Eni Faleomavaega

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I gladly yield 5\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), a distinguished member of the House Committee on Appropriations. (Mr. ROTHMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we are demonstrating to our Nation and to the world what American democracy is all about, where the duly elected representatives of this body have been given an opportunity to share with each colleague their best judgment on whether the Congress supports the President's request to place the men and women of our armed services in harm's way. I have no doubt that our President has spent countless hours, perhaps even sleepless hours, and probably even thought a thousand times over as to whether or not this was the best course of action that our country should take at this time and for him to make such an important decision that will determine whether our soldiers, sailors and airmen are going to be sent into harm's way. Mr. Speaker, I am glad our President does not have the constitutional authority to declare war against enemy nations. I am also glad that our President does not have the authority under the provisions of our Constitution to establish our Nation's armies and navies. That is the exclusive authority that has been given specifically to the Congress of the United States. Mr. Speaker, I respect our President; but I do not worship him, nor is he a king or an emperor. He is our President and is subject to the will of the American people. My reason for supporting this resolution is that our President is properly authorized under the terms of this proposed resolution to seek out all diplomatic options, to make sure that there is substantive participation from our allies and from other nations in the world to confront the serious danger that is now before us and the world with the regime currently governed by the dictator Saddam Hussein. Another critical factor in this whole debate, Mr. Speaker, is that we have not questioned the loyalty and patriotism of each of us or the integrity of each of us, of any Member of this body, especially under the climate we are now under to make a firm decision whether our Nation should commit her military forces against her enemies. I am convinced, Mr. Speaker, that sometime tomorrow, if as a result of a final vote by this body that vote is not overwhelming in support of the President's proposed resolution, that common sense would dictate that our President would seriously have to reconsider his position on this matter, go back to the drawing board and try again. I would rather deal with some bruised egoes in the White House and in the Congress than to end up fighting another war like Vietnam. Again, in good faith and as a consequence of the deliberative efforts of the leadership of both sides of the aisle in this body, a proposed resolution has been offered for our consideration. But, Mr. Speaker, I make reference to my friend, the Chinese General Sun Tzu, who some 2,500 years ago made some very astute observations concerning the art of warfare, and I hope our Vice President and our leaders in the Department of Defense will take heed to General Tzu's advice. General Tzu said, ``If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of 100 battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat. But if you do not know your enemy nor yourself, you will absolutely lose in every battle.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and ask that he be permitted to control the rest of that time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 8 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), my good friend. (Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sandlin), a senior member of the House Committee on Financial Services.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) be granted an additional 60 minutes, and that he be permitted to control the time and yield to other Members of our body.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch), a distinguished member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman), a distinguished member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I just returned this morning from a 16-hour flight from my district, hoping very much that I would be able to participate in some small way in this most important debate now pending before this body. In the course of the weekend, I had the opportunity of participating in the dedication of the opening of the construction of the brand-new U.S. Army Reserve Center that we are establishing in my district for the purpose of accommodating some 450 of our men and women in military uniform; also, in essence, sharing with my people the historical aspects of our participation in our unit as part of the famous 100th battalion 442nd infantry Army Reserve organization out of the State of Hawaii. I did this, in observing these men and women in uniform, as I reflected on the fact that in a couple of days I would be here before my colleagues expressing my opinion of what we should do in the aftermath of the President asking us to make a decision on this important issue. As a member of the Committee on International Relations, Mr. Speaker, I voted in favor, in support of the proposed resolution now under consideration by this body. In principle, House Joint Resolution 114 embodies our Nation's efforts to work with our allies and work with the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly to seriously consider the demands and the dangers that are now posed by the current regime ruled by dictator Saddam Hussein. I am happy to observe that our President's initial rhetoric on this most serious matter is now more realistically applied. The fact is that our President must come to the Congress not just to consult, but must come to the Congress to justify himself on whether or not we should commit our men and women