Mike Honda

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to announce the introduction of my bill, the Student Privacy Protection Act. The Student Privacy Protection Act is legislation that will restore the privacy rights of children and families that were taken away by a little-known provision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the so-called No Child Left Behind Act. Under No Child Left Behind, high schools are required to turn over lists of student contact information to the Department of Defense, which adds this information to an extensive database of children. The Department of Defense claims to need the names, addresses, and phone numbers of high school students for recruiting purposes, because it enables recruiters to contact children directly in their homes and at school, which is often done without the knowledge or consent of their parents. As a former high school teacher and principal, I am concerned that the fundamental right of privacy has been taken away from both parents and children. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis defined privacy as ``the right to be left alone.'' Families are not being left alone, and their personal, private information is being divulged without their knowledge. Any database of personal information is subject to abuse. A government that was established for the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness has no business collecting extensive personal data about Americans. I have the greatest respect for Americans who choose to enter the military, as well as for those in the Armed Forces who engage in the recruiting process. Those efforts, however, should respect the privacy rights of children and their families. No Child Left Behind requires schools to give military recruiters the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of students, unless their parents ``opt-out'' of the list. Schools are only required to provide one notice of the military recruiting list, so it can be easily overlooked by parents, or perhaps never received. Moreover, language and cultural barriers can prevent understanding of the opt-out process, especially in immigrant communities that are subject to aggressive military recruiting. If parents do not respond, and do not explicitly object to having their child's personal information released to recruiters, it is assumed that they have no objections. Under current law, they must ``opt-out'' in order to protect their rights. The privacy rights of all Americans should be respected. One should not have to ask for these rights. Today, I am reintroducing the Student Privacy Protection Act, which I introduced in the 109th Congress. This legislation will restore the privacy rights of parents and children. The Student Privacy Protection Act will change the military recruitment provision of No Child Left Behind from an ``opt-out'' system to ``opt-in.'' Under my bill, families may still choose to ``opt-in'' to the recruiting database, but privacy will be respected by default. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the rights of students and the rights of families, by supporting the Student Privacy Protection Act.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), H.R. 800. This bipartisan bill brings forth long overdue changes to the broken National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) system. EFCA would add the option of majority sign-up for forming unions and bargaining; provide an efficient timeline for good faith mediation and arbitration, and stronger penalties for violations during the organizing and initial contract negotiations. Ultimately, EFCA would restore workers' freedom to form unions and bargain. Responsible employers voluntarily recognize unions when a majority of workers signal their desire to unionize. Studies have shown that workers believe the sign-up method to be a fair process, free of the pressures and coercion stemming from NLRB elections. Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities share the strong work ethic and desire for advancement at the core of the American Dream and labor membership is a key component to a fair and open competition for jobs. Our Nation is stronger when workers join together and bargain for a better life. Union membership helps to offset some of the race and gender disparities in the labor market. Activism by organized labor has given Americans better wages, paid sick leave, child labor laws, paid vacations, stronger work safety regulations, and more secure retirement. Union workers receive better benefits and higher weekly earnings than their non-union counterparts. Furthermore, workplaces unionized through majority sign-up have better employee relations and greater employee focus on the business. Madam Chairman it is time we allow the workers to choose, not the employer. I urge my colleagues to cast a vote in favor of the American worker and in support of H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, as a former Peace Corps Volunteer, I am honored to formally recognize the agency on the 46th Anniversary of its inception and to help kick-off National Peace Corps Week. This week begins a week long celebration of Peace Corps' 46th Anniversary with celebratory and educational events taking place across the country. During National Peace Corps Week, we salute the men and women of this nation who selflessly have served abroad as Peace Corps Volunteers, as well as those current Volunteers who continue to carry out the Peace Corps mission: Empowering people in developing countries through their grassroots development efforts. I fondly remember my time as a volunteer in El Salvador in the 1960's where I built schools and health clinics. The experience meant much to me personally and professionally, sparking a lifelong desire to serve in the public sector. I returned with a passion for teaching, and quickly put my skills, including fluency in Spanish, to use in Santa Clara County schools. Most importantly, I returned to the United States with a deeper understanding of humanity and a personal commitment to speak on behalf of the marginalized and powerless. I am encouraged by the growth in the number of Peace Corps Volunteers and posts over the years. 7,749 Volunteers are currently in 67 posts serving 73 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. 2007 also marks the first year of a new Peace Corps program to the Kingdom of Cambodia. I am excited by the recent announcement of the Peace Corps intention to return to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Following my visit to Ethiopia in 2005, as Chair of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus, I wrote the Peace Corps Director directly to request a reinstatement of a Peace Corps post. In addition to these programs, the Peace Corps recently sent its 1000th Crisis Corps Volunteer into service. Crisis Corps is compiled of former Peace Corps Volunteers that return to service for shorter 3 to 6 month tours in areas in need of more immediate services. Crisis Corps Volunteers have served both at home, following Hurricane Katrina, and abroad, following the tsunami in Southeast Asia, providing valuable expertise following major disasters. As a newly appointed member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will support the Administration's FY08 request for Peace Corps at $333.5 million. Though this is a modest increase from the FY07 enacted level of $318.8 million, it will optimize the number of Volunteers and staff in existing countries, strengthen and expand recruiting efforts, and maximize safety and security training and compliance efforts. I encourage my colleagues in the Foreign Operations Subcommittee to fulfill the Administration's request. Today, I honor the Peace Corps and its brave Volunteers for their service to our nation and to the international community. Volunteers are providing expertise and development assistance to countries around the world, finding common ways to address global challenges, and forming bonds with people throughout the world. They make service a cultural necessity. They set a universal standard for how we are to embrace the realities of an ever-shrinking world. The Peace Corps mission is more vital than ever, and I hope that each one of you will join me in thanking the Volunteers and the Peace Corps for their hard work in pursuit of an altruistic mission.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 106, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. McCaul of Texas

