Eni Faleomavaega

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, President Obama stated recently that ``no issue will have a bigger impact on the future performance of our economy than education.'' I commend President Obama for backing up this statement with key proposals that will make higher education more affordable for college students throughout our great Nation. President Obama's proposal would increase Federal investment in the Perkins loan program from $1 billion to $8 billion, while rewarding colleges and universities that lower tuition costs and provide value to especially low-income students. President Obama also wants to increase the Pell Grant program for millions of college students. President Obama has also proposed a ``Pay As You Earn'' plan to allow students to put a cap on their monthly payments and allow debt forgiveness balances after 20 years of payments. Like the GI education bill that helped provide college education for millions of our veterans after World War II, these programs are critical to giving our young generation of college students a greater chance to complete their college education. As a Vietnam veteran, even I would not have completed my education if it had not been for the GI Bill. Mr. Speaker, I commend President Obama for his leadership and initiative to provide good quality education for all our young generation of Americans.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, Linsanity is here with us today. On behalf of over 18 million Asian Pacific Americans, and as a member of the Asian Pacific Congressional Caucus, I rise today to commend rising NBA star Jeremy Lin. A son of immigrants from Taiwan and the first American NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese ancestry, Jeremy is the first, first Harvard-- economics major, 4.0 GPA--graduate to play for the league since the 1950s. Since playing as the Knicks' point guard, he has scored the highest point total in his first five games--136 points--for any player since the 1970s. In the history of Asian Pacific American participation in the NBA, Japanese American Wataru Misaka broke the color barrier when he played for the Knicks in the 1940s. Following Misaka, we have Japanese American Rex Walters; Filipino American Raymond Townsend; Samoan American Wally Aliifua Rank; and, currently, Samoan American James Johnson, who plays for the Toronto Raptors; and Hawaiian American Jason Kapono, who now plays for the L.A. Lakers. Along with these pioneers, Jeremy Lin's rise to international stardom has broken ethnic stereotypes in our society. I commend Jeremy for this tremendous achievement and for his example to the world and what America is all about: You work hard, you be true to your principles of fairness and equity, things will come your way.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, the catchword is ``innovation.'' President Obama has made it clear that on the road to economic recovery we must also make long-term investments in American innovation. In his FY 2013 budget proposal, President Obama reasserted his commitment to an agenda that supports startups and small businesses, where new jobs are created. President Obama proposed to expand tax relief while eliminating regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing that is needed to grow. The President's budget also calls for a $2.2 billion investment to support advanced manufacturing research and development programs to assist our business community throughout the country. President Obama's budget also creates a manufacturing capacity for vital defense technologies and dramatically improves production and distribution of manufactured goods. Mr. Speaker, I commend President Obama for his commitment to keeping America the global frontrunner in innovation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of 20 years of U.S.-Uzbekistan diplomatic relations. When the United States of America established diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan on February 19, 1992, we were dealing with a newly reborn country that had just gained back its independence from the Soviet Union. Although Uzbekistan has a history that is thousands of years old, it faced many difficulties during the first years of its independence. Today, Uzbekistan has managed to make significant progress in every field including politics, economics, and international relations. Working to build a foundation based on established legislative, executive, and judicial branches of power, Uzbekistan is transitioning to democracy and, in so doing, is raising its unique historical heritage and national identity. I am extremely pleased by the high level of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the U.S. in the areas of regional security, the fight against transnational threats, and the deepening of political and economic consultations. U.S. companies are also expanding their presence in Uzbekistan, including General Motors. The U.S. is particularly appreciative of Uzbekistan's assistance in our efforts in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan is also building railroads and bridges and providing low price electricity and other bilateral assistance to Afghanistan, which is also critical to U.S. interests. So, once more, I congratulate the government and people of Uzbekistan for all they are doing to support the U.S., and I applaud President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for strengthening U.S.-Uzbekistan relations.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, this week President Obama revealed his FY 2013 proposed budget, which introduces important tax reforms to revitalize the economy by boosting job creation and encouraging businesses to bring overseas jobs back to America. President Obama's proposed budget especially underscores his commitment to provide needed tax relief for America's small businesses. For example, the proposed budget offers a temporary 10 percent tax credit for small businesses that add new jobs and raise workers' salaries. Madam Speaker, the proposed budget also offers tax incentives for locating jobs in the United States while eliminating tax deductions for shipping jobs overseas and closing tax loopholes that result in outsourcing U.S. jobs to foreign countries. Madam Speaker, in line with the focus on American manufacturing, President Obama also introduced temporary tax credits to direct some $20 billion to domestic clean energy manufacturing. Madam Speaker, I commend President Obama for introducing significant reforms that will put America back to work, return profits to America's private sector, and promote a stronger American economy.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, President Ma Ying-jeou was inaugurated President of the Republic of China, ROC, on May 20, 2008. He was elected on a platform which included a promise to revive Taiwan's economy and improve cross-Strait relations. President Ma was re-elected on January 14, 2012. Upon President Ma's re-election, The White House issued a statement. ``Cross-Strait peace, stability, and improved relations in an environment free from intimidation are of profound importance to the United States. We hope the impressive efforts that both sides have undertaken in recent years to build cross-Strait ties continue.'' The U.S. State Department also congratulated President Ma and, added, ``Taiwan has once again held a free and fair election.'' President Ma's victory shows that the people of Taiwan agree with his efforts, and so do I. As the former Chairman and current Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, I offer my congratulations to President Ma. I have known President Ma before he was first elected, back when he was one of many candidates. I knew then what I know now. President Ma is the right man for the right times. Since his election in 2008, U.S.-Taiwan relations have been far better than any period in recent memory, and the Obama administration has shown clear support for the Ma administration by more than doubling the Bush's administration's arms sales to Taiwan. The Obama administration has also sent high-level officials from the U.S. to Taiwan and, most recently, the Obama administration nominated Taiwan for inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, VWP. The people of Taiwan have also shown strong support for President Ma and his policies. As a result of President Ma's policy to reduce tensions in cross-Strait relations, there are now 558 direct flights from cities in Taiwan to cities in China every week. China-bound investments have been relaxed, and business is good for both the Taiwanese and Chinese people. President Ma's policy of rapprochement, which upholds our shared values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law, has advanced regional peace and stability, and the U.S. is appreciative and supportive of President Ma's initiatives because improved cross-Strait relations are in the best interest of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. President Ma Ying-jeou graduated from National Taiwan University. After earning a Master of Laws degree from New York University, he received a Doctor of Juridical Sciences from Harvard Law School, specializing in the law of the sea and international economic law. President Ma's father, Ma Ho-ling, and his mother, Chin Hou-hsiu, dedicated themselves to government and country. Following in his parents' footsteps, President Ma devoted his life to creating a government that upholds those ideals that embody Taiwan's core traditional values--benevolence, righteousness, diligence, honesty, generosity, and industriousness. For historical purposes, I submit this statement to be made part of the Congressional Record in tribute to the service President Ma Ying- jeou has rendered for and on behalf of the people of Taiwan. President Ma is married to Chow Mei-ching and they have two daughters--Ma Wei- chung and Ma Yuan-chung--and a stray dog affectionately known as Ma Hsiao-jeou (Little Ma).