in military uniform and put them in harm's way. I am sure my colleagues need not be reminded of the wisdom of how the Founding Fathers established our system of government as plainly written, clearly written in the Constitution, where, this power in this most serious matter, is given to the Congress and not to the President, the power to declare war. I think another matter that also needs to be restated in the aspects of how our government functions, Congress also is given the important responsibility of raising an Army and a Navy, not the President. I think it shows quite well how our Founding Fathers said, we do not want another emperor or another king; we want to make sure that there is a checks and balance system. I think this is how we came out with such an excellent way of proceeding to make sure that this kind of authority or power is not given exclusively just to the President. When our Secretary of State Powell appeared before our Committee on International Relations, I asked Secretary Powell some questions that were very dear to my heart. I asked, ``Secretary Powell, if and when our Nation should ever declare war, are we going to go there to win and nothing less? Secretary Powell, I don't want another Vietnam War. I don't want to hear another bunch of half-baked plans and objectives being done by some bureaucrats in the Pentagon, and then a policy where the enemy soldiers can shoot at you, but you can't shoot back.'' Secretary Powell's response was, ``Yes, if we are going to go to war, we are going to go to win.'' I also asked Secretary Powell, ``Are we going to be working with the Security Council and the United Nations?'' Again he responded and said, ``Yes, exactly. This is our objective as far as the administration is concerned.'' I also asked Secretary Powell, ``Will our Nation take up the responsibility as well to provide for some millions of Iraqi refugees who will be fleeing from these horrible consequences of war which, I believe, will also cause serious economic and social conditions to the surrounding Arab countries in the Middle East?'' And he said, ``Yes, we will also have to take up that responsibility.'' Mr. Speaker, as we consider this matter now before us, I am reminded of an incident that occurred years ago in the Middle East where a terrorist bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, where hundreds of Marines were needlessly killed as a result of that incident. At that time our Secretary of Defense, Casper Weinberger, was literally tortured by this incident. As a result, he proposed six principles or criteria or tests that I think our Nation must answer positively before our Nation should commit its sons and daughters to war. I want to share these six principles with my colleagues here this afternoon. Test number one, ``Commit only if our allies and our vital interests are at stake. Number two, if we commit, do so with all of the resources necessary to win. Number three, go in only with clear political and military objectives. Number four, be ready to change the commitment if the objectives change, since war is rarely standstill. Number five, only take on commitments that gain the support of the American people and the Congress. And, number six, commit U.S. forces only as a last resort.'' Mr. Speaker, I want to share with my colleagues a statement made by a general some 2,500 years ago named General Sun Tzu. He said, ``The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence, under no circumstances can it be neglected.''

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski). (Mr. BORSKI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello). (Mr. COSTELLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak), a distinguished member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. (Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4005, a bill to provide for a circulating quarter dollar coin program to commemorate American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. In general, this legislation would amend the popular 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act to include 6 new designs emblematic of the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Designs on the reverse side of each quarter dollar issued during 2009 will be selected by the Secretary of Treasury in consultation with the chief executive officers of these areas. It should come as no surprise that I am a strong supporter of this bill. My colleagues and I have worked for some time to move this legislation forward. All five delegates are and were original co- sponsors of this bi-partisan measure. This measure was first introduced in the 106th Congress and passed overwhelmingly in the House by a vote of 377-6. Unfortunately, the 106th Congress ended before the Senate was able to consider our bill. I am now pleased that H.R. 4005 has once again made it to the House floor for consideration. I want to thank Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton for her leadership and I also want to thank the order Delegates who have also worked tirelessly to ensure that this legislation is considered. Speaking on behalf of American Samoa, I believe it is only fitting for Congress to acknowledge our relationship with the United States with the issuance of a commemorative coin. American Samoa has a long and proud history of supporting the United States. The traditional leaders of the island of Tutuila ceded our islands to the United States in 1900. Tutuila's harbor is the deepest in the South Pacific and the port village of Pago Pago was used as a coaling station for U.S. naval ships in the early part of the century and as a support base for U.S. soldiers during WWII. To this day, American Samoa serves as a refueling point for U.S. naval ships and military aircraft. American Samoa also has a per capita enlistment rate in the U.S. military which is as high as 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 our war against terrorists. We have stood by the United States in good times and bad and I believe this relationship should be acknowledged with the issuance of a commemorative coin. H.R. 4005 afford us an opportunity to recognize the special contributions that the District of Columbia, American samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Marianas have made to the history of our Nation. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to participate in this special order to share with my colleagues of the House, and with the American people--a tremendous loss to our nation, and the good people of the State of Hawaii--the recent passing of the gentle lady from Hawaii--Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink. Patsy was more than a friend to this member. She was my mentor, my teacher, my senior advisor on the resources of this institution. She was my champion fighter when this body takes up issues that affect the rights and the lives of millions of Americans who are women, children, minorities--and last but not least the poor and the needy. Mr. Speaker, some of my colleagues have already outlined a listing of so many of the accomplishments of Patsy's career in public service. So as not to be repetitious, I want to share with my colleagues and to our Nation--how I feel about Patsy Mink the person. Patsy did not share much with me in her early youth--born of a lovable family and grew up on the island of Maui--graduated from high school in Maui and then enrolled at the University of Hawaii. But I can well imagine the hardships Patsy had to endure especially after the sudden attack of Pearl Harbor by Japanese war planes--that Americans of Japanese ancestry immediately herded like cattle and place in what was then described as ``relocation camps,'' but I consider them as concentration camps. I have no doubt Patsy and her family were severely affected socially and psychologically--how a nation can unilaterally terminate the constitutional right of its citizens solely on the basis of race. Their lands and properties were confiscated, and some 100,000 American citizens--men, women and children who happen to be of Japanese ancestry were placed in these so-called relocation camps throughout the United States. And despite all this, Mr. Speaker--at the height of racism, hatred and bigotry placed against Japanese Americans during World War II--some ten thousand young Japanese-American men--Senator Dan Inouye and the late Senator Spark Matsunaga--among them--nevertheless volunteered to fight against out nation's enemies in Europe. This was the kind of atmosphere Patsy grew up with--and the irony of it all, Mr. Speaker, Patsy Mink wanted very much to be a doctor--a healer--and I guess after personally witnessing the horrors of war during her youth--Patsy wanted to enter a profession that would save lives, rather than destroy them. Things did not get any better--after submitting applications to medical schools, Patsy soon realized that she was denied admission for two reasons: her ethnicity and because of her gender. Patsy's attention turned to law--and thanks to one of our more progressive law schools in the country, she was admitted to attend the University of Chicago Law School. With a law degree from the University of Chicago, and after gaining admission to practice law in Hawaii, Patsy Mink started her law practice, but eventually ended up in the state senate and elected as a Member of Congress. It was in this institution that Patsy made her mark not only as an outstanding legislator to her constituents in Hawaii, but to our Nation as well. As a senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee, Patsy's commitment to provide greater educational opportunities for the less fortunate--the protection of the rights of women and children throughout our nation was women and children equal no compromise! synonymous with the name of this great lady from Hawaii--Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink. I want to convey my aloha punehana sincere condolences on behalf of our Samoan community living in Hawaii, to Patsy's dear husband and my friend for years--John Mink and their daughter, Wendy, her brother Eugene Takemoto, and Joan Manke her Administrative Assistant and members of her staff--Patsy Takemoto Mink--Ia manuia lace faiga malaga (May you have a successful journey).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to participate in this Special Order to share with my colleagues of the House and with the American people the tremendous loss to our Nation and the good people of the State of Hawaii, the recent passing of the gentlewoman from Hawaii, Patsy Takemoto Mink. Patsy was more than a friend to this Member. She was my mentor, my teacher, my senior advisor on the nuances of this institution. She was my champion fighter on any issues taken by this body on anything relating to the rights and lives of millions of American women, children, minorities, and last but not least, the poor and the needy. Some of my colleagues have outlined a listing of so many of the accomplishments of Patsy's career in public service. So as not to be repetitious, I want to share with my colleagues and our Nation how I feel about Patsy Mink as a person. Patsy did not share much with me concerning her early youth, born of a humble family and grew up on the Island of Maui, graduated from high school on Maui, and then enrolled at the University of Hawaii. But as I can remember, remember and well imagine the hardships Patsy had to endure, especially after the sudden attack of Pearl Harbor by Japanese war planes that Americans of Japanese ancestry immediately, herded like cattle and placed in what was then described as relocation camps but I consider them as concentration camps, I have no doubt that Patsy and her family were severely affected socially and psychologically. How a Nation