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from Northern California (Mrs. Tauscher). Like so many of my colleagues, I stand here today in opposition to President Bush's surge in Iraq. We should not have attacked Iraq in the first place, and we definitely should not escalate things further. The initial evidence for the war was flimsy at best, and realizing that, I voted against the authorization for war. The most recent evidence that the President has presented in support of this surge is even less credible, and I urge my colleagues to prevent the President from throwing more gasoline onto a fire that is already burning out of control. When I speak to veterans of the Iraq war, I become infuriated by their tales of the destruction that this President's policies have wrought in that country. Nor can they fathom why their Commander in Chief insists on squandering the strength of the greatest fighting force in the history of the world. While Iraq under Saddam Hussein's rule was a rogue state and an affront to American values, today Iraqi citizens are forced to endure even more severe and deadlier situations. There is no indication that Iraq was a center for international terrorism prior to President Bush's adventure there. Now, as a result of his irresponsible actions, it undeniably is. Over 3,000 brave American service men and women have lost their lives in Iraq in addition to the 100,000 or more Iraqis who have been killed; 25,000 American soldiers have been injured. For what, Mr. President? For what? You have yet to answer this simple question, and I suspect this is because you do not have an answer. There is not, nor can there be, a credible answer to this utter folly. Each Member of this House has tales of constituents whose lives will never be the same because of the Iraq war. In the aftermath of 9/11, one of my constituents joined the Army out of a deep sense of patriotism. One day while on patrol in Iraq, his tank drove over an explosive device, sending the vehicle 10 feet in the air. He survived but suffered severe brain and spinal injuries. For his bravery, he was awarded the Purple Heart, multiple commendations and other medals. After completing a service to his country, he returned home to resume his life with his wife and newly born triplets. Upon returning to work, however, he found that he had difficulty concentrating as a result of his head injury. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result of the strain that the President's policies are placing on the Veterans Administration, he, like so many of my constituents, was unable to receive a change in his benefit allowance in a timely manner. So that he could continue to live in dignity, local officials and media had to put out a call for donations to pick up where his government failed him. This brave man expected that his sacrifices would be repaid with the generosity that America promises to our veterans. Instead, he encountered a system that is overextended and ill equipped to help him when he needed it. Other constituents have told me that when they try to call the Veterans Administration they have to wait on hold for over 2 hours before they can talk to a human being. Is this how we should treat those who put their lives on the line for our country? The Veterans Administration recently testified that it needs a 13 percent increase in funding to address rising costs and increased demand, but the President's budget proposes less than half of that. And now the President wants to further escalate the strain on our already over-extended system by sending more soldiers off to Iraq? I am outraged and I cannot mince my words. This is a national shame. This is not how America repays its valiant heroes. Madam Speaker, we must stop this madness. This surge, this escalation will fail just as past surges have. This conflict requires the diplomatic and political solution, not just simply sending more troops into the fight. We cannot allow this President to shatter the lives of more of our best and brightest. It is time to bring our troops home. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Berman for his leadership. I rise today in support of H. Res. 109, which recognizes the historical significance of the Pinedale Assembly Center, and I want to thank House leadership for bringing two resolutions on the floor today recognizing the important historical aspects of the Japanese American internment. I also want to thank Congressman Costa for his leadership in introducing this very important resolution. Executive Order 9066 authorized the exclusion and internment of all Japanese Americans living on the west coast during World War II. As we recognize the Pinedale Assembly Center, I want us to place the internment period into a broader historical context rather than just focus on the plight of the Japanese Americans during World War II. Our Nation has always battled the dueling sentiments of openness and freedom on the one hand and apprehension and fear of perceived outsiders on the other. Due to apprehension and fear when our economy took a downturn in the 1880s, the Asian community became the target of politicians looking for someone to blame. In 1882 the Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act to keep out people of all Chinese origin. During World War II, Japanese Americans were the well-known target of the government's submission to apprehension and fear. During this time, 10,000 Italian Americans were forced to relocate; 3,278 were incarcerated, while nearly 11,000 German Americans were incarcerated. German and Italian Americans were restricted during World War II by measures that branded them enemy aliens and required identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal property as well. Our Federal Government has made amends for the fundamental violations of the basic rights of those of Japanese ancestry that took place pursuant to Executive Order 9066, but we must continue to learn from these events. In the post-9/11 world, we need to protect our Nation and our civil liberties more than ever. As political leaders we must not fail to uphold constitutional principles.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to 81-year-old Koon-Ja Kim, a survivor of the Japanese Imperial Army's ``comfort women'' system of the World War II era. Koon-Ja Kim was born in Pyung-Chang, in Korea's Kangwon Province. She was orphaned at the age of 14 and, to support herself and her siblings, she worked as a maid. At the age of 17, she was forcibly drafted by the Japanese Government to serve as a sex slave, or what is now euphemistically termed a ``comfort woman,'' in China. After 3 years of being physically abused and raped on a daily basis, the war ended. With no money and physically defeated bodies, she and a small group of other women summoned their strength of spirit to walk hundreds of miles over several weeks back into Korea. Since 1998 she has been living with nine former comfort women at the House of Sharing. All she wants in her remaining life is to receive an official apology and fair compensation from the Japanese Government. She plans to donate the money to the public if she receives the compensation. Until now, Kim had collected compensation she had received from the Korean Government--$43,000--and her life savings, and donated $100,000 to the Beautiful Foundation, which provides financial aid for orphans to continue their studies, $10,000 to the House of Sharing, and $5,000 to a Catholic organization. At the Beautiful Foundation, the ``Kim Koon-Ja Fund'' was established in 2000, where the proceeds go to college students who grew up at orphanages so that they can continue with their education. Kim dedicates her life to helping disadvantaged children to attain education because she herself grew up as an orphan, and the only education she had received was 8 months at a night school. The House of Sharing Establishment Committee was founded in June 1992 and is supported by Buddhist organizations and other donors. Koon-Ja Kim, along with other women at the House of Sharing and around the world, has engaged in a daily battle since 1992 to educate the public about the Japanese military's brutal abuse of women, and to put pressure on the Japanese Government to apologize for their past atrocities. Koon-Ja Kim meets with community organizations, students, and activists from South Korea, the United States, and other countries around the world to inspire others to know and advocate for the comfort women's cause. Madam Speaker, on February 15, the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment of the Committee on Foreign Affairs will convene a hearing entitled ``Protecting the Human Rights of Comfort Women.'' Koon-Ja Kim has been invited to share her story with members of the subcommittee along with other surviving comfort women who want to see justice prevail. On January 31, I introduced H. Res. 121, which expresses ``the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Force's coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the world as `comfort women,' during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II.'' Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in tribute to Koon-Ja Kim and the thousands of surviving comfort women.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor an extraordinary woman of courage and integrity who is visiting Washington this week. During World War II, Jan Ruff-O'Herne was a young Dutch national, born and raised in what is now Indonesia. She was kidnapped by Japanese Imperial forces and forced to serve as what is euphemistically known as a ``comfort woman'' in a brothel for the entertainment of Japanese soldiers. For nearly 50 years, Mrs. Ruff-O'Herne kept her tortures to herself, too ashamed to admit her horrid experiences even to the people closest to her. In 1992, however, after seeing reports of other comfort women who were speaking out about the atrocities they endured, she decided to make her memories public. Her 1994 autobiography, 50 Years of Silence, which was later adapted into a widely-praised and award-winning documentary film, explains in excruciating detail her life in the so-called ``comfort station.'' That she survived this ordeal speaks volumes about her strength, courage, and spiritual convictions. In the years since she brought her story to public attention, Jan Ruff-O'Herne has been granted honors by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Elizabeth, and Pope John Paul II, in recognition of her efforts to support the human rights of women around the globe. On February 15, the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment of the Committee on Foreign Affairs will convene a hearing entitled ``Protecting the Human Rights of Comfort Women.'' Jan Ruff- O'Herne has been invited to share her story with members of the subcommittee. Thousands of the comfort women of World War II survive today. They are seeking a formal apology from the government of Japan, which has been unwilling to accept responsibility for violating the human rights of these women. Madam Speaker, last month I introduced a resolution, H. Res. 121, which calls on Japan to formally and unambiguously apologize and acknowledge the tragedy that the comfort women endured under its Imperial Army during World War II. Not only should Japan's Prime Minister issue a public apology, Japan must take responsibility unequivocally. The Japanese government owes such an apology to brave women like Jan Ruff-O'Herne. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in tribute to Jan Ruff- O'Herne and the hundreds of thousands of comfort women who endured unspeakable tortures during World War II and who continue to fight for the human rights of all people more than 60 years later.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to Yong-Soo Lee, a South Korean woman who, decades after enduring torture and abuse by the Japanese Imperial Army, has taken it upon herself to stand up for human rights and the dignity of all by telling her personal story and demanding that the Government of Japan acknowledge and apologize for its role in the ``comfort women'' system of World War II. Yong-Soo Lee is one of over 200,000 ``comfort women'' in Asia who suffered unimaginable dehumanization by the Japanese Imperial Army during Japan's colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II. These women--who came from China, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, and elsewhere--suffered experiences which were unprecedented in cruelty and were officially commissioned by the Government of Japan. They endured gang rape, forced abortions, humiliation, and sexual violence resulting in mutilation, death, or eventual suicide--and to this date, they have still not received justice from this tragedy. The hope of Yong-Soo Lee and her sisters is a modest one: Simply stated, that the government of Japan acknowledges, apologizes for, and accepts full historical responsibility for these atrocities. Yong-Soo Lee has a poignant story to tell. At 16, she was taken far from her home in Korea to an outpost on Taiwan, where she and her schoolmates, among others, were forced to provide sexual services to Japanese soldiers and airmen in the waning days of World War II. She suffered seasickness, sleeplessness, hunger, venereal disease, and bodily harm. When she was able to return home after the war, the pain and shame were so much that she was never able to marry, which caused conflict and ostracization within her family. Still, she went on with her life, and in 1992 began to unburden herself of her memories. Working with the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, she came forward with her story--which she had kept secret from her family for almost five decades--in order that other women will not have to endure the same sort of suffering. Madam Speaker, on February 15, the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment of the Committee on Foreign Affairs will convene a hearing entitled ``Protecting the Human Rights of Comfort Women.'' Yong-Soo Lee has been invited to share her story with members of the subcommittee along with other surviving comfort women who want to see justice prevail. On January 31, I, along with several of my colleagues, introduced H. Res. 121, which expresses ``the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its Imperial Armed Force's coercion of young women into sexual slavery, known to the world as ``comfort women'' during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II.'' We appreciate the dedication of women like Yong-Soo Lee, who are traveling thousands of miles to be with us in Washington, to help us better understand their personal experiences and to help us formulate appropriate policy responses to both historical events and their modem equivalents. They stand as beacons of inspiration to us as we combat human rights violations and seek to extirpate war crimes wherever they might occur. By telling their stories, Yong-Soo Lee and her fellow comfort women provide the foundation for the protection of the rights of women throughout the world. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in tribute to Yong-Soo Lee and the thousands of surviving comfort women.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today in support of H. Res. 122. I also want to thank the House leadership on both sides, as well as Chairman Conyers, for their leadership in steering this measure to the floor today. While the resolution addresses events from our past, there is much that we can learn from our history, as has been stated by our friend Mr. Issa. This is a resolution recognizing the 65th anniversary of the Day of Remembrance and supporting the goals of the Japanese American community in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the restriction, exclusion and internment of all persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II. The resolution also recognizes that many in the German and Italian communities experienced deprivations during this time as well. This year marks the 65th anniversary of President Roosevelt's signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, and the 19th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which was signed into law by President Reagan. In 1942, some 120,000 people were rounded up in this country, primarily from the west coast, and incarcerated. Families were torn apart. Hardworking people had to sell their businesses for pennies on the dollar and their personal properties. Everything these people worked so hard for evaporated overnight. I spent part of my childhood in a camp in southeast Colorado, an