Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 199 is a modified open rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 2506, the fiscal year 2002 foreign operations appropriations act. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, evenly divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations. Any Member wishing to offer an amendment may do so, as long as it complies with the regular rules of the House and has been printed in the Congressional Record for other Members to see. This is, as I have said, Mr. Speaker, a modified open rule that will allow all Members the opportunity to offer amendments. This is, obviously, a fair rule that will allow Members ample opportunity to debate the very important issues which are connected to this underlying legislation. The underlying legislation is a product of bipartisanship. The Committee on Appropriations has funded a wide variety of programs while staying within the strict budgetary constraints. The bill provides funding for debt relief for heavily indebted countries. It increases funding for the Peace Corps. It increases funding for the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund. It provides disaster relief for our friends and neighbors in El Salvador. The legislation also reaffirms our commitment to our great ally, Israel, by fully funding President Bush's request of almost $3 billion for aid to Israel. The bill also includes language that requires the President to determine whether the PLO is complying with its commitments to renounce terrorism. If the President cannot determination that the PLO is in substantial compliance with its commitments, then he must impose one or more of the followings sanctions for a time period of at least 6 months: either the closure of the PLO office in Washington, the designation of the PLO or one or more of its affiliated groups as a terrorist organization, and the limitation of assistance provided under the West Bank and Gaza program of humanitarian assistance. Additionally, H.R. 2506 provides funding for portions of the President's Andean Regional Initiative. The Andean region, Mr. Speaker, is home to the only active insurgent movement in our hemisphere and home to the most intensive kidnapping and terrorist activity in our hemisphere. These activities pose a direct threat to hemispheric stability. The President's Andean Regional Initiative will strengthen democracy, regional stability and economic development in the region. The President's initiative will work to promote democracy and democratic institutions by providing support for judicial reform, anti- corruption measures and the peace process in Colombia. This program will also work to foster sustainable economic development and increased trade through alternative economic development, protection of the environment and renewal of the ATPA, the Andean Trade Preference Act. The initiative will work to reduce the supply of the illegal drugs at the source, while simultaneously reducing U.S. demand through eradication and interdiction efforts. There are two distinctive features of this program compared to last year's Plan Colombia assistance, both of whom aim to promote peace and to stem the flow of cocaine and heroine from the Andean region. First, the assistance for economic and social programs is roughly equal to the assistance for counter-narcotics programs. Second, more than half of the assistance is directed at regional countries that are experiencing the spill-over effects of the illicit drug and terrorist activities. The United States shares close cultural and economic ties with Latin America. We have a unique opportunity to help strengthen our hemisphere as a whole, and the President's Andean Regional Initiative is an important step in the right direction. HIV/AIDS has become an international crisis of tremendous devastation. In Africa, an estimated 17 million people have already lost their lives to AIDS, including 2.4 million who died just this last year. The Committee on Appropriations has made international HIV/AIDS relief a priority for this Congress by allocating $434 million within the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund for HIV/AIDS research and treatment and an additional $40 million in other accounts. This bill fully funds President Bush's request of $100 million for a global HIV/AIDS trust fund, and the level of $414 million available for bilateral HIV/AIDS assistance exceeds the authorization level of $300 million by $114 million. In addition to the $434 million appropriated in this bill, it is my understanding that the Committee on Appropriations has also included $100 million for HIV/AIDS assistance in the supplemental appropriations bill which, Mr. Speaker, we expect back from the conference shortly. As a matter of fact, the Committee on Rules will be meeting on it this evening. That is a total of $534 million for HIV/AIDS relief. I think it is a recognition of the degree of tragedy that the pandemic represents for mankind. I commend the Committee on Appropriations for their actions in that field. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. It balances national security needs with humanitarian aid. This is, as I stated before, an open and fair rule. I would urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying legislation which is very important to the national security interests of the United States. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), a new Member of this House who already has established a reputation as an expert in the area of foreign policy and international relations.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, again supporting the rule, urging our colleagues to support it as well as the underlying legislation which is so important, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 199 and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts), the distinguished chairman of the Republican Conference.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I talked to my son Danny today. He is 16 years old. He is no owner of one of these houses. He and his friends, however, through the generosity and the courtesy of the folks that lease here, they go out there and they fish and they swim. I talked to Danny today. I said, ``Danny, there is going to be an amendment to, in effect, knock these houses down. What should I tell my colleagues?'' He said, ``Dad, that's a Florida tradition. Nature is taking care of that.'' So why should now Congress intervene and knock down these homes? This is a really unfortunate amendment that our colleague from the other side of the aisle has brought forward. Let the kids go out there and swim and fish.