Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, not in the chamber at this time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, reiterating my support for the underlying legislation and this very fair rule, I also 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 543 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I think it is about time that finally we are exerting the leadership in this Congress to get assistance to those heroic fighters for the interests not only of their own countries, the peoples of their own countries, in Colombia, in Peru and in Bolivia, but our young people here who are the victims of the poison that is coming in every day from South America. It is those Colombian National Police heroes as the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) was talking about that we cannot even get helicopters to. The Administration has held them up even when we have financed them. So this bill does very important things in addition to trying in multiple ways to get to the core of the problem. Mr. Chairman, I need to point out something that continues to be a reality. I have in my office on video a customs agent who is on the front lines every day fighting drugs. He says that over 50 percent of the cocaine that comes in through the Caribbean comes through or from Cuba. The Clinton administration continues to deny and ignore and thus cover up the Cuban dictatorship's participation in drug trafficking. Out of frustration, the U.S. Attorney in that office, the Southern District of Florida, leaked an indictment that is prepared, and it has been prepared since 1993 that charges the Cuban government as a racketeering enterprise for a 10-year conspiracy to send tons of Colombian cartel cocaine through Cuba to the United States. Now, that indictment has been put in a drawer due to an order from Washington. Out of frustration it was leaked to the press; as was leaked, also, an investigation of a drug dealer who in 1996 after having been arrested, agreed, due to the fact that he had had multiple drug dealings with the Cuban government, to go back in under surveillance and do another deal with the Cuban government, with the Cuban dictatorship. That continues to be covered up. So there is an inconsistency. There is an inconsistency between what the people on the front lines are saying and what the higher-ups are saying, even to us here in Congress, where I maintain, Mr. Chairman, we have been lied to and we continue to be lied to. The Clinton administration cannot continue this cover-up. We are going to continue investigating and pressing this issue, because the poison that is coming in to kill our young people in this country is not acceptable and a policy that covers up the importation of that policy is at the very least unconscionable as well as unacceptable.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton), the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen), and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez) who have been so helpful with this resolution. I do support this resolution. I have had in the past, differences with my friend, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) on Cuba policy, and yet it is evident and it has always been evident that Lee Hamilton does not in any way condone or accept nor whitewash, nor much less support, any of the brutality that Castro has been responsible for and continues to be responsible for and has been for 40 years. Mr. Speaker, I think that this is an important resolution because basically what it does is that it restates the overwhelming support that the United States people, the American people and its representatives and the representatives in Congress have for the right of the Cuban people to be free. Without any doubt, those were extraordinarily hopeful days in January where the Cubans felt, since the eyes of the world were upon Cuba and that extraordinary figure of this century was present, that they could not be as easily brutalized during those days. Even so, even during those days, we saw the examples of the very brave demonstrators during the Pope's Masses who were dragged off, some even pulled by their hair, young ladies, and in other demonstrations of violence, manifestations of violence by that gangster regime. Even during the Pope's Masses, those things happened. So the essence of the regime has not changed. I think when we realize that perhaps the most distinguished, certainly the most well known Catholic leader in Cuba today, Catholic political leader in Cuba today, Oswaldo Paya was not even allowed to meet with the Pope, that political prisoners were picked up, were made prisoners, men and women were made political prisoners even during the days of the visit and that the hundreds, and I have a list of 1,500 approximately, political prisoners in my office, that they still languish, they still languish in Cuban prisons, from the most well known to some who have never received publicity. They all deserve and receive our support. We think of them. And our policy, Mr. Speaker, is well set and is clear, and it is in law. We will maintain our policy of not trading or permitting trade with the Cuban regime as long as all political prisoners are not free, all political parties are not legalized, and free elections are not condoned. That is our policy, it is codified, and we, the American people, will continue to stand with the Cuban people. I appreciate the opportunity for this intervention and for this resolution to have been filed.