home country, though in recent years Cuban aficionados could listen to her hits by tuning into Miami radio stations. At first, the sensation who left behind stardom in Cuba and sought liberty in the United States had no easy time; her efforts for the next decade stumbled. But like so many immigrants seeking the American dream, she eventually made it: That clear, operatic voice could not be denied. Hers was a talent that reached far beyond her own culture. In concert, she charmed audiences throughout Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia, and Ms. Cruz's more than 70 records became a clarion call for music lovers worldwide. She moved, effortlessly between the Afro-Cuban rhythms of her youth to the salsa she defined and redefined; later in her career she embraced hip-hop style and transformed it into eye-popping music videos. For her, it was all part of the same music and a shared experience. Unlike so many celebrities of the modern era, Ms. Cruz knew firsthand of the atrocities of communism in Cuba, and she spoke frankly of her time and challenges there. Ms. Cruz's voice instantly fills a room with the feel of swaying palm fronds and cigar smoke, bringing back memories of a Cuba before Fidel Castro's dictatorship. But her art transcended any political agenda. Ms. Cruz always remained a lady, coy about her age and decked out in extravagant outfits even in her last public appearances--accompanied nearly always by her husband of 40 years, Pedro Knight. For thousands of Cuban exiles, listening to her music will remain a time machine, a connection to a homeland that in many ways no longer exists. She, like so many others of her generation, was never able to return to the free Cuba for which she longed. But her message was also one of hope, inspiring fans of all nationalities with her indomitable voice, ringing at once with grace and perseverance every time she cried out, ``Azucar!''

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Raul Rivero is the dean of independent journalism in Cuba, having founded in 1995 Cuba Press, a news agency for independent journalists in Cuba. Mr. Rivero is also a world acclaimed poet and writer. His articles have appeared in publications such as The Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post. He has been recognized by such prestigious organizations as Reporters Without Borders. However, in totalitarian Cuba, Mr. Rivero is banned from publishing. In fact, the Castro regime is so threatened by Mr. Rivero's writing that in March Castro sent his thugs to his home to arrest him and 75 other dissidents and subsequently sentenced Mr. Rivero to 20 years in prison. In 1991 Mr. Rivero, along with 10 other intellectuals, signed a petition to the Castro regime calling for the liberation of all prisoners of conscience. Of the 10 signatories Mr. Rivero is the only one still living in Cuba and now finds himself in Castro's gulag for simply daring to write in his own country. Mr. Rivero must not die in Castro's prisons. Mr. Rivero and all political prisoners must be liberated now!

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on The Western Hemisphere of the Committee on International Relations.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The legislation that we bring to the floor today is extremely important to the national interests of the United States. The $17-plus billion in this legislation helps millions of people throughout the world. This is an extremely important piece of legislation. We bring it to the floor with an open rule. In other words, any relevant amendment, any germane amendment by any Member of this House will be able to be introduced and debated. It is an open rule. So again I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), ranking member, and members of the subcommittee for their hard work on this important issue; and at this point, once again, urge all of our colleagues to support the underlying legislation and this open rule.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 327 is an open rule that provides for the consideration of H.R. 2800, the fiscal year 2004 Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member on Appropriations. The rule also provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. The legislation we bring today to the floor, Mr. Speaker, appropriates over $17 billion for operations across the globe. This bill is fiscally sound while at the same time, I think, is responsive to many of the needs that we are seeking to address throughout the world where there are extraordinarily difficult issues related to disease and famine and many other forms of international disaster. H.R. 2800 provides over $1.4 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. It is $86 million above the President's request. The funding will continue its important mission to provide training and technical assistance to private and voluntary organizations that work to eradicate debilitating diseases from both individuals and, in fact, societies. The majority of this funding will be included in the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund, dedicated to lowering infant, child and maternal mortality rates in developing countries. The fund will see, through this legislation, a substantial increase of over $400 million over last year's appropriation. The Agency for International Development, AID, will receive over $4.7 billion, $166 million above last fiscal year. Continuing its mission first defined by the Marshall Plan following World War II, AID has embarked on aggressive plans to promote health and economic strength through environmental protection, agricultural assistance and educational programs. As with many other agencies following September 11, 2001, AID has recently seen its work extend to essential tasks related to the elimination of terrorism and social unrest through programs that attempt to contribute to stability. Although AID's work on terrorism is vital, H.R. 2800 goes much further, seeking to ensure significant funding for international security through assistance programs and activities in other realms. The bill provides over $2.6 billion for assistance to Israel. As the roadmap to peace in this very delicate process moves forward, it is our obligation, it is the obligation of this Congress to ensure support for Israel in every way necessary. In other foreign assistance, H.R. 2800 funds the Andean Counterdrug Initiative, at the President's request, $731 million. For years, terrorists in Colombia have plagued efforts in that democratic country for peace. We believe that proactive action must continue to be taken to help the Colombian people defeat the armed rebels and to, as much as possible, stabilize that democratic society. With the current landscape in the world today, foreign assistance is as strategically just, really, as it is a moral imperative. Instability in the world creates, Mr. Speaker, an environment in which terrorism finds it easy to breed new converts. We must not take progress, in the Andean region for example, for granted. If the United States turns its back on that region, the possible scenarios are extremely worrisome. For the first time, Mr. Speaker, this bill appropriates $800 million for the President's Millennium Challenge Account. This historic expansion in foreign aid serves to bring economic security and basic tenets of democracy to those that really have not seen them in the past or to societies where democracy is extremely fragile. The Millennium Challenge Account will be administered by a government corporation held responsible to results and yet benefiting from flexibility to provide innovative solutions to the problems of poverty. H.R. 2800, Mr. Speaker, was introduced by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), chairman of the subcommittee, and was reported out of the Committee on Appropriations on July 16 by a voice vote, in other words, with extraordinary bipartisan support. It is very good legislation. Chairman Kolbe has long worked on this, as well as the members of the subcommittee, and I think they all deserve our gratitude. So I thank Chairman Kolbe and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), for their leadership on this important issue. And I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), a distinguished, fine leader of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by the direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 327 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for purposes of debate only. (Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 382, due to a technical difficulty, my vote was recorded as a ``no.'' It should have been an ``aye.'' Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Rahall