can unilaterally terminate the constitutional rights of its citizens solely on the basis of race, their lands and properties were confiscated, and some 100,000 American citizens, men, women and children, who happened to be of Japanese ancestry were placed in these so-called relocation camps throughout the United States. Despite all this, at the height of racism, hatred and bigotry placed against Japanese Americans during World War II, some 10,000 Japanese Americans, like Senator Dan Inouye and the late Senator Spark Matsunaga among them, nevertheless volunteered to fight against our Nation's enemies in Europe. That was part of Patsy's early youth and the legacy that was given under the 100 Battalion 442nd Infantry and what they did when they fought against enemy forces in Europe. Mr. Speaker, this was the kind of atmosphere that Patsy grew up with. The irony of it all is that Patsy Mink wanted very much to be a doctor, a healer. I guess after personally witnessing the horrors of war during her youth, Patsy wanted to enter a profession that would save lives rather than destroy them. Mr. Speaker, I want to convey my sincere aloha pumehana and my sincere condolences on behalf of our Samoan community living in the State of Hawaii to Patsy's dear husband and my friend for many years, John Mink, and their daughter, Wendy, and her brother, Eugene Takemoto, and to Joan Manke, her administrative assistant, and members of her staff. Patsy Takemoto Mink, may you have a successful journey.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 5091, the Cancelling Loans to Allow School Systems to Attract Classroom Teachers Act. This act would increase the amount of student loan forgiveness available to qualified teachers. Loan cancellations would be made on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to the availability of appropriations, and with emphasis on special education, mathematics and science teachers. I believe this legislation is solid and it is necessary legislation. As we are aware, across this Nation, States and Territories struggle to retain and attract teachers. Our school systems are overcrowded. Our test scores are down, and our resources are limited. Many of our students are also disadvantaged by poverty and live in communities that are unable to raise revenue to meet the growing challenge of elevating learning. As lawmakers, we are painfully aware that we must provide adequate funding for education if we are to maintain cohesion in our society. As lawmakers, we also agree that no child should be left behind. This is why we are disappointed that President Bush signed legislation promising a $5.65 billion increase in the No Child Left Behind legislation, but 4 weeks later provided an increase of only $1 billion. We are also disappointed that the President's budget holds aid to local schools virtually flat. Lie every other State and Territory, American Samoa depends on Federal assistance to improve classroom learning. We struggle to recruit, certify, and retain teachers. Yet we also want to ensure that our children are not left behind. Passage of H.R. 5091 is a small step in the right direction. It will help alleviate some of the National and local problems we all face. For American Samoa, it will help us bring back and retain some of our own teachers. I support this legislation and I ask my colleagues to also support passage of H.R. 5091.

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. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the chairman of our Committee on International Relations, for his support and leadership in bringing this legislation to the forefront. I also want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for his authorship of this resolution, and of course, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) and his management of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would first like to commend, as I said earlier, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for introducing this important resolution. As the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, I was very pleased to join the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the ranking member of our side of the Committee on International Relations, as an original cosponsor of this measure. Mr. Speaker, the economic and political transformation of Taiwan over the past decades is truly remarkable. From the depths of poverty in the 1950s, Taiwan has turned into an economic power house which is now one of America's top 10 trading partners. Turning away from one-party rule, Taiwan has become a vibrant democracy, serving as a beacon to those across the Asia-Pacific region who yearn for freedom and showing that democracy can thrive in a Chinese context, especially within the context of meeting with the people of China. Mr. Speaker, the election of Chen Shui-bian to the presidency in March of 2000 further demonstrates the depth and strength of Taiwan's democracy, as President Chen is the first member of the opposition to serve as President. As a result of these positive developments, the relations between the United States and Taiwan have never been closer. There is no better example of this close relationship than the visit to the United States this week of Taiwan's First Lady, Madame Chen Wu Sue-jen. First Lady Chen Wu has long fought for democracy and human rights and humanitarian causes in Taiwan. The First Lady previously served in Taiwan's legislature. She has provided critical assistance to her husband in his political efforts. Maybe not known to the Members of our body, Mr. Speaker, but First Lady Chen Wu was seriously injured in a traffic accident years ago; and as a result, she has become a paraplegic, but what is more important is the tremendous courage and her fortitude in continuing to support her husband, not only to stand as a symbol, a beacon for democracy to the people of Taiwan but certainly an example of someone who has that determination as First Lady Chen Wu has demonstrated, not only to the people in Taiwan but certainly to the people here in America. Mr. Speaker, since the horrendous tragedy of September 11, the First Lady has also been a driving force behind Taiwan's charity and humanitarian assistance for the victims of the terrorist attacks. The First Lady will be on Capitol Hill tomorrow to meet Members of Congress, and I do strongly urge my colleagues to take this opportunity to meet her. I have no doubt that they will be impressed by her strength, her sense of compassion, and her commitment to building stronger ties between the United States and Taiwan. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge support from my colleagues for this House Resolution 533. Again I could not have asked for a greater advocate and champion of freedom and democracy in the Asia Pacific region than the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) and I commend his leadership and management of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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. Mr. Speaker I rise in strong support of this bill. This is a very straightforward measure to provide the European Central Bank the same immunity from judicial process that we routinely provide to foreign central banks under the Foreign Services Immunities Act. I want to commend the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), and also chairman of our Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, for his authorship of this bill. The ECB was established in June of 1998 in accordance with the treaty establishing the European Union. The ECB is an independent legal entity owned by the central banks of the EU member states. Like any central banks, its role is to define and implement the monetary policy of the European Union and to maintain price stability. It also conducts foreign exchange operations and holds the official foreign reserves of the EU states. Given the nature of the ECB, it makes absolute sense to extend to it the same legal treatment we routinely provide to other foreign central banks. Unfortunately, since the ECB is a new type of central bank, it does not fit the definition of a foreign central bank under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act; and it is, therefore, not granted the immunities provided by that act. The ECB is likewise excluded from the judicial process immunities normally provided to the international organizations by the International Organizations Immunities Act because the IOIA only extends its immunities to international organizations of which the United States is a member. Therefore, H.R. 3656 amends the IOIA to include its provisions to the European Central Bank in the same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same conditions as they may be extended to a public international organization in which the United States participates. This extension of the IOIA will simply provide the ECB with the same immunity we routinely grant to foreign central banks. This is a good bill, Mr. Speaker; and I urge my colleagues to support it. Again, I commend my good friend from Iowa for his sponsorship of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers; and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, this legislation has taken a roundabout journey through our committee system, particularly because the issue involves the issuance of bonds. As such, the bill was referred concurrently to the Committee on Ways and Means, as well as to the Committee on the Judiciary. But I am extremely happy and gratified that H.R. 1448 has received the approval and referral from the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on the Judiciary to the Committee on Resources, and I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) and the ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), for their approval and referral of H.R. 1448 to the Committee on Resources. Mr. Speaker, I also thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), of the Committee on the Judiciary for their support and referral of this legislation. In particular, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Barr) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt) of the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law for the comprehensive work they have done to ensure that H.R. 1448 will not conflict with other Federal laws relative to bond issues. I want to commend these gentlemen and their staffs for all of the work that they have done to bring this bill not only before the Committee on Resources, but now for House consideration. Mr. Speaker, under U.S. law, the territories of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands currently have the authority to issue municipal bonds to foster a broad range of economic activity. These bonds are exempt from income taxation by the Federal Government, State governments, territorial governments, municipal governments and the District of Columbia government. However, the U.S. Territory of American Samoa also has the authority to issue bonds, but the interest earned from American Samoa bonds is subject to taxation by State and municipal governments. H.R. 1448 amends U.S. law and provides parity and equity for American Samoa by allowing interest earned on bonds issued by the American Samoa Government to be exempt from State, local and territorial taxation. In other words, H.R. 1448 will grant to American Samoa the same authority already held by the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This legislation will make American Samoa bonds more attractive to investors, and can provide an additional source of funds for the American Samoa Government. The Governor of the Government of American Samoa has indicated that the local government could have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest costs if the interest on the bonds the government issued in 2000 would have been tax exempt. The local power authority, a semi-autonomous government agency, would also like to sell bonds to purchase new diesel generator sets to accommodate the territory's growing population and utility needs. This legislation will lower the interest costs of these prospective sales, and will enable the local government to address deficiencies in its current infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1448 is an early step toward providing the Government of American Samoa with additional assistance in improving the government's financial condition, which will have a direct and positive impact on the people of American Samoa. Mr. Speaker, this legislation deserves support of this body, and I ask my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, we have an expression on the islands, and this may be the last time I have a chance to say a few words in this body, and the saying is ``aua e te seluselu mai a'u,'' which means do not try to comb my hair or do not try to butter me up. I realize that this may not be the last piece of legislation that the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) will be chairing or managing on the floor of the House, but I want to say to my colleagues, for almost 14 years, serving as a member of the Committee on Resources, it has been my privilege and personal honor to have known the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen). The gentleman from Utah served previously as the chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, and having served as the ranking member at that time, I enjoyed tremendously not only the gentleman's outstanding leadership qualities, but also that he was always fair with me on many, many series of hearings and deliberations that were held when the gentleman served as the subcommittee chairman. Even in the gentleman's capacity as full committee chairman, I want to say that the gentleman from Utah has always been willing to assist members with their proposed bills, and his demonstrated leadership in this institution will certainly be missed, certainly by this Member, and I am sure that the same feeling exists among all Members. Mr. Speaker, I am sorry that I have no more alumni from the University of Utah to pick on, especially when Utah always loses to the BYU Cougars. I want to say on behalf of this Member, Mr. Speaker, we are certainly going to miss the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, as members of Congress, I believe it is incumbent upon us to support the efforts of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to recruit, retain, and graduate students who otherwise might not have the opportunity to pursue a post- secondary education. It is a known fact that Historically Black Colleges and Universities have played a vital role in giving our Nation's youth the tools necessary to forge their way in today's society. More importantly, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have provided historically disadvantaged students with the opportunity to determine for themselves how best to combine their rich cultural heritage with demands of today's scientific and technological society. Historically Black Colleges and Universities have also forged the way for all minority groups to recognize the importance of education and the need for our children to make their mark in today's world. I would like to commend the leaders and students, both past and present, of Historically Black Colleges and Universities for their tireless efforts in giving voice to those whose voices would have otherwise been made mute. I commend them for their perseverance and diligence. I thank them for teaching us that we can make a difference in society by remaining true to ourselves and embracing who we are. As the only member of Congress of Samoan ancestry, I have a special affinity for the struggle of minorities. I have a special affinity for those affiliated with this Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. You can believe that as long as I am a Member of Congress, I will always stand in support of historically Black Colleges and Universities and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, although the scope and severity of the terrorist attacks on America make it difficult to know how best to memorialize those who were lost on September 11, 2001, I rise today to pay tribute to the passengers of United Flight 93 who courageously thwarted an attack on our nation's Capital. To the firefighters of New York City who gave their lives to rescue others, I join with my colleagues in saying that you will always be our heroes. To the World Trade Center victims, we mourn your passing. To those who died at the Pentagon, we will not forget you. To every man and woman serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, we stand by you. To our friends and neighbors across the globe, we thank you for supporting us in a time of need. For every American who has made the ultimate sacrifice and those who continue to risk their lives in order to save others, our Nation stands forever grateful. We are one Nation, under God, united in our resolve to defend freedom in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America. As President Franklin Roosevelt said, ``We will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again. With confidence in our Armed Forces, with the unbound determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.'' Mr. Speaker, I commend President George W. Bush for his leadership in securing our homeland and strengthening America's resolve to triumph over terrorism. I also commend the Honorable Colin L. Powell, U.S. Secretary of State, for his untold achievement in strengthening our alliances. I commend the Honorable Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, for mobilizing our