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning first of all to commend the FBI. They yesterday carried out a very important operation in furtherance of United States national security, along with, obviously, other law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. The United States is indeed blessed to have agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and our other law enforcement agencies, as well as the intelligence community generally, that works day in and day out to protect the national security of the American people. Yesterday, the arrests that were made, ten in all, were of spies for the Cuban dictatorship, agents of the Cuban dictatorship engaged in activities, in espionage activities, to infiltrate U.S. centers of military, political, economic and academic power, as well as means of communication. That is the mission of the state security intelligence services of the Cuban dictatorship. So when we see an action such as the one carried out yesterday by the FBI, all of the American people have to feel pleased, supported and protected, and in exchange I think it is the duty of all Americans to support the FBI, to commend the FBI and our other law enforcement agencies. I think yesterday's arrests of Cuban spies in the United States underlines the true nature of the terrorist state in Havana. These arrests by U.S. authorities of numerous Cuban intelligence agents, I am sure, will serve to remind the American people of the genuine nature and continued threat posed by the Cuban totalitarian regime, just 90 miles from the shores of the United States. Despite what is evident on behalf of the majority of the media and the means of communication is a total ignoring of the reality of Cuba. Just the night before, how ironic, CNN, that television network that has sometimes been referred to as the ``Castro News Network'' because of its fetish for seeking to make Castro at all costs look good, and I know that is something that is impossible, but it is continuously attempted to be done by CNN. CNN had provided one hour of prime time to the Cuban tyrant, one hour of prime time, with the main objective of giving him an opportunity to whitewash and somehow project that he did not in fact in writing call for a nuclear first strike upon the United States of America during the missile crisis in 1962. Castro, some of you may have seen the interview, pulled out these books of reports and tried to somehow say, obviously with no follow-up, absolutely no follow-up questioning by the CNN reporter, that no, he did not really mean to say that the Soviet Union should launch a nuclear first strike. Well, how ironic, that just the next day, and a generation later, it is that same regime led by that tyrant that has spies in the United States that were arrested for precisely caring out activities against U.S. military and political centers of power. So I commend the FBI. There is so much more that has to be done. There is an indictment that is prepared, it is ready, it was prepared by the U.S. Attorney in South Florida, against the Cuban regime. This was leaked out of frustration, by the way, by the U.S. Attorney to the press, when evidently from Washington the order came down that the indictment was not to be issued. Prosecutors have an indictment ready charging the Cuban government as a racketeering enterprise for a 10 year conspiracy to send tons of Colombian cartel cocaine through Cuba to the United States. This indictment is ready. The evidence is available. It is overwhelming. The Clinton Administration has in fact ordered this indictment to be placed in a drawer and hidden. Because of the frustration, it was leaked to the media. I have not even had time to address the dangers this morning to our national security from the nuclear power plants that Castro is building, but, Mr. Speaker, in coming days I will address on this floor those threats.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, the founders of this extraordinary constitutional republic created a system of government that is as resilient as it is intent upon being protective of the freedoms of the American people. I think we in this moment in history are seeing another manifestation of that resiliency and of that fundamental greatness of the system that was created by our Founding Fathers. I have to respectfully but emphatically reject the accusation that we have heard this morning of unfairness that has been hurled at the Committee on Rules. The Committee on Rules has bent over backwards in satisfaction of the guidance that the Speaker and the minority leader and the distinguished member of the Committee on the Judiciary and the ranking member gave us to be precisely fair. How ironic it is that it was from the other side of the aisle that the most emphatic and passionate requests were made to us last night to instantaneously make public everything in those many boxes that have been received and are under lock and key at this moment, and thus could not have been leaked and have not been leaked by this House. The other side of the aisle most emphatically asked that everything be made public today. There were other requests from both sides of the aisle that nothing be made public. We have bent over backwards to be fair, and we have created a system, a rule that is fair, that protects the right of the American people to learn the facts, and the right of due and deliberative process for the President and all other citizens who may be affected by these proceedings that in effect we are authorizing today by this rule and by the rule next week that we will be bringing to the floor.