Eni Faleomavaega

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from California, our chairman-to-be of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and also my good friend and distinguished ranking member of our committee, the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen). Madam Speaker, I, too, would like to express my most profound sorrow and to extend my sympathies to Chairman Lantos' dear wife, Annette, and their two daughters and 18 grandchildren. It is my privilege to participate in this Special Order and pay special tribute to our colleague and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from California, Congressman Tom Lantos. Without equal, Madam Speaker, Chairman Lantos was a champion and advocate throughout the world for the basic rights and dignity and decency of all human beings, regardless of race, color, gender, or religious affiliations. Tom Lantos truly believed that in this troubled world of ours there is only one race, and that is the human race. I am without words in how I can best describe the life of this giant among men. And in this Chamber of Congress, there is no word or phrase more dear to Tom's heart than that of ``human rights.'' And forever I will remember him as a teacher and a mentor whenever the subject of human rights is being debated or under discussion in this institution. As others have said earlier, Chairman Lantos would not have had it any other way other than for us to continue the fight and to advocate for human rights whenever necessary, and for that matter, also to defend freedom and democracy throughout the world. We have a saying in the islands, Madam Speaker, to my friend Tom Lantos, ``Ia manuia lau faiga malaga''; may you have a great voyage in the afterlife, my friend, Chairman Tom Lantos.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. First, I would like to thank the chief sponsor, my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek), for his introduction of this resolution, which commemorates the courage of the Haitian soldiers who fought alongside our Revolutionary soldiers for gaining independence from Great Britain. House Resolution 909 also recognizes the establishment of the Haitian Memorial Monument, which celebrates the historical bond between the good people of Haiti and the United States, and demonstrates the significance of our Haitian American community. Mr. Speaker, the Haitian Memorial Monument, designed by the Haitian- Canadian sculptor Gregroire Anocles, represents the war effort at the Siege of Savannah in the year 1779. Haiti's involvement in the fight for America's independence some 226 years ago is a source of national pride for many Haitians, and it is long overdue that we attach the proper importance to this Haitian participation. After returning home, Haitian veterans of the Revolutionary War led their own rebellion and revolution against French colonialism, and eventually received independence from France in the year 1804. Mr. Speaker, in becoming independent, Haiti became the first free country in the Western Hemisphere led entirely by people of African descent. I strongly support this resolution, and I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this proposed bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, let me first commend our distinguished colleague and member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) for being the author of and introducing this important resolution. The underlying context for this important resolution, which congratulates President-elect Lee Myung-Bak and wishes him well as he assumes his new duties on February 25, 2008, is that the Republic of Korea has, through the industrious will of its people and the unyielding leadership of its elected officials, transformed itself into a successful democratic nation. As the twentieth century taught us all too well, democratic governance is a fragile enterprise. That the Republic of Korea, in merely six decades, emerged from the ashes of colonial rule and war torn poverty to become the eleventh largest economy in the world and America's seventh largest trading partner, is a tribute to their strong democratic principles and indelible desire to live peacefully and prosperously despite the enormous challenges facing the Korean Peninsula and the Northeast Asia region. Madam Speaker, the strong alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea has proven itself to be a relevant and resilient relationship since our involvement when we fought side by side in the Korean War nearly 58 years ago. Out of that often ``forgotten'' conflict was born one of the most significant dividing lines of the Cold War, the demilitarized zone on the 38th parallel but, at the same time, one of the most successful alliances in our Nation's history. The Republic of Korea has remained a steadfast ally of the United States. South Korea has contributed the third largest coalition troop contingent in Iraq, pledged $460 million toward postwar reconstruction and had previously also committed troops for peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, and Lebanon. As a key member of the Six-Party Talks to denuclearize North Korea, the Republic of Korea shares an important responsibility for broader security in Northeast Asia. Today, we are committed absolutely to compelling the North Korean regime to eliminate its nuclear program and to ensuring that promises made by Pyongyang are, in fact, followed through with verifiable action. The combination of South Korea's efforts to stand alongside the United States in meeting the global threats of the 21st century as well as the North Korean challenge makes this resolution particularly important today. President-elect Lee Myung-Bak has stated that he ``will do [his] best to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem through cooperation and a strengthened relationship with the United States.'' I am very encouraged by President-elect Lee's remarks and, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, I look forward to working with his administration to this end. What is clear