troops and protecting U.S. interests overseas. I commend the Secretary of Transportation, the Honorable Norman Y. Mineta, for his decisive action to ground all planes and avoid further tragedy on September 11, 2001. I also commend my colleagues in both the House and Senate. I commend both Republicans and Democrats. I commend all Americans united in their resolve to end the threat of terrorism for future generations. On behalf of the people of American Samoa, I rise today to say that we will always remember the heroic actions of those who gave their lives so that we might live. We stand united in our resolve to defend freedom. Like all Americans, we join in prayer and proclaim September 11, 2002 as a day of Solemn Observance. I commend the Honorable Tauese Sunia, Governor of American Samoa, for proclaiming Wednesday September 11, 2002 to be a Day of Solemn Observance throughout the Territory. All flags will be flown at half- mast. Memorial services will start in the Territory at sundown on Tuesday September 5, 2002 and will end with the last service set for 6:00 p.m. on September 11, 2002. During this time, American Samoa will participate in a worldwide choral event. Choirs in every zone around the world will perform Mozart's Requiem at 8:46 a.m., the exact time of the first terrorist attack on America. American Samoa will represent the last time zone on the globe and the American Samoa Community College Choir will be the last choir on earth to sing Mozart's Requiem during this worldwide, commemorative service. I applaud the volunteers from the Seattle Symphony Chorale who organized this worldwide event to pay homage to the victims, survivors, and heroes of September 11, 2001. I also commend the students, staff, and faculty members at the American Samoa Community College for representing American Samoa on this historic and solemn occasion. I also express my deepest gratitude for those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during this critical time in our nation's history. I am pleased to say that the sons and daughters of American Samoa serve proudly in the U.S. military and, per capita, there are probably more soldiers in the U.S. Army from American Samoa than any other State or U.S. Territory. I thank the sons and daughters of American Samoa for answering the call to serve. I pray for them. I pray for their families. I am painfully aware of the sacrifices they are making. I am very mindful of the dangers they are facing. Some thirty years ago, I served in the Vietnam War. As a Vietnam veteran, I remember all to well what it is like to be separated from loved ones. Each day, I wondered if I would ever see my loved ones again or if I would be among the thousands to return home in a body bag. By the grace of God, I returned home safely. I now pray that the good Lord will watch over the brave men and women of American Samoa who are also willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice so that future generations may live in peace. On this day of Solemn Observance, in this sombre time of remembrance, my thoughts and prayers also go out to all those whose lives have been changed by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. May we always stand together in the defense of freedom and may God bless America.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3009--the Fast Track Conference Report. I also rise in opposition to the amendment to authorize the President to grant duty-free treatment for Andean exports of ``tuna packed in flexible (e.g., foil), airtight containers weighing with their contents not more than 6.8 kg each.'' For months, I have provided the House and Senate with documentation that clearly shows that the Andean countries have the production capacity to destroy U.S. tuna operations in American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and California. I have also clearly demonstrated that the economy of American Samoa is more than 80 percent dependent, either directly or indirectly, on the U.S. tuna fishing and processing industries, and any give away to the Andean countries will adversely impact cannery operations in American Samoa. Simply put, duty-free treatment for pouch products poses the same threat as duty-free treatment for canned products. Although the pouch tuna business is currently estimated to be about 6 percent of the total tuna business, conservative estimates suggest that the pouch business will grow three, five, and ten years at 75, 50, and 25 percent respectively. This equates to 8 percent share by 2005, 12.2 percent by 2007, and about 15.4 percent of total U.S. tuna trade by 2012. Reuters wire service recently reported that StarKist intends to move away from the standard 6-ounce cans and boost distribution of tuna in a pouch. In other words, pouch product will displace canned product and canneries in American Samoa and Puerto Rico will be unable to compete with low labor costs in the Andean region. This will force a shut down of cannery operations in American Samoa and Puerto Rico. This will also lead to the demise of the U.S. tuna fishing fleet which will be forced to transship its product to the Andean countries at a cost disadvantage that will be impossible to overcome. In short, canned tuna will become a foreign controlled commodity instead of the branded product American consumers have trusted with confidence for over 95 years. Given these eventualities, I cannot support a position that includes unlimited duty-free treatment for pouch products. I stand firm on capacity limitations which equate to no more than 18.1 million kilograms of tuna in airtight containers. I also stand firm on rules of origin. The U.S. tuna boat owners, Chicken of the Sea, and Bumble Bee also support my position and I am grateful for their support. I also wish to note that I am disappointed that the House receded with an amendment to grant duty-free treatment for tuna packed