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce my introduction of a bill to allow for U.S. Nationals who are born in American Samoa, to file an application for naturalization from American Samoa. Currently, American Samoans must travel thousands of miles to Hawaii or California and live there for 3 months before they can apply for citizenship. The financial burden of traveling to the U.S. placed on U.S. Nationals in American Samoa prevents many from applying for citizenship. My bill will lift this burden and help U.S. Nationals, who by definition owe a permanent allegiance to the United States, to apply for citizenship directly from American Samoa. My bill will also eliminate the requirements of knowledge of English and U.S. government for U.S. Nationals. American Samoa has been a territory of the United States for over one hundred years, and has in many ways adopted parts of American culture. The education system in American Samoa is modeled after the U.S. education system and students learn both English and about the U.S. government in American Samoan schools. The requirement of English proficiency and knowledge of the U.S. government was intended for foreign nationals who applied to become U.S. citizens. It is futile to test American Samoans on their knowledge of English and the U.S. government, since they learn these subjects in American Samoan schools. American Samoa has a per capita enlistment rate in the U.S. military that rivals any state. American Samoans have also joined the U.S. Armed Forces and fought and died for the United States during World War II, the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the Persian Gulf wars, and most recently the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite, these sacrifices of American Samoans, U.S. nationals still must travel to the U.S. and wait for 3 months prior to applying for naturalization. My bill will have a dramatic positive effect on the lives of U.S. nationals living in American Samoa by removing the hardship of traveling to the U.S. to apply for naturalization. It is with great enthusiasm that I submit this statement in support for the bill to streamline the naturalization process for American Samoans.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, the housing crisis plunged our economy into a recession that we are still struggling to overcome. Homeownership is at the heart of the American Dream, and yet over 10 million American families now owe more on their home than what it's worth. President Obama recently announced a plan that would give homeowners the chance to save hundreds monthly and approximately $3,000 yearly on their mortgages by refinancing at historically low interest rates. Under President Obama's plan, the administration would also expand the eligibility for the Home Affordable Modification Program to borrowers with higher debt loans. It would also triple incentives paid to banks to reduce principal on loans and to help borrowers rebuild equity. In addition to these proposals, the administration is also extending HAMP to December 2013 to help responsible homeowners lower their costs and stay in their homes. Mr. Speaker, I thank President Obama for his proposal that will provide much-needed relief for millions of American families. And I thank the President for his leadership and his commitment to helping American families move forward.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, just recently President Obama offered a plan to reduce the high costs of higher education by putting pressure on colleges and universities to reduce tuition rates. Under the plan, colleges would be rewarded based on their ability to offer relatively lower tuition fees, provide value, and serve low-income students. This plan also coincides with key proposals by President Obama to make higher education more affordable, including a strategy President Obama announced last fall to consolidate Federal student loans and lower interest rates to help college graduates pay off their debt. The American Dream is all about providing Americans the opportunity to succeed if they work hard. Every American family should be able to afford higher education. Every young person should have a chance. I commend President Obama for his commitment to American families and for making higher education an economic imperative.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, as required by our Constitution, last week President Obama addressed our Nation in his annual State of the Union message before a joint session of Congress. President Obama outlined his blueprint for an America Built to Last, a plan that begins with American manufacturing. President Obama noted in his address that the American auto industry is back. The President's decision to provide emergency loans to the auto industry saved more than 1.4 million American jobs. This decision by President Obama also prevented personal income losses over 2 years of more than $96 billion and helped make the Big Three automakers-- Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford--all profitable for the first time in years. After taking office, President Obama signed the Recovery Act to get our Nation back to work. As a result, the U.S. has seen 22 consecutive months of private sector job growth, adding more than 3.2 million jobs. Last year we added the most private sector jobs since 2005. Madam Speaker, I commend President Obama for his vision and leadership. I commend his bold actions and, most of all, his commitment to serving our Nation in these difficult times.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speak, as the former Chairman and current Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, which has broad jurisdiction for U.S. policy affecting the region, including Malaysia, I rise today to honor the service of my good friend, His Excellency Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia to the United States. Dr. Jamaludin has served his country and ours with remarkable distinction which merits historical recognition in the Congressional Record. A prominent political and corporate figure in the U.S. and Malaysia, Dr. Jamaludin is a Member of Parliament and has represented Rompin, Pahang since 1990. He is also an elected member of the UMNO Supreme Council. In 2002, Dr. Jamaludin joined the Malaysian Cabinet as Second Finance Minister. He also served as Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. Dr. Jamaludin began his career as a lecturer at University Technology Malaysia (UTM) and in 1984 started his own consultancy services, specializing in electrical power and mechanical engineering. He later became Chairman of Malaysia's national power utility, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), which is the largest listed company on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) in terms of market capitalization. Dr. Jamaludin holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology (UMNIST), United Kingdom; a Masters Degree of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Manitoba, Canada; and a PhD in Electrical Engineering (Power System) from the University of McGill, Canada. Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Jamaludin is also married to Dr. Kalsom Ismail and they have four children. While I extend to Ambassador Jamaludin and his family my highest regards and well wishes, I am pleased that Ambassador Jamaludin has been appointed to serve as Special Envoy to the United States. Because of his tenure as Ambassador, U.S.-Malaysian relations are stronger than ever. Economic ties are robust, and the U.S. and Malaysia cooperate closely on security matters, including regional stability. With his new appointment as Special Envoy, we can be assured that our partnership will continue to grow, and I look forward to continuing my association with Dr. Jamaludin who is to be commended for his loyalty in discharging his duties for and on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the people of Malaysia.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 376. H. Res. 376 was authored, introduced and sponsored by a true American hero--my good friend, the Honorable Charles Rangel--and I am proud to be an original cosponsor. H. Res. 376 calls for the repatriation of POW/MIAS and abductees from the Korean War, and I know this legislation is near and dear to Congressman Rangel's heart, as was the Resolution he introduced last year to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. Last year's Resolution, which was passed by Congress and signed by the President, should have born Charlie Rangel's name, but due to back and forth between the House and Senate he did not receive the credit he deserved. I stand to credit him now. In a black unit led mostly by white officers, acting Sergeant Charles Rangel was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his heroic service in the Korean War, having led his comrades from behind enemy lines in circumstances few of us have ever known. I commend the Honorable Charles Rangel for his valor, sacrifice and courage. I also thank the Korean American community in Los Angeles and New York, and especially Mr. Dongsuk Kim, founder and former President of the Korean American Voters' Council; Mr. Mi-il Lee, President of the Korean War Abductees' Family Union (KWAFU); and Dr. Hong-Sik Shin for their tireless efforts in support of this Resolution. Their leadership in pushing this forward is the reason why I believe this historic Resolution will pass the House today. On behalf of all those who served and sacrificed, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Res. 376.