from our longstanding relationship over the past half- century is that it is reciprocal. As President-elect Lee's Special Envoy to the United States, Dr. Chung Mong-Joon, said recently after meeting Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte last month, ``We both need each other.'' Let me also take this opportunity to once again congratulate my good friend, Dr. Han Seung-soo, on his nomination to become Prime Minister. I am confident that Dr. Han's nomination will serve to further consolidate our alliance partnership under President- elect Lee's leadership. Madam Speaker, many years ago, I served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, and I remember vividly the presence of more than 300,000 soldiers from South Korea who bravely served and fought alongside our American forces. Through that particular experience, I learned quickly and firsthand, the special friendship and bond that existed between the United States and the Republic of Korea. I personally will never forget the sacrifices that South Korean soldiers made in that terrible conflict in Vietnam. In fact, South Korea has the unique distinction of being one of only four allies that fought alongside the United States in all four major conflicts since World War II and I hope that my other colleagues will join me in thanking the leaders and people of the Republic of Korea for the untold sacrifices they made to be with us when we needed help. This resolution, while focusing on the peaceful, democratic transition to the presidency of Lee Myung-Bak, honors our special alliance but also welcomes a strengthening and deepening of the relationship between our two countries and our two peoples. I have had the privilege on several occasions to visit the Republic of Korea and I have observed that the South Korean people are among the most industrious men and women in the world. However this trait for hard work and entrepreneurship developed, it has carried over despite geographic distance to the more than two million Americans of Korean heritage and descent that live throughout our own country today. The vibrant Korean American communities across the United States include some of the most prominent individuals that have contributed to every facet of American life in every state and territory. Madam Speaker, this resolution is very important to show our sense of appreciation to all South Koreans, to express how much we care about them and how important they are to our strategic and economic interests in that important region of the world. Its effect is not just to deliver good wishes to President-elect Lee as he assumes office on February 25, but to send a message of solidarity to the government and people of the Republic of Korea and to the soldiers who have fought side by side with the men and women of our own armed forces over the past nearly 60 years. For all these reasons, this resolution is most fitting, and proper. I wish to congratulate President-elect Lee Myung-Bak and commend again my good friend, the gentleman from California, for offering and proposing this resolution. I strongly encourage my colleagues to offer their own expressions of support and urge the House to adopt this resolution today.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to my friend, Dr. Han Seung-soo, on his nomination as the next Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea by President-Elect Lee Myung-Bak. Dr. Han, currently serving as Special Envoy of the UN Secretary- General on Climate Change, has had a long and distinguished career in public service. He has previously served as South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister of Trade and Industry, Ambassador to the United States, and Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Korea. He served three terms in the South Korean National Assembly and thus has been, like us, a member of his country's legislature. Moreover, in recognition of his exemplary record as a diplomat, Dr. Han was also elected President of the 56th session of the UN General Assembly in 2001. He was to be officially elected to the presidency on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001 but was, instead, sworn in on the next day. His leadership was instrumental in the passage of a resolution by the UN General Assembly session denouncing the terrorist attacks. He wrote about these experiences in his new book entitled ``Beyond the Shadow of 9-11: A Year at the United Nations General Assembly.'' He recently sent me a signed copy of his memoirs, which I greatly appreciate. Over the years, Dr. Han and I have crossed paths on more than one occasion due to our mutual interest in international environmental policy and, in particular, the issues surrounding global climate change. As chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Global Environment, I have always been personally impressed by Dr. Han's depth and breadth of knowledge, his ability to listen to people with different--and sometimes technically complex--ideas, and his capacity for synthesizing the best of available knowledge for eventual decisionmaking. Last November, speaking in Bangkok at the Committee on Managing Globalization of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP, Dr. Han noted the need for rapid economic growth in Asia and the Pacific--home to two-thirds of the world's poor. However, he pointed out, actions on climate change could be compatible with economic growth, saying: ``We can turn the crisis of climate change into a new economic opportunity.'' The choice of Dr. Han Seung-soo to be Prime Minister by President- Elect Lee Myung-Bak provides excellent evidence that the U.S.-Korea alliance partnership will continue to further consolidate and deepen under their leadership. During Dr. Han's tenures as both the Republic of Korea's Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States, he cultivated many friends and admirers in Washington. Let me also take this opportunity to say that I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of the resolution congratulating Lee Myung-Bak on his election to the presidency of the Republic of Korea. I look forward to working with his incoming administration on the important challenges facing the region, especially peace and reconciliation on the Korean peninsula. Madam Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will join me in offering their own congratulations to Dr. Han Seung-soo and wish him well in his new responsibilities.