Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, just last week I joined my colleagues Congressman Gene Green and Congressman Nick Lampson on trying to address the ongoing crisis in our communities, because we have a regional office for passports. Overnight stays, early morning arrivals, families crying and families not being able to be reunited, people traveling for hundreds of miles, and the reason is passport backlog because of no extra staff. Let me thank the staff who work so hard to ensure that those who came could be served. We asked the State Department today to provide us with temporary permanent workers to carry out the responsibility. I would also say if there are waivers now being made for places like the Caribbean and Canada, I would only beg that information be given to travelers so they don't go to the airport and not have the necessary documentation. Madam Speaker, I close by saying I am reading today as well that the U.S. military is getting ready to arm the Sunnis. I would say if the Iraq war has come to this, it is time to bring our soldiers home. This is not the way to run a war.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, earlier today I made mention of an interesting new theory that is being promoted through the Nation's newspapers, and, certainly, let me acknowledge the respect that we have in this Congress for the United States military and their never-ending challenge and acceptance of responsibility in their work in Iraq and certainly, of course, Afghanistan. We know that both of those regions are becoming more difficult. In Afghanistan, the Taliban is rising, and, frankly, just recently, there was an attempted assassination attack on President Karzai in Afghanistan with a message from the Taliban saying that ``We were involved'' and, in essence, ``We are on the rise.'' In fact, that is where the root of terror is. After 9/11, that is where this Congress almost unanimously instructed the President on behalf of the American people to fight the war on terror, to fight al Qaeda, and to find Osama bin Laden. Unfortunately, this administration has failed, failed its duty to this Nation, and not represented itself to the American people and to this Congress as to what its next steps are with respect to fighting terror. Now we find ourselves muddling around in Iraq, we are almost to the middle of June, and almost 30 Americans have died in Iraq. This is an unending mission without a mission, an unending story without an end. Now we read in the Nation's newspaper America's strategy in Iraq to arm the Sunnis. But at the same time as we arm the Sunnis, we are in negotiations with them to promise us that they will not shoot American soldiers. I believe that this may be a reasonable response to arm Sunnis to fight al Qaeda, to arm Sunnis to engage with the Iraqi National Army. But it is not a reasonable response with American soldiers sitting in the line of fire. Again, I say, having visited with my constituents over the weekend, having visited with constituents in churches and grocery stores, in meetings, in civic meetings, everywhere I go, in religious institutions or houses of faith, everywhere I go in my congressional district, people are asking the singular question. That is, when are our soldiers going to come home from Iraq? When I get the loudest applause is when I say that this Congress must bring our soldiers home, and that it is my intention to work with every Member of Congress who is willing to stand up to ensure that our soldiers come home, not because of our job has not been completed, not because our soldiers are not strong, not because our soldiers are wimps, but because, in fact, our soldiers are heroes. I believe, as in my legislation H.R. 930, that we should bring them home under a military success. They have done their job. They have deposed Saddam Hussein. They have discovered that there were no weapons of mass destruction. They have finished the mission. We should declare a military victory for those soldiers and those who lost their lives and begin to transfer the leadership of the efforts in Iraq to the Iraqi national Army and the Iraqi national police. I cannot understand this theory, this particular strategy, when our soldiers are still on the ground. All I can see is armed Sunnis, armed al Qaeda, armed Shiites, all pointing guns at our soldiers, who are there, simply, to follow the mission of a President who will not listen. I am interested in military strategy. I want our military generals to be creative. If they believe that this is an effective tool, then this tool must be utilized without our soldiers, in essence, if I might say, without any disrespect, to be shooting targets or sitting ducks. This does not seem to be the right kind of approach if our soldiers are still going to be in the midst. Even if they relocate the soldiers out of the particular area, they are still on the ground. Armed Sunnis are armed Sunnis. Armed Sunnis and armed Shiites move around. They don't necessarily have to stay in one area. I expect that we will have a briefing tomorrow. I hope that they will discuss with us, the Members of Congress, on behalf of their constituents, what does this mean for the lives of our soldiers? What does this mean for the number of those who have lost their lives already and their brothers and sisters may now be in the greater line of fire with people being armed, and armed with what? What level of weaponry will they have, and how far will this weaponry be able to go, and what will they be able to do with it? It is obviously a challenge. It is time to bring our soldiers home. If this is what we are doing, let's transfer the fight to the Iraqi national Army and the Iraqi police. Let's bring our soldiers home.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 421, to honor the trailblazing accomplishments of the ``Mercury 13'' women, whose efforts in the early 1960s demonstrated the capabilities of American women to undertake the human exploration of space. The 13 women who participated in this program demonstrated the willingness and capability that women all around the world, past and present, possess, and in many cases must possess to overcome an indictment of sexism and discrimination that our society often presents. Although their participation in these tests and trials yielded no concrete results, the 13 women trailblazers ought to be recognized for having endured and overcome such grueling physical, medical and psychological astronautical fitness examinations. These 13 women--Jerri Cobb, Wally Funk, Irene Leverton, Myrtle ``K'' Cagle, Jane B. Hart, Gene Nora Stumbough (Jessen), Jerri Sloan (Truhill), Rhea Hurrle (Woltman), Sarah Gorelick (Ratley), Bernice ``B'' Trimble Steadman, Jan Dietrich, and the late Marlon Dietrich and Jean Hixson--all surpassed society's expectations of rejections, by proving that although women are typically smaller and lighter than men, women are still fit to be good occupants in cramped space vehicles. These women attempted the dream that many others only dreamed of-- flying the newest and the fastest craft. Mr. Speaker, though few Americans know the names of the 13 women trailblazers, their valiant attempts to earn the opportunity to fly a spacecraft call for worldwide recognition. Because of the secrecy of the test programs, these women never received the recognition for their accomplishments, which laid that critical groundwork for women who have reached and those who are seeking to reach the skies. We can show our gratitude and appreciation for these women trailblazers by honoring them with the passing of this bill. As a representative of the 18th Congressional District of Texas, home to an integral number of space exploration projects, centers, businesses, and constituents employed in the space industry, I strongly support legislation that seeks to inspire, motivate and recognize those individuals who assist with the improvement and advancement of space exploration. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 421 to honor the trailblazing accomplishments of the 13 female pilots of Mercury 13.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2560 the ``Human Cloning Prohibition Act.'' This legislation prohibits human cloning, and it makes it unlawful for any person to ship, mail, transport, or receive the product of human somatic cell nuclear transfer technology knowing that it will be used for human cloning. H.R. 2650 also makes it illegal for any person to initiate a pregnancy to facilitate human cloning. Mr. Speaker, by a wide margin Americans believe that human cloning is wrong and immoral. It is also highly inefficient. More than 90% of cloning attempts fail to produce viable offspring. In addition to low success rates, cloned animals tend to have compromised immune system and higher rates of infections, tumors, and other disorders. Studies conducted in Japan show that cloned mice live in poor health and die early. About a third of the cloned calves born alive have died young, and many of them were abnormally large. The American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have issued formal public statements advising against human reproductive cloning. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 2560 because it reinforces the views and values of the American people. Human beings should be born, not cloned. Bringing a child into this world should be a consecrated act of grace; not a clinical or commercial enterprise. It is one thing to conduct research to find life-saving cures. It is quite another to try and create life in the laboratory. I support the former and oppose the latter. For these reasons, I support H.R. 2560 and urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, on this 63rd anniversary of D-day, I am proud to pay tribute to the men and women who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives program, MFAA, under the Civil Affairs and Military Government Sections of the United States Armed Forces for their heroic role in the preservation, protection, and restitution of monuments, works of art, and other priceless artifacts in Europe and Asia during and following World War II. That is why I am proud to be a sponsor of H. Con. Res. 48, which provides much needed recognition to the ``Monuments Men and Women'' who did so much to preserve many of the world great cultural treasures. Without their dedication and service, many more of the world's artistic and historic treasures would have been destroyed or lost forever amidst the chaos and destruction of World War II. I wish to give special thanks and appreciation to the ``Monuments Men'' for establishing the precedent of protecting cultural property in the event of armed conflict, and by setting a standard not just for one country, but for people of all nations to acknowledge and uphold. In 1943, the United States Government established the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas to promote and coordinate the protection and salvage of works of art and cultural and historical monuments and records in countries occupied by Allied armies during World War II. The chairman of the Commission was Supreme Court Associate Justice Owen J. Roberts. In connection with the establishment of the Roberts Commission, the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, MFAA, was established under the Civil Affairs and Military Government Sections of the United States Armed Forces. The Roberts Commission and the MFAA provide an example for other countries, working in conjunction with the United States, to develop similar programs. More than 100 foreign MFAA personnel, representing at least 17 countries, contributed to this international effort. The MFAA was comprised of both men and women, commissioned officers and civilians, who were appointed or volunteered to serve as representatives of the Roberts Commission and as the official guardians of some of the world's greatest artistic and cultural treasures. Members of the MFAA, called the ``Monuments Men,'' often joined frontline military forces and some even lost their lives in combat during World War II. For years following the Allied victory in World War II, members of the MFAA worked tirelessly to locate, identify, catalogue, restore, and repatriate priceless works of art and irreplaceable cultural artifacts, including masterpieces by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Vermeer, that had been stolen or sequestered by the Axis powers. The heroic actions of the MFAA in saving priceless works of art and irreplaceable cultural artifacts for future generations cannot be overstated. It set a moral precedent and established standards, practices, and procedures for the preservation, protection, and restitution of artistic and cultural treasures in future armed conflicts. Members of the MFAA went on to become renowned directors and curators of preeminent international cultural institutions, including the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Toledo Museum of Art, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, as well as professors at institutions of higher education, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, New York University, Williams College, and Columbia University. Other members of the MFAA were founders, presidents, and members of associations, such as the New York City Ballet, the American Association of Museums, the American Association of Museum Directors, the Archaeological Institute of America, the Society of Architectural Historians, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as respected artists, architects, musicians, and archivists. Madam Speaker, it bears repeating that the heroic actions of the MFAA in saving priceless works of art and irreplaceable cultural artifacts for future generations cannot be overstated. It established the standards, practices, and procedures for the preservation, protection, and saved for the world artistic and cultural treasures of inestimable value. I salute the ``Monuments Men and Women,'' who by their example provide further proof of why we call theirs the ``Greatest Generation.''