internment camp called Amache. H. Res. 122 also recognizes that many in the German and the Italian communities experienced deprivation during this period as well: public humiliation, detention and, at times, deportation. In 1942, on the domestic front, our political leaders failed. Therefore, today we must work to educate the public about the internment of Americans in order to prevent similar injustices to be forced upon anyone in this country. Our civil liberties have not been in as much risk since World War II, and this time we, as political leaders, cannot fail. True to the democratic process, our Nation has been able to look back and admit errors from its past. I can think of no greater evidence to show why the United States, with all its flaws, still is looked to worldwide as the Nation with the strongest and the fairest form of government. By admitting that the government did wrong in its treatment of its citizens and legal residents who were aliens during World War II, Congress and the President reaffirmed our Nation's commitment to the principles founded in the Constitution. However, we must always be vigilant in the protection of our civil liberties, and in this time of tension as we wage a war against terrorism, we must again reaffirm our commitment to the principles in the Constitution. While national security is always a paramount concern for those of us making the laws, as well as executing and interpreting the laws, we see that there are those in government who continue to pursue policies once again that target our civil liberties. The whole point of the Day of Remembrance resolution is about learning. It is about being persistent about the lessons that we have learned from the American of Japanese ancestry, experience that is really an American lesson on the Constitution and is also a lesson of the American character where, upon reconciliation, there is a healing. There is a healing among not only those who were incarcerated, but there is also healing among those who were affected but maybe not necessarily incarcerated. So victims are both those who were directly victimized and those who were indirectly victimized by the misdeeds of our government. Also, the further learning, when we talk about the Day of Remembrance, is that other communities get to reflect upon their own experience at that time and project into the future when this kind of thing should happen again. As a teacher, I want to reemphasize the necessity for this type of resolution as it continues to teach us the old maxim that those of us who do not learn from the mistakes of our past are doomed to repeat them. In today's current light, I want to underscore that national security is my highest priority. It is our government's highest priority, and I support efforts to fight our war against terrorism. But we must also understand that in doing so, we do not again have a failure among our political leadership. We must not give in to war hysteria. We must not fall back to racial prejudice, discrimination and unlawful profiling. It is critical and important, more than ever, to speak up against possible unjust policies that may come before this body. It is critical that we educate all Americans of the Japanese American experience during World War II, as well as the experience of other Americans, like the Japanese Latin Americans. These people were extricated from Latin America, brought over here, had their documents taken away from them, thus becoming individuals without a country, to be used as pawns in exchange for POWs in the Pacific theater. As this resolution does, we must also remember the experiences of our comrades of the German and Italian Americans who were also victimized. In order to learn the important lessons from our own history, I introduced H. Res. 122, the Day of Remembrance resolution, here in this body. I cannot emphasize enough that the lessons of those dark days are more important than ever. Remembering Executive Order 9066, signed on February 19, 1942, rescinded on February 19, 1976, and the reconciliation brought by the redress legislation signed on August 10, 1988, are still instructive to us today. There is a maturity in this country that I am very proud of. This maturity says that we can learn from our mistakes of the past and we can also teach to other of our lessons that we have learned. We have learned that the Executive Order 9066 was not signed out of military necessity. It was not signed out of national security. It was not signed out of personal safety and security of the Japanese Americans, but, as the Commission on Wartime Internment and Relocation of Civilians concluded, that it was a result of racial prejudice, war hysteria and the failure of political leadership. The experiences from 1942, applied to our situation in this post-9/ 11, show us that the Constitution of this country is never tested in times of tranquility. Rather, our Constitution is always tested in times of trauma, tragedy, terrorism and tension, that the very principles of our Constitution continuously need to be taught until it is ingrained in our own character, so that every decision we make as a citizen, as adults, as children, as students, and as policymakers, that we will always be true to the principles of our Constitution. The foundation of these ingrained principles is the light that draws people from around this world to overcome any obstacle to come to this country and be part of this society. The word is out around the world that this Nation will protect individual rights against even the most powerful in its government. The protection of our Constitution is what our forefathers and our veterans have shed their blood and sacrificed their limbs and lives for, in order that our Constitution may live and really be reflected in every action that we have, not only in this body but by every action of every citizen of this great country, so as to, or stated in the Preamble of the Constitution, in order to form a more perfect union.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 5 the House unanimously passed H.R. 161, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Monument Act of 2007. This measure would provide for the preservation of a historic site on Bainbridge Island, WA, where the first Japanese Americans were assembled for internment during World War II. I thank my friend, Congressman Jay Inslee, for his heartfelt commitment and leadership in introducing this legislation and working so effectively through the years to provide for this historic site. As an original cosponsor of this legislation and supporter of past efforts, I am proud to see its passage in the House. In addition, I wish to thank the Committee on Natural Resources and especially my friend, Chairman Raul Grijalva of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands for their support and quick action. During the war hysteria in 1942, Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Roosevelt which effectively trampled on the rights of U.S. citizens by ordering the internment of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans. Due to the military importance of Bainbridge Island, WA, lawful Japanese American families of this community were the first to be forcibly removed from their homes and sent to internment sites. These families would not be able to return to the island for more than four years. H.R. 161 would preserve their story. H.R. 161 would enact recommendations from the National Park Service by extending the boundary of the Minidoka Internment National Monument, located in Idaho, to include the Bainbridge Island site as a satellite location. The Minidoka internment camp was the final destination until the end of the war for most of the families from Bainbridge Island. Including the Bainbridge Island site into an existing national monument would make it eligible to receive grants for funding. Mr. Speaker, I am truly grateful for the support H.R. 161 enjoyed in the House of Representatives, and I anticipate similar endorsement in the Senate. Memorializing the Bainbridge Island site will preserve the stories of injustice fallen on these innocent American families and serve as a reminder of how easily the civil rights can be discarded in guise of homeland security. Appropriately, the Bainbridge Island Memorial will be named Nidoto Nai Yoni, which translated from Japanese means ``Let It Not Happen Again.''