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Madam Chairman, I have been very impressed, since the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Redmond) arrived in this chamber, with his extraordinary perseverance and leadership on the issue of redress for what is, yes, a historic injustice but it is nevertheless an injustice. One of the characteristics that I think speak very highly of the people of the United States of America is that Americans redress and rectify injustice, even when it is historic, and even when it is an injustice of generations ago. It is without doubt, it can be without doubt, that at the end of the war between the United States and Mexico, many of the rights that were given by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo to the citizens who were previously Mexican citizens and then became American citizens, many of the rights that were given to them under that treaty were not complied with. What the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Redmond) is seeking to do in this historic legislation is not to give the Commission that this legislation is creating any judicial powers, but it is authorizing this commission to review and make recommendations to Congress with regard to precisely any historic injustices that have not been redressed and have not been remedied. So I think we owe a debt of gratitude to this representative, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Redmond), who so courageously and with great leadership is bringing this matter to the floor. I commend him again. This is an extremely important matter, Madam Chairman. The reality of the matter is that these citizens, these citizens who became Americans virtually overnight, many of them at the time, nearly 80,000, their rights were not always protected. And it is many of the descendents of those citizens who have long maintained that the United States did not fulfill the obligations under the treaty and that the Mexicans who became American citizens lost their rights and their titles to much of their property. That is why an analysis of this situation, a thorough study has to be done. That is why this commission is an important idea, and that is why the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Redmond) has to be congratulated and supported for his leadership, and we must all support this legislation today.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

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

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 521 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam 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 purposes of debate only. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 521 is an open rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 2863, the Migratory Bird Reform Act of 1998. The purpose of the bill is to codify a uniform standard to determine when someone is guilty of hunting migratory birds on a baited field. The rule provides the customary 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Resources. The rule makes in order for the purposes of amendment the substitute recommended by the Committee on Resources now printed in the bill which shall be considered as read. In addition, the rule permits the Chair to grant priority in recognition to members who have preprinted their amendments, and considers them as read. Further, as has become standard practice for open rules, the Chair is allowed to postpone recorded votes and reduce the time for electronic voting on postponed votes. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that the House is able to consider legislation today that enjoys wide bipartisan support. H.R. 2863 is needed to clarify baiting restrictions under the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which is the United States law which implemented the convention for the protection of migratory birds signed in 1916 by the United States, and on behalf of Canada, by Great Britain. A curious provision which has caused some controversy in the 80 years since Congress passed the Migratory Bird Act involves the hunting of birds over fields that have been illegally baited to attract these migratory birds. I am not a hunter, but hunters are well aware that hunting migratory birds over bait is considered unsportsmanlike and is illegal. This is not in dispute and will remain illegal under this bill. The problem, however, arises when a hunter was truly unaware of the nearby bait. The current Fish and Wildlife regulations provide no possible defense for a hunter who may have been legitimately and completely unaware that someone else may have scattered corn, for example, in a nearby field. Simply possessing a loaded firearm in a nearby field is enough to convict a hunter of a crime in most States. H.R. 2863 seeks to bring some common sense and uniformity to baiting regulations. The bill applies a single standard that make it unlawful for a person to hunt over a baited field if that person knows or reasonably should know that the area is baited, and also makes it unlawful for someone to place that bait in the field for the purpose of attracting migratory birds for hunters. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule. I guess it could be referred to as the House version of the Byrd rule. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Gilberto Wong, a leader in the Nicaraguan exile community in south Florida who returned to Nicaragua to help his native country develop economically and consolidate its hard-fought democracy. Educated in both Nicaragua and the United States, Mr. Wong earned degrees from the Instituto Pedagogico de Managua and Saint Edward's University in Austin, TX. Once he arrived to exile in Florida in 1979, Mr. Wong made a name for himself and quickly rose in the ranks of the financial community, becoming vice-president of a prestigious financial institution as well as president of the Nicaraguan American Bankers and Businessmen Association. The Wong family has deep roots in the south Florida community, and Gilberto's brother, Juan, is co-owner of Los Ranchos, an extremely popular chain of Nicaraguan steak houses in Miami-Dade County. In the early 1990s, Mr. Gilberto Wong returned to his homeland to become general manager of the newly-founded Banco de la Exportacion, headquartered in Managua. This bank opened in 1992, specializing in trade finance services, including letters of credit and collections. That same year, Mr. Wong was awarded the great honor of being named Nicaraguan-American banker of the year. Based on his extensive experience in both the financial and trade arenas, in 1997 Mr. Wong was appointed executive secretary of the state-owned Corporation of Free Trade Zones of Nicaragua. These