Eni Faleomavaega

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and thank the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the senior ranking member, Ms. Ros- Lehtinen, for their support in bringing this legislation before the floor. Let me also express my support and commendation to my good friend and senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) for introducing this resolution. Mr. Speaker, Malaysia today is a far cry from its humble beginnings a half-century ago. From its start in 1957 as an underdeveloped nation struggling to gain its footing in uncertain terrain of post-colonial Southeast Asia, Malaysia has transformed itself into a confident country that attracts the attention of the world. Malaysia now boasts a booming economy that is deeply integrated into the world's economic system. Its economy was mature enough to weather the Southeast Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s and rebound to produce strong growth again in the 21st century. Mr. Speaker, few sights symbolize Malaysia's progress more aptly than Kuala Lumpur's dramatic modern skyline, dominated by the Petronas Twin Towers, which are currently the second-largest buildings in the world and a constant reminder of Malaysia's bright future. Significant political transformations have accompanied Malaysia's dramatic economic development. But Malaysia's democracy remains incomplete, as evidenced by the fact that the same political party has held power for over 50 years. The Internal Security Act is used to lock up people without charge, and defamation laws are used to silence critics of the government. While Malaysia's democratic transition is not fully complete, it remains a democracy nonetheless, and a strong ally of the United States. Mr. Speaker, the United States today counts Malaysia as one of its most important partners in Southeast Asia. Malaysia works closely with the United States to combat terrorism and narcotics trafficking. We look forward to continuing to work with the people of Malaysia to bring peace, stability, and prosperity to this important region of the world. With this resolution, we support Malaysia's golden anniversary, its 50th year of independence. It is a proud achievement for an important friend and ally of the United States, and I ask and urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill and yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me first thank our distinguished chairman of the committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our senior ranking member, the gentlelady from Florida, for their support and for their leadership in bringing this bill before the floor. And let me thank our eminent colleague in the other Chamber, the distinguished Senator from Indiana (Senator Lugar) for his leadership on this important issue. It is exemplary of his sage leadership on so many foreign affairs matters. Madam Speaker, in 1777, while serving the American cause in Paris, Benjamin Franklin discovered a brilliant Polish military tactician. His name was Casimir Pulaski. A leader in Poland's bitter campaign to beat back Russia, the nobleman Pulaski sacrificed his status in Europe to join the American revolution in the New World. It did not take long for George Washington to recognize the great talent he had on his hands. He promoted Pulaski to brigadier general, placing him in charge of four horse brigades. Pulaski's prowess and strategic skill during the Revolutionary War became renowned. So dedicated was he to our cause that when funding ran low among the colonials, he used some of his own money to purchase equipment for his men. General Pulaski, who eventually went down in the history books as the father of the American cavalry, is just one of the many important Polish figures who have contributed greatly to the United States and to the world. The relationship between the people of our two countries has flourished in recent years since the fall of communism, but it actually dates back centuries to the founding of our Nation. Today, this Congress aims to help the people of Poland rear the next generation of productive, inventive and standout individuals. This bill authorizes an educational exchange program between our two nations that promises to be mutually beneficial and strengthen the alliance between our two nations. This program will be identical in its structure and operation to the successful Congress-Bundestag exchange that was launched in 1983. Over the last quarter century, thousands of young Americans and Germans have seized the opportunity to spend an academic year living and studying with their foreign peers. As a result, these secondary school students have gained a better understanding of each other's way of life and have begun developing into citizens of the world. With the authorization and funding of the bilateral initiative before us today, we will extend the same opportunities to our young friends in Poland. Cross-cultural exchange is the most powerful way of creating harmony among nations. And study abroad programs represent the most powerful type of exchange because they foster understanding and education about other nations at an early age. The country of Poland is one of our most important allies in Europe, has supported us in our fight against terrorism, and stood with us by contributing troops to Afghanistan and Iraq. The Polish people have made great strides since the fall of communism liberalizing their economy, joining NATO in 1999, and becoming a Member of the European Union in 2004. It is high time that we recognize and advance Poland's place in the world, as well as our special relationship with that nation, by initiating a robust educational exchange program. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this proposed bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam 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 bill under consideration.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 3 minutes to my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut and a member of the Financial Services and Government Reform Committees, Congressman Murphy.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Connecticut and his support and statement. Nothing like having an Irish Polish American to be supportive of his proposed legislation. Madam Speaker, I would love to yield 5 minutes now to my dear friend, distinguished member of the Appropriations Committee, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky). That's a good Polish name.