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) for joining us in this very important effort. Today I rise to speak about the unfortunate fact that legal immigrant children and legal immigrant pregnant women do not have access to federal matching health care funds for health care services. Legal immigrants who enter the United States after August 22, 1996, must wait 5 years before they are eligible for either Medicaid or S- CHIP medical services. While these legal immigrants sometimes get emergency medical care, they are ineligible for basic medical services that reduce the need for such emergency care. This makes no sense and unnecessarily increases the costs to taxpayers. The bill I have introduced, H.R. 1143, the Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act of 2001, will lift the 5-year ban currently in place for health services for lawfully present immigrant children and pregnant women who enter the United States after August 22, 1996. The bill gives States the option of extending such services. The legislation will provide coverage for between 150,000 and 200,000 legal immigrant children and about 50,000 legal immigrant pregnant women and their babies. I ask my colleagues to please cosponsor H.R. 1143.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 162 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 162 is an open rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 2052, the Sudan Peace Act. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, evenly divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on International Relations. This is a completely fair rule. In fact, as I stated before, it is an open rule allowing all Members the opportunity to present amendments and, obviously, to debate this very important issue. The current situation in Sudan, Mr. Speaker, is extremely grave. More than 2 million men, women, and children have perished due to war- related causes; and more than 3 million men, women, and children have been forced from their homes. Thousands of children have been abducted and forcibly converted to practices that they reject, and slavery has become an institution of the so-called National Islamic Front. Many of these same men, women, and children have suffered harsh beatings and torture. In the face of this horrific tragedy, the Government of Sudan has continually blocked the efforts to provide aid to the people who need it most. Famine has been a constant, and the World Food Program has record that 3 million Sudanese will require emergency food aid this year alone. The situation is clearly intolerable, and we should do what we can to provide relief to the millions of displaced people in Sudan. In addition to the human rights abuses in their own region, the Government of Sudan has also, rightfully so, been considered a rogue state by much of the international community because of its support for international terrorism. The Government of Sudan has supported acts of international terrorism and allows the use of its territory for terrorist groups. The government there has been a safe haven for major terrorist figures. To preserve the safety of our Nation and to help with the safety and the security of the world, the international community, we must continue to send the message that support for terrorist activities is simply unacceptable. The underlying legislation, the Sudan Peace Act, condemns the prosecution of the war by the National Islamic Front government and the associated human rights abuses. The legislation also acknowledges the role that oil has played in the war, expresses this Congress' support for an internationally sanctioned peace process, and urges the President to make previously appropriated funds available to the National Democratic Alliance. Additionally, the legislation requires businesses engaged in commercial activity in Sudan to publicly disclose the extent of their activities before raising money in American capital markets. The underlying legislation has broad bipartisan support. The Bush administration has made Sudan a priority by announcing its intent to dispatch a special envoy; and I believe that now it is our turn, Congress' turn, to make Sudan a priority by passing this important piece of legislation. I would like to thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) and all those who have worked so hard to bring this important piece of legislation to the floor. I urge my colleagues in the strongest possible terms to support both this open rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon).

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns).

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), 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. DIAZ-BALART asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I commend all of my colleagues who have spoken so eloquently on this very, very important subject and join them in urging the House to obviously support this open rule, but also the underlying legislation. We, I hope, speak on this moral issue in a very united fashion this afternoon. 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. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Leonor Von Waldegg Delgado for her 96th birthday. Born on June 6, 1905 in Bogota, Colombia to Julian Delgado Mallarino and Mercedes Morales Rocha she celebrates a lifetime of achievements--the cornerstone of which is reflected in her loving family. She is the paternal grand-daughter of former Colombian Senator and Minister Evaristo Delgado and Susana Mallarino Cabal and the maternal grand-daughter of Julian Morales Quintero and Christina Rocha Caicedo. Her father, Julian Delgado Mallarino served as Colombian Minister of Public Instruction and her mother Mercedes Morales Rocha was known as a benevolent woman committed to helping children and the poor. Leonor was married on July 21, 1928 to Baron Herman Von Waldegg in Bogota at the Roman Catholic Church of Vera Cruz. Colombia's sitting President, Abadia Mendez was in the wedding procession and the reception followed at the Presidential Palace, La Casa de Narino. Baron Von Waldegg was a renowned archeologist featured in the May 1940 issue of the National Geographic magazine. He taught at Boston College in Massachusetts and Columbia University in New York and served as the Curator of Natural History in both Boston and New York. She comes from a large family. Her brothers include: Alvaro Delgado Morales, Carlos Delgado Morales, Enrique Delgado Morales, Julian Delgado Morales, Camilo Delgado Morales, Jaime Delgado Morales and German Delgado Morales. Her sisters include: Carolina Calle Mejia, Mercedes Gutierrez Rubio, Susana Arbelaez Manrique, Teresa Escruceria Mallarino, Ines Barbosa Manrique. She is the mother of Jimmy Von Waldegg and Teresa Uribe. She is the grandmother of Robert and Patty Dempster, Allen and Lisa Dempster, John and Fran Dempster, George D. Uribe II, and Sherry Arbelaez, Vicki Von Waldegg, Jaime Von Waldegg and the great-grandmother of Robbie Dempster, Jr., Dylan Dempster, Teddy Dempster, Becky Dempster, John F. Dempster II, Deanna Romero, Cheri Arbelaez and Daniel Evans Von Waldegg. She is the great-great grandmother of Sabrina Romero, Samantha Romero, Sierra Romero and James Arbelaez Tacconi. Today she celebrates an amazing life as well as an abundance of love for family, her faith in God and the legacy of integrity upheld throughout the generations. She instills a sense of responsibility and enjoys a rich cultural history. She has a winsome personality, a great sense of humor and an amazing ability to write and recite poetry. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate her on this special occasion and wish her a very happy birthday. I send my best to her family as they celebrate not only a birthday but also a legacy of a woman who will continue to live through the lives of her loved ones.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. 