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. P.D. Patil and the DPU University of which he is Chancellor for his visionary leadership in partnering with Mr. Sanjay Puri of the Alliance for U.S.-India Business (AUSIB), and with the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF), to host the Indo-U.S. Education Conclave 2011, a first-of-its-kind global educational event to be held in Pune, India from December 5-7, 2011. This event brings together prominent thinkers from the fields of education, politics and business for purposes of promoting the highest standards of education, value systems and governance. The Summit aims to build partnerships between Indian and American universities in line with the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative (OSI) launched last year. Given the importance of this first Indo-U.S. Education Conclave, I want to publicly commend Dr. Patil who I had the privilege of hosting in Washington, D.C. I am well aware of what Dr. Patil has done for the rising generation and, in tribute of his work and mission, I have honored him in the Congressional Record because I share his vision of education. Education isn't just about collecting and distributing knowledge. Education is about the development of character and the acquisition of truth. Education is about offering one's best to the world and I thank Dr. Patil for offering his best to us. I also commend Mr. Puri for his work. As President Obama has stated, the U.S.-India partnership is ``one of the defining relationships of the 21st century,'' and having worked with Mr. Puri for more than a decade, I can assure my colleagues that the U.S.-India relationship is stronger because of his advocacy for and on behalf of India and Indian Americans. His passion for education and his relationships with key Members in the House and Senate will ensure the success of the Obama- Singh Knowledge Initiative. Once more, I thank DPU, AUSIB, and the SLLF for expanding cultural, economic, educational and political ties between the two largest democracies in the world. These organizations deserve our support for expanding the presence of American universities across India, a country that sends more students to the USA than any other country in the world.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I rise respectfully in opposition to the gentlelady's proposed amendment. Mr. Chairman, perhaps unknown to many of my colleagues of the House, for more than 50 years my little district of American Samoa has been the backbone of the U.S. tuna fishing and processing industries, just like Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been the backbone of the rum industry. Today, the U.S. tuna processing industry includes three major brands of canned tuna, namely, Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, and StarKist. Bumble Bee was formerly owned by a Canadian company, then purchased by U.S. investors and is now resold to an investment group from Great Britain. Chicken of the Sea continues and has always been a subsidiary company of Thai Union, which currently is the world's largest producer of canned tuna. StarKist was formerly a subsidiary company of Heinz Foods Corporation out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, then was sold to Del Monte out of San Francisco, and it was purchased by the Dongwon Company out of South Korea. All three of these major tuna processor companies have corporate offices in Pittsburgh and in San Diego. However, their methods of processing and canning of tuna are quite different, along with the manner in which our U.S. tuna fishing fleet has been operating given the tremendous change now taking place in the entire global tuna industry. I want to say that I have the utmost respect for my good friend, the gentlelady from California, and out of principle, I just want to respectfully say there are some very unique features of the situation and why I respectfully oppose the amendment. Eighty percent of the entire economy of my district depends on the tuna industry, and if something happens in terms of the balance between the processors and our fishing fleet, this is where the problems and the complications have come about. To the extent that the South Pacific Tuna Corporation, which owns about 25 of the 30 or 40 vessels that make up the U.S. tuna fishing fleet, the problem here is that we've got a problem of outsourcing, where two of these companies, Chicken of the Sea and Bumble Bee, do not process the whole fish. As far as tuna is concerned, 90 percent of the value of the tuna comes in the gutting and the processing. The canning is only about 10 percent. What has happened is that Chicken of the Sea and Bumble Bee have chosen not to buy the whole fish but to simply buy the loins of the fish, as it was cleaned in foreign countries where workers there are paid only 60 cents an hour, as opposed to the only company that currently buys the whole fish, which is StarKist. They buy the whole fish, and it provides jobs for my district. Because of the global economic recession that we have experienced, and because of the terrible tsunami and earthquake that was subjected to my people 2 years ago, one of the processing companies, Chicken of the Sea, just took off after making billions of dollars worth of canned tuna in my little district, leaving the economy of my territory a disaster. What has happened is that there is another added feature of this whole problem with the tuna industry. We have what is now pending, the U.S. Regional Tuna Fishing Treaty with 16 other Pacific island countries. Part of the problem that came out of this treaty arrangement was, because the tuna fishing fleet at the time felt that because tuna was a highly migratory fish, they could go anywhere in the world and fish regardless of what the EEZ zones of these countries are. Well, they tried that in Latin America and we had our vessels confiscated. So what happens? Our tuna fishing fleet moved on to the western Pacific; and it was in that one incident that one of our vessels was confiscated by this little island country called the Solomon Islands, and the whole thing went up in the air. It was necessary that then-Secretary of State George Shultz and Mr. Negroponte came in and this was how we started having this regional tuna fishing treaty for and on behalf of the benefit of our tuna fishing fleet. And this is how we tried to do to make sure that there is a constant supply of tuna that could be brought in to be processed, the whole fish, by the two processing plants that we have in American Samoa. This is no longer the case. I respectfully ask my colleagues, vote down this proposed amendment. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, February 28, 2011. Re Docket No. USCG-2010-1146 Docket Management Facility (M-30) U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC. Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing in support of the USCG's Draft Policy Letter (CG-543) on ``Safety Requirements and Manning Exemption Eligibility on Distant Water Tuna Fleet Vessels'' published in the Federal Register on January 20, 2011. I am also writing to rebut misinformation put forward by the South Pacific Tuna Corporation (SPTC) in response to

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, together with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise today in honor of Filipino American History Month. Based on the 2010 Census there are approximately 3.417 million Filipino Americans in the United States, making them the third largest Asian American group. Filipino Americans reside in nearly every Congressional district in the United States, contributing to the diversity and vitality of their communities. The largest population of Filipino Americans resides in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Washington State. In my district of American Samoa, the Filipino population has greatly contributed to the diversity of culture, the business community, as well as health, education, and social service sectors. The earliest documented proof of Filipinos in the Continental United States was on October 18, 1587, when the ship Nuestra Senora de Esperanza under the command of Pedro de Unamuno set ashore in Central California during the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade era. In 1988, on the 225th Anniversary of this historic date, the Filipino American National Historical Society established a year-long, national observance in order to honor the countless ways that Filipino Americans have contributed to the development of our nation over the centuries. That year, the Society also declared October as Filipino American History Month. Immigration from