export- processing zones are among the major employers in Nicaragua, and they provide over 12,000 jobs, with close to three-fourths of the positions being filled by women. Now that Mr. Wong's term has expired as general manager of the Corporation of Free Trade Zones, he has been named director of communications for Nicaragua's President, His Excellency the Honorable Arnoldo Aleman. Mr. Wong is active in numerous associations, including the China-Nicaraguan Association, which he serves as president, the American Chamber of Commerce of Nicaragua, the Nicaraguan-American College and the Association of Friends of the National Police. I have been honored to know the Wong family for almost twenty years and my friendship with Gilberto runs very deep, Mr. Speaker. It is with a great sense of privilege that I rise today to honor this great patriot, Gilberto Wong, and to congratulate him for the numerous and extraordinary accomplishments that he has already achieved despite his youth.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, the campaign which has been led by the gentleman from Colorado in Jihad fashion for years to kill Cuba broadcasting has had many tactics and strategies. The tactic that is being emphasized now, the tactic a la mode, is Castro jamming. That is the tactic being emphasized now. We have heard other tactics, and we have certainly seen them. The gentleman from Colorado referred to report after report, investigation after investigation, report after report, investigation after investigation that has been imposed upon that group of Federal workers, and yet they continue to do their job and to do a good job. One of the last reports imposed upon those Federal workers, done by the Board of Broadcasting Governors, contained a survey, the most scientific and empirical survey that has been done in any totalitarian state with regards to the reception of our broadcasts, and the survey was specifically with regard to what the gentleman from Colorado with his amendment seeks to kill today, Television Marti. That survey, which was made public first in two ``Dear Colleagues'' from the gentleman from Colorado, dated July 23, stated that TV Marti viewership, and I mention it here, has a 1.5 percent audience share. Now, let us look at this. This is the survey that I first came across from a report that the gentleman from Colorado made public now, a 1.5 percent audience share. Let us compare that to the other equally important radio broadcasts that our Nation sends, for example, to China, Radio Free Asia. In Cantonese, \1/10\ of 1 percent is what that same report from the Board of Governors says is the audience share of Radio Free Asia in Cantonese, our broadcasts to China. Not 1.5 percent, but \1/10\ of 1 percent. In English, \6/10\ of 1 percent. In Mandarin, 2 percent, comparable to the 1.5 percent audience share that TV Marti has. This is with a survey, which, of course, then in a subsequent Dear Colleague, the gentleman from Colorado said ``No, no, no, wait a minute. I am not making that survey public; do not pay attention to it now, because I made reference to it in a Dear Colleague.'' No, I want to make reference and emphasis on the survey that the gentleman from Colorado made public, a 1.5 percent audience share. This was an actual survey of viewers of Television Marti. What are the comparables with regard to the radio broadcasts, very important broadcasts to Croatia and Hungary and Slavonia and Russia? They are all comparable, for example, around the 2 percent range. I do not know if the Russians continue to jam or not. I do know that when the Russians were at their maximum jamming capacity, it was down to what it is in China today, \1/10\ of 1 percent. But I have never heard in the 6 years that I have been in Congress, nor in my studies beforehand, the gentleman from Colorado or the other opponents of Cuba broadcasting, never once have I heard them say, ``Oh, wait a minute. There is jamming. There was jamming of Radio Free Europe. There was jamming of Radio Liberty. There is jamming today by the communist Chinese of Radio Free Asia, so we have to eliminate that.'' No, thank God, they have not embarked upon their Jihad to try to kill Radio Free Asia, and they did not try to kill Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. But for some reason, they have embarked and they continued to embark on this Jihad to kill Cuba broadcasting. He says now that it is TV Marti that he is after, based on the pretext of the audience. But I remember, I remember in 1993 when I was a freshman Member of this House and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Skaggs) had an amendment, and succeeded at the first stage in the appropriations process in killing radio and television, television and radio. The greatest success story in the history of USIA broadcasts, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Skaggs) tried to kill that as well. But he cannot use the reception argument on that, so he talks about the reception of TV Marti. According to the gentleman's own report that he made public, it is 1.5 percent. Let us be clear. I think the best way which we can understand what the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Skaggs) is after is in Castro's own newspaper, Cuba Workers, from July 20: The recent budget approved by the U.S. House contains funding again for Radio and TV Marti. It is incredible how much money is wasted to support extremist positions of the most conservative American legislators. Fortunately, of course, there are some legislators who have been objective in opposing these bills, such as Democrat Representative David Skaggs, whose analyses prove that both Radio and TV Marti are a waste of public funds. I do not think it is a time to provide a victory for Castro. It is a time to continue the fight for freedom of information for Cuba, and continue funding for TV Marti.