Eni Faleomavaega

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, as millions of Mexican Americans across the country commemorate the 5th of May, or ``El Cinco de Mayo,'' I would like to pay particular homage to the indigenous visionary leader and friend to the U.S., Benito Juarez, whose historic actions lead to this celebrated occasion. Born the son of Zapotec Indian peasants, Juarez rose above racial, economic, and political challenges to become one of Mexico's most renowned presidents. Juarez became a lawyer in 1834, a judge in 1841, Governor of the state of Oaxaca in 1847, President of the Supreme Court of Justice in 1857, interim President of Mexico in 1858, and finally President elect in 1861. Juarez served his country at a time of tremendous political discord. Inspired by the idea of a modern civil society and free market principles prevalent in its neighboring country to the north, Juarez dedicated himself to ridding his country of its historically corrupt military rule. Juarez also successfully ousted British, Spanish, and French opposition forces while serving as head of state in exile. It was at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862, that Mexican forces won a victory against the French. Although significantly outnumbered, the Mexicans defeated a much better-equipped French army of more than double their size in numbers. The French army had not been defeated in almost 50 years. On May 9, 1862, Juarez declared that the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla would be a national holiday regarded as ``Battle of Puebla Day'' or ``Battle of Cinco de Mayo.'' I note that Juarez maintained a special relationship with President Abraham Lincoln. During Juarez' exile, President Lincoln sent him a message expressing hope ``for the liberty of . . . [his] government and its people.'' Later while Juarez fought against the French, General Ulysses S. Grant, under President Lincoln's direction, issued an order to ``concentrate in all available points in the States an army strong enough to move against the invaders of Mexico.'' President Lincoln also supplied arms and munitions to Juarez, sending as many as 30,000 muskets to reinforce the Mexican line. In turn, Juarez stood strong against Confederacy efforts to topple the Union armies. When the South sent a delegation under John T. Pickett to Mexico to win over the juaristas, Picket was thrown into a Mexico City jail for 30 days and thereafter expelled from the country. Upon receiving news of President Lincoln's assassination, Juarez ordered flags at all public buildings and military stations in Mexico to fly at half-mast. In a letter to the Secretary of the Mexican Legation and his charge d'affaires in Washington, D.C., Juarez wrote: ``[This] great misfortune has profoundly impressed me, as Mr. Lincoln, who worked with so much earnestness and abnegation for the cause of nationality and freedom, was worthy of a better fate than the poniard of a coward assassin.'' Today, Juarez is remembered as being a progressive reformer dedicated to democracy, equal rights for his nation's indigenous peoples, and the defense of national sovereignty. Let us honor him on this day.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Republic of Kazakhstan on the 10th anniversary of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiative in establishing the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. In the 111th Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed H. Res. 535, a Resolution I introduced to commend the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions for calling upon all nations to live in peace and mutual understanding. The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has always been based on the premise that religion can be an important arbiter for resolving political differences and conflicts, and I am pleased that The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has created a platform for building bridges of mutual understanding. The Congress has become an effective forum for leaders of world religions to promote a united approach to the critical issue of interreligious dialogue. The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions also has become a full-fledged platform for multi-track-discussions on the most pressing issues of international religious affairs. Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, has hosted four high-profile gatherings of senior clerics from Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism and other faiths. It was my privilege to attend a gathering of the Congress which included participation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Christian denomination of which I am a member. A symbol of tolerance, Astana was a center for interreligious discussions during Kazakhstan's 2010 OSCE Chairmanship and the subsequent Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ministerial Chairmanship in 2011-2012. As a secular state with a predominantly Muslim population, Kazakhstan has been working to promote tolerance and interreligious dialogue since the first days of its independence. As the world was recovering from the aftermath of 9/11, Kazakhstan responded to international grievances by convening a Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. President Nazarbayev also has met with Pope Benedict XVI and other high-ranking representatives of the Vatican, focusing discussions on the necessity for further development of interreligious dialogue. The visit of John Paul Pope II in Kazakhstan in 2001 as well as a visit to the Vatican by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2009 indicates that an active bilateral cooperation exists. In February 2013, the Chairman of Kazakhstan's Senate and Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Kairat Mami also met with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican and expressed gratitude to the Holy See for support of the Congress. During these meetings, Pope Benedict XVI praised the efforts of President Nazarbayev in preserving intercultural understanding and accord, and wished success, especially in the strengthening of peace. At the Vatican, Kazakhstan's Chairman of the Agency for Religious Affairs Kairat Lama Sharif and the Cardinals of the Holy See also discussed the prospects of the Congress of Astana and the deepening of interreligious relations. As Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals of the Holy See, stated, ``I think that the idea of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to hold the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions is very important. This is a great contribution to the development of interreligious dialogue. And very big work has been conducted for the past 10 years. This year the diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and the Vatican is 21. During all this time the mutual aspiration for interreligious and intercultural concord only has strengthened.'' An organized photo exhibition at the Vatican was devoted to the 10th anniversary of the Congress, and the photo exhibition will now be displayed in the U.S. Capitol during a reception to be held on May 7, 2013. I am honored to participate in this worthy cause. Once more, I commend President Nazarbayev for his visionary leadership. President Nazarbayev is a man committed to peace, and I stand with him as he spares no effort to advance understanding. For historical purposes, I thank him for establishing the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, and for promoting religious dialogue between people of all faiths.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I submit for introduction this legislation to amend the Expedited Funds Availability Act, more commonly known as Regulation CC, to clarify the application of Regulation CC to American Samoa. Enacted in 1987, Regulation CC standardized hold periods on deposits made to commercial banks. It also excluded American Samoa from the definitions of ``State'' and ``United States.'' Banks in American Samoa were deemed ``Pacific Island banks,'' and checks drawn on Pacific Island banks were thereafter called ``Pacific Island checks.'' A crucial distinction between State banks and checks and Pacific Island banks and checks lies in the ``hold time'' permitted by Regulation CC. For example, State banks must release funds from deposited checks immediately for in-state checks, and shortly thereafter for out-of-state checks. Pacific Island banks, however, can hold checks for an undetermined amount of time before releasing funds for access or use. Another distinction permits a delay in the return of Pacific Island checks that are overdrawn. However, State checks that are overdrawn must be returned ``in an expeditious manner.'' Due to these distinctions, the people of American Samoa are subject to excessive hold times on funds that should be available in short order. This places a significant financial burden on my constituents. The legislation I have introduced today will amend Regulation CC to include American Samoa within the definition of ``State'' and ``United States.'' As a result, banks in my district will be required to treat local patrons with the same level of services offered in the rest of the states and other territories. In anticipation that this bill will be referred to the House Committee on Financial Services, I look forward to working closely with Chairman Jeb Hensarling and Ranking Member Maxine Waters to ensure that American Samoa is included within the provisions of Regulation CC.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to share with my colleagues and with the American people a particular issue that has been a source of humiliation for our Native American people--the use of the word ``redskin,'' which I will refer to as the ``R-word.'' This derogatory and racist term is rooted in state-sponsored genocide efforts when colonies paid individuals for the skins of dead Indians. The Native American community has never accepted the ``R-word'' as anything more than a hurtful, disparaging label that is a reminder of the maltreatment they have endured. Some may argue that the ``R-word'' is no longer disparaging towards Native Americans. However, over the course of my tenure as a Congressman, as a member of the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, and as a member of the Congressional Native American Caucus, I have received an increasing flow of calls and letters from Native American individuals, tribes, and organizations who abhor this denigrating term. It is their opinion that the ``R-word'' is a racial stereotype that causes harm to the collective self-esteem of the American Indian people. Mr. Speaker, this term has no place in our modern American society. It is akin to the ``N-word'' which reflects the history of prejudice and persecution that our African American brothers and sisters endured. Can you imagine the public outcry that would result if a Pro-Football team was named the ``N-word?'' In 1933, the District of Columbia's professional football team adopted the ``R-word'' as its name and mascot. In 1967, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, PTO, granted the team a federally registered trademark for the ``R-word.'' This action is contrary to the mandates of the Trademark Act of 1946 (Lanham Act) which requires the PTO to refuse to register any trademark that ``[c]onsists of or comprises . . . matter which may disparage . . . persons, living or dead . . . or bring them into contempt, or disrepute.'' 15 U.S.C. 1502(a). The PTO has denied registration of trademarks using the ``R-word'' on four separate occasions on grounds of disparagement--three times in 1996 and once in 2002. In 1992, seven prominent Native American leaders petitioned the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, TTAB, to cancel the federal registrations over six trademarks using the ``R-word.'' The TTAB in 1999 ruled that the ``R-word'' may, in fact, disparage American Indians, and cancelled the registrations. On appeal, a federal court reversed the TTAB's decision, holding that the petitioners waited too long after coming of age to file their petition. A new group of young Native Americans petitioned the TTAB to cancel the registrations of the offending trademarks in 2006. The TTAB held a hearing on March 7, 2013. A final decision is pending. Mr. Speaker, despite the indigenous community's efforts before administrative agencies and the courts, the ``R-word'' remains protected as a federally registered trademark. Since the federal government made the mistake in registering the disparaging trademark, it is now up to Congress to correct that mistake. Now is the time to end this injustice. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I introduced H.R. 1278, the ``Non- Disparagement of Native American Persons or Peoples in Trademark Registration Act of 2013.'' I want to thank the following members for their support as original cosponsors of this historic legislation: Tom Cole (R-OK), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Karen Bass (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), John Lewis (D- GA), Michael Honda (D-CA), and Donna Christensen (D-VI). H.R. 1278 is also endorsed by the following organizations: National Congress of American Indians, NCAI, Morning Star Institute, International Indian Treaty Council, Native American Rights Fund, American Indian Movement--West, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Americans for Indian Opportunity, Capitol Area Indian Resources, Inc., American Indian Studies--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property--American University, Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras (Indigenous Alliance Without Borders), National Indian Education Association, Native American Finance Officers Association, and Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism. These organizations have indicated in letters of support for H.R. 1278 that the ``R-word'' continues to have damaging effects in the Native American community. H.R. 1278 would cancel existing federal registrations for trademarks using the ``R-word.'' It would also deny registration for new trademarks incorporating the ``R-word.'' As in the decision made by TTAB in 1999, it ruled, in fact, that the ``R-word'' was a disparaging term. As an avid sports fan, I applaud the excellence in athleticism and leadership demonstrated by our professional athletes both on and off the field. I am also very proud of the many Samoans and Pacific Islanders who have had much success in sports, particularly in the NFL. While I acknowledge the D.C. professional football team's many achievements, I have grave reservations concerning their name. Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear that H.R. 1278 is not an attempt to censor or remove the freedom of the D.C. professional football team to use the ``R-word'' in its franchise. Rather, this legislation seeks to reinforce governing law that prohibits federal registration for disparaging terms, like the ``R-word.'' It is unfortunate that the federal government, which has a special trust relationship with Native Americans, continues to protect this racial slur. It is my hope that H.R. 1278 will advance the dialogue regarding the ``R-word'' among our legislators. I also invite those with a vested interest in this issue, including the owner of the D.C. professional football team, to bring their concerns to the table.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize the 92nd birthday last week on March 5th of Rita Foley Halpin of Glenview, Illinois. Rita is one of the few surviving Americans who can say that her grandfather fought in the Civil War. Captain Patrick Foley, an immigrant from County Kerry, Ireland, served in the 23rd Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry (``the Irish Brigade''), fought under General Philip Sheridan in the last major Civil War battle, the siege of Petersburg, and was present at Appomattox Court House for the final surrender. Rita's father, Dr. Thomas P. Foley, was a past President of the Chicago Medical Society. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Elizabeth Hannon Foley, Rita graduated from Chicago Teachers College in 1943 and started her career as a kindergarten teacher in Chicago public schools. Rita's husband, the late Thomas J. Halpin, to whom she was married for over sixty-two years, was a captain serving with the 88th Infantry during the liberation of Rome in World War II. Her grandson, Sean R. Halpin, continues the family tradition of military service as a first lieutenant in United States Forces/Korea. Rita raised four children and then returned to teaching where she was an elementary school teacher at St. Paul of the Cross School in Park Ridge, Illinois for almost two decades. She is still fondly remembered by her many pupils. For historical purposes, I submit this statement to be made part of the Congressional Record in honor of Rita Foley Halpin and the contributions that she and her family have made to this country.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentleman for yielding, Mr. Speaker, and I especially want to thank my good friend, the chairman of the House Judiciary committee, Mr. Goodlatte, and Mr. John Conyers, the senior ranking member, for their support of this proposed bill. I would especially also like to thank Jim Sensenbrenner, the chairman of the subcommittee, and the gentleman from Virginia, my good friend, for their support in the subcommittee. I also want to acknowledge Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, and our Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, for their support. Mr. Speaker, my district faces a serious problem with tobacco smuggling. According to a recent study, in 2010 alone, as many as 5.8 million cigarettes were smuggled into the territory. The study found that tobacco smuggling resulted in the loss of about $725,000 in revenues to the territory. If continued undeterred, tobacco smuggling in the territory will lead to heavier losses in local tax revenues, especially if the cigarette excise tax rate were to be increased. Mr. Speaker, securing and sustaining stable sources of local revenue stream is essential and must be encouraged for the territories, as it has already done for the States. It was for this reason I began to look into this important issue. I was disappointed, however, to find that under the current law prohibiting cigarette smuggling, not all the territories were included. Under the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act that Congress passed in 1978, it is illegal to ship, sell, transport, or possess more than 10,000 cigarettes per month not bearing the tax stamp of the jurisdiction in which they are found. Violation is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and seizure of the contraband cigarettes and/or both. The Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act currently, however, does not apply to American Samoa, the territory of Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Historically, when Congress considered the bill in 1978, the Senate version defined ``State'' to include the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a territory or possession of the United States; however, the House provision excluded the smaller territories. For some reason unbeknownst to me, the conference substitute adopted the House provision. The conference report describes the House provision as ``more accurately delineating the practical scope of the legislation.'' Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today will correct this oversight under the current law. This important piece of legislation will amend the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act to include these territories. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill which aims to protect all Americans from domestic and sexual abuse. I thank Speaker Boehner for bringing S. 47 to the House floor for a vote. This bill passed in the Senate earlier this month by a vote of 78-22. Altogether, 23 Republican senators voted for this bill, including every Republican woman senator. Madam Speaker, this bill, introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, and Senator Mike Crapo, a Republican, is not only bipartisan, but it is also a comprehensive and inclusive solution to the domestic and sexual violence plaguing American society. While I fully support reauthorization of this law which, since 1994, has been an essential tool to protect victims of domestic and sexual violence, I do, however, have major concerns with the GOP substitute to this bill. Unlike S. 47, the substitute offers a lesser form of protection for Indian women abused on tribal land. The House version requires that Native American tribes seek certification from the U.S. Department of Justice before they are able to prosecute non-Indian offenders on tribal land. Madam Speaker, this doesn't make any sense. A sovereign tribe should not have to willingly hand over part of their sovereignty to prosecute these offenders. Ultimately, the House version falls short of protecting Native American women. However, today the House has an opportunity to pass S. 47 which is supported by those it aims to protect, including the Native American community. S. 47 offers comprehensive protection for all of our people, not just some. Madam Speaker, unfortunately, domestic and sexual crimes have been on the rise in the U.S., including my district of American Samoa. And like many cases in the States, almost always, the perpetrator is a family member or close neighbor. Furthermore, these crimes often go unreported due to fear of authorities or shame. It is the fear to come forward that allows abusers to continue their abuse. But when laws are in place to offer full support and protection for victims, we can ensure that more and more of these victims will come forth and their abusers are brought to justice. Through this inclusive legislation, S. 47, we take one step forward to reinforce support even for the most marginalized communities. Today the House has the opportunity to pass this bill to protect all people, whether they are from the inner city or a tribal reservation, whether they are immigrants who would otherwise be afraid to come forward, or whether they are part of the LGBT community. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote no on the House amendment and to pass S. 47, a bill to protect all people, because that, Madam Speaker, is what America is all about.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, President-elect Park Geun-hye will be inaugurated as the eleventh President of the Republic of Korea on Monday, February 25, 2013. Madam Park will then become the first freely elected woman leader among the nations of Northeast Asia and the first woman President of the Republic of Korea Madam Park has shattered the glass ceiling for Korean women by attaining the highest elected office in the land, achieving this remarkable feat before the United States has elected a woman to lead our Nation. In the traditional Land of the Morning Calm where the slogan ``men first, women behind'' was the watchword only a generation ago, Park Geun-hye's election is historic. President-elect Park will serve as a role model for women--young and old--not only in Asia but around the world as they seek to achieve their full potential unfettered by the gender limitations of the past. Madam Park also raises the possibility of a new beginning in the complex and often hostile relationship that has evolved between the two Koreas since the tragic division of the Korean peninsula at the end of the Second World War. A daughter of a mother slain by a North Korean agent in 1974, Madam Park chose to put this painful family tragedy aside and travel to North Korea in 2002 and meet the very man, Kim Jong-il, who was likely responsible for the murder of her mother. She did this for the good of her country, for those numerous divided Korean families who have not seen nor heard from their loved ones in sixty years, and for a people with a common culture and heritage suddenly torn asunder by Cold War politics. The Korean people have an old saying that ``when whales fight, shrimp get broken'' recognizing the victimization of a small but proud nation surrounded by colossal and often hostile neighbors. The healing process after sixty years of this externally imposed division symbolized by the stark frontier of the DMZ will not be easy. But, as was once said in reference to the unfreezing of Sino-American relations, that ``only Nixon could go to China,'' so it may one day be said that ``only Park Geun-hye, the daughter of an anti-communist general and a martyred mother, could reconcile the two Koreas.'' This coming summer, on July 27th, we will commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of an Armistice which silenced the guns but brought no permanent peace on the Korean peninsula. Our aging Korean War era veterans, who include four Members of the U.S. House of Representatives including the Honorable Charles Rangel, the Honorable John Conyers Jr., the Honorable Howard Coble, and the Honorable Sam Johnson, often speak of our steadfast friendship with the people of South Korea as being one which was forged in the crucible of war. The Korean War Memorial, located not far from this House, serves to remind us all of the brave men and women of our country ``who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.'' The election of Park Geun-hye symbolizes the achievement of those democratic values for which these veterans fought and died. I am also certain that America's almost two million strong Korean- American community who have contributed so much to their adopted country are justifiably proud of the democratic and economic miracle of their ancestral homeland. The alliance between their old and new countries, strengthened by the recent adoption of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, will only be further invigorated under Madam Park's presidency. For historical purposes, I submit this statement to be made part of the Congressional Record in tribute to the service, often at great personal sacrifice, that President-elect Park Geun-hye has rendered for and on behalf of the people of the Republic of Korea. I join my colleagues in looking forward to welcoming Madam Park when she makes her first official visit to Washington, DC later this year.