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. For years the National Institutes of Health have served as our Pentagon in the war against disease. I think Americans, as well as people around the world, have benefited. Now, we must call upon, and we do so in this important piece of legislation, for the NIH to utilize its expertise and innovation, the expertise and innovation of all of its scientists to guard this Nation against the horrors that a serious biological attack would mean. We have already seen, Mr. Speaker, a biological attack on this country. We know the great damage that it can cause. So what this legislation is doing is taking another important step, taking another important step by this Congress to protect the Nation from the great damage that a biological attack would cause. I thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Cox) and the entire committee for its hard work in bringing forth this important piece of legislation today.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by the direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 316 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. (Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Every week, pursuant to an idea of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), he and I rise on this floor to speak about the brave men and women who are languishing in prisons in totalitarian Cuba, an island that has been oppressed for 44 years by a totalitarian dictator. So each week I spend a few minutes at least bringing forth specific cases to remind our colleagues and all those who will listen about the horrors taking place just 90 miles from the shores of the United States. This week, I would like to speak about Rafael Ibarra. Rafael Ibarra heads the 30th of November Democratic Party, an island-wide opposition movement to the Castro tyranny. In 1994, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison and is currently at the prison known as Combinado del Este, after having spent 3 years in an isolation cell in the province of Camaguey, in an area of Camaguey in Cuba, hundreds of miles from his family. In 1997, his wife at the time, Maritza Lugo, also a highly respected prodemocracy activist, was arrested as well and sentenced to 2 years, leaving their two daughters without parents. On multiple occasions after 1999, Maritza would continue to be arrested and harassed by the regime. Even when Maritza and Rafael were both in prison at the same time, the dictator sought to evict their two girls from their small farmhouse which had become a gathering point for human rights and prodemocracy meetings. Rafael Ibarra was one of the political prisoners who recently signed the Cuban flag painted on a pillow case and sent it to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Maritza and her two daughters, at Rafael's request, fled Cuba as refugees in 2002 to the United States so that the girls could be able to live in freedom. Next year, Mr. Speaker, will mark 10 years that Rafael has been imprisoned, much of that time in solitary confinement. While other fathers have been able to watch their daughters grow and guide them as they become young adults, Rafael has been confined in Castro's gulag for daring to dream and to work on behalf of a democratic Cuba. Our thoughts and our prayers are with him, as is our solidarity and our profound admiration, and we demand once again the liberation of Rafael Ibarra and all of Cuba's political prisoners.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), chairman of the Committee on Rules; and I wish to thank him for his courtesy in being here this morning. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), be allowed to continue controlling the time for our side.