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1467 the ``10,000 Trained by 2010 Act''. This legislation would authorize the appropriation of about $100 million over the 2008-2011 period for the National Science Foundation to award grants to institutions of higher education for research on innovative approaches to enhancing healthcare informatics through hardware and software solutions, as well as to conduct basic research and improve undergraduate and graduate education in the study of information systems. Higher educations facilities would also be able to establish multidisciplinary centers for Health and Medical Informatics Research Centers. These research centers would be designed to train qualified healthcare personnel and professionals, as well as physicians, nurses, information technology specialists, medical administrators and social scientist. Ciborra (2002) defines the study of information systems as the study that ``deals with the deployment of information technology in organizations, institutions, and society at large.'' Today, information and information technology have become the fifth major resource available to executives for shaping an organization, alongside people, money, material and machines One of the benefits of H.R. 1467 the ``10,000 Trained by 2010 Act'' is that we will be able to stay ``up to date'' with other countries and their technology. Most businesses have shifted from being product oriented to knowledge oriented. This means that employers are now looking for people who can compete in innovative, and knowledge oriented businesses, rather than product oriented business. By funding this Act, we are giving our youth a better knowledge about the field of information systems so that they can have a greater chance on jobs and other opportunities in our country, rather than the employer having to go to foreign nations to look for help. We are also increasing the amount of resources that we have available here in the United States. We should make a conscious effort to get as many of our minority students and women into the information systems career field as possible. Although this is a highly populated field, there are not very many minorities holding these positions. It is not because they are incapable or lack the drive and determination to get the job done, but simply because they are not very educated about the options and possibilities that are out there.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this is a very personal debate, and it is a serious one. But I would only ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to entertain the thought that we are, today, addressing the lives of Americans, and we can't fool around with life and death issues that impact on the lives of Americans. Millions of Americans today, a collective number of 110 million, are dealing with the diseases of diabetes, Alzheimer's, some with spinal cord injuries, and many others impacted by the inertia of this body. And so let me applaud my colleague, Congresswoman DeGette, because this legislation, as my colleagues realize, is imperative for it to move as S. 5, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007. We know that if this bill does not pass, it does not get to the President's desk, and lives of millions of Americans will be impacted. It is a simple bill. It says that ``the stem cells were derived from human embryos that are donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of individuals seeking such treatment. The embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded. Such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent, and receive no financial aid or other inducements.'' These embryos otherwise would be discarded. What is our challenge in America? To rise to our higher angels? This rule is constructed to save lives. Our friends will have the privilege of a motion to recommit, but we have the responsibility of saving the lives of 110 million Americans, children, family members of yours, loved ones, husbands and wives and others. Some are our soldiers on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan. We can do no less today. Pass S. 5. Vote for the rule, and vote against the motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 5, the ``Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007,'' which the House passed in substantially similar form by a vote of 253-174 on January 11, 2007. The legislation passed the Senate by a nearly veto-proof majority of 63-34. The only difference between the version passed by the House and the Senate is that the Senate version contains a provision directing the Secretary of HHS to conduct and support research on alternative human pluripotent stem cells. Mr. Speaker, once again we find ourselves in a position to pass legislation that will provide our nation's scientists with the valuable opportunity to save lives. It is our duty as representatives of the people to help Americans who are suffering. The President should put away his veto pen and listen to the American people. They want him to sign this bill. Signing this bill will help bring about the new direction in leadership and responsiveness that American people voted for last November. In 1998, the very first stem cells were isolated, leading to the immediate realization of the enormous possibilities this discovery presents. Suddenly treatments, even cures, seemed possible for devastating illnesses like Parkinson's disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), cancer, and spinal cord injuries. Despite restrictions on federal funding imposed by President Bush in 2001, the states of California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, and Maryland have provided funding for this important research. In 2005 and again last year, we learned that in spite of the President's continued opposition to stem cell research, support for it in Congress transcended party lines. Unfortunately, the embryonic stem cells currently permitted by law for research are not sufficient for scientists' needs. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), of more than 60 stem cell lines that were declared eligible for federal funding in 2001, only about 22 lines are actually available for study by and distribution to researchers. These NIH-approved lines lack the genetic diversity that researchers need in order to develop effective treatments for millions of Americans. In spite of recent scientific breakthroughs that suggest alternate means of obtaining stem cells, I must caution my colleagues from thinking that embryonic stem cell research is no longer necessary. I applaud Dr. Anthony Atala and his team at Wake Forest University and Harvard University for their very recent outstanding discoveries. However, I must repeat the caution of Harvard researcher George Daley in saying that these newly discovered cells ``are not a replacement for embryonic stem cells''--on the contrary, research for these is entirely complementary. In addition, while we know very little about these new methods, much progress has already been made in the research of embryonic, or pluripotent, stem cells, the most adaptable and unique of all the stem cell varieties. They currently provide scientists with the most possibilities for research and for the discovery of life-saving treatments; as such, we must allow these scientists the opportunity to do so. It is understandable that many Americans may have moral conflicts with this issue if they believe that embryos need to be destroyed in order for this research to be implemented, but this is not the case. It is estimated that more than 400,000 excess frozen embryos exist in the United States today and that tens of thousands, and perhaps as many as 100,000, are discarded every year. Further, S. 5 ensures that none of the embryos used in stem cell research is intended for implantation in a woman. All of these embryos would otherwise be discarded. Mr. Speaker, denying people in our nation who suffer from debilitating illnesses the possible medical benefits that could result from embryonic research is not only cruel but a waste of these valuable life-sustaining stem cells. This is indeed a matter of ethics--we cannot morally argue that it is better to deny suffering people hope for a cure. Let us provide all people in this world with possibilities for a better future by supporting stem cell research. Let us create the potential for miracles in the lives of paralyzed individuals, those with cancer, or those in need of organ transplants. This bill provides a limited--yet significant--change in current policy that would result in making many more lines of stem cells available for research. If we limit the opportunities and resources our researchers have today, we only postpone the inevitable breakthrough. Our vote today may determine whether that breakthrough is made by Americans, or not. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill, to vote in favor of scientific innovation, and to vote in favor of a perfect compromise between the needs of science and the boundary of our principles.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 65, a bill which extends Federal recognition to the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina. This bipartisan legislation, which has more than 215 cosponsors, including Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young, corrects a 50-year injustice and gives long overdue Federal recognition to one of the oldest Indian tribes in the United States. Mr. Speaker, the Lumbee tribe has made repeated requests to Congress for recognition since 1888, and the voluminous record compiled by Congress shows that Federal recognition has been unfairly delayed. H.R. 65 simply provides equal treatment to the Lumbee tribe by correcting a half-measure adopted by Congress in 1956 regarding the tribe. The 1956 half-measure acknowledged the Lumbees as Indians but cut off the tribe from the Federal statutes that apply to federally recognized tribes. This injustice was done at the height of Indian Federal termination policy. Every other tribe subjected by Congress to such a half-measure has since been fully recognized by a special act of Congress. H.R. 65 would do the same thing for the Lumbee tribe. Thus, H.R. 65 is a long overdue act of justice that treats the Lumbee tribe just like every other tribe in its position. There is no question that the Lumbee Indians constitute an Indian tribe. The State of North Carolina has consistently recognized the tribe since 1885 under a series of State statutes using different names to refer to the tribe. In 1952, the tribe held a referendum to decide upon its own name under State law and adopted the name Lumbee, drawn from the name of river where the tribe was found at the time of first White contact in the 1730s. North Carolina amended its law to recognize the tribe under the name Lumbee in 1953, and the same bill was introduced in Congress to obtain Federal recognition under the same name. Before the Federal bill was enacted, though, Congress amended the bill to include termination language. As a result, Congress recognized and terminated the tribe at the same time in 1956. Because of the 1956 half-measure, the Solicitor General has ruled that the Lumbee tribe is not eligible for the tribal recognition process administered by the Department of the Interior. Mr. Speaker, in any case, there is no need to study the tribe's history; the Department of the Interior has already done so 11 times in response to numerous bills to recognize the tribe and has always concluded that the Lumbees are Indian, descended principally from the aboriginal Cheraw tribe. And the Department's own records show that the modern-day Lumbees are the same Indians first recognized by the State of North Carolina in 1885. Congress itself put the Lumbee tribe in the Indian ``No Man's Land'' with the enactment of the 1956 half-measure. In the past, Congress has done this to two other tribes: the Tiwas of Texas and the Pascua Yaqui of Arizona. In both cases, Congress rectified the injustice by enacting special statutes extending full Federal recognition to the tribes. Congress should perform a similar act of simple justice for the Lumbee tribe by enacting H.R. 65. The recognition of an Indian tribe by the United States has always ultimately been congressional responsibility. Even though the Department of the Interior established an administrative process for recognition of tribes in 1978, over the past 30 years Congress has recognized nine tribes by special legislation where there were special circumstances. Insofar as the Lumbee tribe is concerned, the 1956 half- measure represents a special circumstance. H.R. 65 is long-overdue legislative remedy for the injustice inflicted on the Lumbee tribe 50 years ago by Congress. For these reasons, I support H.R. 65 and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this remedial legislation.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership on this issue. Earlier in the debate I mentioned the concept of building blocks of democracy. Frankly, I believe this amendment speaks to the building of capacity to ensure that democracy. Having first started my elective political career in local government, I know that many times we say that is where the rubber hits the road. The effort of my amendment is to ensure that those who are involved in local and State government would have the ability to build capacity through technical assistance that will train national, provincial and local government personnel for capacity-building purposes. In order to govern, you must have information, information on education, health care, human rights, and political participation. This legislation globally speaks to those issues in a large manner. I would like to technically emphasize the one-on-one training and influence and information to those who have to govern. The more we can do that, the more we can build capacity. And the more of those who are in the leadership positions can establish confidence so that when they confront the emerging terror of the Taliban or the questioning face of a chieftain, they can have the response that this is, in fact, good government. My amendment also goes to encourage girls in Afghanistan to finish secondary school. We realize this bill has a very strong focus on women and girls, but there has to be the added measure of incentive, not only to the earlier grades, but to say to a young woman that by finishing secondary school, you can go on to post-secondary education, building the blocks of democracy which would include women who would be enabled to be doctors, lawyers, scientists and teachers, building a society in Afghanistan that will need not only men but also women. May I close by simply saying I point to a picture that points to this learning board that I mentioned earlier. These are the kinds of tools that would give young people and those without, if you will, various equipment to go to school the opportunity to do so. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to explain my amendment to H.R. 2446, the ``Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007.'' I believe this is an extremely important piece of legislation, and I commend the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lantos, for introducing it. In the nearly 5 years since the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent ouster of the Taliban and al-Qaeda from Afghanistan, we have made significant efforts to secure the nation from the Taliban. But we must do more; otherwise, a resurgent Taliban will continue to pose a very real threat to Afghanistan's stability. This bill is an important step toward a more secure Afghanistan, and, ultimately, a more stable region. It authorizes $1.7 billion in each of fiscal years 2008 through 2010 for economic and development assistance and provides additional support for other capacity building programs, such as assistance to women and girls ($45 million per annum), energy development and counter-narcotics ($75 million per annum). Additionally, the bill authorizes funding for counter-narcotics efforts and programs to increase the capacity of Afghan national, provincial, and local governments, and additional development programs. In addition to authorizing assistance to address the continuing humanitarian needs, this legislation targets the ongoing opium trade, as well as persistent problems of corruption. The bill links these various sectors of policy together, integrating security, reconstruction, and development concerns with counter-narcotics and anti-corruption policies. My amendment simply states that technical assistance should be provided to train national, provincial, and local governmental personnel for capacity-building purposes. In particular, this amendment emphasizes the need to build local capacity in the critical fields of education, healthcare, human rights, and political participation. My amendment will also encourage girls in Afghanistan to finish secondary school, providing them with the ability to pursue post-secondary education. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is born from my strong belief that we must take a long-term view toward reconstruction in Afghanistan, and, in doing so, we must develop the capacity of Afghanistan's citizens. Under the Taliban regime, education, healthcare, human and women's rights, and political participation were seriously stunted by the government's oppressive policies. These sectors are absolutely crucial to the long-term stability and sustainability of Afghanistan. My amendment specifically speaks to the need to combat the lingering societal barriers that may discourage girls from completing secondary education. According to UNICEF's 2005 estimates, 1 million primary school age girls in Afghanistan were not enrolled in school, and education of girls continues to be undervalued in many communities. Girls and women were horribly oppressed under the Taliban, and we must take particular care to ensure that the lack of opportunities afforded to females under the previous leadership is not carried over into the current government. Encouraging girls to complete their education would be extremely beneficial for both the women and girls themselves, and for Afghan society as a whole. Mr. Chairman, we have recognized the shortcomings of Afghanistan's infrastructure. Even as we express our commitment to continuing our programs in Afghanistan, we must look forward to the day we will ultimately leave that country to stand on its own. We must do everything we can to ensure that, sooner rather than later, Afghanistan will no longer need our ongoing assistance. My amendment represents an important step toward that ultimate goal, while at the same time serving our short-term goals and increasing the effectiveness of the humanitarian programs outlined by this legislation. To conclude, let me thank Chairman Lantos for his leadership on this issue. I am confident that we can work together to craft legislation designed to ensure that Afghanistan can recover from the excesses and abuses of previous regimes, and become an active and prosperous member of the international community. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, allow me to thank my good friend the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House for his energy and the focused way in which this committee is pursuing its business of engaging and improving the relations of the United States with those around the world. Let me thank the ranking member as well, whom I have worked with on many issues dealing with women and children, and I appreciate their collective leadership. This bill is an important restatement of what many of us have argued for and continue to make the point that the building pieces that we can offer to Afghanistan will build a building of peace for decades and centuries to come. Frankly, many of us believe that the war on terror is seeded in Afghanistan and would like us to find or to be able to invest not only as it relates militarily to the concerns of the borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the rise of the Taliban but to seed out, if you will, the bad seeds of terrorism, to make Afghanistan the shining star, people desiring and hungering for the water of democracy. So this legislation, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007, needs to be reauthorized and has in it a valuable statement about the United States' commitment, longevity in its commitment, to helping Afghanistan put forward the building blocks of peace. The fact that it authorizes $1.7 billion in each of the fiscal years 2008 to 2010 emphasizes economic and development assistance and as well capacity building programs and, as has been mentioned, women and girls programs. Let me cite, Mr. Chairman, an individual who has really been a sole champion on the issue of educating Afghan children. And, of course, I am very grateful for your accepting my amendment regarding the refugee