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana for his most eloquent speech. At this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to my good friend from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this proposed resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to thank the distinguished chairman of our committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our senior ranking member of our committee, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for their support and their leadership in bringing this important legislation before the floor. I am pleased to bring to the floor today a bill that will benefit the entire Pacific region. I am honored and proud to sponsor this legislation. While they may be overlooked when listing our great allies, the United States has long and profound relationships with the Pacific Island nations that stretch back more than two centuries. With consideration of this legislation today, Congress will act to significantly strengthen this vitally important alliance. The Pacific Island nations have long been integral to our strategic interests, from the vital role they played in the Pacific theatre of operations during World War II to their critical role that they played in the conduct of our nuclear testing and missile defense system that even today is critical to our overall military and strategic interests in this important region of the world. We work closely with the nations of the Pacific to combat transnational threats, particularly the rapidly increasing peril posed by global warming. The people of the Pacific have also fought and sacrificed side-by-side with American soldiers in conflicts from World War II to the current war in Iraq. But as we look towards the Pacific, we must step up both our multilateral and bilateral relationships to provide critically needed assistance to ensure that other countries do not fill the void. Foreign assistance and scholarship offerings from other countries to the Pacific Island nations has increased dramatically in recent years. Such aid comes with few requirements for good governance and few environmental or labor standards. The bottom line, Madam Speaker, our public diplomacy program and educational and cultural exchanges with the Pacific Island nations is shameful and without excuse. Left unchecked, such foreign assistance from other countries can cause further instability, leaving these island nations to believe the United States no longer is interested to assist them, and thereby leave them vulnerable to establish friendships with countries that do not necessarily support our interests in this vast region of the world. We must act now to fill the void and exert our influence. The Pacific Island Economic and Educational Development Act of 2007 seeks to address the development needs of our allies in the Pacific Islands and to engage the United States in the region more deeply. This legislation pushes for greater activity in the Pacific Islands by authorizing the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development to listen to the needs of the leaders of the Pacific Islands and to provide assistance accordingly. This task would be significantly easier if USAID reestablished a serious presence in the Pacific Island region, something that has been long overdue. The legislation also authorizes funds to increase the number of Fulbright scholars from the Pacific islands, making use of our most successful international educational program to increase the training of future leaders of the Pacific Islands. Fostering educational opportunities overseas is one of this government's strongest and most effective public diplomacy tools. Leveraging these grants would represent a tremendous way of reengaging with these critical allies in the Pacific region. Under section 2 of this bill now entitled Pacific Island Country Exchanges, it is the intent of Congress to specifically increase funding for the U.S.-South Pacific Scholarship program, a program which has been in place since 1994, and has been administered by the East- West Center in Honolulu under the direction of the U.S. Department of State. The U.S.-South Pacific Scholarship program has successfully trained many Pacific Island leaders, and it is imperative to U.S. interests in the region that we continue this program. In this new world where shipping is vulnerable to terrorism and climate change is a top priority, we need these Pacific Island nations as much as they need us. Let's commit to reengaging with them, to strengthening our alliances with them, and to aiding them in every way possible. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3062) to authorize appropriations to provide for South Pacific exchanges, provide technical and other assistance to countries in the Pacific region through the United States Agency for International Development, and authorize appropriations to provide Fulbright Scholarships for Pacific Island students, as amended.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam 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 bill under consideration.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield 5 minutes to my good friend and senior member of our Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers on this proposed bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, again 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. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all, I would like again to thank our distinguished chairman of the committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our senior ranking member of the committee, the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for their support in bringing this legislation to the floor. I would particularly like to thank my distinguished colleague, the chief sponsor of this legislation, the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) for introducing this important resolution to honor Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa for his lifetime of human rights work. Madam Speaker, Archbishop Tutu is unquestionably one of the most important and accomplished advocates of human rights and peace on the face of this planet. In the past few years, Bishop Tutu has worked tirelessly to promote religious freedom and self-sovereignty around the world, using his reputation and his work in South Africa as a launching pad to do good. For instance, he has worked to highlight the horrendous human rights situation in Burma and repeatedly called on the Burmese Government to free the