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to memorialize the recent passing and pay tribute to a great and former Member of this House, Father Robert Drinan. Many Members of this House have already praised his advocacy of human rights and women's rights, his efforts to uphold government morality, his role as an educator, and his commitment to his Catholic faith. I rise today to highlight and honor Father Drinan for a particular element of his human and civil rights advocacy work. In 1981, as a former Congressman and noted advocate for social justice, Father Drinan was named to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC). This commission was formed to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order (EO) 9066 and the impact of this order and the ensuing exclusion, relocation, and internment on American citizens and permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry. The CWRIC found that EO 9066 and the decisions that followed were not justified by military necessity, but shaped by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership. As a member of the commission, Father Drinan was among the most outspoken about the need to remedy the injustices done to these loyal Americans and permanent residents. Based on the CWRIC's findings and recommendations, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which provided a national apology and redress to all surviving individuals who were excluded from their place of residence due to EO 9066. The CWRIC and its findings are cited as historic and remarkable due to their impeccable credentials, solid research, and far-reaching influence, As such, we cannot understate the role of Father Robert Drinan in the proceedings and findings of this commission. He spoke for redress to former internees in his Congressional testimony on behalf of the commission. His testimony was truly instrumental in the passage of the Civil Liberties Act and sent a message to the Nation and the world that the U.S. Government is able to admit its mistakes and take responsibility in making reparations. In a speech before Congress in 1987, Father Drinan profoundly stated, ``No U.S. Government may take away the liberty of its citizens, even in wartime, unless there is some clear and provable reason. Lacking any such reason, the deprivation of liberty of any U.S. citizen is a clear violation of the Constitution, which states in the 14th Amendment that no person may be deprived of `life, liberty, or property without due process of law.' '' Father Drinan maintained his commitment to the causes of human rights, education, and promoting awareness of the triumphs and follies of U.S. history throughout his life and well after his tenure on the CWRIC. On the matter of Japanese American Internment, Father Drinan was among the founding board members of the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund which was created by the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 to fund educational and humanitarian purposes related to the wartime internment of Japanese Americans. As part of this board, Father Drinan ensured that we as a Nation never forget the mistakes in our history and are reminded to uphold the virtues of equality and justice for all. Mr. Speaker, Father Robert Drinan has certainly impacted this Nation in innumerable ways, but I have been personally touched by Father Drinan's work and advocacy on behalf of the Japanese American community towards redress. Our Nation owes Father Drinan much honor, respect, and gratitude for his work to address the wrongs done to Japanese Americans during World War II and his tireless effort to ensure this Nation lives up to its own standards. He will be sorely missed.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I welcome you to join me in commemorating the the history of Africans in the Americas. Since 1926, the month of February has been the designated time for honoring the Black contribution. It serves as a reminder that we must be ever vigilant of the Black experience in this country, and the African roots of our shared concepts of freedom, hope, and justice. This year's theme for Black History Month is fittingly, ``From Slavery to Freedom: The Story of Africans in the Americas.'' As Chair of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus, I am particularly interested in the history of Africans in this country. My experience with this community has taught me that the history of the Diaspora is as complex and divergent as the communities themselves. Our challenge this month is educate ourselves about the Diaspora and to understand how African Americans embrace and explore their heritage. This February, let us broaden our understanding of the myriad ways people of African descent arrived here--beyond the slave trade. Let us be honest and open about the impact that slavery has had on African descendant communities today, but let us also celebrate the African contribution to our culture in spite of it. The best way to honor the African American experience is to educate oneself and one's community. I urge you to use this month to expose yourselves to the ways in which the African American experience has already been made a part of your life.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the over 200,000 ``comfort women'' in Asia who suffered unimaginable dehumanization by the Japanese Imperial Army during Japan's colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II. These women, whose experiences were unprecedented in cruelty and were officially commissioned by the Government of Japan, endured gang rape, forced abortions, humiliation, and sexual violence resulting in mutilation, death, or eventual suicide--and to this date, they have still not received justice from this tragedy. Their hope is a modest one: That the government of Japan acknowledges, apologizes and accepts full historical responsibility for this crime. Today, I am introducing a resolution which calls on Japan to formally and unambiguously apologize and acknowledge the tragedy which the comfort women endured under its Imperial Army during World War II. Not only should Japan's Prime Minister issue a public apology, Japan must take responsibility unequivocally. Some question whether this resolution is necessary and warn that it could affect our nation's strong friendship and alliance with Japan. Some even argue that Japan has already apologized, and this resolution fails to recognize that. It is true that Japan's previous Prime Ministers have issued statements related to comfort women. However, it is clear that these statements are not viewed by the government of Japan with unequivocal respect, and the comfort women themselves do not consider them formal apologies. Japan has equivocated in its stance on this issue, which is made clear in their recent attempts to alter previous public statements and their school textbooks. For example, in 1993, Japan's then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono issued an encouraging statement regarding Japan's comfort women, which expressed the Government's sincere apologies and remorse for their ordeal. Today, some members of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party strive to review and even possibly rescind Secretary Kono's statement. Further, the Japanese government continues to seek to downplay the comfort women system in its textbooks. We must ask ourselves, if Japan has truly come to terms with its past in acknowledging what its Imperial Army forced upon these women, why are they suppressing the knowledge of this through education? Education on this tragedy is important to ensure that future violence against women, especially in