in 6.8 kg pouches. Mr. Speaker, there is no such thing as a 6.8 kg pouch and it is almost inexcusable that the House would be misinformed on such a critical issue. To set the record straight, there are only two pouch sizes. There is a 7 oz. retail pouch and a 43 oz., or 1.22 kg, institutional food service pouch. The food service pouch is packed in American Samoa by Chicken of the Sea. The 7 oz. pouch is controlled by StarKist. StarKist has said it will never pack its 7 oz. pouch in American Samoa. Why? Because StarKist is a company that is always in search of low-cost labor. Labor rates in the Andean region are 69 cents an hour and less. In American Samoa, tuna cannery workers are paid $3.60 per hour. Given these wage differences, it is unconscionable for the U.S. Congress to give StarKist one more edge in the marketplace and one more reason to leave American Samoa. This legislation is flawed. It is based on the idea that drugs lords will be enticed to pack tuna for 69 cents an hour. It is baseless thinking and I cannot and will not support the inclusion of tuna in the ATPA. The Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia have also expressed their concerns and provided Congress with statements regarding the economic impact the ATPA would have on their region. The Government of the Philippines has blatantly stated that the inclusion of tuna would impede its efforts to eradicate poverty and combat terrorism. Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, the U.S. tuna boat owners, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa offered up a fair and reasonable compromise to resolve the controversy surrounding the inclusion of tuna in the ATPA. Our compromise was the Breaux amendment which passed the Senate Finance Committee. The Breaux amendment limits the amount of tuna that can enter the U.S. duty-free and also requires a source of origin provision that would require tuna to be caught by U.S. or Andean flag ships. Capacity limitations are key to ensuring the continued viability of the U.S. tuna and fishing operations in American Samoa, Puerto Rico and California. Rules of origin are necessary to protect our U.S. tuna fishing fleet which is based in the Western Pacific Tropic. There are no fishing licenses left in the Eastern Pacific Tropic and the U.S. tuna boat owners are almost entirely dependent on cannery production in American Samoa. Any fluctuation in production affects the livelihood of the U.S. tuna boat owners. There are about 30 U.S. flag purse seiners operating in the Western Pacific Tropic. This fleet supplies about 200,000 tons of tuna per year to the canneries in American Samoa. The loss of American Samoa as a base would mean the end of the U.S. tuna fishing fleet. The Breaux amendment, however, limits the loss to 50.4 million pounds, or 2.1 million cases. The Breaux amendment also offsets this loss by providing opportunity for the U.S. tuna boats owners to sell their fish to the Andean canneries. Our compromise also encourages Andean countries to develop their own fishing fleets as a means to maximize economic benefits. Mr. Speaker, the Spanish fishing fleet, which is subsidized by the government of Spain, is alive and well and fishing for lightmeat tuna in the Eastern Pacific Tropic. Japan and Taiwan are well at work transshipping albacore tuna to Andean canneries. It is a well- documented fact that StarKist is purchasing albacore from Japan and Taiwan and transshipping it directly to Ecuador for packing. I am concerned about these developments because I do not believe the ATPA should provide backdoor benefits for non-Andean countries. Neither Spain nor Japan nor Taiwan should be allowed to send their fish into the U.S. market duty-free. In my opinion, this would violate the intent of the ATPA and would unfairly disadvantage the ASEAN countries. In fairness to the U.S. tuna boat owners, in fairness of the ASEAN countries, in fairness to American Samoa, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru, I believe source of origin must be included in the ATPA. Limits must also be placed on the amount of tuna that can enter the U.S. duty-free. I stand firm on capacity limits and rules of origin. In short, it is the people of American Samoa who will suffer economic loss as a result of the inclusion of any amount of tuna in the ATPA. To offset this loss, I believe Congress should make a sincere commitment to provide for an IRS Section 936 substitute which specifically addresses the needs of American Samoa. I also believe Congress should be prepared to assist American Samoa if it suffers massive unemployment and insurmountable financial problems.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, and the dean of the Pennsylvania delegation, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) for their eloquent remarks in reference to this legislation. I would be remiss if I do not thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin), and even though she has yielded her time, I would be happy to yield to the gentlewoman.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere hope that this legislation will be taken in the most expedient manner, not only from this Chamber, but certainly from the other body, so we can make the most appropriate arrangements. Again, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) for his remarks and personal experience relative to what happened to United Flight 93. Mr. Speaker, there was no question where that plane was headed towards. It was headed towards Washington, D.C. It could have been any one of us here. It could have been our office buildings that flight was headed for. Again, I thank the gentleman whose last words before communications cut out, he simply said, ``Let's roll.'' I want to pay that special tribute and honor to that gentleman, and all of the passengers on Flight 93 as to that act of heroism as to why we are alive today.