resettlement in the manager's amendment and look forward to discussing my amendment regarding the emphasis on training girls to encourage them to finish secondary school, and as well, my amendment regarding the safety of women legislators. But I do want to pay tribute to Josanna Smith. She is a name that you may not have heard, but she has devised a little chalkboard that is able to travel in places where many of us couldn't in the high hills of Afghanistan to give to the children that many of us see in pictures or have actually visited them, as I have done, and giving books to these children, sitting in little circles trying to learn. This little simple, if you will, chalkboard that ties to it a piece of chalk allows children to learn. Josanna has put together a foundation where it is almost self-funded. She has been to Afghanistan and many places around the world. I cite Josanna Smith as an example of the kind of good heartedness of Americans who really desire the best for Afghanistan and see it as the place where we can, in essence, make the fruits of democracy thrive. This legislation acknowledges that the war on terror started first in the bowels of this country. It acknowledges the need to address the controversy and conflict on the Afghan and Pakistan border. It recognizes the rise of the Taliban. And, hopefully, it will characterize the foreign policy of this Nation, that is, that we must solve the terror in Afghanistan before we begin to completely finish the war on terror or at least make the forward step that we need to make. I look forward to discussing the amendments that will hopefully further help women and women legislators take their rightful place in a free and open democracy that is safe and secure, and that is the country of Afghanistan. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2446, ``the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007.'' This is an extremely important and timely piece of legislation, and I commend the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lantos, for introducing it. In the nearly 5 years since the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent ouster of the Taliban and al-Qaeda from Afghanistan, we have made significant efforts to secure that nation from the Taliban. However, the Taliban continues to pose a very real threat to Afghanistan's stability. After enduring decades of violence and hardship, the people of Afghanistan continue to live in a climate of ongoing turmoil, particularly in the southern regions of the country, where there are ongoing and dangerous clashes between coalition-led forces and insurgents. Despite our positive efforts, the Taliban has been able to reorganize, and continues destabilize the country. These unfortunate realities remind us of the need to continue U.S. programs in Afghanistan, as well as the necessity of continually studying and revising our involvement to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being put to the best possible use. If the United States is to ensure that Afghanistan is secure and stable in the long run, we must address the underlying causes of persistent violence, including the still-flourishing opium trade and the nation's lack of infrastructure. Education, so long neglected under the Taliban regime, will be a vital component of Afghanistan's development. I commend the many individuals and groups who have been tirelessly furthering the cause of Afghanistan; individuals like Josanna Smith and her organization Worldwide Wisdom United, Inc. Ms. Smith's organization has distributed thousands of Learning Boards TM, which are sturdy, hand-held chalkboards containing eraser and a supply of chalk. This simple but ingenious device can mean the world of difference to a child in Afghanistan, opening up a future of economic success and self- sustainability. I commend Ms. Smith, and other Americans like her, for bravely recognizing and addressing this ongoing problem. I am proud to have offered two important amendments to this legislation, both of which I believe will strengthen this bill and help it to achieve its intended purpose. My first amendment states that technical assistance should be provided to train national, provincial, and local governmental personnel for capacity-building purposes as it relates to education, health care, human rights (particularly women's rights), and political participation. This amendment also seeks to ensure girls complete secondary education so they are prepared and have the ability to pursue post-secondary education. My second amendment seeks to bolster women's political participation by protecting women legislators when they return to the provinces they represent. It states that it is the sense of Congress that assistance provided to foreign countries and international organizations under this provision should be used, in part, to protect these female legislators. This bill has many other important provisions. Key among these are programs to combat narcotics trafficking and rampant corruption. Additionally, this bill encourages greater regional cooperation. I believe this to be a vital aspect to any effort toward peace in Afghanistan, and I strongly encourage regional dialogue and the involvement of Afghanistan's neighbors. Mr. Chairman, we have a responsibility to Afghanistan. We have pledged a commitment to Afghanistan's long-term stability. I believe that this bill is essential and urgent, and I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in support of it.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to join Chairman Lantos in applauding this legislation as being bipartisan, and all of us seemingly speaking from the same songbook about the need to build these blocks of democracy, but also to enhance the opportunities for women. Might I just cite as a need for my amendment a report from the BBC that says an international women's rights group says guarantees given to Afghan women after the fall of the Taliban in 2001 have not translated into real change. Another quote from an Afghan woman: ``When I am at home, sometimes I feel as though someone is choking me.'' And 57 percent of girls are married before the legal age of 16. We know that we have made great strides, but there is much more for us to do. Former example, a controversial Afghan politician and former member of parliament, Jalalai Joya, reported in May 2006 that she was forced to sleep in a different house every night as a result of the numerous death threats they have received. She has been quoted as saying ``women still live under the shadow of the gun. Women are still victims of violence.'' Joya was subsequently ousted from parliament after she continuously voiced controversial criticisms of her fellow, mostly male, lawmakers. Raazia Baloch was presented with a broken Kalashnikov firearm upon her election to the provincial assembly, which local authorities told her was for her protection. Ms. Baloch serves a particularly volatile province where, short after her election, an unknown gunman emptied his