conflicts, should not be tolerated or repeated. Textbook suppression, coupled with efforts to revise Secretary Kono's 1993 statement, is disheartening and indicates that Japan wavers in its apology to these women. I want to make it clear that I recognize and value the importance of our strong friendship with Japan. I appreciate Japan's efforts to provide monetary compensation to surviving comfort women through the Asia Women's Fund, a government-initiated and largely government-funded private foundation whose purpose was the carrying out of programs and projects with the aim of atonement for the comfort women. The Asia Women's Fund is to be disbanded on March 31, 2007, and while I agree that the Asia Women's Fund was important, the reality is that the majority of surviving comfort women refused to accept these funds, and that without an unambiguous and unequivocal apology from the government of Japan, the money was not significant to them. The purpose of this resolution is not to bash or humiliate Japan. This is about achieving justice for the few remaining women who survived this atrocity. We must recognize this grave human rights violation, which has remained unknown for so many years. Further, this resolution is intended to encourage and provide for reconciliation, as the U.S. Congress did when it passed H.R. 442, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which was a formal apology made to U.S. citizens of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly put into internment camps during World War II. As someone who was put into an internment camp at a young age, I know firsthand that we must not be ignorant of the past, and that reconciliation through government actions is long lasting. I would be remiss if I failed to recognize the efforts that my good friend and former colleague Lane Evans made to push this issue forward in Congress. I am proud to be carrying the torch that Lane passed on, and commend him for the hope he has instilled in the comfort women and the communities that have worked so hard on their behalf by bringing this issue to Congress. Madam Speaker, to put it frankly, the few surviving comfort women in the world who live with this burden are dying. We must help them achieve some peace of mind by moving this resolution forward. For the women who survived this brutality, this resolution demonstrates that our nation supports them and hears their voices calling for justice.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service and achievements of my dear friend, Lane Evans. For the past quarter of a century, Congressman Evans led efforts on behalf of veterans, including the fight to give Filipino veterans the benefits that they had been promised. He also became legendary in his advocacy for our nation's middle class. As a champion of these causes he earned the respect of America's veterans and their families. He also stood as a tireless champion in the fight to provide justice for over 200,000 ``comfort women'' who were forced into sex slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He has been a voice for these voiceless women who are still holding out hope that they will receive a formal apology from the Japanese government for the indignity they suffered. I have assured him that I will do my best to continue his work and legacy on this issue after his retirement this year. Today I am pleased to vote in favor of naming a Post Office after a man who deserves our greatest respect. Mr. Speaker, for his leadership, mentorship and companionship, for his work on behalf of those who would have otherwise been forgotten, and for his unparalleled work these past 24 years, I emphatically raise my voice in support of naming a Post Office after my friend, Congressman Lane Evans.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, as chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I strongly support H. Res. 78, a resolution that would restore the privileges of the House Delegates representing the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, as well as the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, to cast a vote in the Committee of the Whole. For the past 12 years, Delegates and the Resident Commissioner have been deprived of the ability to sufficiently represent the voices of their constituents. The time is long overdue to restore this privilege. Of great significance to the Asian Pacific Islander community, the resolution would give greater voice to the approximate 170,000 U.S. citizens in Guam, and the approximate 60,000 U.S. nationals in American Samoa. Permitting the Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to vote in the Committee of the Whole improves the legislative process and increases the degree to which the House of Representatives accurately reflects needs of American citizens and nationals. In this regard, every American benefits with a truer democracy. On behalf of CAPAC, I urge my colleagues to pass this measure.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, today I rise, along with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, to honor the life and contributions of Mrs. Miriam Ayllon, who recently passed away. Miriam is survived by her son, Huascar Castro, and her loving husband, Marvin Castro. She will be sorely missed by her friends and by the people she helped. Today, I honor her energy, her determination, and her lifelong service to many communities here in the United States and in Bolivia. Miriam Ayllon was born in La Paz, Bolivia, on June 14, 1959. At the age of 13, she began volunteering at a nursing home across the street from her school reading to elderly patients. Miriam grew up wanting to make a difference in the lives of the poor and the underserved. Miriam moved to the United States in 1977 to live with relatives. She attended both Foothill and De Anza Colleges in California. Later, she moved to Houston, where she studied economics at the University of Houston. Soon after graduation, she moved to New York where she met her husband, Marvin Castro. In New York, she helped start an English as a Second Language school. In 1988, Ms. Ayllon and her husband relocated to San Jose, California, where they later had their son, Huascar. In San Jose, she joined the Mexican American Community Service Agency (MACSA), where she helped senior citizens find affordable housing and worked to build a youth center. Later, she worked at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA). At SCVTA, she helped coordinate transportation for the poor, especially those in East San Jose. She also managed to earn a Masters of Science degree in Transportation Management from San Jose State University. Ms. Ayllon also served her community through personal volunteerism and community projects. Miriam's community advocacy included empowering others to advocate for themselves. She co-founded the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley and served on its board, as well as the School Site Council of Noble Elementary School, and the Board of MACSA. Though the United States was her home, Miriam never forgot her Bolivian roots. In 2001, she founded an orphanage for homeless girls in Cochabamba, Bolivia, called Casa de la Alegria (``House of Joy''). The girls are provided with room, board, health care, clothing, and education until they graduate from high school. Ms. Ayllon had the vision to address broader issues, yet she remained grounded enough to respond to the needs of those immediately around her. When an SCVTA co-worker's home burned down, Miriam immediately dedicated her time and effort to raising money and collecting necessary supplies for the family that had lost so much. Miriam always made time for family and friends. Despite her important work in so many different professional and community arenas, her most important role was being a mother to her 15-year-old son. She loved to go dancing with friends and set up family dinners on Sundays. Miriam was a gentle and loving soul, committed to justice for all. Her involvement in so many projects, which focused on access for the underserved, was a reflection of that commitment. Miriam's compassion was equaled only by her strength. She left a lasting impression on anyone she came across and was a strong champion of women's leadership development. Miriam Ayllon died at the young age of 47 in a tragic accident while vacationing in Bolivia. When she passed away, the San Francisco Bay area lost one of its most dynamic leaders. Miriam was an advocate for women and the underserved from San Jose to South America. She will truly be missed by all those who had the opportunity to benefit from her generous service and those of us who were inspired by her commitment to community.