champion of democracy there, Aung San Suu Kyi. But of all his work for humankind, he is perhaps best known for chairing the South Africa Peace and Reconciliation Commission after the scourge of apartheid ended in that nation. Under the rule of the Afrikaner Nationalist Party, black South Africans were subjected to unspeakable dehumanizing social policies and draconian laws. These terrible measures separated families, denied a decent education to millions of children, and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes into segregated territories, or bantustans. Given the nature of the oppression, South Africa could have been a country washed in blood by black Africans seeking revenge once white minority rule ended. But through his characteristic patience and wisdom, Bishop Tutu helped guide South Africans, black, brown and white, through a national process of reconciliation, a forum where the horrors of apartheid were told by both victims and perpetrators. And most importantly, there was no retribution, only truth and reconciliation. Bishop Tutu and his colleagues traveled throughout South Africa, from village to village, and allowed apartheid's victims to speak as long as they needed to tell their stories. For days at a time he sat and listened to stories of the hellish nightmare innocent victims of apartheid had to endure. The process of simply telling proved an enormous healing experience for individuals in the South African nation. And the stories have been archived so that South Africans in the future can know their past and can appreciate their present. This effort, and his spiritual leadership throughout the trying times of his nation made Bishop Tutu an international hero. He is a human rights champion and has been the winner of numerous awards, including the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Madam Speaker, as we celebrate Bishop Tutu's 76th birthday next month, we should be mindful of the lessons he has brought in his service to mankind, particularly in this troubling time when human rights violations are still so widespread around the world. As he said famously in his Nobel Peace acceptance speech, ``Oppression dehumanizes the oppressor as much as, if not more, the oppressed.'' That axiom, to me, Madam Speaker, is a profound admonition to tyrants around the world. And I cannot help, Madam Speaker, but to say that if you say something about Bishop Tutu, you have to add his colleague, Nelson Mandela. Now here was a man that was in prison for 29 years, almost 30 years. And you would think that there is nothing on his mind than to seek vengeance and retribution against what the apartheid government did to him for all those years, but instead, as far as I'm concerned, the most Christ-like person that has ever come out of that prison, Mr. Mandela, and for the leadership that he displayed in bringing all different factions, nationalities and ethnicities in South Africa together to build a good nation. I remember years ago, Madam Speaker, the World Cup. I don't know if my colleagues are familiar with the sport of rugby, but the World Cup rugby tournament is on in France right now. Years ago, the all-black rugby national team representing New Zealand had a very difficult time playing against the Spring Boks from South Africa, especially if they had an Amari Polynesian or a Samoan Polynesian as a member of that all- blacks team. The Spring Boks of South Africa refused to play the all- blacks of New Zealand simply because there are two people of color that are members of the team representing New Zealand. They got the two countries pretty heated at times. There was no question about the bigotry and the racism that existed at that time as far as apartheid is concerned. Madam Speaker, today we honor Bishop Desmond Tutu and all that he represents, and I call on my colleagues to vote to support this important legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 629) extending the condolences and sympathy of the House of Representatives to the Government and the people of Greece for the grave loss of life and vast destruction caused by the devastating fires raging through Greece since June 2007.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 575) commending the people and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for their continued commitment to holding elections and broadening political participation, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I commend my good friend, the chief sponsor of this legislation. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam 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. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this proposed resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. Again my appreciation and gratitude to the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the distinguished chairman from California (Mr. Lantos) and my good friend, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen), the senior ranking member of the committee, for their support and leadership in bringing this proposed legislation before the floor. I also would like to thank the chief sponsor of this proposed bill, my good friend from the State of Washington (Mr. Baird), for introducing this thoughtful and timely measure commending the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on its commitment to holding elections and to broadening its sphere of political participation in its country. The Kingdom of Jordan is an oasis of stability in the Middle Eastern desert full of difficulties and crises. Jordan is beset by most of the same threats that confront the whole Middle Eastern region, such as terrorism and extremism, but it also faces some distinct challenges. For example, a flood of Iraqi asylum-seekers numbering nearly 1 million. These refugees are now straining the infrastructure of a resource-poor nation of only 6 million citizens. Despite these difficult challenges, and unlike other regional states that use Islamic extremism as an excuse to restrict democratic freedoms, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has courageously taken significant steps to broaden political participation. At the same time, it continues to hold the line against terrorism. This balance is exemplary. Madam Speaker, Jordan has long been a leader in the Arab world in enhancing women's political involvement, and it is continuing along that path. Thanks to recent reform, 20 percent of the municipal council seats determined in Jordan's July elections were reserved for