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, again I want to thank my good friend from New York for yielding me such time to say a few words in honoring this gentleman. As I'm sure that I did not want to miss this opportunity to stand here on the floor and to express my feelings of this great American, as I'm sure there may have been a Special Order already taken where Members could speak and giving their sense of tribute to Congressman Henry Hyde. I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his sponsorship of this bill, and want to thank the members of the Illinois delegation for their sponsorship of this legislation to honor my good friend and dear colleague, the late Congressman Henry J. Hyde, whom I've had the distinct privilege of serving with him when he served as chairman of the House Committee on International Relations. Mr. Speaker, Chairman Hyde and I did not always agree on the issues and bills that were brought before our committee, but one thing that I valued tremendously concerning the character of this great leader, and that is he respected the opinions of others, even though they may differ from his. Chairman Hyde was a great leader, a man of principle, and a true patriot and a statesman. And above all, Mr. Speaker, he was my friend. I'm reminded of a Chinese proverb, Mr. Speaker, and the proverb states, ``There are many acquaintances but very few friends.'' Congressman Henry Hyde was my friend. Have a good journey, Henry.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlelady from Missouri for her sponsorship and authorship of this important legislation. I do want to say that the names of Mickey Leland, Bill Emerson, Tony Hall, I think, stand out in terms of what we did years ago, Mr. Speaker; that perhaps maybe this Congress needs to reestablish a select committee on hunger like we did years ago when it was chaired by Mr. Mickey Leland from Texas and also the gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Bill Emerson, and also the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Tony Hall. I believe that as a member of the committee at that time we were very, very much into the concerns that were expressed quite eloquently by my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts, the problems that we're dealing with and the subject of hunger. I think we are moving in the right direction, and I just wanted to note, Mr. Speaker, that this issue of hunger really needs to be addressed seriously. And I want to commend the gentlelady from Missouri for her efforts, not only in continuing the legacy of her husband but the fact that this is a very serious issue, and I wish that perhaps my colleagues and the leadership of the House will reestablish that select committee on hunger like we did years ago so that we will not forget. We're moving in the right direction. We need to do more for the needy and for the poor.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend and thank the gentleman from New York for his sponsorship of this important legislation. I also want to commend my good friend, the ranking member of our Asia, Pacific Subcommittee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) for allowing bipartisanship of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 4286, a bill to award Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal for her dedication, her service, and unwavering commitment and courage to stand up against the forces of military rule on the people of Burma. For over 10 years now, Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been placed under house arrest by the military regime of Burma. Mr. Speaker, I will submit that there are a lot of complications here on the situation with Burma. Burma continues to exist under very difficult conditions whereby seven to eight ethnic factions are constantly competing for the control of that country. In fact, it was even so bad that even the British could not control them under their colonial rule. As such, the military organization now claims, and continues to claim, that it is the only group or organization that is keeping the country together and, without the military, Burma would be in a state of civil war. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that that is the very heart and problem that we face with Burma today; the fact that there are about seven to eight different ethnic groups within the country that could never be controlled by one group. And I want to say that, as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi continues to make every effort to work with the military regime to see the possibility of democracy ever to return to Burma. It is my sincere hope that, in the coming weeks and months, Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her military counterparts will work out a compromise solution, hopefully, to establish a democratic form of government for the people of Burma. Mr. Speaker, I want to again commend my good friend, the gentleman from New York, for his authorship of this bill and, most appropriately, to honor this great leader Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with the Congressional Gold Medal. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I want to thank the gentlelady from the Virgin Islands, our distinguished chairman of our Insular Affairs Subcommittee, Mrs. Christensen, for allowing me to speak concerning this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 3079, and I want to commend the chairman of our committee, Mr. Nick Rahall, and also the chairlady of our Insular Affairs Subcommittee, Mrs. Donna Christensen, for their leadership and service, and above all, their commitment and willingness to go through some of the provisions in the bill which I have concerns with. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentleman, former chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and now chairman of our Education and Labor Committee, the gentleman from California, my good friend, Mr. Miller, not only for his leadership, but throughout the years that he has been very diligent in bringing attention to our colleagues and our Nation about the serious problems involving the situation there in the Northern Mariana Islands. I recall distinctly that because of the violations of Federal labor laws, the garment factories that were instituted by this one gentleman that was fined by some $9 million, just to show without even questioning or even taking the matter to court some of the problems that we had faced within the CNMI. Mr. Speaker, I support the concerns of the administration and House Members supporting the bill, but we should also be mindful that there is a GAO study currently under way in reviewing CNMI's immigration problems that hopefully will shed more light on the current situation in CNMI. It is my sincere hope that the GAO study will give us more information on CNMI's overall economic and political development, and the bill we're about to pass will complement the findings of the GAO report that will be completed in the near future. Mr. Speaker, we ought not to put the blame on the current administration, Governor Ben Fitial, for the failures and misdeeds of his predecessors. Since becoming Governor of CNMI, Governor Fitial has addressed several concerns that had plagued previous administrations. For example, with the closures of most of the government factories in CNMI, the number of alien guest workers has declined from its peak of about 30,000 now to about 20,000 by the end of this year. This will further decrease to about 15,000 by next year. Governor Fitial has instituted an effective and fair system for handling complaints by alien guest workers. The new system implemented by the Governor has eliminated a backlog of some 3,400 pending labor cases carried over from previous administrations. Under Governor Fitial's administration, the CNMI Government has implemented a new computerized system for tracking arrivals and departures of alien guest workers, leading to a more effective control of CNMI's immigration problems. I am especially pleased, Mr. Speaker, for the removal of a certain provision that would have legalized the status of illegal overstayers in CNMI. I want to thank Chairman Rahall, Chairwoman Christensen and Ranking Member Don Young for the spirit of bipartisanship that has authorized CNMI to also have a delegate in the U.S. Congress, as stated in the bill. I cannot stress enough the importance of the unique political relationship between the United States and CNMI, especially in the interest of our national security. The significance of this political relationship has elevated since the closures of the Clarke Air Force Base and our Naval Base in Subic Bay in the Philippines. I cannot help but mention the name of the late Congressman Phil Burton, Mr. Speaker, who played a most critical role in the development of this unique political relationship between CNMI and the United States. Furthermore, the pending transfer of some 9,000 U.S. marines and their families from Okinawa to Guam, and likely also to CNMI, has made this relationship even more critical and important to our strategic and military interests in this region of the world. Overall, we have a very important military interest in these islands, and our Nation is grateful that Guam and CNMI are members of our American family. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from the great State of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, again I thank the gentlelady from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) and also the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) for their sponsorship of this legislation which honors the 100th anniversary of one of our Nation's great public institutions of learning, the University of Hawai`i, along with her 10 campuses established all over the State and some 620 certificate, degree, and postgraduate programs for some 50,000 students also currently attending the university. Mr. Speaker, I echo the sentiments expressed earlier by my colleague from Hawaii. This also exemplifies the caliber of the leadership coming from this great State of Hawaii. I think also of Mrs. Patsy Takomoto Mink for the 35th year now in celebrating the piece of legislation that she championed while a Member of this great institution, and that of course is title IX, which has given authorization to promote and enhance our women's athletic programs, which currently now are taking place all over the country. I also want to pay special commendation to the head coach of the University of Hawai`i Warriors, June Jones, for doing something that is very special to our island community: they are going to the Sugar Bowl. And having a perfect record, I am disappointed that Colt Brennan did not become the Heisman Trophy winner this year. But be that as it may, I do want to thank Coach June Jones for personally coming to my little territory, American Samoa, to recruit some of our football players who now make up in large part members of the University of Hawai`i Warrior team. I'm also reminded that some of the great leaders of our country are alumnae of the University of Hawai`i. As a former member of 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry Reserve Battalion, I can only think of Senator Inouye and the late Senator Spark Matsunaga, both graduates of the University of Hawai`i. I need not share with my colleagues the prominence and the tremendous leadership that these gentlemen have also exemplified while serving the great State of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, over the years, the University of Hawai`i has been the center of higher education for many of our Pacific Island leaders from Oceania, namely from Micronesia, Polynesia, and even Melanesia. The University of Hawai`i also played a critical role in coordinating and facilitating the academic programs instituted through the congressionally mandated institute currently known as the East-West Center. The East-West Center, since its inception in 1963, is a unique institution which, over the years, has brought scholars and leaders from all over the world to meet and discuss issues that are especially important to our Nation's economic, political, social and especially strategic and military interests with countries of the Asian Pacific region; and the University of Hawai`i, to this day, still is part of the East-West Center's current activities and programs. Mr. Speaker, I am especially proud that just a few days ago, an alumnus of the University of Hawai`i, who happens to be a relative also, Mr. Ken Niumatalolo, whose parents, Simi and La Niumatalolo, from the little village of La'ie, Hawaii, is now the newly appointed head coach of the football team of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. As far as I'm aware, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Niumatalolo is the first of Samoan and Polynesian ancestry to coach an NCAA Division I university team, again a credit also to the University of Hawai`i for giving Mr. Niumatalolo a chance not only to play as a quarterback for the UH Warriors, but to enroll as a student and to obtain a good education. Mr. Speaker, again, my congratulations not only to my distinguished friend and dear colleague Ms. Hirono for introducing this legislation, but to honor this great institution, the University of Hawai`i.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this proposed legislation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I deeply appreciate the remarks of my good friend and colleague from California and also the author of this legislation. Truly, I echo his sentiments. This is bipartisan proposed legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Does my colleague from Florida have any further speakers?

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the author of this proposed bill.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to recognize the chief sponsor and author of this important legislation, my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price) and I also want to thank the chairman of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Lantos, and our ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, for their support and leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor. Mr. Speaker, last week the United States was reminded once again that amongst the weekly sacrifices of Americans in Iraq, the continuing concern of Iran and the recent developments in Pakistan, there still exists in the geographic center of the Middle East and South Asia a country that faces a growing insurgency that directly threatens its stability and the national security and interests of the United States and its allies. On November 6, a suicide bomber targeted a delegation of members of the Afghanistan National Assembly, or the Wolesi Jirga, killing at least 50 Afghans, including school children, ordinary citizens and half a dozen elected members. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly condemn this attack and to echo again our unified commitment to the stabilization and development of Afghanistan. This House shares a special bond with the Wolesi Jirga, which participates in a partnership in our House Democracy Assistance Commission, and it is indeed a tragedy to see our fellow legislators or parliamentarians be murdered in such a way. A few months ago, this House passed on an overwhelming and bipartisan basis the Afghanistan Freedom Support and Security Act of 2007. This act reaffirmed our long-term commitment to the security and development of Afghanistan by reauthorizing a comprehensive package of assistance to a country in dire need of the international community's support. Mr. Speaker, if there is any lesson to be taken from the tragic events like these, it is that now is the time to act. Poppy cultivation is up multifold, suicide attacks have increased dramatically in the past year, and Afghanistan still suffers as being one of the poorest countries in the world. In that regard, I urge my colleagues in the Senate, the other body, to take up an Afghanistan reauthorization bill as early as possible so that we may help that country drive out the forces of extremism and intolerance and bring the forces of moderation and progress in. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to compliment and commend my good friend from New Jersey for a most eloquent statement. Whenever he speaks, I listen; not only as a great advocate and champion of human rights throughout the world, but I cannot think of a more appropriate piece of legislation where his mark is made to the fact that the persecutions that took place among the Jewish people during World War II. Again, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his efforts in bringing this piece of legislation to the floor for consideration.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill and yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all, I would like to commend and thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), my good friend and my colleague, for his sponsorship of this important legislation, and I also want to thank the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the gentlewoman from Florida, our senior ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, for their support of this legislation. This bill that was introduced by my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey, is a bill that seeks to preserve the cultural heritage of Poland's Jewish population. Mr. Speaker, the history of the Jewish people in Poland dates back over a millennium, when the country initially provided one of Europe's most tolerant homes for the Jewish people and housed one of the world's most vibrant Jewish communities. This tolerance waned from the 17th century onwards, as incidents of political and personal anti-Semitism began to increase. However, when Poland