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007. I commend Speaker Pelosi and Representative Dingell for bringing this important legislation to the floor for consideration. I strongly believe that Medicare should ensure that seniors have access to the drugs and biologics they need. I applaud the leadership's effort to avoid the use of government price controls and restrictive formularies, while broadening the effort to make medication more affordable for our seniors. It is critical that the Secretary structure the negotiation process so that the result does not limit seniors' access to both proven and new therapies. Small, emerging biotechnology companies are researching and developing cures for cancer, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and other devastating diseases. The majority of these companies are small companies without approved products, which are highly reliant on the public and private capital markets. As Medicare negotiates prices, we must be careful to protect this important research, which is costly and takes a long time to come to fruition but has added much to our quality of life. I believe that this legislation is an important first step in achieving important cost savings for our seniors and urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, the Nation brought in the new year by marking a somber milestone: the 3,000th fallen American combatant in Iraq. In response, the President proposes to send even more of a failed and dangerous policy. How much more heartbreak must American families suffer before the President comes to see what the rest of the Nation has long known: His Iraq policy is an utter failure, one that makes our country less and less secure with each passing day, all at the expense of the flower of our youth. How long before the President realizes that each fallen soldier, sailor, aviator, and marine is a valuable, cherished human being and not just a checkmark on a deployment order? How long will President Bush continue to ignore the demands of American voters who have clearly demanded a new direction? Mr. President, I have asked before and I will ask again now: Why? These policies of escalation have been tried in the past in Iraq. The results speak for themselves: 3,000 brave men and women return home in body bags, their families and friends left with nothing but memories; over 22,000 more returning home injured, their lives never the same. America's credibility around the world and its domestic security have been dangerously eroded. We have plunged Iraq into a civil war, further destabilizing an already precarious region. All this while, at home the civil rights of American citizens are slowly being degraded, often without congressional oversight. On November 7, 2006, the American people spoke loud and clear. They demanded a new direction. This escalation is not a new direction. It is a slap in the face to all Americans. And the fact that the President began committing new troops in Iraq before Congress had a chance to respond to his new plan is an insult to this body and an insult to the people who elected us to lead our country in a new direction. Mr. President, you have claimed that you wanted to start this year off in a spirit of bipartisanship and collegiality. As an equal partner, Congress deserves it, America deserves it and, most importantly, our troops deserve it.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. I first want to commend Speaker Pelosi, the Democratic leadership, and Mr. George Miller for their leadership in making this issue a priority in the first 100 hours of legislation. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I stand here with my friends from the Tri-Caucus in support of increasing the minimum wage to $7.25 and urge Congress to support a clean vote to this bill. It has been 10 years since the last increase in the minimum wage; and, adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage is now at its lowest level since 1955. Over the past 5 years, the number of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans living in poverty has grown by 243,000. In 2005, more than 1.5 million Asian Pacific Islander Americans, nearly 9 percent of all APIA families in the U.S., were living below the poverty line. Certain ethnic communities, such as Hmong Americans and Cambodian Americans, experience poverty at up to three times that rate. The median household income for APIA families is down $2,157 since 2000. Now is the time for us to take a step in a new direction and help to improve the quality of life for the estimated 14.9 million workers in this country.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service and achievements of my dear friend Lane Evans. Lane Evans is a hero who has tirelessly fought to provide just for over 200,000 ``comfort women'' who were forced into sex slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He has been a voice for those voiceless women who are still holding out hope that they will receive a formal apology from the Japanese Government for the indignities they have suffered. I want to assure Lane that I will do my best to continue his work and legacy on this issue after his retirement this year. He has personally inspired me, and I look forward to seeking the justice the ``comfort women'' deserve, knowing that Lane Evans blazed much of the trail. Mr. Speaker, for his leadership, mentorship and companionship, for his work on behalf of those who would have otherwise been forgotten, and for his unparalleled work these past 24 years, I will not forget Lane. Lane, Semper Fi.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 6316, and I am glad the House will be approving this bill today. The bill extends the Army Corps of Engineers authority to accept and expend funds contributed by non-Federal public entities to expedite the processing of permits. If the House and Senate had been able to agree to the Water Resources Development Act, this authority would have been extended, but unfortunately the two bodies have been unable to pass WRDA yet again. H.R. 6316 helps to address an increasingly important problem in areas that are experiencing significant growth in environmentally sensitive areas. In the Sacramento, CA region, for example, much of the land includes wetlands and endangered or threatened species, meaning that any construction projects require permits from the Corps of Engineers to proceed. At current staffing levels, the Corps of Engineers cannot process the large number of permits in a timely manner. The authority granted by this bill allows the Corps to accept outside funds to support additional staff to work on the processing of these permits. I would prefer that in the future we can address this problem permanently, either by giving the Corps of Engineers sufficient funding to do its job or by granting permanent authority similar to that in this bill; but in the interim, I am happy that we will be passing H.R. 6316 and I commend Representative Baird for pushing this bill forward.