women. Jordan also lowered its voting age to 18 in order to involve more people in the election process. As you know, Madam Speaker, there was some controversy surrounding these recent municipal elections. The Islamists withdrew their candidates 1 day before the vote, claiming that the system was unfairly stacked against them. However, based on the evidence I have been able to gather from the State Department and from other staffers who visited Jordan shortly after the elections, these elections were largely free and fair, marred only by minor irregularities that almost certainly had little or no impact on the final result. It now appears the Islamists were more concerned about an embarrassing, imminent defeat than they were about democratic procedures. Last month, after the municipal elections, King Abdullah II announced that parliamentary elections will be held on November 20. Thus, Jordan continues to pursue its path toward greater democracy. It is indeed impressive that Jordan keeps extremism at bay while expanding political participation. But it is no coincidence. By addressing reform, Jordan has encouraged moderation. That is a lesson that, unfortunately, too many Middle Eastern regimes have failed to understand. We encourage Jordan in its efforts to implement political reform, and we look forward to the kingdom's further progress towards achieving the comprehensive and ambitious set of goals it put forth last year as part of Jordan's National Agenda. Madam Speaker, King Abdullah's thoughtful and bold leadership has made him a welcome ally in difficult times in the Middle East, and the American and Jordanian peoples share a special friendship that this bill explicitly reaffirms. I know that the Foreign Affairs Committee, of which I am a member, and its distinguished chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), remain committed to this special relationship with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. I trust that my friends in the full House do as well. Madam Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I would like to have as much time as I may consume to again compliment and to commend my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey, for his insight. And certainly as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, no one knows better the importance of our strategic and military influence in this important region of the world, and especially with an alliance and a partnership with the great country of Japan, that they have always stood beside us and always been there when we needed assistance. So again, I want to commend my good friend from New Jersey for his comments and sponsorship of this legislation. And I thank my good friend, the gentlelady from Florida, the ranking member, for helping us manage this legislation and get it approved by our colleagues.

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 508) recognizing the strong security alliance between the Government of Japan and the United States and expressing appreciation to Japan for its role in enhancing stability in the Asia-Pacific region and its efforts in the global war against terrorism, as amended.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this proposed bill and yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to express my appreciation to the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the distinguished chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and our distinguished ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen from Florida, for their support of this proposed bill. And let me also thank our distinguished colleague from the great State of New Jersey, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee as well as the Natural Resources Committee, my good friend, Mr. Saxton, for his sponsorship of this resolution. When World War II came to a close, the relationship between the United States and Japan could not have been worse. Both sides sustained heavy human losses at the hands of the other's military, but together, starting in the late 1940s, the United States and the Japanese people rebuilt a war-torn Japanese nation brick by brick, industry by industry. The alliance between the United States and Japan has grown steadily since then, and now it could hardly be stronger. Japan today is one of our closest allies in the Asia-Pacific region. The strong and enduring partnership we developed when that war thankfully came to an end bridges economic, military and political realms. Our military alliance helped prevent another world conflict during the Cold War, and our two nations jointly held fast to the ideas of democracy and freedom in the face of the menacing communist threat in this Asian region. Today, the U.S. military security alliance with Japan is not only just the backbone of the relationship between our two great nations, but it is the bedrock of peace and security throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Upon this foundation, we continue to work together to advance our shared values. We jointly promote open markets, open societies, and open and transparent governments in Asia and around the world. Japan's economic success is a beacon and an example to the entire planet, now being the second most powerful economy in the whole world. We also tackle some of the most difficult challenges of our time, working together in the crucial Six-Party Talks to denuclearize North Korea and stabilize Northeast Asia. Japan is a reliable and generous friend, quick to assist the United States in our times of need. Japan has provided important logistical support for the current war in Iraq and is on the front lines of the international efforts to combat terrorism by providing support to operations in Afghanistan. As strong as our relationship is now, we look forward to an even stronger partnership in the future. Our two countries are brought together by shared interests and shared values, and we are bound together by mutual respect and friendship. This resolution celebrates this friendship by recognizing the strong security alliance between Japan and the United States, as well as Japan's critical role in enhancing stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, the House reaffirms that we value highly our alliance with the great nation of Japan and believe this partnership will continue indefinitely into the future. Madam Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and urge my colleagues to support it as well. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining?