Eni Faleomavaega

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my good friend from the Northern Mariana Islands, Congressman Sablan.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my good friend from Texas (Mr. Al Green).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my good friend, the senior ranking member of our House Foreign Affairs Committee, for her kind comments, mentioning also about the military participation of the sons and daughters of American Samoa. According to the recent reports of USA Today newspaper, American Samoans have the highest percentage per annum in the whole United States in terms of those who sacrificed their lives in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with about 136 percent above all States and territories. I do want to thank the gentlelady for reminding us of that. Mr. Speaker, if I could ask how much more time do we have?

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank my good friend from Washington for his assistance and partnering with me in putting this resolution before our colleagues. I also have a proverbial expression, going along with what my good friend from Texas has said, that, yes, there truly is only one race, and that's the human race. That's what makes this country so great. I also believe that this country is but a microcosm of the whole world in itself, and the fact that it seeks no race or creed or boundaries to the extent that we are all fellow human beings, and whenever there is a need, it's our moral responsibility to do all that we can to give assistance. There is also a saying among the Chinese people that says there are many acquaintances but very view friends. I will say, Mr. Speaker, to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to my colleagues who truly are my friends, when I am in need, just from the fact that many of our colleagues have had occasions of having to appear before the floor and expressing and asking for assistance when disasters occur in their States and their territories, this is what the Congress is all about. This is what democracy is all about in this great country. Again, Mr. Speaker, I cannot say enough words to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude for the offered help from the administration, from our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, from everybody in the Congress, knowing of the difficulties that we are going through. I am going to say, our people are in good spirits. The prayer services, all that has been offered has been tremendous. I just want to say again, thank you to my colleagues.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution mourning the loss of life caused by the earthquakes and tsunamis that occurred on September 29, 2009, in American Samoa, in the independent state of Samoa and in Tonga. On September 29, 2009, a powerful earthquake, which registered 8.3 on the Richter scale and is recognized as the world's largest earthquake of 2009, struck below the ocean about 140 miles southwest of Pago Pago and 125 miles south of Apia, in the state of Samoa, creating a massive tsunami, or tidal wave, that crashed into American Samoa, the Independent State of Samoa, and the Kingdom of Tonga, sweeping cars and people out to sea as survivors fled to high ground. The tsunami, or tidal wave, with towering waves that reached up to 20 feet in height and penetrated 1 mile inland, caused death and destruction on a nearly unprecedented scale. The human cost of this disaster transcends mere statistics and has resulted in deeply personal tragedies for numerous families and communities in the region and throughout the world. In the U.S. territory of American Samoa, children running for home unknowingly ran in the direction of the tsunami. The villages of Fagamalo, Poloa, Amanave, Failolo, Afao, Asili, Amaluia, Leone, Fagasa, Fagatogo, Pago Pago, Aua, Afono, Vatia, Lauli'i, Faga'itua, Masefau, Alao, Tula, and Aoa in American Samoa were devastated by the disaster. Villages were also wiped out in the independent state of Samoa. In response to this tragedy, President Barack Obama speedily deployed the tools necessary for a full, swift and aggressive response by FEMA. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also offered her full support and authorized the airlift of emergency supplies to the independent state of Samoa. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi issued a special statement on behalf of the entire Congress, promising to quickly address the needs of American Samoa and the Americans who live there. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chairman John F. Kerry of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Chairman Howard L. Berman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Chairman Nick Rahall of the House Committee on Natural Resources, as well as many other Members of Congress also offered expressions of support in these trying times. I especially want to thank my colleague and dear friend, Congresswoman Laura Richardson, for her working side by side with my office in support of our Samoan communities living in her district and in Samoa, as well as in American Samoa. Congresswoman Richardson has stood by us every step of the way and has earned her rightful place in our hearts for leaving no stone unturned in relief efforts. I also want to thank our Samoan communities and congregations-- churches from Hawaii, Washington, Utah, and California--which collected critical supplies that will now be airlifted or transported by surface transportation to Samoa and, hopefully, also to American Samoa. I want to also thank the Reverend Liki Tiatia, the Reverend John Mailo, the Reverend Misipauena Tagaloa, and High Chief Loa Pele Faletogo, who have been instrumental in gathering emergency supplies for our families abroad. With so many people in need of basic supplies, words cannot express how grateful I am to all of my fellow Americans and to our friends from around the world who have responded to this disaster and to our call for assistance with a generous and heartfelt outpouring of aid. More than 300 responders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross, the U.S. Corps of Engineers, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other Federal agencies are on the ground in American Samoa, coordinating relief and recovery operations. Organizations including the Li Ka Shing Foundation, the Hanwha Group, Save the Children, Habitat for Humanity, Latter-Day Saint charities, Catholic Charities, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, tuna canneries like StarKist, Bumble Bee, even the Polynesian professional football players with the National Football League and the coalition of various Samoan organizations like the Office of Samoan Affairs and many others that are providing assistance. The United States Navy, the Coast Guard, the Hawaii International Guard and the U.S. Army Reserves in American Samoa provided critical transport of the life-saving and life-sustaining supplies and equipment to meet the immediate needs of the survivors. On behalf of the people of America Samoa, I express my gratitude for all of those who have stood by us when we have needed you most. I also join with Governor Togiola Tulafono and First Lady Maryanne Togiola Tulafono of American Samoa conveying my deepest condolences to the families of the many earthquake and tsunami victims, and to the Head of State, his Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi of Samoa, as well as to His Majesty King George Tupou V and Prime Minister Feleti Vaka'uta Sevele of Tonga. As we begin the long and difficult process of rebuilding, we thank God for the prayers you have offered on our behalf and express appreciation to all persons and relief organizations who continue to alleviate our suffering. In memory of those who are no longer with us, I urge my colleagues to support passage of House Resolution 816, mourning the loss of life caused by the earthquakes and tsunamis that occurred on September 29, 2009, in American Samoa, Independent State of Samoa and the Kingdom of Tonga. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and gentleman from Washington for his support and endorsement as well as the chairman of our Committee on Natural Resources, Nick Rahall, for his support. At this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to my distinguished friend and colleague, the gentlelady from the State of Hawaii (Ms. Hirono).