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice to the salute by all of the American people and all of their representatives to the fallen heroes of the Capitol Police Force, Officer Jacob Joseph Chestnut and Detective John Michael Gibson. How appropriate it is indeed that the bodies of Officer Chestnut and Detective Gibson will lie in honor in the Rotunda of the Capitol that they honored each day with their work, the Capitol whose many visitors and those of us who have the honor of working here, these officers risked their lives day in and day out to protect, and indeed, they gave their lives to protect. It is not often, Mr. Speaker, that we have the honor of paying tribute to genuine heroes in our midst. It is with the most profound reverence and admiration that all of us in this Congress stand as one tonight to pay our respects to these fallen heroes, Officers J.J. Chestnut and John Gibson, and to stand in solidarity with their families, to whom we commit our endless friendship and for whom we offer our prayers.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for the vote on H. Con. Res. 208, Expressing the Sense of the Congress Regarding Access to Affordable Housing and Expansion of Homeownership Opportunities, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for the vote on H.R. 3874, The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998, I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for the vote on H. Res. 392, Relating to the Importance of Japanese American Relations, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, one year ago today, July 16, 1997, four of the most distinguished and respected leaders of the pro-democracy movement inside Cuba were picked up in their homes by the political police and thrown into Castro's prisons. Economist Marta Beatriz Roque, Social Democratic Party President Vladimiro Roca, former university professor Felix Bonne, and attorney Rene Gomez Manzano have languished in Castro's prisons for 1 year without Castro even having decided what to charge them with. Yesterday, in an open letter to the foreign press and Diplomatic Corps, Vladimiro Roca asked for ``a fair and public trial'' for himself and the three other dissident leaders. The letter, distributed by his wife, states, ``We wish to draw public attention to our situation, and to demand a fair and public trial in the presence of the foreign press and any diplomats accredited in Cuba who may wish to attend, in proceedings both transparent and above board.'' Mr. Speaker, in what constitutes an embarrassment to mankind, there is a conspiracy of silence regarding the suffering of Cuba, but the Congress of the United States of America will continue to stand on the side of the Cuban people and against the tyranny that oppresses them until Cuba is free.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of it today, the Ros-Lehtinen Abraham legislation, is extraordinarily important and I think it is fitting and just that we adopt it today and, hopefully, with a very, very large bipartisan margin. Poll after poll after poll shows that the overwhelming majority of the American people support the right of the parents to be notified if their children are going to have abortions. And as the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Myrick) has stated, 20 States have adopted laws to require parents to be notified. But an industry has developed, in effect, to void, to evade, to dodge those laws passed by the sovereign will of the people of 20 States who have said we want there to be parental notification. So what we are saying is, no, no, they should not be able to, by subterfuge, by plan, evade and dodge those laws. We are saying no, no, they cannot create an industry that, in effect, even in writing, in publications such as the phone books, the yellow pages, an industry that says evade the law, dodge the law in one State, come across the border, and the law will not apply. That is something that is very serious. Obviously, the underlying topic that is dealt with here is very serious as well. If there is a child with a problem, the parent should know about that child's problem, to work with that child in finding the most just, the most humane solution precisely for that child. That is why 20 States have taken the step of requiring that the parents of the child be notified. So what we are saying is, no, they cannot avoid, they cannot evade, they cannot dodge the laws by creating what has happened, which is this industry that has risen precisely to make the laws, the State laws, worthless. And that is why this legislation is so very important and so timely, and I commend the leadership for bringing it forward, for supporting the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and, of course, my colleagues on the Committee on Rules for having brought it forth as expeditiously as it has been brought forth.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 491 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am a firm believer that history is a very important teacher. With regard to what was stated by my distinguished colleague and friend on the Committee on Rules that we have not fulfilled the requirements of the Budget Act in that all the appropriations bills have not been passed, I myself stated that earlier, but I think it is important to look at history, even recent history, when our friends on the other side of the aisle controlled the majority in this House and had the presidency, also, by a member of their party, which obviously it is much easier when you do not have to negotiate every single appropriations bill between the White House and the Congress in divided government. Even then in the 103rd Congress, all the appropriations bills were not passed before July 1. If we go back just a few years before that, to the 101st Congress, for example, only one appropriations bill had been passed before the July recess in the first session and we will have passed five today. If we go back just a few years before that, to the 97th Congress, no appropriations bills had been passed by this House before the July recess. I think it is important to point that out. I think that it is also important to point out and to put in context what we have done, that it is the 105th Congress, with a majority on this side of the aisle, that has balanced the Federal budget for the first time in 30 years, and that is, I think, an accomplishment that is something that we can all in this House feel proud of. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Speaker, accordingly, I would simply reiterate that this is an important resolution, that it is appropriate that we be able to think out loud and consult with our constituents in the next days. Madam 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. Madam Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter). During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), distinguished majority leader.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time a I may consume. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 491 provides for consideration in the House of a concurrent resolution providing for the adjournment of the House and Senate for the Independence Day work period. All points of order are waived against the resolution and its consideration. Madam Speaker, obviously this has been a very busy year in the House. We have spent a significant number of hours on the floor debating issues ranging from higher education priorities to transportation needs, from the self-determination of the people of Puerto Rico to financial services modernization. The House will have passed five appropriations bills by the time we leave for our Fourth of July district work period later today, and we will hopefully pass the other appropriations bills soon after returning from the break. While adjournment resolutions are usually privileged, a rule is needed in order to waive a point of order that could be raised against the Fourth of July district work period resolution on the grounds that it would violate section 309 of the Budget Act which prohibits the House from adjourning for more than 3 days in July unless the House has completed action on all appropriations bills. Independence Day is a time to be back in our districts, not only celebrating the birth of this great Nation but meeting with and listening to what our constituents have to say about the issues that are important to them. I personally, as I am sure most Members of this House, have numerous meetings with constituent groups scheduled in the next days. The Congress has very important spending decisions to make with limited funds, and time spent in our districts listening to the priorities of our constituents will be very worthwhile. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I feel it appropriate that we in the House return to our districts for the Independence Day work period to reflect together with our constituents on the principles that founded this Nation and also to consult with them and think out loud with them on the issues that confront us in the weeks ahead. I would urge adoption of this resolution, 491. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. (Ms. SLAUGHTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Speaker, I read in the press this morning that a well-known actor by the name of Jack Nicholson is right now in Cuba. Not only did he arrive there and apparently demonstrate his intention to violate U.S. law, but he called, according to the press reports that I read this morning, Castro's Cuba a ``paradise.'' I would recommend to Mr. Nicholson, or to the President of Colombia, the gentleman whose visa has been denied to enter the United States because of allegations that he received money from the narcotraffickers in his campaign for President 4 years ago, I would recommend that both of them in the so-called paradise as described by Mr. Nicholson, that they seek to visit some of the political prisons, some of the prisons, of the hundreds of prisons in Cuba while they are staying in the so- called paradise. There are, just to pick four examples, perhaps the most well-known of the leaders of the internal opposition in Cuba, the dissidents, are in dungeons in that paradise, according to Mr. Jack Nicholson. The dictator in Cuba, who has kept them there since July of 1997, the four most well-known leaders of the internal opposition in Cuba, has kept them in that dungeon, by the way, for the crime of publishing a document entitled ``The Homeland Belongs To All'' in which they call for free elections and a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba. The Cuban dictator has not even decided yet what to charge them with. That is the so-called paradise, according to Mr. Nicholson. So I would urge these millionaire visitors who go to the apartheid economy of Castro and partake of the pleasures available due to the slavery of the Cuban people, and when they call that so-called workers' paradise, as Nicholson did, a paradise, that they ask to visit the political prisons, or perhaps the widows or the orphans of the tens of thousands of victims of that so-called paradise. It is shameful to see the attitude of these Jack Nicholsons of the world, the rich who believe they have no limits and who now go to the so-called workers' paradise only 90 miles from our shores to partake of the forbidden apple in all of its pleasures. It is sickening. It shows really the ugliest side of our free enterprise system, that some of these people with no conscience and no sensitivity would go and make statements like that and violate our laws and not be concerned about for 40 years the lack of the most elemental freedoms, the lack of democracy, and call a place like that totalitarian nightmare a paradise. And so shame upon people like Nicholson. And also the President with the campaign contributions from the narcotraffickers. Obviously he feels comfortable in the land of a head of the narcotraffickers, the Cuban dictator.