the Philippine islands in the early 1900s represented the first large wave of Filipinos coming to America as they worked in the agricultural industry. During World War II, over 250,000 Filipinos served alongside American soldiers in the United States military. The Immigration Act of 1965 opened the door for the next wave of Filipinos coming to the U.S. Today, Filipino Americans are part of every sector of American life, working in health, entertainment, engineering, education, military and the public sector. In the realm of government, for example, my dear friend and colleague and fellow member of CAPAC, Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia, earned the distinction in 1993 of being the first American with Filipino ancestry to serve as a voting member of Congress. Mr. Speaker, economically, culturally, and socially, Filipino Americans have contributed in countless ways toward the development of our nation. Today we honor the Filipino American community, those who have served and those who continue to add to the vibrancy and strength of our great nation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for allowing me to speak on this important resolution. On behalf of our chairwoman, Judy Chu, and our Asian Pacific Caucus, I rise today in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 28, a resolution that would authorize the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. I want to personally thank Senator Daniel Inouye for sponsoring this resolution, and I thank also my fellow Members of Congress and colleagues who join me in support of this important bill. Mr. Speaker, as a Vietnam veteran and also as a former member of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Reserve Unit out of Honolulu, Hawaii, I am proud to say that we must recognize Senator Daniel Inouye and also the late Senator Spark Matsunaga, both of Hawaii, who distinguished themselves in battle as soldiers with the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry during World War II. As we all know, Mr. Speaker, after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, there was such an outrage and cry for all- out war against Japan, days afterwards our President and the Congress officially declared war against Japan. Out of this retaliation against Japan, however, tens of thousands of Americans were caught in the crossfire. These Americans just happened to be of Japanese ancestry. The Federal Government immediately implemented a policy whereby over 100,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry--men, women, and children--were forced to live in what we called relocation camps but were actually more like prison or concentration camps. Their lands, their homes, their properties were confiscated by the Federal Government without due process of law. It was a time in our Nation's history when there was so much hatred, bigotry, and racism against our fellow Americans who just happened to be of Japanese ancestry. Despite all of this, Mr. Speaker, over 10,000 Japanese Americans volunteered to join the U.S. military, despite the fact that their wives, their parents, their brothers and sisters are in prison behind barbed wire fences in these relocation camps. As a result of such volunteerism, two combat units, the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry Combat Group, were organized and immediately sent to fight Nazi Germany in Europe. In my humble opinion, history speaks for itself in documenting that none have shed their blood more valiantly for our Nation than the Japanese American soldiers who served in these two combat units. These units suffered an unprecedented casualty rate of 314 percent. They emerged as the most decorated combat units of their size in the military history of the U.S. Army. The 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry received over 18,000 individual decorations for bravery and courage in the field of battle, many awarded posthumously. They were awarded 53 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 9,486 Purple Hearts, and 7 Presidential Unit Citations, the Nation's top award for combat units. And yet, ironically, only one Medal of Honor was awarded to these soldiers. It was not until 1999 that Congress took corrective action by mandating a reexamination of why just one Medal of Honor was awarded to these Japanese American soldiers. As a result of the review process, President Clinton awarded 20 additional Congressional Medals of Honor to these brave Japanese American soldiers. And Senator Inouye was one of the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. We should also note that while the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry were fighting on the front lines, thousands of Japanese Americans also joined the first military foreign language school, the Military Intelligence Service, where they learned Japanese. During the war, about 6,000 MIS agents fought in all Army units in the Pacific and were assigned to Allied forces in Australia, Britain, China, Canada, and India. They staffed theater-level intelligence centers, and their duties included the 442nd infantry. On October 5, 2010, President Obama granted the Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, as well as the 6,000 Japanese Americans who served in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II. I believe that each one of these American heroes should be recognized for this high honor here in the heart of our Nation's capital, the U.S. Capitol, for their bravery, their patriotism, and their selfless service. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution to honor these men and women who valiantly served our Nation. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Chairwoman Chu, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congresswoman Hirono, Congresswoman Hanabusa, and Congressman Honda, I rise today in support of S. Con. Res. 28, a resolution that would authorize the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. I thank Senator Daniel Inouye for sponsoring this resolution, and I thank my fellow members of Congress who join me in support of this important bill. As a Vietnam veteran and also a former member of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Reserve Unit in Honolulu, Hawaii, I am especially proud to say that we must recognize Senator Daniel Inouye, and also highly- respected, the late Senator Spark Matsunaga of Hawaii, who distinguished themselves in battle as soldiers with the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry during World War II. As we all know, after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, there was such an outrage and cry for an all out war against Japan and days afterwards our President and the Congress officially declared war against Japan. Out of this retaliation against Japan, however, tens of thousands of Americans were caught in the crossfire. These Americans just happened to be of Japanese ancestry. The Federal Government immediately implemented a policy whereby over 100,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were forced to live in what were called relocation camps, but were actually more like prison or concentration camps. Their lands, homes and properties were confiscated by the Federal Government without due process of law. It was a time in our Nation's history when there was so much hatred, bigotry and racism against our fellow Americans who happened to be of Japanese ancestry. Despite all this, over ten thousand Japanese Americans volunteered to join the U.S. military, despite the fact that their wives, parents, brothers and sisters were imprisoned behind barbed wire fences in these relocation camps. As a result of such volunteerism, two combat units, the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Infantry Combat Group, were organized and immediately sent to fight Nazi Germany in Europe. Mr. Speaker, in my humble opinion, history speaks for itself in documenting that none have shed their blood more valiantly for our Nation than the Japanese American soldiers who served in these two combat units. These units suffered an unprecedented casualty rate of 314 percent. They also emerged as the most decorated combat unit of their size in the history of the United States Army. The 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry received over 18,000 individual decorations for bravery and courage in the field of battle, many awarded posthumously. They were awarded 53 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 9,486 Purple Hearts, and 7 Presidential Unit Citations, the Nation's top award for combat units. And yet, only one Medal of Honor was awarded at the time. It was not until 1999 that Congress took corrective action by mandating a reexamination of why just one Medal of Honor was awarded to these Japanese Americans. As a result of this review, President Clinton awarded 20 additional Congressional Medals of Honor to these brave Japanese-American soldiers. It was while fighting in Europe that Senator Inouye lost his arm while engaged in his personal battle against two German machine gun posts. For his heroism, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Senator Inouye was also one of those recipients of the Medal of Honor and I was privileged to witness this historical moment at a White House ceremony. Mr. Speaker, we should also note that while the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry were fighting on the front lines, thousands of Japanese Americans also joined the first U.S. military foreign language school, the Military Intelligence Service (also known as the M.I.S.), where they learned Japanese. During the war, about 6,000 M.I.S. agents fought in all Army units in the Pacific and were assigned to allied forces in Australia, Britain, Canada, China, and India. They staffed theater-level intelligence centers and their duties included translating captured documents, interrogating prisoners of war, and listening to all enemy radio communications. At Bougainville in 1942 an M.I.S. agent translated an uncoded Japanese radio transmission describing Admiral Yamamoto's inspection schedule of the bases around the Solomon Islands, thereby leading to the successful interception of Yamamoto's aircraft. This victory resulted in a boost in morale for the Allies in the Pacific since Admiral Yamamoto had directed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1944, the M.I.S. also translated the Japanese Imperial Navy's ``Z- Plan,'' which outlined defense strategies in the Pacific. The translation of this vital document made it possible for the U.S. Navy to gain victory in the Marianas, the Philippines, and in other areas of the Pacific. At war's end, the M.I.S. facilitated local surrenders of Japanese forces as well as the occupation. Working in military government, war crimes trials, censorship, and counterintelligence, these silent warriors contributed to the occupation's ultimate success. Though many would only come to know of these stories decades later, these brave Americans earned the respect of our Nation's military leaders at a time when many Americans saw them as enemies. President Harry Truman called the Japanese Americans in the M.I.S. the ``human secret weapon for the U.S. Armed Forces'' and General Willoughby, MacArthur's intelligence chief credited the M.I.S. Nisei with shortening the war by two years and saving possibly a million American lives. President Truman was also so moved by the bravery of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry in the field of battle, as well as that of African American soldiers during World War II, that he issued an Executive Order to finally desegregate all branches of the Armed Services. On October 5, 2010, President Barack Obama granted the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team as well as the 6,000 Japanese Americans who served in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II. Mr. Speaker, I believe that each one of these American heroes should be recognized for this high honor here in the heart of our nation--the United States Capitol--for their bravery, patriotism, and selfless service. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution to honor these men and women who valiantly served our Nation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Mr. Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. A prominent Member of Parliament, Mr. Arun Jaitley represents the Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, the largest Opposition party in India. Mr. Jaitley has been a member of the BJP National Executive since 1991 and held the posts of its General Secretary and Spokesperson. During his political career, Mr. Jaitley has previously served as the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting; Disinvestment; Law, Justice & Company Affairs; and Shipping, Commerce and Industry. He is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India and was appointed Additional Solicitor General in 1989. As a Minister, he pioneered the disinvestment program in India and helped usher in new telecom policy. The Fast Track Courts together with the reforms in the Civil Procedure Code and the Criminal Procedure Code are the highlights of his tenure as Law Minister. He also piloted comprehensive Company Law reforms and the law on Competition to bring the corporate legal framework in tune with liberalization and globalization. Mr. Jaitley also steered the Indian Negotiations at the WTO during the challenging days in the run-up to the crucial ministerial meetings at Cancun in 2003. Under his leadership, a significant breakthrough was achieved by the Indian negotiators by forging the new alliance of G-20 which brought the developing world to the center stage. I look forward to working with Mr. Jaitley as he continues to create employment and opportunity--not only in India--but in the United States. I also thank Mr. Sanjay Puri, CEO of the Alliance for U.S.-India Business, for uniting India's key leaders and U.S. lawmakers. I especially applaud him for highlighting Mr. Jaitley's work.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. Con. Res. 16, legislation to authorize the use of the Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for the Lei Draping Ceremony to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha on June 5, 2011. The concurrent resolution, already passed in the Senate, is cosponsored by the two Senators and my good friends from the State of Hawaii, Senator Akaka and Senator Inouye. And I wish to thank all the Hawaiian congressional delegation for their support of this resolution to commemorate this historical event. Mr. Speaker, the Kamehameha Lei Draping Ceremony in the Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol has been hosted by the Hawaii congressional delegation and Hawaii State Society of Washington, D.C. since 1969. For more than 40 years now we have conducted this ceremony each year on or about the second week of June to coincide with the celebration of King Kamehameha Day in the State of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, the King Kamehameha statue has now been moved to Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, and in doing so, under section 103 of Public Law 110-437, it requires the enactment of a congressional resolution to authorize this annual celebration- hence, the resolution before the House floor today. Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha was one of the greatest Hawaiian warrior kings known among the Polynesian people. After some 2,000 years of tremendous rivalries among the warring chiefs of the Hawaii Islands, it was prophesied among the Hawaiian priests that there will one day be born a high chief who will be a slayer of other high chiefs and he will unite all of the Hawaiian Islands under one rule. King Kamehameha fulfilled that prophecy, after almost 10 years of fighting against other rival chiefs of the Hawaiian Islands. Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha was about 6 feet, 8 inches and weighed almost 300 pounds. He learned the ancient martial arts, known among the Hawaiian people as lua. He also learned military tactics and the art of warfare from his warrior chief, Kekuhaupio. He was able to lift the ancient Naha Stone, which weighed 4,500 pounds. One of his favorite sports to prove agility and combat readiness involved the ability to dodge spears thrown at him simultaneously. King Kamehameha was able to do this with six spears--he would grab two, parry two more, and let the last two go by. Mr. Speaker, King Kamehameha unified the islands and established peace and stability. He was shrewd in building prosperity for his people by encouraging agricultural development and promoting commercial trade in Europe and even with the United States. While he was open to new ideas, he was cautious and circumspect in the old way. He instituted the Law of the Splintered Paddle, or Mamalahoe as known among the Hawaiian people, which protected elderly men and women and children from any harm as they'd travel along the roadside. Mr. Speaker, S. Con. Res. 16 reaffirms that the United States is built upon diversity, and we all share the same ideals of freedom and democracy and a commitment to justice for all people. These ideals embody the legacy of King Kamehameha the Great. It is only fitting that we not only honor the birth date of this great Hawaiian warrior king, but we continue to have the special ceremony of draping hundreds of flower leis on his statue that now stands prominently in the Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. I urge my colleagues to support S. Con. Res. 16.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of President Ma Ying- jeou's third anniversary in office this May 20, I wish to express my congratulations to the leaders and the people of the Republic of China. Mr. Ma Ying-jeou was inaugurated as President of the Republic of China on May 20, 2008. During the last three years, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has steadily and dramatically improved Taiwan's relations with the Chinese mainland. There are now 370 direct flights from cities in Taiwan to cities in China every week, relaxation of China-bound investments, more visas for mainland tourists and more exchange in many areas. Committed to pursue reconciliation with the People's Republic, President Ma believes in a systematized dialogue between the two sides, the development of healthy cross-strait relations and the advancement of regional peace and stability. He argues that Taiwan and the PRC can co-exist while maintaining their differences. A win-win situation, President Ma opines, is in the best interest of all Chinese people and the world. As a result of his vision, peace is prevailing in the Taiwan Strait today. Business is also good for both the Taiwanese and Chinese people. Taiwan and China inked the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) last summer and President Ma has restarted the institutionalized cross-strait talks. As Members of this body, we thank President Ma for his courage and wisdom in initiating and continuing a pragmatic and yet flexible approach in handling cross-strait relations. While cultivating a peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait, President Ma has also been working closely with the U.S. government. Our mutual relationship is strong and we applaud Taiwan's cooperation with us, especially in the war against global terrorism. We are confident that relations with Taiwan will grow even stronger in all areas, including trade, science and technology, educational exchange, military sales and Taiwan's participation in international agencies. For the last three years, U.S.