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, in one of my first acts of the 113th Congress as the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific which has broad jurisdiction for U.S. policy affecting the region, including India, I rise today to congratulate Shri Narendra Modi on his reelection as Chief Minister of India's Gujarat state. Shri Modi's new term as Chief Minister will be his fourth--an historic achievement for the Honorable Narendra Modi and his some 60 million constituents, as no other CM has served Gujarat for as many terms. Shri Modi became the longest-serving CM of Gujarat in 2007. Since 2001, CM Modi has led a decade of unprecedented growth and development in Gujarat. Because of his extraordinary leadership, Gujarat is now an economic powerhouse with companies like Ford and General Motors also setting up factories in a move that promises to strengthen U.S.-India trade and investment. I thank Mr. Sanjay Puri, founder and President of the Alliance for U.S.-India Business (AUSIB), for the outstanding work he has done and continues to do in the U.S. Congress to promote U.S.-Gujarat trade and the Vibrant Gujarat initiative which has become an example of CM Modi's visionary approach for inclusive development. CM Modi's philosophy of bringing development to ``the doorstep of every poor person, every farmer, every worker'' is a philosophy that resonates beyond the boundaries of Gujarat because it is a philosophy that transcends caste, culture, regional and religious differences. I believe CM Modi's approach to empowerment is why Gujarat is now the global gateway to India. His philosophy of inclusiveness is the reason why delegates from more than 121 countries attended the Vibrant Gujarat 2013 Summit to explore business opportunities and forge strategic partnerships. It is the reason why voters support Shri Modi time and again. Shri Modi's vision is rare. His leadership is remarkable. But his connection to Mahatma Gandhi is what strikes me most. Gujarat is Gandhi's land. By providence or otherwise, it is also the land where Shri Modi serves. As such, it is little wonder that Gujarat State, having historically given leadership to the entire Nation and now ranked first in economic freedom in India, continues to brighten the hopes and dreams of so many. With such accomplishment, it is my sincere hope that the United States will take a new look at Gujarat and support more openly and fully the ideas of CM Modi as he works for the betterment of the world's economy by creating jobs at home and abroad for purposes of improving the lives of people across the globe.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. ``Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member.''

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish Karly Williams a happy birthday. Karly was born on January 14, 1999 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is the daughter of Robert and Tracie Williams. Karly attends Hunter Middle School--Home of the Hawks--in Ooltewah, Tennessee. At Hunter, Karly is a member of the WHMS News crew and won an award for her service. During the 2012 football season, Karly was a manager for the football team and now serves as a manager for the wrestling team. Karly is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Beehive class president of the Harrison Bay ward. One day, Karly hopes to attend Brigham Young University. For now, Karly likes fashion, fishing, dance and drawing. She also likes Chik-fil-A, Red Lobster, sunny weather, country music and beaches. Karly is a girl who loves pearls--and her daddy's big, red truck. Wherever daddy is, Karly wants to be. Karly's dog, Izzie, pals around with Aggie. Aggie, also known as Little Boy, is Mimi's brown chihuahua. Aggie and Izzie, an Australian cattle dog, live with Karly on Birchwood Pike in Harrison, Tennessee.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution allowing Members of Congress to honor the life of a great American hero and a friend to us all. I want to thank my good friends from Hawaii, Ms. Hirono and Ms. Hanabusa, for their leadership in introducing this resolution. We have lost a father, a hero, and a true friend. There is no doubt Senator Daniel K. Inouye was a strong advocate for the people of Hawaii but he was also instrumental in helping the people of American Samoa and all our Territories and neighbors in the Pacific. The Samoan people recognized the Senator's passion for the people of the Pacific especially American Samoa by bestowing him the esteemed chief title, Fofoga o Samoa-meaning, the Voice of Samoa. On the Hill, Fofoga o Samoa Senator Inouye was a giant. He was greatly respected not only for his service as a Senator but, importantly, his patience and unique ability to work with both sides of the aisle for many years. Being a Territory and having a small population, it is very difficult to move legislation without having any representation or support in the Senate, and Fofoga o Samoa Senator Inouye was always there for American Samoa. He was also a fighter for the rights of Native Hawaiians, ensuring veterans received their benefits, and was a pioneer for all Asian and Pacific Americans. I remember in early 1990 when I accompanied the Senator on a Congressional Delegation he led on a Pacific tour that included my District. It was an honor and a privilege accompanying him on this tour because it showed me his deep understanding and care for all of the people in the Pacific. Just as he was a boy that was born and raised in a Territory (Hawaii), he felt it was the right thing to do to help our Territories. This was just a small sample of the Senator's leadership and diligence in recognizing the importance of helping our Territories and the Freely Associated States. As a former member of the 442nd 100th Battalion, I can only thank the Senator and his comrades for their service and `Go For Broke' attitude which has laid the path for many of the Samoan sons and daughters to serve in our great military force. I am forever grateful for the Senator's service to our nation and for his love and compassion for the people of American Samoa. Let us pray that the Lord comfort those who have lost an amazing leader who has touched each and every one of our lives.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentlelady from the District of Columbia for giving me this opportunity to speak today. As negotiations begin on the final fiscal year 2013 Defense Authorization bill, I rise today with my fellow delegates to urge the Senate to adopt the House provision in the FY13 National Defense Authorization Act. This provision would require in statute the integration and display of the flags of each of the U.S. territories at U.S. military installations when and where the flags of the 50 States are flown or displayed. Mr. Speaker, the lack of a unified Armed Forces policy requiring the display of the flags of our U.S. territories is indeed a serious oversight. It is an oversight on the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories who are part of the American family and who have unique histories with our Nation. Mr. Speaker, in our Nation's history, soldiers have fought valiantly in battle, but at times with little recognition--from the hundreds of thousands of African Americans who fought for our Nation since the time of the Revolutionary War, to some 200,000-plus soldiers who made up 10 percent of the entire Union Army in the Civil War, to the tens of thousands of Japanese American soldiers who fought alongside their fellow Americans in Europe during World War II. Servicemembers and veterans of the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories are marginalized by this oversight, despite our significant contributions to our Nation. As a matter of fact, the U.S. territories were, in large part, acquired for the very purpose of our national defense and important strategic and military interests. A noted Navy admiral, Alfred Mahan, was one of those who advocated the theory during the late 19th century that a nation who controls the oceans would rule the world. At a time in the world when words like ``colonialism'' and ``imperialism'' and ``manifest destiny'' were accepted norms of foreign policies of various nations, Admiral Mahan's theory was proven correct when a little island nation known today as the United Kingdom, or Great Britain, or England, established one of the most powerful nations ever in the world. It was due primarily to the fact that Great Britain had the most powerful navy in the world. During World War II, the Samoan islands were a major staging location for some 40,000 marines and soldiers before they were transferred to Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and other destinations in the war against Japan during World War II. For years, the U.S. naval officials pleaded earnestly for the United States to show presence in the South Pacific, and the suggestion was the harbor in Pago Pago on Tutuila island in the Samoan islands would be an ideal place to build a coaling station and a naval facility to allow U.S. naval ships and commercial vessels to utilize especially during the hurricane season. In 1899, in Washington, D.C.--not known to the Samoans--the United States, Great Britain, and Germany held a conference whereby a tripartite treaty was agreed upon so that Germany and Great Britain would continue their colonial policies of figuring out how to control the two largest islands--Savai`i and Upolu--and the U.S. was free to deal with the traditional leaders and chiefs of the islands of Tutuila, Aunu`u, and Manu`a. And by consent of these chiefs, they ceded these islands to the United States in 1900 and 1904. These proposed treaties were never approved by the United States Congress until 1929. Some ask today, Is a territory like American Samoa still relevant to our Nation? And to that I would argue, absolutely--especially given the U.S. pivot of focus on the Asia Pacific region, from our continuous involvements for over 10 years now in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the question, What would happen if the leaders of Samoa or perhaps Fiji or Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands or Tuvalu or Kiribati would agree to have, let's say, China perhaps build a submarine base on these islands? I would be curious if our Department of Defense or the Pentagon or even the Congress might indicate some concern in this region of the world. Mr. Speaker, as a Vietnam veteran and as a representative of a district with high rates of military enlistment, I respectfully urge the Senate to adopt the House provision that would give due honor to all of our servicemembers from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. I thank my colleagues who have gathered here today. And with one voice today, we say, Do the right thing and honor the ultimate sacrifices of the tens of thousands of our men and women who proudly served the armed services of our Nation who are from our U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Mr. Speaker, I want to note for the record that I know that our colleague, the gentlelady from Guam who is also a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, would have been here. But because of other commitments, she was unable to join us in this Special Order. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I am reminded again of a statement made by a retired U.S. Marine brigadier general and a dear Republican friend of mine, a native Chamorro from Guam, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a very dear Republican friend, as I said, and former colleague of ours in Congress. He was a former Member of this House. He observed that in our relationship between our Nation and the Territories, he said, We are equal in war but not in peace. With that, Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that our colleagues in the Senate, Chairman Carl Levin; the distinguished Republican Senator, the senior ranking member and dear friend as well, John McCain; and all the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee will support this provision. And to the gentlelady from the District of Columbia, I cannot help but to say more. There are 600,000 U.S. citizens living in her district. They pay Federal income taxes, and yet she is denied the right to vote on the floor. I think this is something that is unbecoming of what we call ``democracy,'' if I will.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentleman from Virginia, and especially also my dear friend and colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina, as managers of this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6116, a bill to provide for appeals from the Virgin Islands Supreme Court to go to the U.S. Supreme Court instead of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. H.R. 6116, sponsored by my good friend, the gentlelady from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Dr. Christensen, simply puts into legislation a decision vetted by the judicial council of the third circuit, established through a process which has already been authorized by Congress. Mr. Speaker, in 1984, Congress provided Guam and the Virgin Islands with the authority to establish local supreme courts, and the law provided for appeals from these courts to go to their respective circuit courts of appeals for the first 15 years unless after 5 years their respective court of appeals found the local supreme court was ready for appeals to go directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. On April 18 of this year, the third circuit's judicial council published a 23-page report on the Virgin Islands Supreme Court that was submitted to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and also to the House Committee on Natural Resources. In its review, the council concluded that the Virgin Islands Supreme Court has developed sufficient institutional traditions to justify direct review by the Supreme Court of the United States of all final decisions. The council affirmed that the Virgin Islands Supreme Court's quality of case law was commensurate with that of the supreme courts of several States, and among other remarkable reviews, stated further that the third circuit court has yet to reverse a decision of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court. I congratulate the Virgin Islands Supreme Court Chief Justice Rhys Hodge and Associate Justices Maria Cabret and Ive Swan for this extraordinary feat, and I commend again the gentlelady from the Virgin Islands for introducing this timely legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, again I cannot express enough my deepest appreciation to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) and my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble) for their management of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5934, a bill that I authored to stop tobacco smuggling in the territories. First, I want to thank the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Smith, and my dear friend, the ranking member, Mr. Conyers, and all the members of the committee for their strong support of this legislation. I also want to acknowledge Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Cantor, and our Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, for their support of this bill. I thank my colleagues, the gentlelady from Guam, and also, the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands, Ms. Bordallo and Mr. Sablan, respectively, for their cosponsorship of this bill. Mr. Speaker, today American Samoa faces a serious problem of tobacco smuggling, as I'm sure it's the same with the other territories. According to a recent study, 2 years ago, as many as 5,792,924 cigarettes were smuggled into the territory. The study found that tobacco smuggling resulted in the loss of about $724,116 in revenues to the American Samoa Government. If continued undeterred, tobacco smuggling in the territory will lead to heavier losses in local tax revenues, especially if cigarette excise tax rates were to be increased. Mr. Speaker, in this age of government fiscal responsibility, securing and sustaining stable resources of local revenue stream is essential and must be encouraged for the territories. It was for this reason I began to look into this important issue. And I was disappointed, however, to find that, under current law prohibiting cigarette smuggling, not all the territories were included. Under the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act that Congress passed in 1978, it is illegal to ship, sell, transport, or possess more than 10,000 cigarettes, or 500 packs per month, not bearing the tax stamp of the jurisdiction in which they are found. Violation is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and seizure of the contraband cigarettes. The Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act currently, however, does not apply to American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Historically, when Congress considered the bill in 1978 the Senate version defined State to include the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a territory or a possession of the United States, while the House provision excluded the smaller territories. For some reason unbeknown to me, the conference substitute adopted the House provision, and according to the conference report, the House provision is described as ``more accurately delineating the practical scope of the legislation.'' Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today will correct this oversight in the current law. This important piece of legislation will amend the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act to include the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. It will amend the definition of a State for the purpose of this Act to include all U.S. territories. Again, I commend my good friends, the gentleman from North Carolina, as well as my friend from Virginia, for their extensive understanding and knowledge of this issue and the matter now before us. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Congressional Record my recent speech before the international conference From a Nuclear Test Ban to a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World held in Astana, Kazakhstan on August 29, 2012. For historical purposes, I am also including a parliamentary appeal for nuclear abolition as well as a news article dated August 30, 2012 announcing Kazakhstan's launch of the ATOM project to support the global movement against nuclear tests. The ATOM project, an acronym for ``Abolish Testing. Our Mission'' is an international petition campaign designed to unify public opinion against nuclear weapons testing. The ATOM project is the initiative of the Nazarbayev Center, and I encourage any person who opposes nuclear weapons to sign this online petition to the governments of the world calling for the permanent step to stop nuclear testing. Interested persons may sign the petition at www.TheATOMProject.org. Statement of the Honorable Eni F. H. Faleomavaega Before the International Conference From a Nuclear Test Ban to a Nuclear-Weapons- Free World held in Astana, Kazakhstan on August 29, 2012 Distinguished Guests: On December 2, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 64/35 which declares August 29 the International Day against Nuclear Tests in recognition of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's historic decision in 1991 on August 29 to close down the world's second largest nuclear test site and dismantle the world's fourth largest nuclear arsenal at Semipalatinsk. The resolution--which was initiated by Kazakhstan and sponsored and cosponsored by many other governments--calls for increasing awareness and education ``about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.'' In 2011, we commemorated the 20th anniversary of President Nazarbayev's courageous act and, on March 7, 2012, the people of the Republic of the Marshall Islands through their Nitijela at its 33rd Constitutional Regular Session passed a resolution calling for President Nazarbayev to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in tribute to victims and survivors of Cold War nuclear testing. The President of the Marshall Islands, the Honorable Christopher J. Loeak, noted that the Committee has only recognized those who have inspected nuclear test sites or talked about the need to cooperate. At no time has the Committee bestowed the award for the actual abolishment of nuclear weaponry. So I join with the people and parliament of the Marshall Islands, and urge you to do the same, in calling upon the Nobel Peace Prize Committee to honor President Nazarbayev for promoting peace by changing the course of world history for the better. Unlike any other government, the Republic of the Marshall Islands shares the same history and experience as Kazakhstan, having also been used as a nuclear testing ground during the Cold War. From 1946-1958, the United States began testing nuclear weapons in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and, during that period, the United States conducted 67 nuclear tests with an equivalent yield of 7,000 Hiroshima bombs. On March 1, 1951, the United States detonated a 15 megaton hydrogen bomb code-named BRAVO in the Marshall Islands. The bomb was equivalent to 1,000 Hiroshima-sized bombs and was acknowledged as the greatest nuclear explosion ever detonated. The BRAVO test evaporated six islands and created a mushroom cloud of 25 miles in diameter. On August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear explosion code-named 'First Lightening' at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in eastern Kazakhstan. From 1949- 1989, the Soviet Union conducted 456 nuclear tests in Semipalatinsk and the cumulative power of those explosions is estimated to be equal to the power of 2,500 Hiroshima-sized bombs. As a result of Soviet nuclear testings more than 1.5 million Kazakhs were exposed to nuclear radiation. As a result of U.S. testings, the people of the Marshall Islands were also exposed to the horrific effects of radiation poisoning. Neither the Soviet Union nor the U.S. have fulfilled their obligation in cleaning up the mess they left behind as a result of their Cold War arms race. Instead, they turn a blind eye to the human suffering that carries forward today. This is why I will continue to speak out and praise President Nazarbayev for his choice to renounce nuclear weaponry. My position regarding this matter is no different than the position the United States took during a joint meeting between President Obama and President Nazarbayev on April 11, 2010 when President Obama stated that ``the US. appreciates the leadership of President Nazarbayev and the contribution of Kazakhstan to nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.'' While I applaud President Obama for stating on April 6, 2010 that ``the United States will not conduct nuclear testing and will seek ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)'' which bans all nuclear explosions in all environments, I believe, as the theme of this conference suggests, it is time to move from a nuclear test ban to a nuclear-weapons free world. After all, the CTBT, like the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is based on a flawed and outdated premise. The NPT asserts that only five nations--the nuclear weapons states--namely, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China (which also happen to be the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council)-- will pursue nuclear disarmament and share their technology for peaceful purposes if non-nuclear states agree never to acquire nuclear