Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the remaining portion of my time. Mr. Chairman, last night, I listened to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton) who, on both sides of the aisle, is respected, not only in this arena, but for his evenhanded approach to trying to develop bipartisan efforts. Last night, he spoke agonizingly, as I do now, about this particular legislation. We would want to dispel the notion that there are any among the 435 of us who would stand and say we favor religious persecution anywhere in the world. We do not. And that is all of the Republicans and all of the Democrats and all of those on the committee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

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

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) and offer my condolences to my colleague and cosponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) whose father passed. I regret very much that Mr. Chabot, who was the spearhead for our resolution, is unable to be here. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my continued support for H. Res. 374 offered in response to the ongoing spiral of violence in Algeria. That violence was very adequately described by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) and I thank him for that and will expedite my remarks in that regard. Pointedly, this legislation strongly condemns those who continue to perpetrate acts of violence and other crimes against humanity and violations of fundamental human rights. Mr. Speaker, the situation in Algeria is not only an internal problem but one that should concern the world. These acts of violence continue to target innocent civilians. As the torture continues, relatives of the so-called disappeared are still wondering if their loved ones are dead or alive. Children continue to be hacked to death; and, very recently, as the gentleman from California pointed out, it has been reported that women have been raped before their throats are cut; and even a four-month-old baby was slaughtered. Mr. Speaker, 6 years of this tragedy have left tens of thousands of civilians dead. Six years of violence is too long for us to remain silent to this vast human rights crisis which has sporadically grabbed international attention. We, as legislators, truly are, here in our House, democratic leaders of the world. We must also heed the call of the world's citizens who are seeking peace and social justice, which are the principles that we adhere to, those principles being life, liberty and the rule of law, and we have to do that whether it is in Algeria or in Bosnia or Rwanda. Thus, Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the plight of these Algerian victims. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the efforts of the Algerian government in providing housing and financial support for displaced people and encourage them to continue to build on existing cooperation with humanitarian organizations, as the gentleman has pointed out and has been offered. I also acknowledge that Algeria has made some modicum of progress toward a multi-party democracy and toward a freer press, and it is rather encouraging to see that Algerian authorities have begun to allow some Algerian newspapers to publish reports for the first time. However, I would like to encourage the Algerian government under international law to allow and to cooperate with a fact-finding mission by the United Nations special rapporteur. This would be an initial step to address the situation and to ensure long-term transparency and scrutiny. Mr. Speaker, the situation in Algeria is not something abstract. It is all about saving lives. I believe that this particular course of action that we embark on here today will assist in ending the ongoing conflicts in Algeria, and I would urge the Chair and other Members, particularly of the Subcommittee on Africa, to consider visiting Algeria under appropriate circumstances so that we may firsthand work in cooperation with the necessary mediation that might come by way of international involvement. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable that this measure is before us as the President is in Africa with 17 of our colleagues, one of whom is the chairwoman of the Black Caucus that asked that we not proceed in this matter. The historic visit and the important foreign policy statements by the President and our colleagues are undermined by our taking action on this extremely untimely and partisan process. This report was never even shared with Democrats before it was filed and the final product was signed only by Republicans, but not even all the Republicans originally on the conference committee. Not surprisingly, the report that came out of the process is loaded with bad policy. Let me give my colleagues an example. The President announced last April that he would consolidate two foreign policy agencies into the Department of State. Those agencies are the United States Information Agency and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. The Republicans purport to have done that in this conference report. They claim that they have done in this conference report only what the President announced last April. This is just not the case. The statement of managers for this flawed bill asserts that the State Department will be responsible for designing foreign assistance programs. This assertion is totally inconsistent with the language of the underlying bill. The bill consolidates USIA and ACDA into the State Department, but leaves to USAID the role of designing foreign assistance programs under the overall foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State. Is this a mistake? Is this our Republican colleagues saying one thing but really meaning something completely different? We do not know, Mr. Speaker, because the regular process was short-circuited and upended. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 1757. This is a flawed conference report, the product of a flawed process, and it will result in flawed policy.