AK-47 into a van leaving the province's women's ministry. The unfortunate truth is if these women are going to serve, they are going to need our special attention. And I do believe in the relationship that the United States has with Afghanistan. The leadership of President Karzai, speaking to him directly, I know he has a great concern for the viability of women elected officials. In fact, might I say that in a direct, one-on-one conversation with any number of Afghan women parliamentarians during my visit to Afghanistan, talking to them face to face, eye to eye, sister to sister, if you will, they made it very clear when they do their work in the capital, and they have to go home to their district, just like any one of us, they fear for their lives. They are concerned about being able to fully represent their constituents by going home and coming back safely. Might I just quote additionally, a female owner of a radio station was shot seven times while she slept at home with her 20-month-old son. She is the second female journalist to be murdered in Afghanistan in the past week. So my amendment is very clear, and it is very straight. It allows us through this legislation to make a very pronounced statement, and that statement is that it is the sense of this Congress that assistance provided to foreign countries and international organizations under this provision should be used in part to protect these female legislators. I hope this is part of helping us help them build democracy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to explain my amendment to H.R. 2446, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007. I believe this is an extremely important piece of legislation, and I commend the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lantos, for introducing it. In the nearly 5 years since the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent ouster of the Taliban and al-Qaeda from Afghanistan, we have made significant efforts to secure the nation from the Taliban; however, the Taliban continues to pose a very real threat to Afghanistan's stability. This bill is an important step towards a more secure Afghanistan, and ultimately, a more stable region. It authorizes $1.7 billion in each of fiscal years 2008 through 2010 for economic and development assistance and provides additional support for other capacity building programs, such as assistance to women and girls, $45 million per annum, energy development and counter narcotics, $75 million per annum. Additionally, the bill authorizes funding for counter-narcotics efforts and programs to increase the capacity of Afghan national, provincial, and local governments, and additional development programs. In addition to authorizing assistance to address the continuing humanitarian needs, this legislation targets the ongoing opium trade, as well as persistent problems of corruption. The bill links these various sectors of policy together, integrating security, reconstruction, and development concerns with counter-narcotics and anti-corruption policies. My amendment addresses the very serious issue of persecution of women legislators in Afghanistan. All women, but particularly those who demonstrate the courage to become national leaders, continue to face intimidation and violence. If we are to encourage political and civic participation among women, which I strongly advocate, we must ensure that those who bravely venture into the political arena are protected when they return home to the districts they represent. After many years of oppressive Taliban control, women in Afghanistan are now beginning to emerge from the shadows. For the first time in recent memory, they now have the opportunity to take an active role in their country's political destiny. As a female legislator myself, I believe that women should be strongly encouraged to become national leaders; I believe their involvement is extremely beneficial to the nation. And yet, these women face specific dangers as a result of their gender. They may be exposed to vile threats and even physical violence. For example, controversial Afghan politician and former Member of Parliament Malalai Joya reported in May 2006 that she was forced to sleep in a different house every night as a result of the numerous death threats she received. She has been quoted as saying ``women still live under the shadow of the gun. * * * women are still victims of violence.'' Joya was subsequently ousted from parliament after she continuously voiced controversial criticisms of her fellow, mostly male, law-makers. In 2006, another legislator, Raazia Baloch, was presented with a broken Kalashnikov firearm upon her election to the provincial assembly, which local authorities told her was for her protection. Ms. Baloch serves a particularly volatile province, where, shortly after her election, an unknown gunman emptied his AK-47 into a van leaving the province's women's ministry. The unfortunate truth is that women's rights are not yet enshrined in Afghanistan. Women who venture into other leadership roles are threatened as well. Only this morning, Zakia Zaki, the female owner of an Afghan radio station, was shot seven times while she slept at home with her 20 month-old son. She is the second female journalist to be murdered in Afghanistan in the past week. This further illustrates the unfortunate truth: Women continue to face persecution and abuses, despite the fall of the Taliban. Until we have reached a point where the basic rights of women are protected by Afghanistan's government and cultural and social institutions, I believe that we need to make every effort to ensure that basic rights are respected. I believe my amendment is absolutely crucial. With residual societal barriers against women and girls persisting even under the new government, I believe we must make every effort to protect women legislators from the persecution and violence they may face in their local communities. [From the BBC News, Oct. 31, 2006] No ``Real Change'' for Afghan Women (By Pam O'Toole) An international women's rights group says guarantees given to Afghan women after the fall of the Taleban in 2001 have not translated into real change. Womankind Worldwide says millions of Afghan women and girls continue to face systematic discrimination and violence in their households and communities. The report admits that there have been some legal, civil and constitutional gains for Afghan women. But serious challenges remain and need to be addressed urgently, it states. These include challenges to women's safety, realisation of civil and political rights and status. Womankind Worldwide sent a film crew to Afghanistan to investigate the situation of women there. They found a young Afghan woman crying in hospital who said she wanted to die. She was recovering after setting fire to herself. Womankind Worldwide says there has been a dramatic rise in cases of self-immolation by Afghan women since 2003. It believes many are the result of forced marriages, thought to account for about 60% to 80% of all Afghan marriages. 