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Guam, my colleague and friend, for yielding me the time to address this important measure on the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1492, a measure to provide for the preservation of the historic confinement sites where Americans of Japanese descent, of Japanese ancestry, were detained during World War II. I thank very personally Chairman Bill Thomas for his steadfast leadership in introducing and working so effectively and ardently to move this bill forward. I am also pleased to be an original cosponsor of this measure, along with Congresswoman Doris Matsui. I thank the Committee on Resources and the Senate for their successful efforts to bring us to this point where this bill is about to go to the President to be signed into law. When I was a member of the California State Assembly, I had the privilege of passing legislation to create the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program. The measure created a program to fund grants for educational activities and the development of educational materials to ensure that the events surrounding the exclusion, forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans would be remembered. This program has also shed light on how Executive Order 9066, the order paving the way for the internment, impacted others such as Italian and German Americans and the people of Japanese ancestry living in Latin America. While my bill in California helped to preserve the stories of the internment period, this bill will help to preserve the physical and tangible reminders of this period and will have a deep impact on our ability to make the stories real for future generations. This bill uses the phrase ``confinement sites'' so funds may be used not only for 10 internment camps but for associated sites as well. The internment sites, Manzanar, Topaz, Minidoka, Heart Mountain, Tule Lake, Gila River, Poston, Amache where I was born, Rohwer, Jerome and related confinement sites stand as an important and powerful lesson for this Nation. Ultimately, by preserving these sites we will demonstrate the Nation's commitment to equal justice under the law and preserve a true American lesson. I commend the groups making up the Japanese American National Heritage Coalition and its constituent groups, and the work of Gerald Yamada and Floyd Mori in bringing this issue to Congress. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my friend John Tateishi a speedy recovery and to thank him for his commitment to upholding civil rights as he steps down from his long and accomplished career as national director of the Japanese American Citizens League. Finally, I again wish to thank Chairman Bill Thomas for his passionate dedication to making this bill a reality. The Japanese American community thanks you for your heartfelt commitment to this important issue and is overjoyed that it can be a part of the final act of your illustrious career in Congress.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize New America Media (NAM) and The First National Ethnic Media Awards. From its inception, NAM has worked to create a more inclusive public forum and to bring visibility and economic viability to ethnic media, a critical sector of American journalism that covers and serves our country's growing ethnic and immigrant communities that are often marginalized by barriers of culture and language. NAM has continued to build the profile of ethnic media by developing first a California and now a national awards program to recognize journalists working in the ethnic media and covering stories critical to their communities. NAM conducted a nationwide poll of ethnic communities in multiple languages that found 52 million adult Americans access ethnic media regularly; ethnic media represent the forefront of civic and independent journalism; it is where ethnic and immigrant Americans turn to find information about their communities, their states, their government, their healthcare, education for their children, their civil rights as citizens in our society--yet ethnic media has received only marginal recognition from the public and private sector. NAM's work to highlight the important role that ethnic media plays is commendable. NAM's work to create bridges between ethnic media and the mainstream as well as cross-cultural understanding between ethnic communities is praiseworthy. NAM's commitment to honoring the ethnic media through an increasingly prestigious Awards Program is admirable. Mr. Speaker, I commend New America Media and the First National Ethnic Media Awards for its courageous goal to create a more equitable and integrated American society.

Mr. HONDA

Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6203, which is very similar to a bill we marked up earlier this year in the Science Committee, with some of the more expensive and contentious elements taken out. I'm pleased that this bill, which enjoys bipartisan support, contains amendments offered by a number of my colleagues in committee, including Mr. Baird, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Mr. Brad Miller, Ranking Member Gordon, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Al Green, Ms. Woolsey, Ms. Jackson-Lee. The bill addresses research on a wide range of important energy technologies, including advanced biofuels, hydrogen storage, wind energy, plug in hybrid vehicles, energy efficient buildings, and alternative biobased fuels and ultra low sulfur diesel. The bill also establishes programs for energy technology transfer and green energy education, and calls for a study of an advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy. I'm particularly pleased that the bill includes research on advanced solar photovoltaic technologies and a photovoltaic demonstration program. In August, Chairwoman Biggert and I held a field hearing in my district that focused on photovoltaics. At the hearing, the witnesses, and let me just note there were 2 Nobel Prize winners on the panel, described how the relatively high cost current supply constraints associated with currently available solar technologies are limiting adoption. But they also outlined several research directions that will help reduce costs and ease manufacturing, which will expand availability. So I'm glad that this bill will help move that research along and establish a demonstration program to speed adoption, with the goal of making electricity generated by solar photovoltaic power cost- competitive by 2015. I have some concerns about the ramifications of the coal methanation section in the area of greenhouse gas emissions. While I want to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil as much as anyone, in doing so we need to be mindful of the harmful effects of global climate change. Converting coal to liquid or gaseous fuels results in much greater carbon dioxide emissions than for conventional crude oil derived hydrocarbon fuels. I hope that any plants built using such an approach will incorporate carbon capture and storage, in order to keep those gases out of our atmosphere. The rapid development of alternative energy sources is essential to our nation's security, and while I wish we could do more, I'm happy to support the efforts included in H.R. 6203 and ask my colleagues to vote for it.