regained its independence in the early 20th century, its Jewish population remained one of the largest in the world. Indeed, in 1939, over 3 million of the Jewish people lived in Poland, comprising the largest Jewish population of any country in Europe. Mr. Speaker, this situation changed radically when the Nazis occupied Poland, as over 90 percent of Poland's Jewish population was brutally killed or murdered and tortured during the Holocaust. Of the few who survived, around 200,000 people, most emigrated from Poland. Many came to the United States, while others fled to Israel and South America. Mr. Speaker, estimates of Poland's Jewish population range from 3,500 to 15,000, out of a total population of over 38 million. This dramatically reduced post-war Jewish population has led to some false claims that there were no Jews in Poland. Given the long history of Poland's Jews, combined with the tragic decline of their population during the Holocaust, it is singularly important that steps are taken to preserve and protect their cultural heritage. Indeed, the nearly 9 million Americans who claim Polish lineage will benefit from visible reminders of their forebearers. Mr. Speaker, for almost over 10 years now, a team of international experts has worked tirelessly to establish a Museum of the History of the Polish Jews for this very purpose. This museum aims to preserve the history and culture of Jewish people in Poland over the last 1,000 years, beginning with their 11th century emigration from Western Europe to escape persecution in their vibrant community between the world wars. Mr. Speaker, the City of Warsaw and the Polish Government have been active supporters and contributors to this project. In 1997, the city donated the land near the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Memorial on which to construct this new museum. This area is located in Warsaw's former Jewish quarter, which previously housed a thriving community of about 400,000 Jewish people. Mr. Speaker, in 2005, two years ago, the city and the government donated 40 million zlotys, currently worth about $14.5 million, for the museum's construction. In the year 2005, again, two years ago, a Finnish architectural firm was selected to design the project. In June of this year, Polish authorities broke ground at the site. Construction is expected to take two years, enabling the museum to open by the year 2010. This bill authorizes U.S. funding to assist in the development of the permanent collection of the museum. This money will ensure the protection of artifacts documenting the heritage of the Jewish Polish people and many of their descendants who currently live in the United States. Museum organizers have already asked the people of Poland to donate memorabilia to the project, collecting photographs, documents, and other remaining items. One such object includes a penknife provided by a woman whose father, a forced laborer in a Nazi arms factory, obtained from a fellow prisoner who had received it as a bar mitzvah gift. American funding will help these efforts. I strongly support this bill and ask my colleagues to join me in ensuring the preservation of such a rich cultural legacy. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentlewoman for her most eloquent remarks before the floor of this House and, again, I want to urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 10 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would first like to recognize a distinguished colleague and dear friend of mine, the gentlelady who currently chairs the Subcommittee on International Affairs, the gentlelady from the Virgin Islands, Mrs. Donna Christensen, for introducing this legislation. This bill makes conforming, clarifying, and technical amendments to the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003, which are important to ensuring that we maintain our obligations under the act to our friends in Micronesia. This bill also approves agreements made pursuant to the act which determines how disaster relief will be handled for the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In addition, Mr. Speaker, through amending the Compact of Free Association, this legislation before us today transfers excess military equipment to friendly foreign governments for their legitimate defense needs. It is a strong statement of trust and cooperation from the United States when we transfer excess U.S. military naval vessels. While excess to our own needs, these refurbished vessels conserve significant and deeply appreciated roles in the navies of the recipient nations. Mr. Speaker, this bill also authorizes the transfer of excess U.S. naval vessels to three of our most important friends and allies, Turkey, Lithuania and Taiwan. As my colleagues well know, Turkey is one of our most valued NATO members, and is one of the United States' closest allies. Turkey serves as one of the most important conduits for the transit of supplies to our forces in Iraq. The transfer of these missiles, two guided missile frigates and two minesweepers, will again reinforce our close relationship with Istanbul and our common commitments to each other's security needs. Lithuania has been a staunch U.S. ally in the global war on terror. It makes an outside contribution to global security, contributing troops to military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the leading provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan. The two minesweeper vessels in this bill will allow Vilnius to clear leftover sea mines from the two world wars in the Baltic Sea and supports Lithuania's commitment to NATO's Mine Counter-Measures Forces North mission. Taiwan is a thriving and energetic democracy. Our two nations share a complex web of economic, political, and strategic ties that only deepens over time. Taiwan is a bulwark of democracy in the Asia-Pacific region, and we must do all we can to further strengthen our political, security and economic ties. This bill authorizes the sale of two minesweepers to Taiwan. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.