weapons. The NPT also states that only the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and France are permitted to own nuclear weapons because only they possessed nuclear weapons at the time the treaty was open for signature in 1968. The world has changed since 1968. No longer can non-nuclear states support the outdated premise of the NPT and none of us should settle for what the CTBT offers, particularly since the signatories of the NPT are among the worst violators of the nuclear code. From 1949-1990, Russia conducted over 700 nuclear tests. In roughly the same time period, the U.S. conducted over 1000 nuclear tests. Since 1964, China has conducted more than 43 nuclear tests. Between 1960 and 1991, France conducted more than 200 nuclear tests and, in 1996, despite being a signatory of the NPT, France broke a world moratorium conducting 6 more tests at Moruroa Atoll in the South Pacific while the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) silently consented. It is time for all of us to say enough is enough. It is time for the world to follow Kazakhstan's lead and begin the process of dismantling. If Kazakhstan can dismantle a nuclear arsenal which was larger than the combined nuclear arsenals of Great Britain, France and China combined, then certainly the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China can also do what is right. Some twenty years ago, President Nazarbayev emerged to champion the cause of a nuclear weapons free world, and no other leader before or since has done what he has done to advance the rights of the human person by promoting nuclear disarmament among possessor states and preventing proliferation to new states. As President Loeak stated, ``Had Kazakhstan retained the nuclear arsenal it inherited after achieving independence and following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan could have altered the fragile peace brought about by the Cold War. But knowing the price Kazakhs and Marshallese paid to preserve international peace, President Nazarbayev chose to renounce and disarm.'' For this, the man deserves to be commended again and again. I commend President Nazarbayev for his initiative to move the world from a nuclear test ban to a nuclear-weapons free world, and for and on behalf of the people of Kazakhstan--and the Republic of the Marshall Islands--and all others now and yet to come--it is my sincere hope that we will hold together and stand firm in our support of this great cause.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2139, the Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act. I thank my colleague, Mr. Roskam from Illinois, for introducing this bill which would direct the Secretary of Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Lions Clubs International. Founded in 1917 by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones, the Lions Club has expanded to over 46,000 clubs and 1.35 million members worldwide. What began as a national association extended beyond U.S. borders within 3 years of founding. Now, nearly a century later, the Lions continue to carry out their motto ``We Serve'' in 207 countries, touching every corner of the globe. In the last century, Lions Clubs International has helped to solve problems and serve humanitarian needs on the ground. Their services reach the blind, youth, and the elderly and also address health, the environment and disaster relief. I am especially grateful to the Lions for their dedicated assistance to the people of my district in American Samoa. Following the deadly 2009 tsunami that devastated villages in American Samoa and Samoa, our local Lions Clubs were among those that came to the aid of our people. The Lions Club of Pago Pago continued to provide relief to many residents who lost their eyeglasses during the tsunami. Volunteers offered residents eye screening services that included complete eye examinations to evaluate visual health and detect eye diseases, prescriptions, and referral services. The Apia Lions in Samoa also provided assistance through disaster relief shelters and distributed donations such as clothing, food, and medicine from international Lions Clubs members. I am proud to say that the Lions Club of Pago Pago has provided consistent services to our people of American Samoa and is a priceless asset to our community. I commend the Lions Clubs International and I stand in full support of this bill which celebrates and honors a century of international leadership in humanitarian service.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, as a Vietnam veteran, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1410. In 1967, I was deployed to Vietnam and served my country in Nha Trang. My brother also served, and has since passed away. On the matter of human rights, the U.S. cannot assume the moral high ground when it comes to Vietnam. From 1961 to 1971, the U.S. sprayed more than 11 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam, subjecting millions of innocent civilians to dioxin--a toxic known to be one of the deadliest chemicals made by man. Despite the suffering that has occurred ever since, there seems to be no real interest on the part of the U.S. to clean up the mess we left behind. Instead, we spend our time offering up language like this which fails to make anything right. While I appreciate that more than 1 million Vietnamese-Americans still have strong feelings about the Vietnam War, the fact is it is time for us to rebuild our relationship with Vietnam just like we did with Germany and Japan after WWII. Regrettably, H.R. 1410 has an adverse impact on our efforts. H.R. 1410 purports to promote the development of freedom and democracy in Vietnam but fails in its purpose. As noted by the Congressional Research Service, ``the bill could chill the recent warming of bilateral political and security ties and could weaken economic reformers in ongoing domestic political battles inside Vietnam.'' Put another way, H.R. 1410 is not in the best interest of the United States or the Vietnamese-American community. H.R. 1410 is shortsighted in its approach, and contrary to the efforts of the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administrations which have sought to strengthen our partnership with Vietnam. Long after the Vietnam War, the U.S. is now about the business of coordinating a multi-country diplomatic push back against Chinese encroachment in the oil-rich and strategically important South China Sea. H.R. 1410 is not helpful to our cause. In conversations with the Department of State, they share my concerns that measures in H.R. 1410 could adversely affect our security relationship with Vietnam as well as our ability to work with Vietnam on trafficking in persons. H.R. 1410 could also greatly reduce our chances of negotiating a roadmap on human rights. Moreover, Section 3(a)(2)(G) significantly alters the standard by which the Government of Vietnam's efforts to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) are measured, and restricts non-humanitarian assistance to FY2011 levels pending certification in an annual report by the President of the United States. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) created a set of minimum standards to assess a government's efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). These standards are based on agreed upon international protocols. H.R. 1410 goes beyond the protocols and holds the Government of Vietnam to a higher standard. By holding the Government of Vietnam to a higher standard that is not applicable to any other foreign government, or to the U.S. government's own efforts, the Act would have an adverse impact on our ability to conduct diplomacy with the Government of Vietnam on improving its anti- TIP efforts. So while Vietnam may have work to do on improving its human rights record, we also have work to do. First and foremost, we need to work on being fair. We need to work on treating Vietnam the same as we treat other foreign governments. Simply put, it is wrong to hold Vietnam to a higher standard than the rest of the world. Also, let us be clear about the sincere and measurable progress Vietnam has made. Let us not cherry-pick bits of truth and put forward old data. H.R. 1410 is based on old data--the same data that has been put forward over and over again by those who have never served in Vietnam or visited Vietnam or met with Vietnam's leaders. After serving in Vietnam in 1967, I returned some 40 years later after becoming Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. All I can say is the Vietnam I fought against is not the Vietnam I know today. So, I encourage my colleagues to re-think Vietnam and pursue a path of cooperation that does not undermine the progress we are making. I also ask that the Embassy of Vietnam's statement and the following excerpts from the State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2010 be made part of the record. The Report notes, ``respect for religious freedom and practice improved in some regards,'' and that ``the government took further steps to implement its 2004 Ordinance on Religion and Belief and supplemental decrees on religious policy issued in 2005.'' The report also recognizes that the Vietnamese ``government also facilitated construction of new churches, prayer houses, pagodas, and training facilities for furthering the education of thousands of monks, priests, nuns, and pastors'' permitting ``the expansion of religious organizations'' charitable activities.'' The Report also made note of the meeting between President Nguyen Minh Triet and Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. ``Vietnam and the Holy See agreed to a Vatican appointment of a non-resident Representative for Vietnam as a first step toward the establishment of full diplomatic relations.'' The report also states that ``new congregations were registered in many of the 64 provinces, and one new religious group and two Protestant denominations received national registration or recognition.'' ``The Catholic Church, Protestant congregations, and other smaller religious groups reported that their ability to gather and worship generally improved and that the government allowed registered religious groups to assign new clergy with limited restrictions. The government also permitted the Buddhist, Catholic, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao, and Protestant faiths to hold several historic large-scale religious services throughout the country, some with over 100,000 participants.'' The State Department also confirmed the Vietnam's Government assertion that ``some ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands were operating a self-styled ``Dega Church,'' which reportedly mixed religious practice with political activism and called for ``ethnic minority separatism.'' Regarding the Con Dau incident, the report notes that the arrested six Catholic parishioners ``reportedly started a physical altercation with police.'' In light of these facts and many more, it is my hope that the U.S. Senate will disregard H.R. 1410 and put forward an approach that allows us to strengthen our economic and security ties with Vietnam while negotiating a roadmap on human rights that is based on accurate information--not on misinformation intended to topple Vietnam's current government. In the U.S. House of Representatives, I hope that the advocates of H.R. 1410--if they are truly sincere about human rights--will apply their efforts to assisting Vietnam with Agent Orange clean-up because the mess we left behind is a serious violation of human rights that needs to be corrected once and for all. Embassy of Vietnam to the United States On religious freedom in Viet Nam Viet Nam is a country of many faiths, with the presence of major world religions including Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam. It has the second largest Catholic community in Southeast Asia. Approximately 80 percent of the population are religious or spiritual believers. Of these, 22.3 million are followers of one religion or another, constituting one fifth of the population. There are 25,000 places of worship in Vietnam. The government of Viet Nam pursues a consistent policy of respecting religious freedom and facilitating the practice of religion and faith by all citizens. Viet Nam attaches importance to the policy of religious solidarity and concord, ensuring equality and non- discrimination for all religions. Religious activities are protected by law but the abuse of religion to provoke hatred, division and conflict which