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.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we have crafted a fair rule, with 26 amendments made in order, over half from our friends from the other side of the aisle. The key issues have all been made in order for debate. We look forward to a vigorous debate on this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my support for the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul). (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), 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. Speaker, House Resolution 138 is a structured rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 1646, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for fiscal years 2002 and 2003. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on International Relations. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill and the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. It provides that no further amendment to the bill shall be in order except those printed in the Committee on Rules report. The rule provides that each amendment printed in the report shall be offered only in the order printed in the report except as specified in section 2 of the resolution. These amendments shall be offered by a Member designated in the report, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives all points of order against such amendments. Section 2 of the resolution allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to permit amendments printed in the Committee on Rules report to be considered out of the order printed provided that the majority leader or his designee announces such a request from the floor no sooner than 1 hour before its consideration. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. The authority provided in section 2 of the resolution will provide flexibility for the House during the lengthy consideration of this bill and the 26 amendments which have been made in order by the Committee on Rules. In considering amendments, the Committee on Rules was as fair and open as possible, Mr. Speaker. Of the 71 amendments filed, several of which were duplicative or overlapping, this rule makes in order three bipartisan amendments, 13 Democrat amendments, and 10 Republican amendments. I believe this is a generous composition. I commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) and my colleagues on the Committee on Rules for reaching this balance. I support this fair rule which brings forth very important bipartisan legislation authorizing appropriations for 2002 and 2003 for the Department of State, U.S. contributions to international organizations and commissions, international broadcasting activities, security assistance and for other purposes. This bill authorizes appropriations for the State Department, thereby setting an upper limit on the amounts that may be appropriated in the Commerce-Justice-State and the Foreign Operations appropriations bills. It also sets forth authorities and restrictions under which U.S. foreign policy operations may be conducted during the next 2 years. It is a good bill, Mr. Speaker. Some of the amendments that have been made in order can make the bill even better by addressing important issues, such as the Mexico City policy and United Nations funding. I believe the rule provides ample opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of the Mexico City policy concerning funding for international family planning organizations that offer abortions by allowing an amendment to strike an amendment that was adopted during the committee consideration of the bill. Members will have a clean vote on this issue after a thorough debate. As a believer in the right to life, I intend to support the Hyde-Barcia-Smith-Oberstar amendment because I believe in preserving the President's legal authority to implement the Mexico City policy. The President should have the same authority as those before him. Preserving this policy will not take any funding away from the $425 million the administration has requested for use in population assistance around the world. But my view is not what is important, Mr. Speaker. What is important is that this issue will be thoroughly available for debate. Last week, as Members know, the United Nations Economic and Social Council voted to remove the U.S. from the U.N. Commission on Human Rights for the first time since the commission's inception in 1947. Unfortunately, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights has more and more become a club of dictatorships, with the inclusion of such regimes as Sudan, China, Libya, Vietnam. The Cuban dictatorship is automatically reelected as a member each time. The expulsion of the United States simply shows, in my opinion, the true nature of a significant portion of that commission. I am confident that the United States Congress through this legislation will make it clear that it takes note of what is unfortunately really happening to the United Nations. In response to the U.N. actions, we will be debating the Hyde-Lantos- Sweeney amendment, which would send a clear signal to the governments which did not stand with the U.S. on the U.N. vote that expelled the United States from the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. Hyde-Lantos- Sweeney, which I intend to support, ties United States return to the U.N. Human Rights Commission to the release of $244 million in previously appropriated funds to pay U.S. arrearages to the United Nations. If the amendment is adopted, money will still be available to be released for fiscal year 2001; but it would condition the spending of money for 2002 on the readmission of the United States to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, giving the U.N. ample opportunity to meet this condition. I am also supportive of an amendment sponsored by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) which will keep the U.S. from wasting valuable time and funds joining and participating in the U.N. so-called Educational and Scientific Cultural Organization, which in my view is an organization truly in search of a mission. Currently, the U.S. gives approximately $3 million each year on a voluntary basis to support educational, scientific, and cultural projects which we feel are worthwhile, whereas if we were to become a member, we would be funding good and bad projects alike. This structured rule is not without precedent, Mr. Speaker. In the 103rd Congress, at the request of the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, the State Department authorization bill was considered under a structured rule. We also considered last year's American Embassy security bill under a structured rule. The rule is allowing for 26 amendments, which will obviously take up a significant amount of time of the House, and which are as wide- ranging in subject as they are in sponsorship. I look forward to a vigorous debate on this bill. I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), as well as the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for their commitment to human rights, their hard work in crafting this bipartisan bill and, as always, for making us all in this House proud. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.