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my strong support for H.R. 1432, ``the African Growth and Opportunity Act,'' a primary tool for expanding trade and investment with Africa. Mr. Speaker, I believe that this bill is a major milestone in U.S.- Africa relations as it brings focus on Africa in a positive manner. This bipartisan legislation will not only provide new jobs for African workers, and greater opportunities for the American business community to invest in Africa, it will contribute to peace, stability and democracy throughout that continent. For the past several years the United States has always traded with Asia and Europe. Today, the wind of change is finally blowing in Africa which will create U.S. investment and forums for African and American businessmen to cooperate. Africa remains a vital place with abundant natural resources. As the world's largest and most technologically advanced economy, the U.S. can and must continue to do more to contribute to Africa's economic development, if not for any other reason than the mere fact that if we don't help them someone else will. I am excited about the prospect for this legislation and the enormous benefits it will bring to both the United States and the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. However, there are some legislators who oppose the bill. Some would have us believe that the bill would lead to a surge of apparel and textile imports into the U.S. and damage U.S. workers. This is a myth! U.S. imports of textiles and apparel from sub-Saharan Africa account for less than 1 percent of total U.S. imports of such goods. Others will have us further believe that the bill will encourage illegal transshipments from other countries under quota. That, too, is a myth. There are current U.S. customs laws to prevent transshipments and would apply. Moreover, the bill requires exporting countries in sub-Saharan Africa to adopt a visa system to guard against transshipments, and to cooperate fully with the United States in preventing transshipments as required by the WTO. Among other provisions in the bill are the equity and infrastructure funds to be supported by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). OPIC would establish a $150 million equity fund and a $500 million infrastructure fund to support African entrepreneurs in developing private sector enterprises. This will create new jobs for Africans and new export opportunities for U.S. companies and American workers. Finally, Mr. Speaker, this bill enables the U.S. to play a positive role in Africa's future. We have now entered into a ``new and promising phase'' in Africa, and while I applaud the previous efforts of the administration and the United Nations, as well as other organizations, I believe that we must now step up our efforts and rise to this occasion.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to publicly recognize an important civic leader and my good friend, Mr. Pat Tornillo. As some of you may know, Pat has been the leader of a nearly four- decade effort to improve the public schools in the Miami-Dade County area. Pat arrived in the Great State of Florida in 1956. As a new teacher in Miami-Dade, he took an active role in the Dade County Classroom Teachers Association (which is now known as the United Teachers of Dade). Today, 42 years later, he serves as the Executive Director of that important organization. This week, on February 7, the educational and political communities of Florida are joining together to honor Pat L. Tornillo for his ``Uncommon Commitment to Public Education.'' This commitment includes turning Miami-Dade's public schools into one of the largest and most culturally diverse school systems in the country today. Mr. Tornillo's work has been publicly noted before. He has won the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Brotherhood Award, the Outstanding Leadership Award from the United Way, and the NAACP Distinguished Award. Now, it is Congress' turn. Mr. Speaker, I ask for my colleagues to join me today as we honor a truly great American. A grateful nation thanks Pat Tornillo.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is often said that education is the key to our country's future. While so many individuals give mere lip service to this idea, I am proud to announce that several of my constituents have been working hard to bring education into the limelight it deserves. February 9th of this year will mark the third annual National African-American Parent Involvement Day, a program done in conjunction with the Miami-Dade County School Board. This effort is being chaired by Earl Davis from the Office of Multicultural Education of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and co-chaired by Eunice Davis from North Davis Middle School and Carlos Seales from the Miami-Dade PTA/ PTSA Council. As we all know, parents in our hectic times often do not have the time to take an active role in the education of their children. Quite frequently, they do not know what their children are learning or who is teaching them. The ``Take Your Child to School--Visit Your Child in School'' program is a concerted effort by principals, teachers, and other educators to encourage parents to change this disturbing trend. Parents will come into their children's schools to meet teachers, tour the buildings, and learn alongside their youngsters. Employers are also being contacted and encouraged to give interested parents ``release time'' so that they are able to be with their children on this important day. I would like to personally commend my constituents who are organizing and participating in this vastly important program. When we consistently hear bad news about our nation's public schools, it is truly refreshing to see individual and community efforts such as these. I join my colleagues in South Florida in hoping that February 9th will initiate open communication between parents, children, and educators throughout the nation. Education truly is the key to the future, and it is programs such as this one that insure that it proceeds in the right direction.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos], a continuing champion for human rights around the world.

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

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I commend the Chair and the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] for their efforts on this timely resolution. And I know that I speak for my colleagues, particularly the ranking member, the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], in indicating our feelings with reference to this particular resolution. We do not oppose this resolution. I join the chairman at this time in condemning Iraq's gross violation of human rights. Those who commit such crimes should be brought before an international criminal court, as this resolution correctly states. I do question, however, and several of us do, whether this resolution is likely to have much impact. The resolution calls for an international court to bring Saddam Hussein to justice. But this resolution does not tell us how we get from here to there. The chief concern that I wish to express is that this resolution will raise expectations, especially in Kuwait, that such an international court will be created. But we do not, by our actions today, create a court or make it significantly more likely that such a court will be created. I do, however, strongly support the resolution. It urges the United States to work for a U.N. resolution creating an international criminal court for Iraq. I would hope that we would continue in a vigorous manner to urge the United Nations to do that. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Oregon [Ms. Furse].

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter].

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, does the gentleman from Nebraska have additional speakers?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Then, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would echo the remarks of the chairman, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], particularly as it pertains to the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], the gentleman from California [Mr. Berman], the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. Faleomavaega], and those of us that serve on the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. Mr. Speaker, I am one of the authors of this resolution, as is the ranking member, the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], and I urge my colleagues to join the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] and those of us on the Democratic side in supporting its adoption. Some 32 years ago, a handful of underdeveloped and not very influential Southeast Asian countries binded together to create the Association of South East Asian Nations, or ASEAN. I dare say that at the time of ASEAN's founding in 1967, not even the most optimistic would have guessed how far the ASEAN nations would have traveled down the road of economic development. It is true that in a number of instances political reform has lagged behind economic development, but I remain confident, as do my colleagues, that political pluralism and full-fledged democracy will one day prevail throughout the region. Today, ASEAN has established itself as one of the premier regional groupings in the world. It has also shown itself to be a good friend of the United States. It deserves our accommodation on its 30th anniversary, and I urge adoption of this resolution as a gesture of friendship and support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hamilton and those of us on the Democratic side support this resolution, and I certainly do, and I commend my distinguished colleague and friend from California [Mr. Rohrabacher] who is its principal author. This resolution restates our commitment to political, religious and economic freedom in Vietnam. It urges the Government of Vietnam to announce a framework and timetable for free and fair elections. It places the Congress of the United States squarely in support of political pluralism and personal freedom for the Vietnamese people. I urge my colleagues to show their support for these worthy aspirations by voting for this resolution. I will take a moment of personal parochial privilege to say that when this resolution is passed, and when the position of Congress and the executive branch of government are made known, much of the message will be carried by a former colleague of ours, Pete Peterson, who is from Florida, who not only understands the dynamics of being a prisoner, not only political, but a prisoner of war, and as Ambassador to Vietnam, I am certainly glad Pete is going to be there to help state our position.

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

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I commend the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on International Relations for expediting this particular resolution, as he has on so many occasions on other very important legislation that has been brought before this body. Mr. Speaker, this resolution recognizes the remarkable political evolution Mongolia has undergone over the past 7 years. The principal author of this matter, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] is to be commended, as well as our colleagues, the gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier], and the gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos], who are also original cosponsors. It clearly states, this resolution does, the desire of the United States Congress for further cooperation and friendship between our two countries. This resolution deserves our support. The gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], our ranking member, intends to vote ``yes'' on this resolution, as do I, and I urge our colleagues to do likewise. One aside, Mr. Speaker. I would urge all of our colleagues, in consideration of matters as important as this relationship and others, that we begin as often as we can visiting these locales so that we can learn firsthand exactly what is needed for us to maintain our friendship and to make our friendships grow around the world.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I offer this resolution today in response to the ongoing violence in Kenya that has just been talked about by our distinguished Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, the gentleman from California [Mr. Royce], and I want to thank the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific [Mr. Bereuter], as well as other members, not only for their expeditious handling of this matter, but their conscientious and expeditious handling of matters as they have arisen on the African Continent. In the absence of a genuine commitment to democracy, we have seen violence be established in Kenya. This resolution calls on President Moi, the ruling party, opposition leaders, and protestors, to immediately cease all violence and pursue the constitutional and legal reforms necessary to bring Kenya from a colonial outpost to a multiparty democracy. On Monday, November 12, 1997, President Moi dissolved parliament after they passed three reform bills which would have paved the way for general elections, as spoken about a moment ago by the gentleman from California [Mr. Royce]. These reforms repeal laws restricting freedom of speech and assembly, give opposition parties greater representation on the electoral commission, and establish a multiparty commission to review the constitution after the elections. Quite frankly, I am outraged that President Moi unilaterally dissolved the parliament because it was clearly moving in a direction he had found threatening. This action is unacceptable and must not be ignored by the international community. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific for his continuing diligence, not only with reference to this particular matter but others that will be spoken about later today, as well as on a continuing basis. To sum up, my resolution lets the Kenyan people know that the United States is watching and expects progress from all quarters. Please join me in sending a message to all of the citizens of Kenya, especially those who have no voice in their governance, that their aspirations for democracy are attainable. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez]. (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez] for bringing this resolution forward. I also commend the gentleman from New York, Chairman Gilman, and the gentleman from California, Mr. Royce, the chair of the subcommittee on Africa, for their work on the bill. We have before us a meaningful and balanced resolution. The national community must forcefully speak against the overthrow of a democratically-elected President, especially when an outside power intervenes in a critical way. The Congress in this action goes on record as condemning Angola's intervention in the Republic of the Congo. Angola's actions could set a dangerous precedent in a volatile area, and the Congress here is working to avoid this kind of precedent. The resolution also urges both sides in Angola to implement their commitments to the peace process. I would urge, and I believe the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton] would, as well, adoption of the resolution. I thank again the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Royce] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], and the gentleman from California and the gentleman from New Jersey especially, since we traveled to this area and we all recognize its volatility, and the likelihood that unless stability is brought there, that it will cause a continuing explosion in that area of the world.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?