-Taiwan relations have been excellent, far superior to any period in recent memory. I am pleased that Taiwan was once again invited to attend this year's World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland as an observer and I am hopeful that Taiwan's continued participation in the WHA will lead to Taiwan's participation in the activities of other international organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In celebrating President Ma's third anniversary in office, I credit him for these successes and join with my colleagues in extending our best wishes to him for his continued success.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, just last week, the U.S. military carried out a covert operation that ended in the killing of the most wanted terrorist on the planet, Osama bin Laden. The news of Osama bin Laden's death at the hands of our heroic Navy SEALs sent forth a wave of tremendous relief by the American people. However, Mr. Speaker, we also learned that the U.S. military and the CIA used the code name ``Geronimo'' for the operation to seize and kill Osama bin Laden. The first reports of the details of the raid stated that Osama bin Laden had been identified as ``Geronimo''--enemy killed in action. Mr. Speaker, I would strongly suggest to all my colleagues in the House that you should go and see the movie ``Geronimo'' and see for yourselves if the Chiricahua Apache warrior Geronimo was a terrorist and murderer of thousands of innocent men, women, and children like Osama bin Laden. On the contrary, Geronimo was one of the greatest American Indian warriors who fought against some of the most vicious, cruelest, and inhumane treatment and policies instituted by our Federal Government against his people. As a Nation--Mr. Speaker--I know we can do better than this. And with all due respect, I believe the President and CIA Director Panetta owe the Apache Nation an apology.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev on his re-election as President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan welcomed more than 1,059 domestic and international observers to monitor the conduct of the electoral process for purposes of making sure that the election was free and fair and open and transparent. These observers included an OSCE Election Observation Mission (EOM), 400 short-term observers from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) as well as independent observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and other international and non-profit organizations. Some 90 foreign media representatives were also temporarily accredited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan to cover the election. Although the election was not without criticism, the OSCE stated that ``compared to the last presidential election, the media provided more equality in covering candidates in the news programmes,'' and suggestions made by ODIHR and the OSCE observer mission regarding ways to further improve the electoral process were well taken by Astana. On April 4, 2011, the U.S. Embassy in Astana was among the first to congratulate President Nazarbayev on his April 3, 2011 re-election, acknowledging Kazakhstan's commitment to further liberalize the political environment while urging the government of Kazakhstan to address the shortcomings the OSCE report highlighted. I stand with our U.S. Embassy and commend Kazakhstan for the progress it is making on its march towards democracy, especially given that Kazakhstan only achieved its independence twenty years ago, having lived under Soviet oppression for some one hundred years. As President Nazarbayev noted in his Op Ed of April 1, 2011 published in the Washington Post, ``It took the great democracies of the world centuries to develop'' and, as such, Kazakhstan is not going to become a fully developed democracy overnight. But Kazakhstan has proved that its commitment to democracy is irreversible. So is Kazakhstan's long- standing friendship with the U.S. Since its independence, Kazakhstan has fully supported U.S.-led efforts against nuclear proliferation and, under the leadership of President Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan continues to provide indispensable aid to U.S. troops in Afghanistan. I am proud of Kazakhstan's accomplishments and, once more, I congratulate President Nazarbayev on his re-election as President of Kazakhstan. I have every confidence that he will spare no effort in delivering stability, security and prosperity for and on behalf of the people of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished service of my good friend, His Excellency Le Cong Phung, who in October 2007 was appointed by President Nguyen Minh Triet as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the United States of America. Prior to his appointment, the Honorable Le Cong Phung served as the First Deputy Foreign Minister, the second-highest ranking official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during which time he assisted the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister regarding Vietnam's foreign policy. From 2001-2004, he served as Deputy Foreign Minister and as the Assistant Foreign Minister from 1999-2000. During his 39-year career, Ambassador Le Cong Phung served in foreign posts in England, China, and Indonesia. He was also Vietnam's Ambassador to Thailand. While in Washington, Ambassador Phung became a key figure in strengthening the U.S.-Vietnam partnership. At the Ambassador's request, it was my privilege to join him, former President Bill Clinton, Senator John Kerry, Senator John McCain and Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell in offering keynote remarks on July 14, 2010 as Vietnam celebrated 15 years of diplomatic relations with the United States. With the support of Ambassador Phung and in my capacity as the newly elected Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, I returned to Vietnam in 2007 for the first time in 40 years, having previously served at the height of the Tet Offensive in 1967. The visit changed me. On May 15, 2008, in close cooperation with Ambassador Phung, I held a Subcommittee hearing entitled, ``Our Forgotten Responsibility? What Can We Do to Help Victims of Agent Orange?'' This was the first time in the history of the U.S. Congress that a hearing had been held on Agent Orange which included our Vietnamese counterparts as witnesses. Two more hearings followed on June 4, 2009 and July 15, 2010, paving the way for renewed commitment on the part of the U.S. to clean up the mess it left behind. I am proud of Ambassador Phung and what we have accomplished together. Ambassador Phung has made an indelible mark on furthering U.S.-Vietnam relations and is to be commended for his exemplary service for and on behalf of the government of Vietnam. I am also appreciative of all he has done to promote religious freedom. On a personal note, I will miss Ambassador Phung, and I extend to him, his wife, Nguyen Thi Nhan, and their two sons my highest regards and well wishes in all their future endeavors.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the threat posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran to Bahrain, a U.S. ally and a member of a group of U.S. allies, The Gulf Cooperation Council or the GCC. Bahrain is a small country with a free economy and a government that is friendly to the United States. It plays host to the Fifth Fleet of the United States Navy, which patrols the waters of the Persian Gulf and protects world shipping there. Bahrain has been declared a major non-NATO ally by the United States Government, and has established a Free Trade Agreement with us to facilitate better relations between our countries. But today, Bahrain is under attack, in a proxy war between Iran on one side, and the entire GCC and their allies in the United States and Europe on the other. As the demonstrations sweep through the Middle East demanding democracy, Iran has seen its opportunity to fish in troubled waters by stirring up long-time resentments among Bahrain's majority Shi'a population. Not that the Shi'a protests are without merit, or are completely foreign imports: to the contrary, they have real complaints that the Bahraini government will have to address, and has committed to address. But Iran, which has long been probing Bahraini defenses and stress- testing the social system, believes that its chance has finally come to achieve one of its cherished foreign policy goals: the weakening of the GCC by picking off one member state at a time. Iran has long desired to export its so-called Islamic revolution, and to expand its influence in the rest of the Islamic world. The preamble to the Iranian Constitution states that their armed forces, ``. . . will be responsible . . . for fulfilling the ideological mission of jihad in God's way; that is, extending the sovereignty of God's law throughout the world.'' Iraq and Bahrain, Lebanon, Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, all have come in for special attention because of their substantial populations of Shi'ite Muslims. In fact, those who committed several terrorist acts during the 1980s in GCC countries proudly claimed allegiance to and sponsorship by Iran, leading Bahrain to break diplomatic relations with Iran in protest. Iran has long used its military and intelligence assets to destabilize neighboring countries. And it aims to destabilize the entire GCC, and peel its member states away from the United States and the West, starting with Bahrain. A perfect example is what has been happening in Bahrain since last year--long before the current protests started. In the run-up to last year's elections, Bahrain disrupted a terrorist plot to instigate a violent overthrow of the government. Although some of those arrested may have been caught unfairly in a wide net, others were shown to be complicit in subversive and violent plots against the state. Another example of Iranian pressure before the February outbreak of protests is the constant burning of tires and setting of fires, almost every night, at various points in Bahrain. The youth involved claimed that they only were trying to make a point, and to protest their political marginalization. But the government recognized that the fires targeted power lines and communications towers more often than not, and suspected that the real aim may have been not only to weaken infrastructure, but also to test response times of security and emergency personnel. This would be roughly equivalent to `probing' attacks such as sending fake bombs through air cargo, to see whether and how security forces reacted. These tactics are consistent with a continued pattern that we have seen from the Islamic Republic, in Lebanon for example, of using unwitting young people, inciting them to extremist sentiments and radical action, to inflame popular opinion. They convince youth to rebel, and get themselves arrested; then their families and friends rise up to defend them, and security forces fear them and overreact, and this instigates a pattern of resentment and fear on both sides that seems--and becomes--autonomous to the participants themselves. This is how a terrorist threat ends up shutting down an entire society: the tactic is to provoke, provoke, and provoke the rulers of society, until they react harshly in fear or anger, and then to provoke the people to rise up when the rulers impose harsh measures. Iran already had been engaged in these activities in Bahrain for some time, when the people of Tunisia and Egypt rose up against corruption and repression. They had their networks already established, and had only to stoke the flames of resentment they had been slowly fanning over the previous years. With the security forces already strained to the breaking point--in resources and in nerves--it was no great surprise that they snapped. The resulting violence and loss of life was execrable, and it is a mark of honor to the Crown Prince that he stepped in so quickly to take control and instantly to offer reconciliation to the protesters. International observers breathed a sigh of relief, and felt as if Bahrain had dodged a bullet, and was ready to begin cooling off. In order to make it clear to the protesters that he was serious about negotiations, so that they would not dismiss the offer as window dressing, the Crown Prince specifically named every issue the protesters have named. For example, giving the parliament full authority--one of the first demands of the demonstrators--and ensuring that the government represents the will of the people. His plan addressed setting up new procedures for contracting that will be transparent and include outside audits, to reduce opportunities for corruption by increasing overall transparency. He even brought up specific matters of law that may seem obscure, but that result in disparate impacts on the two major communities in Bahrain, the Sunni and the Shi'a. For example, the Crown Prince promised to work with the opposition to determine fair ways to draw the lines of voting districts because critics have charged that the current districts dilute Shi'a voting power. The Crown Prince described all these measures as ways to achieve the overall goal, which is to reduce sectarian tension, and ``bring an end to envy and division among [the] population.'' When these overtures were first offered, the protesters initially stopped demonstrating. Many of us believed that a crisis had been averted, and that reason and good judgment would prevail. But within a couple of days, the protests were renewed, and the opposition derided the offer as not serious, and refused to participate. The protests increased in their intensity, and swept into the financial district. According to BBC reporting, young Shi'a protesters began to set up illegal and intimidating checkpoints in key places around the country, ``paralyzing business and choking off the economy.'' The government acted to relieve the overstressed security forces by invoking the mutual self-defense provisions of the GCC charter. This treaty provided for the establishment of a multinational force called ``Peninsula Shield,'' with headquarters in Saudi Arabia, which would be available to help any member state defend critical infrastructure against the threat of attack. 2,000 troops from Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. arrived on the 14th of March and were immediately deployed to protect threatened infrastructure. The foreign troops were not brought in to confront protesters, in spite of immediate claims to the contrary from opposition sources. In fact, with the Peninsula Shield troops guarding the infrastructure, the Bahraini troops can devote more time and resources to crowd control, and avoid committing violence sparked by fear or desperation. In reaction to the arrival of the foreign troops, the Prime Minister of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, issued a bizarre threat to his neighbor, warning the Bahrainis not to seek help from their allies. At the same time, the protests took an even uglier turn, with demonstrators no longer calling for democratic reform, but for the complete removal and even death of the entire al Khalifa family. Mr. Speaker, I have to ask why the demonstrators returned to protesting again, even after all their demands were agreed to. What lies behind this stubborn refusal to accept their long-stated goals? Is there some other goal, some hidden agenda, behind the protests? Is there indeed an influence from abroad, from Iran, which is fueling these protests and fanning the flames? There is no doubt that the Shi'a population of Bahrain has legitimate grievances, and I am pleased that the government of Bahrain has agreed to address them. There is no doubt that many in the crowds of protesters are loyal, patriotic citizens of Bahrain who are sincere in their desire for reform. We should support those desires, and we should be pleased any time we see a nation that is asking for a greater voice for the public in running their political affairs. Democracy entails a great responsibility, and it should be pleasing to every American to see other peoples that are willing to accept that awesome responsibility. But we cannot be pleased at the prospect of anarchy, or worse, of the violent overthrow of an allied, peaceful government by the worst kind of seditious infiltration from a foreign enemy. We cannot sit idly by while a country--whose founding document calls for spreading its revolution--uses its influence to undermine a peaceful neighbor and an entire alliance. Iran wants to dominate Bahrain for many reasons. Among them are that Bahrain has a Shi'a majority population, and the Iranian regime has appointed itself the international guardian of Shi'a rights. Another cause for Iran's animus is, of course, the presence of the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Using its base in Bahrain, the U.S. Navy can not only patrol the waters of the Arabian Gulf and protect the international shipping lanes; it also is well-positioned to conduct surveillance missions, and even potentially to send missile strikes into Iranian territory with only seconds' warning, should that ever become necessary. Furthermore, Iran's aim is not just to dominate Bahrain: it is to destroy the GCC alliance. Since its inception in 1981, the GCC has been a thorn in Iran's side. It has bound together previously fractured (and sometimes competing and even divided) countries into a strong partnership, with a united economic market and foreign policy. It has shown itself an ally of the United States, and an effective bulwark against the encroachment by Iran on the foreign relations and even military policy of its member states. If Iran succeeds in splitting off even one member state from the GCC, the alliance will crumble and disappear as its member states are picked off one at a time. Bahrain is also a great prize to be taken by a greedy despot. As the Bahrainis have worked very hard to diversify their economic base, they have discovered that creating an inviting legal and regulatory framework can attract an inordinate amount of foreign direct investment--disproportionate to their size, or the original size of their economy. They have succeeded in making their country a banking haven, especially for the increasing number of institutions and high net-worth individuals who want to invest without paying or receiving interest, or otherwise want to comply with Islamic rules of investing and finance. Anyone who controlled that sector would have power greater than the size of the country would seem to predict. Bahrain's Free Trade Agreement with the United States has doubled our bilateral trade volume since it was signed in 2006, again increasing the value of the national GDP. Finally, Bahrain and its leaders have incurred the wrath of the leadership of the Islamic Republic by doing the unforgivable (and, in many circles, unthinkable). They have reached out to Iran's arch-enemy, the only country Iran hates more than it hates America: the nation of Israel. In an unprecedented opinion editorial article, published in the Washington Post July 16, 2009, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamid Al Khalifa called for direct communication with the people of Israel, and for a new approach that treats peace as a process, not an event. Mr. Speaker, later that same year, the Bahraini Foreign Minister echoed the sentiments of the Crown Prince, in a formal address to the United Nations General Assembly. This served to emphasize that the proposal was an official government position, not a private initiative from a senior member of the royal family. Iran, like other nations once characterized as `rogue states', has a vested interest in extending and exacerbating the friction between Palestinians and Israelis, and in fact has called for the extermination of Jews worldwide. Ahmedinejad cannot countenance an outreach by his neighbor to a nation he hates so completely. Why does Ahmedinejad hate Bahrain? It is easy to see. Bahrain is a member of the GCC. It is the host of the hated U.S. 5th fleet. It is rated the 10th most free economy in the world by the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom. It is politically free, where women are educated at state expense, can dress as they please and are not bound by law to dependence on male relatives; where there are Christian, Jewish, and female Members of Parliament; and where the royal family has maintained peace and stability for over 300 years. In short, it is, and stands for, everything that Ahmedinejad has sworn to destroy. Mr. Speaker, it is in the interest of the United States to see that Bahrain continues to be a haven of peace and prosperity in a troubled neighborhood. It is in our interest to support the integrity of the GCC, and to provide diplomatic and political support for GCC and Bahraini initiatives. It is in our interest to support a government that has provided freedom and opportunity for women; freedom for its citizens; tolerance for religious minorities; economic freedom, growth and prosperity; and a peaceful haven for the region. It is in our interest to support a government that has reached out to call for peace with Israel, to put an end to the vicious cycle of anger and despair that has characterized the Arab-Israeli relationship for far too many decades. For all these reasons, it is important to the United States to help its Bahraini allies in their time of need, to withstand the threat and the increased pressure from Iran. We support the reform agenda laid out by the Crown Prince, and call on all parties to show calm and to meet together around the negotiating table. We call on the Bahraini government to demand restraint from its security forces, to avoid at all costs any repeat of the bloodshed we have seen. We call on the demonstrators to sit down and negotiate their differences, and find a way to achieve the progress that they deserve. Mr. Speaker, this is a critical time for one of our most important allies. The U.S. Congress should do all in our power to show our support, to encourage peaceful negotiations that will preserve the stability of the country, the continuation of the ruling polity, and the achievement of the aspirations of all the people of Bahrain.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I'm not wanting to detract from today's spirited discussion or debate on H.R. 1, which I will discuss at a later point of time in the day, but I want to discuss with my colleagues and the American people the current crisis now happening between the government of Chile and the people of Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui among its native people. Easter Island was settled by Polynesian voyagers about 700 AD. The island is famous for some 887 monumental statues carved out of stones weighing tens of tons. These statues are known throughout the world for their archeological wonder and mystery in terms of how these ancient Polynesians were able to carve and move these tremendous statues to different locations on the island. Less well-known is that Easter Island is home to roughly 2,500 indigenous people, known as the Rapa Nui Nation. The people of Easter Island carry a vibrant culture dating back centuries before the arrival of Europeans. Like many other islands in the Pacific, Easter Island has had its sovereignty determined by more powerful outside influences. In 1888, the Rapa Nui Nation entered into a disputed treaty with the government of Chile. The Chilean government used the treaty as a license to treat the island and the indigenous people as property of the State. Chile confined the people to a small area, about 1 square mile, believe this, Mr. Speaker, today known as Hanga Roa. To this day, the validity of the 1888 agreement is contested by most of the Rapa Nui people. Chile then annexed Easter Island in 1933 without the consent of or even consultation with the Rapa Nui people. The government of Chile unilaterally leased the majority of the island to private sheepherding enterprises, without the Rapa Nui Nation's consent. The lands that were wrongfully taken from the Rapa Nui people have not been restored. Instead of returning the lands to their rightful owners, the Chilean government continues to favor private enterprises interested in exploiting the Rapa Nui culture for private gain. In addition, Mr. Speaker, to the serious land rights disputes, several other issues threaten the livelihood of the people of Rapa Nui. For example, roughly 50,000 tourists each year flock to Easter Island to view these huge Moai statues. Yet the Chilean policies prevent the Rapa Nui people from benefiting from the tourism industry. Non- indigenous individuals and corporations possess most of the land, while jobs related to tourism often go to continental Chileans. Uncontrolled migration to the island has caused widespread unemployment among the native people, exploitation of natural resources and increased pollution. Within this context, Mr. Speaker, the Rapa Nui Nation began taking a stand. In July and August of last year, the Rapa Nui people wrote several letters to the President of Chile, Sebastian Pinera, to negotiate a peaceful solution to the underlying problems of Chile's relationship with the people of Easter Island. The Rapa Nui people also began to peacefully reoccupy their ancestral lands, including the Hotel Hanga Roa, a five-star hotel supposedly being built by the Schiess family, a non-indigenous family, on ancestral Rapa Nui lands. Mr. Speaker, while the Government of Chile attempted to initiate a dialogue with Rapa Nui individuals, the problem is that the Chilean Government also sent military police to this little island which is 2,300 miles from Chile. I can't believe, Mr. Speaker--we have 17 million people, good people, living in Chile--sending police forces to take control of this little island with some 2,500 Rapa Nuians and they have not even been given any consultation or even an opportunity to conduct consultations, serious consultations, with the Government of Chile. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that the Government of Chile can begin a dialogue for ways to help the Rapa Nui people achieve a greater sense of self-determination and self-governance in their lands. I ask President Pinera to advocate for a more positive approach for partnership and dialogue with the indigenous people of Easter Island. It is my honest belief that the indigenous people of Easter Island do not wish any harm to the good people of Chile. Nor is there a possibility that the people of Easter Island will ever pose a threat to the military and strategic or national security interests of the people and the Government of Chile. Mr. Speaker, I also hope that the White House and the State Department and Assistant Secretary Valenzuela will take a stand against these violent evictions and express solidarity with the Rapa Nui nation, especially in light of President Obama's planned visit to Chile next month and Assistant Secretary Valenzuela's recent testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday. I sincerely hope that even our international community will build pressure on President Pinera and the Government of Chile. Let's treat these poor people with justice and give them an opportunity to live in peace in this area. I ask that the good people of America make this appeal and that the Government of Chile be responsive to this request.