threatens national security and stability is strictly prohibited. Religious freedom and protection of religious freedom are provided for in Viet Nam's laws including the 1992 Constitution (Article 70), the Civil Code (Article 47), the 1999 Penal Code (Article 129), the Ordinance on Religion and Belief (``the Ordinance'') and Decree 22/ 2005/ND-CP dated 1st March, 2005 providing for implementation of the Ordinance. Since the issuance of the Ordinance, religious freedom has been reinforced throughout the country. Religious life in Viet Nam has seen strong vitality in recent years, thus contributing significantly to national development. There are now 4 Buddhist institutes, 32 intermediate Buddhist schools, hundreds of elementary Buddhist courses, 6 Catholic Seminaries and one Protestant Institute of Bible and Theology in Viet Nam. Thousands of religious dignitaries are trained in those schools each year, of which 1,177 are engaging in governance, working as delegates in the National Assembly or People's Councils. The Evangelical Church of Viet Nam has organized theological courses. A series of religious websites are being operated by the Viet Nam Bishops' Council and the Spiritual Council of the Baha'i Community of Viet Nam. Places of worship have been built throughout the country with the government's sponsorship. These include the construction of the Khmer Theravada Buddhist University in Can Tho province and the expansion of the La Vang Parish in Quang Tri province. Religious activities in Viet Nam are in full swing now. The 2,555th Buddhist Vesak Day was observed in many provinces. In May, 2011, a Vietnamese delegation participated in the United Nations' Vesak Day in Thailand. The Catholic Church's Jubilee Year in 2011 was prominently celebrated and its closing ceremony was attended by 1,000 priests, 2,000 clergies and 500,000 parishioners. The celebration was honoured by the presence of Cardinal Ivan Dias, Head of the Vatican's Missionary Department, Special Envoy of Pope Benedict XVI. The year 2011 also marked the 100th anniversary of Protestantism in Viet Nam. Big celebrations were held in Ha Noi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, attended by Protestants from all provinces and cities. Local authorities have made important contributions to these achievements of Vietnamese religious communities. However, progress has been slower in certain more distant areas of Vietnam due to poverty, low level of socio-economic development and geographical disadvantages. This is particularly true in mountainous and border provinces. In addition, the educational level and training of some local officials have been limited, making it more difficult for them to full realize our policy. Recognition and registration of religious organisations The registration of religious activities and the recognition of the legal entity of new religious organisations are the basis for religious organisations and congregations to be protected by law, rather than an administrative measure to hinder religious freedom and belief. Eligibility for legal recognition of a religious organization or congregation is clearly stipulated in the 2004 Ordinance on Religion and Belief. To date, the State has recognized 18 religious organisations representing 9 religions, of which 6 are new ones. These include Baha'i, Tu An Hieu Nghia (Four Debts of Gratitude), Buu Son Ky Huong, The Pure Land Buddhist Home-Practice Association, Minh Su and Minh Ly. Seven other Protestant denominations also achieved recognition, bringing the total number of recognized religious organisations in Viet Nam up to 34. Prior to the introduction of the Ordinance, only 16 organisations representing 6 religions were recognized by our government. Registration of Protestant groups has shown a particular increase: Upon the issuance and implementation of the Ordinance on Religion (2004) and Directive No. 01 on Protestantism, Protestantism has grown exponentially in Viet Nam in terms of the number of followers, congregations as well as the diversity of worship practices. In 2011, the number of Protestants in Viet Nam was roughly 1.17 million people, of which 110 thousand lived in the northwest region of Viet Nam, 360 thousand in the Central Highlands, and the remaining 700 thousand throughout the country. The number of registered places of worship has increased to over 1,700 groups and congregations (in the northwest: 258 groups, in the Central Highlands: 1,284 groups and 189 congregations). The government has organized 8 conferences to do outreach about our policies and laws concerning Protestantism to 1,600 participants who are the leaders of places of worship.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that will authorize the Secretary of the Department of Defense to establish a National Guard unit in American Samoa. Mr. Speaker, the National Guard has a long, proud history in the United States. As part of their federal duties, National Guard units have been mobilized to supplement regular armed forces during times of war or national emergencies. As State entities, National Guard units have been utilized in their respective States upon declaration of a State of Emergency. National Guard troops have been activated in response to emergencies as a result of snowstorms, droughts, flooding, earthquakes, and other natural hazards that require providing basic necessities to people across the country. Indeed, one is reminded that National Guard units played a major role in providing security and assisting recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, in September 2005. Mr. Speaker, today, there are 54 separate National Guard units--one for each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, plus Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There is no National Guard unit in American Samoa. Mr. Speaker, on September 29, 2009, American Samoa was hit by a powerful earthquake which struck below the ocean about 140 miles southwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa, and 125 miles south of Samoa. The earthquake, which registered 8.3 on the Richter scale, set off a massive tsunami that crashed into American Samoa. Entire villages were devastated creating a disaster of epic proportion in the Territory. Mr. Speaker, one of the lessons of the 2009 Tsunami is the fact that American Samoa is prone to disasters and we must be prepared. Especially, with American Samoa being out there on its own in the midst of the vast South Pacific Ocean, it is very difficult to coordinate and organize first responders from the mainland. Having a National Guard unit is extremely helpful when there is a State emergency. In addition, American Samoa has a per capita enlistment rate in the U.S. military which is higher than any State or U.S. Territory. Our sons and daughters have served in record numbers in every U.S. military engagement from WWII to present operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have stood by the United States in good times and bad, and I believe this relationship would only be strengthened by establishing a National Guard unit in American Samoa. For these reasons, I am pleased to introduce legislation today to establish a National Guard unit in American Samoa. I understand that there are several other issues to consider in order to fulfill the objectives of this legislation. My hope is to work together with my colleagues to make improvements and adjustments as needed. I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished chairman of our committee, Doc Hastings, and our ranking member, Mr. Markey, for their leadership in support of this proposed legislation. I especially want to thank my good friend and colleague, the chief sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz). I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support of H.R. 4484, the Y Mountain Access Enhancement Act, which would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to sell 80 acres of U.S. Forest Service land of an area known for years by the residents of Provo, Utah, as the ``Y Mountain'' to Brigham Young University. Y Mountain, which is located directly east of the BYU campus, includes a trail that leads 1.2 miles from the mountain's base up to a large white concrete Y on the mountain's hillside that was built over 100 years ago. The Y, which is 380 feet high by 130 feet wide, is even larger than Los Angeles' famous Hollywood sign and serves as an insignia for Brigham Young University. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud alumnus of Brigham Young University. The Y has always been a symbol of pride for us, the alumni, the faculty, the student body, and the Provo community. It reminds us of what BYU students and alumni strive for and continue to advocate for future generations: ``Enter to learn, and go forth to serve.'' The Y is illuminated five times a year, including at freshman orientation, homecoming, graduations in April and August, as well as Y Days, which celebrate BYU's week of service activities, dating back to the school's tradition of whitewashing the Y. It is a nationally recognized symbol of BYU sports, especially its football tradition. BYU's athletic program is essentially important for all Pacific Islanders who have been given the opportunity, through athletic scholarships, to further their education here in the United States. Mr. Speaker, BYU once owned the entire area surrounding the Y and the Y Mountain Trail, and the university also currently manages the U.S. Forest Service portion of the trail. H.R. 4484, however, proposes that the Federal Government sell the Y Mountain at fair market value to BYU, and mandates that proceeds of the sale be used to reduce the Federal budget deficit. The bill also guarantees that public access to the Y and the Y Mountain Trail be maintained following the sale. It is my strong belief, Mr. Speaker, that permitting BYU to purchase this property would result in better maintenance of the trail and mountain. Given the immense source of pride in the Y Mountain, BYU ownership of the property would only result in improved maintenance, cleanliness, safety, and access for the public. Transfer of ownership would also allow the university to preserve a significant monument for future generations of students and members of the community. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleagues and especially the gentleman from Utah, as the chief sponsor of this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Every word that's been spoken by the gentleman from Oklahoma, not only as the chief author and the sponsor of this legislation, but something that I think my colleagues in the House need to be reminded of, this has nothing to do with whatever current feuds are going on between Armenia and Turkey. That is totally irrelevant to the bill that we are discussing here this afternoon. If we talk about past criminalities and acts that were done against the American Indians, Mr. Speaker, I don't know if my colleagues realize that the Government of the United States of America signed 389 treaties with the American Indians. And guess what. We broke every one of those treaties. So let's talk about fairness. I rise in strong support of H.R. 2362, the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011. First, I want to thank the gentleman from Washington, the chairman of our committee, and also the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) for their support. And I especially want to thank my good friend, the only American Indian that we have in this body, a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation of the State of Oklahoma, my good friend and buddy, Tom Cole. Not only is he the cochair of our American Indian Congressional Caucus, but he is also a real gentleman that knows what he's talking about. Mr. Speaker, despite the recent success of some tribes in creating successful gaming enterprises, pursuant to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, to a large extent, Indian tribes still face extreme economic conditions. This is due in part to the perception by private lenders and investors that risky conditions prevail in Indian Country. Because of the Federal trust status, Indian lands and resources are perceived as risky for collateral, and even loans and burdensome regulations restrict and impede efforts to improve economic conditions on tribal lands. Mr. Speaker, we have unemployment as high as 80 percent among some of these tribes. In terms of any incentives given them to provide greater economic development, Mr. Speaker, this legislation solves this problem, and we need to give them these tools so that these tribes could better make economic improvements in their situation. Mr. Speaker, our Federal Government has a trust obligation to our Indian brothers and sisters. A couple of years ago, I was pleased to work with Senator Inouye, my good friend from Hawaii, on legislation that will give Indian tribes access to many tools such as development capital, loans to Indian enterprises, and a host of other authorized activities, with the purpose of creating an environment that is conducive to Indian Country economic development. Today I continue to remain steadfast in my support and am willing to work with my colleagues in Congress to make improvements in this area. Again, I commend my good friend Mr. Cole for his leadership. The bill before us today will create the Indian Tribal Trade and Investments Demonstration project within the Department of the Interior to include up to six Indian tribes for this pilot program. These tribes will be able to lease land currently held in trust by Federal land to conduct such activities including business and economic development; public, educational, or residential purposes; et cetera. Moreover, the bill will streamline the archaic and burdensome--you know, even just to get a lease agreement with the Federal Government, some of these tribes have had to wait for 10 years. They couldn't even get this done through the regulatory process. These are the problems that we're faced with. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues, pass this legislation. And again, I commend and thank my good friend, the gentleman from Oklahoma, for his leadership and bringing this legislation before us for consideration and approval. I rise today in support of H.R. 2362, the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011. First, I want to thank the gentleman from the State of Oklahoma, and my good friend, Mr. Tom Cole, for his authorship of this important piece of legislation that will facilitate economic development by Indian tribes and encourage investment by foreign companies. Mr. Speaker, despite the recent success of some Indian tribes in creating successful gaming enterprises pursuant to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, to a large extent, Indian tribes still face extreme economic conditions. This is due in part to the perception by private lenders and investors that risky conditions prevail in Indian country. Because of the Federal Trust Status, Indian lands and resources are perceived as risky for collateral, and even loans and burdensome regulations restrict and impede efforts to improve economic conditions on tribal land. Mr. Speaker, according to recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the overall poverty rate for American Indians/Alaska Natives, including children, is higher than that for the total U.S. population. The fact is, many of our Indian brothers and sisters remain stuck in poverty. With unemployment rates of up to 80-percent in some tribal communities, Indian tribes must find creative ways to foster economic growth and generate jobs and economic prosperity in these struggling communities. Mr. Speaker, our Federal Government has a trust obligation to our Indian brothers and sisters. A couple of years ago, I was pleased to work with the Senator from Hawaii, and my good friend, Senator Inouye on legislation that will give Indian tribes access to many tools, such as development capital, loans to Indian enterprises, and a host of other authorized activities, with the purpose of creating an environment that is conducive to Indian country economic development. Today, I continue to remain steadfast in my support and am willing to work with my colleagues in Congress, to ensure that our federal trust obligation to the Indian tribes is uphold. Again, I commend Mr. Tom Cole for his leadership. The bill before us today will create the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project within the U.S. Department of the Interior to include up to six Indian tribes or consortia. These tribes will be able to lease land currently held in trust by the federal land to conduct such activities including business and economic development; public, educational, or residential purposes; development or use of natural resources in connection with operations under such leases; and grazing and farming activities. Moreover, the bill will streamline the archaic and burdensome federal regulations in place for leasing, to make it easier for Indian Tribes to partner with foreign companies that engage in economic development on tribal lands. While H.R. 2362 was initially developed because of Turkey's interest in working with Indian tribes, I am pleased to know that all 155 World Trade Organization countries will have the same investment opportunities. Mr. Speaker, this bill embodies our federal government trust obligation to the economic condition of the Indian tribes and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2362.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished service of my good friend, He Xiangdong, Counselor for the Congressional Liaison Office of the Chinese Embassy. Counselor He graduated from Wuhan University in 1985. From 1985-1994, he was editor for the World Affairs Magazine in Beijing. From 1994- 1996, he was Second Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Oman. From 1996-1999, he served as First Secretary and Chief of the Political Section for the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia. From 1999-2004, he was First Secretary of the Policy Planning Department in the Foreign Ministry of China. Since 2004, he has been assigned to work with the U.S. Congress to strengthen relations between China and the U.S., and having worked closely with him in my official capacities as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, I am proud of Counselor He's accomplishments and the indelible mark he has made in furthering relations between our countries. Counselor He is to be commended for his exemplary service for and on behalf of the People's Republic of China. He has served his nation well. On a personal note, I will miss him, and I extend to him my highest regards.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself especially with the remarks made by the gentlelady from Florida, who is our distinguished chairwoman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and with the remarks of my senior ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman). I thank them both for their leadership in bringing this legislation forward for consideration and approval before the Members of this body. I think there is absolutely no question in terms of the provisions provided in this bill. We want to be absolutely certain that our government is making every effort to ensure the security of the State of Israel. I want to again commend the gentlelady from Florida and also my good friend from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for their comments in assuring and in giving every absolute notice to other countries of the world so as to know where the United States stands in its defense of Israel.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I want to express my deepest appreciation to the gentlelady from Florida, the chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and certainly my colleague, the senior ranking member, Mr. Berman of California. I would also like to express my most sincere appreciation to our Speaker of the House, John Boehner; our majority leader, Eric Cantor; our Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi; our Democratic Whip, Steny Hoyer; the chairman of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Ranking Member Howard Berman of California; Chairman John Kline and Ranking Member George Miller of the Committee on Education and the Workforce; Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member John Conyers of the Committee on the Judiciary; Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey of the Committee on Natural Resources; and certainly Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator Lisa Murkowski, who respectively served as chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for all that they have done on behalf of the insular areas. I cannot thank my colleagues enough for standing with me because I know the passage of this bill is only possible today due to their support. I also thank the committee staff leadership for their working in close association with my office on the provision which will benefit the Associated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Territory of American Samoa. Mr. Speaker, as my chairman had alluded to earlier about this section, it's very simple. This atoll, Runit Atoll, is located in Enewetak. For the benefit and information of my colleagues, the Enewetak Atoll is located in the Marshall Islands. This is where we exploded 43 of our nuclear bombs out of the 67 nuclear bombs that we exploded during our testing program from 1943 to 1962; and in the process, this is where we exploded our mini-hydrogen bomb, which was called a Mike shot, which was only about 700 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb that we exploded in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Only about a couple of hundred of miles away is also the atoll called Bikini Atoll, and in 1954 we exploded the most powerful and the first hydrogen bomb that was ever exploded on this planet. It was known as the Bravo shot, and it was 1,300 times more powerful than the bombs that we dropped in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Just to give my colleagues a sense of understanding and appreciation, what we did in this specific atoll, Enewetak, we had to collect all the debris, all the nuclear waste materials as a result of the 43 bombs that we exploded in this atoll for purposes of preventing nuclear contamination from getting into the water and the ocean squall of that. Well, it started to leak, and there are some very serious problems of nuclear contamination seepage coming out of what we've done in burying, supposedly, the nuclear waste materials on this atoll called Runit Atoll. This provision is just simply the Congress directs the Secretary of Energy to do a monitoring program and to see what is happening after some 40 years that we did all this tremendous damage, not only to property, but to the lives of these people in the Marshall Islands. This is what this provision provides. It very simply authorizes the Secretary of Energy to go over there and find out what's going on and monitor the underground water so that these people can survive properly. In the process, and what's about good about this bill, Mr. Speaker, is it doesn't require any offsets. We don't have to worry about any financials. It will be funded by the Technical Assistance Program that is now provided by the Office of Insular Affairs. The second provision in this bill, Mr. Speaker, it just simply amends the Compact of Free Association to authorize our judges to go there and serve temporarily in the courts of the Associated States of Micronesia. That's all it does. It doesn't require any more expense than it is but just to simply authorize them. And the third provision that I want to share with my colleagues is simply to delay the increase of the minimum wage in my little Territory of American Samoa for the next 3 years. That's all that this bill provides. As I said, Mr. Speaker, this is one of the most unusual bills. It has the support of four committee chairmen and senior ranking members. Now, you talk about bipartisanship: I don't know of any other bill that I've ever heard or known and the fact that we have something we can all work toward in solving some of the serious problems affecting the lives of our fellow Americans. And that's all I'm asking for. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2009, the Insular Areas Act of 2011, which was passed by the Senate on December 16, 2011. At this time, I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to Speaker of the House John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Ranking Member Howard Berman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Chairman John Kline and Ranking Member George Miller of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member John Conyers of the Committee on the Judiciary, Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey of the Committee on Natural Resources, and Senators Jeff Bingaman and Lisa Murkowski who respectively serve as the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for all they have done for and on behalf of the people of American Samoa. I cannot thank my colleagues enough for standing with me because I know that passage of this bill is only possible today due to their support. I also thank committee and leadership staff for working in close association with my office on provisions which will benefit our Associated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands, and the U.S. Territory of American Samoa for years to come. Most of all, I thank the people of American Samoa, our tuna cannery workers, our Fono, and Governor for their support and prayers. I want to especially commend Senator Bingaman and Senator Murkowski for their leadership in getting S. 2009 passed by the Senate. S. 2009 includes a provision to delay minimum wage increases in American Samoa until 2015. The provision regarding minimum wage was worked out in advance with my office as well as the Senate HELP Committee, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the House Committee on Natural Resources. Because S. 2009 included other provisions not related to minimum wage, the bill was referred to three different committees in the House, including Education and the Workforce, the Judiciary, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs which has primary jurisdiction for S. 2009. With three different committees sharing jurisdiction, the bill could not move to the House floor unless the committees agreed to be discharged from consideration of S. 2009. At my request, each of the Chairmen and Ranking Members agreed to waive consideration in order to expedite the bill's consideration. Although S. 2009 was not referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, I sought and received the support of Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey, too. While we were hopeful that the bill could be placed on the House calendar after Congress returned from the Christmas recess, in January 2012 the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) unwittingly halted the advancement of the bill due to concerns it raised about a provision related to the monitoring of Runit Island. After explaining how important delaying further minimum wage increases is to American Samoa's economy, we were able to resolve OIA's concerns and move forward. But given these setbacks, Speaker Boehner's office subsequently requested that we formalize, in writing, the commitment of the Chairmen of the committees of jurisdiction and, as of March 28, 2012, we completed this request. On Tuesday, July 10, 2012, I personally met with Majority Leader Eric Cantor and presented our case, and he agreed that with the support of Speaker Boehner, Democratic Leader Pelosi and Democratic Whip Hoyer that he would schedule the bill for consideration. Once the bill was publicly placed on the House calendar for July 17, 2012, I announced the progress we had made. Given the sensitivities surrounding minimum wage, I felt like a public announcement any sooner could have jeopardized our efforts. The matter of minimum wage is of utmost importance to American Samoa. Since 1956, until Congress enacted P.L. 110-28 which automatically increases wage rates by $.50 per hour effective July 2007 and every year thereafter until 2014, wage rates for American Samoa were determined by Special Industry Committees in accordance with Sections 5, 6, and 8 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. Sections 205, 206, 208). While these Industry Committees were phased out in other U.S. Territories due to their more diversified economies, American Samoa continues to be a single industry economy, and automatic increases have only served to exacerbate an already difficult situation for the local economy. For more than 50 years, American Samoa's private sector economy had been nearly 80% dependent, either directly or indirectly, on two canneries--StarKist and Chicken of the Sea--which until recently employed more than 74 percent of our private sector workforce. However, on September 30, 2009, one day after American Samoa was struck by a powerful 8.3 Richter Scale earthquake which set off a 20-foot wave tsunami that left untold damage and loss from which the Territory has not fully recovered, Chicken of the Sea closed its operations in American Samoa and outsourced more than 2,000 jobs to Thailand where fish cleaners are paid $0.75 and less per hour compared to wage rates of about $4.76 per hour in American Samoa. As noted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), before minimum wage increases went into effect tuna canneries in American Samoa were operating at about a $7.5 million loss per year when compared to canneries, like Bumble Bee, and now Chicken of the Sea, which outsource fish cleaning jobs to low-wage rate countries. Outsourcing has adversely impacted American Samoa's economy in untold ways. Higher fish costs, higher shipping costs, higher fuel costs, better local tax incentives offered by competitors and the global economic recession have especially contributed to the weakening of the Territory's economy. Passage of S. 2009 will help resolve some of these problems by providing ASG with the time it needs to diversify the Territory's private-sector economy. While I thank my colleagues for their support and urge them to vote in favor of S. 2009, it is my sincere hope that improvements on the territory's economy will be such that it will provide for fair wages for American Samoa's workers. So between now and 2015, it will be up to ASG and our corporate partners, including StarKist and Tri-Marine, to find new ways of succeeding without further compromising the wages of both our public and private sector workers or wage earners. American Samoa's cannery workers have been the backbone of the U.S. tuna and fishing processing industries, and I salute them for stabilizing the Territory's economy. With heart-felt gratitude for the sacrifices they have made on our behalf, I am noting their service in the Congressional Record for historical purposes. Once more, I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for helping American Samoa in its time of need, and I urge passage of S. 2009. The Enewetak People--Challenges Facing the only Population Ever Resettled on a Nuclear Test Site Introduction Enewetak was the site of 43 of the 67 nuclear tests that the U.S. conducted in the Marshall Islands and the Enewetak people are the only people ever resettled on a nuclear test site. Enewetak Atoll as a Nuclear Test Site Enewetak Atoll, was the site of forty-three of the sixty- six nuclear tests conducted by the United States in the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958. One of the tests at Enewetak was especially significant as it was the first test of a hydrogen bomb. This test occurred on October 31, 1952 and was known as the ``Mike'' test. The test had a yield of 10.4 megatons (750 times greater than the Hiroshima bomb). The destructive power of the Mike test was exceeded only by the Bravo test (15 megatons) in all the nuclear tests conducted by the United States anywhere. The Mike test vaporized an island, leaving a crater a mile in diameter and 200 feet deep. The Mike test detonation and the detonation of the other 42 nuclear devices on Enewetak resulted in the vaporization of over 8% of the land and otherwise devastated the atoll. The devastation is so severe that to this day, fifty-four years after the last nuclear explosion, over half of the land and all of the lagoon remain contaminated by radiation. The damage is so pervasive that the Enewetak people cannot live on over 50% of our land. In fact, they can't live on Enewetak without the importation of food. The U.S. Department of Energy described the devastating effects of the 43 nuclear tests on Enewetak as follows: ``The immense ball of flame, cloud of dark dust, evaporated steel tower, melted sand for a thousand feet, 10 million tons of water rising out of the lagoon, waves subsiding from a height of eighty feet to seven feet in three miles were all repeated, in various degrees, 43 times on Enewetak Atoll.'' Removal of the Enewetak People from Enewetak Atoll to Ujelang Atoll A few days before Christmas in 1947, the U.S. removed the Enewetak people to the much smaller, resource poor, and isolated atoll of Ujelang. They were told by the U.S. that their removal would be for a short time. In fact, Captain John P. W. Vest, the U.S. Military Governor for the Marshall Islands, told them that their removal from Enewetak would be temporary and last no more than three to five years. Unfortunately, they were exiled on Ujelang for a period of over thirty-three years. Hardship on Ujelang The exile on Ujelang was particularly difficult for the Enewetak people leading to hopelessness and despair. During the 33-year exile on Ujelang they endured the suffering of near starvation. They tried to provide food for themselves and their children, but one meal a day and constant hunger was the norm. Malnutrition caused illness and disease. Children and the elderly were particularly vulnerable. Health care was woefully inadequate. In addition, children went largely uneducated in the struggle for survival. They became so desperate that in the late 1960's they took over a visiting government field-trip ship, demanding that they be taken off of Ujelang and returned to Enewetak. After years of hardship, neglect and isolation the Enewetak people became increasingly insistent that they be returned home. Eventually, the U.S. said it would attempt to make Enewetak Atoll habitable. The suffering and hardship experienced by the Enewetak people while on Ujelang, was eventually acknowledged by the U.S. The U.S. Department of Interior in a letter to the President of the U.S. Senate, dated January 14, 1978, said, in relevant part: ``The people of Enewetak Atoll were removed from their home atoll in 1947 by the U.S. Government in order that their atoll could be used in the atomic testing program. The people were promised that they would be able to return home once the U.S. Government no longer had need for their islands. During the thirty years that the Enewetak people have been displaced from their home atoll they have suffered grave privations, including periods of near starvation, in their temporary home on Ujelang Atoll. The people have cooperated willingly with the U.S. Government and have made many sacrifices to permit the United States to use their home islands for atomic testing purposes.'' Initial Cleanup Attempt of Enewetak Atoll In 1972, the U.S. said that it would soon no longer require the use of Enewetak. The U.S. recognized that the extensive damage and residual radiation at Enewetak would require radiological cleanup, soil rehabilitation, housing and basic infrastructure before the people could resettle Enewetak. An extensive cleanup, rehabilitation and resettlement effort was undertaken between 1977 and 1980. Unfortunately, the cleanup left over half of the land mass of the atoll contaminated by radiation confining the people to the southern half of the atoll. This has prevented the Enjebi island members of the Enewetak community from resettling their home island in the northern part of the atoll, and has prevented the people from making full and unrestricted use of their atoll. In addition, the cleanup and rehabilitation was not effective in rehabilitating the soil and revegetating the islands. An extensive soil rehabilitation and revegetation effort is still required to permit the growing of food crops. Runit Dome The cleanup of Enewetak entailed removal and collection of highly contaminated topsoil, vegetation, and debris (concrete and metal) that was subsequently entombed within an unlined crater produced by an 18 kilo ton surface test and capped with a concrete dome. The site is now known as the Runit Dome. Evidence indicates open hydraulic communication between radioactive waste and intruding ocean water, with migration pathways leading to local groundwater and circulating lagoon waters. Inside the Runit Dome lies over 110,000 cubic yards of plutonium and other radioactive debris that is radioactive for thousands of years. And, many areas of Runit Island have dangerous levels of contamination. Consequently, the dome and the surrounding area need to be monitored in the same manner that they would be monitored in the US. The reason for such monitoring is simple--the Enewetak people are entitled to the same level of protection from US created radiation as the people of the US.