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, at this time, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am in strong support of House Resolution 266, which celebrates 90 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Poland. I wish to thank my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from the State of Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) for his authorship and introduction of this bill that enables the House to join the Senate in marking this significant anniversary and reaffirming our friendship with an important ally. It is remarkable to think that it has been only 20 years since Poland began to emerge from a period marked by war, Communist rule and occupation. On June 4, 1989, the good people of Poland voted in semi- democratic parliamentary elections. They resulted in a landslide victory for opposition candidates fielded by the Solidarity trade union over the ruling Communists. The new government moved swiftly to re- establish democratic practices and a free market economy. This election marked a turning point in the region, as other Soviet satellite states in Central and Eastern Europe regained their freedom by the end of 1989. Poland undertook internal reforms that enabled its rapid integration into the Euro-Atlantic community. Indeed, 2009 marks the fifth anniversary of Poland's membership with the European Union and the 10th anniversary of its accession to NATO. Poland has since been playing an active role in the international community, helping to secure peace and stability through its contributions to civilian and military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition, Poland has been a strong ally of the United States. This year we are marking 90 years of diplomatic relations, with the United States being the first country to recognize the newly independent Second Polish Republic in January 1919. This was particularly fitting given the key role played by President Woodrow Wilson in demanding that an independent Poland be included in the Treaty of Versailles. Since that time, there has continued to be a close friendship between our two peoples and countries. The estimated 10 million of our fellow Polish Americans who comprise 3 percent of the U.S. population have made considerable contributions to the cultural, economic, social, and political fabric of our great Nation. I welcome the planned visit by Vice President Biden to Poland later this month, as it provides an excellent opportunity to affirm our strong bilateral relationship. I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman, the author of this piece of legislation, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this resolution extends our profound sympathies and condolences to the good people of the Philippines for the terrible losses they suffered as a result of Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma. I would like to thank my good friend and colleague, Representative Jackie Speier from California, for her leadership in introducing this important legislation. On September 26, Typhoon Ketsana brought the heaviest rainfall in 40 years, leaving 80 percent of Manila under water. The storm killed more than 330 people, left nearly 40 missing, forced more than 135,000 families into evacuation centers, and destroyed or badly damaged nearly 40,000 houses. Eight days later, Typhoon Parma hit the Philippines, causing further destruction in areas that were still saturated by the previous storm and resulting in the loss of an additional 28 lives. I certainly would like to express my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families who lost their loved ones in the storms and to those who were injured and displaced from their homes. It is my sincere hope that the good people of the Philippines will find strength and solace knowing that the world stands by them in these very trying times. The United States and the Philippines continue to maintain close ties based upon historical relations, common interests, and shared values. The Filipino American community is the second largest Asian American group in the United States, and they make an invaluable contribution to our own country here in America. This resolution reflects our steadfast commitment to this relationship, as well as our strong desire for a speedy recovery of our friends in the Philippines who are suffering from the aftermaths of these two major natural disasters. 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. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the author and the sponsor of this important legislation, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. Mr. Speaker, years ago it was my privilege to have been invited by the famous native Hawaiian navigator Nainoa Thompson to be a member of the crew of the famous Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokule`a. We sailed from Tahiti, and it took us about 27 days until finally we sighted the famous mountains of Mauna Kea. Part of our traveling along the Hawaiian chain of islands was that we also visited the famous peninsula called Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai where we visited and stayed there, resting before we went on to the island of Oahu. It was there, Mr. Speaker, that I saw the legacy of Father Damien's work in dealing with the native Hawaiian people, or anybody who contracted leprosy who was sent to that island to remain there for the rest of their lives. The unfortunate stories that I have heard in the treatment of these people is that they were just dropped off, not even on the wharf. They were just simply taken there, and they had to swim to the islands in order to get there. What a terrible way of treating those people that were screened or realized that they had Hansen's disease. But I just wanted to describe the memory of seeing the school and the grave sites and the little community that was built, for which Father Damien was very responsible in helping those who were in need and the people who contracted Hansen's disease on the island of Molokai on this particular peninsula, the beautiful, beautiful peninsula of Kalaupapa, very, very historical; and I know this is true also to our native Hawaiian community. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my good friend, the distinguished author of this legislation, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this resolution commemorates the canonization of Father Damien de Veuster for his selfless works ministering to those suffering from Hansen's disease, also known as leprosy, on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. I would also like to thank my good friend Ms. Hirono from the State of Hawaii for sponsoring and authoring this resolution and for working to ensure that Father Damien's legacy is never forgotten. Many of us here and our colleagues who walk the Halls of the Congress have oftentimes passed by the distinctive statue of Father Damien in the Capitol, yet few of us understood that this was a man who essentially gave his life in order to help others. In 1863, at the age of 23, Father Damien left his home in Belgium, sailing to Hawaii to perform missionary work. At that time, the Hawaiian Government deported those who had contracted Hansen's disease to a place called Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai to prevent the spread of the disease. Though he was aware of the risks of contracting leprosy, Father Damien decided to move to Molokai permanently in order to be with those who suffered there. Isolated from society on the Kalaupapa peninsula on the island of Molokai, Father Damien and those to whom he ministered had many remarkable achievements: building schools and hospitals, constructing churches and homes, and attending to the spiritual and physical needs of those suffering from Hansen's disease, or leprosy. For 16 years, Father Damien served as a voice of hope and a source of consolation and encouragement for individuals afflicted with Hansen's disease, until he died on April 15, 1889, after contracting the disease himself. In 1977, recognizing his life of good works and the sacrifice he made in helping others, Pope Paul VI began the process that would ultimately lead to sainthood for Father Damien. Mr. Speaker, just last Sunday, Father Damien was finally canonized as a saint by Pope Benedict XVI. I urge all my colleagues to honor the life and accomplishments of Father Damien and his legacy of self-sacrifice by supporting this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 786) commemorating the canonization of Father Damien de Veuster, SS.CC. to sainthood, as amended.

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. I would like to ask just a couple more minutes to say I want to share with my colleagues another beautiful story, a legacy of Father Damien. This is a story about a native Hawaiian leader by the name of Jonathan Napela. And when this Hawaiian leader found out that his wife had contracted Hansen's disease, he went with her to Kalaupapa, lived with her throughout the rest of his life, and he also contracted Hansen's disease because of the love that he had for his wife, and they lived there, working with Father Damien and other leaders there in this little community of Kalaupapa. And I just wanted to note that for the Record. This famous native Hawaiian leader by the name of Jonathan Napela also was a beautiful story of how much he was able to help the community there in Kalaupapa and the island of Molokai.

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