57% of girls are married before the legal marriage age of 16. Domestic violence remains widespread. At an Afghan women's shelter, a young woman told the film crew that she came to the shelter to target life's troubles. ``I come here so I can ease the pain a little. When I am at home sometimes I feel as though someone is choking me,'' she told the film crew. Womankind Worldwide says the Afghan authorities rarely investigate women's complaints of violent attacks. Women reporting rape run the risk of being imprisoned for having sexual intercourse outside marriage. Although women now hold more than 25% of the seats in the Afghan parliament, female politicians and activists often face intimidation or even violence. ``Women who are standing up to defend women's rights are not being protected,'' says Brita Fernandes Schmidt of Womankind Worldwide. ``My message, really, to the international community is: you need to address specific security issues for women,'' she says. ``Women's rights activists are getting killed, women's NGO workers are getting killed, and that is not going to change unless some drastic action is taken,'' Ms Fernandes continues. Womankind Worldwide says the international community needs to fulfil promises made after the fall of the Taleban to help protect Afghan women. It says the international community should give women a greater voice in setting the aid and reconstruction agenda. Until basic rights are granted to Afghan women in practice as well as on paper, the report says, it could not be said that the status of Afghan women had changed significantly in the past five years. I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished gentleman. Mr. Chairman, I reserve my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the ranking member for her support and eloquent words on this issue and as well the chairman of the committee for his support. Let me conclude by simply reading the headline of an article: Female Afghan and Pakistani Politicians Forced from Office. This is as late as Wednesday, May 23, 2007. Let me thank my colleagues. I believe my amendment will further enhance our goals, and that is to provide opportunities for all of those in public life, including women in Afghanistan seeking to build the building blocks of democracy, and I ask my colleagues to support my amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlelady for her support, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 198, which recognizes the significance of Black History Month. Madam Speaker, it is easy to forget the past, especially a past that is so painful for so many. But I think we all recognize that the story of blacks in America is one that is truly uplifting and gives us the spirit to believe that any accomplishment is possible if we strive for it. I want to take this opportunity today to talk about the black history that is too often ignored. Let me start by saying that we all revere the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. We love the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. I am deeply grateful that this Nation has a day to honor Dr. King and that we have a Black History Month so that our children may understand the struggle that black Americans had to endure just to get to this point. Madam Speaker, the history of blacks in America did not begin and end with the Civil Rights Movement. We need to remind everyone that the America we know today was built in substantial part by the skill, labor, intelligence, and determination of African Americans. These black pioneers succeeded despite the oppression they openly faced. That's the history I want to talk about today. I want to talk about black Americans whose accomplishments have sometimes been overlooked. Their greatness in the face of adversity is what makes me so proud to be an African American. So many oppressed people have had to surrender their souls, their hopes and their dreams because of the hardship they have been forced to face. However, black history is full of men and women who faced their hardships head on and refused to accept what they were told was their destiny. Instead, they instead looked at what they were given and dared to believe that not only could they improve upon it, but that they could strive for achievements almost unimaginable to any American. These great figures of black history are our past; they are our future. They are our compass as we move forward into this new generation. I am proud to be a member of Congress representing the great State of Texas. In the 211 years of congressional history there have been 105 African American Members of Congress. We tend to think that before the Civil Rights Movement black Americans had no ability to represent themselves in government. Despite the tremendous obstacles of intimidation and harassment that were faced by black Americans who sought and won election to political office. Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American member of Congress. During the Civil War, he helped organize Maryland's first two black regiments for the U.S. Army. In February 1870, he was elected from Mississippi to the United States Senate seat formerly held by Jefferson Davis. Hiram Rhodes Revels was in an extraordinary position, not only was he the first African American in Congress only a few years after the Civil War had ended, but he was representing a State where black men had only been in positions of servitude. His seat in the Senate did not come without great controversy; a great debate arose in the Senate as to whether a man of color was entitled to a seat in our Nation's legislative body. However, it was the great Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts who made the closing argument for Revels' admission, declaring: ``All men are created equal, says the great Declaration, and now a great act attests to this verity. Today we make the Declaration a reality.'' During his time in the Senate, Hiram Revels voted to forgive officials from the secessionist States, who had broken their oaths to uphold the Constitution, as he made great efforts to unite a war-torn Nation. After leaving the Senate, Revels returned to Mississippi, where he became the founding president of Alcorn College. His life was one of tremendous achievement against the backdrop of the turbulent Reconstruction era. Almost 100 years after Hiram Rhodes Revels was elected to the U.S. Senate, Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman elected to Congress, when she was elected to represent New York's Twelfth Congressional District in 1968 running on the slogan, ``Fighting Shirley Chisholm--Unbought and Unbossed.'' She reflected that spirit well during her 14 years in Congress. During her first term she spoke out for civil rights, women's rights, and the poor and against the Vietnam War. Her first term in Congress was set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement and the women's movement for equal rights. Shirley Chisholm had an understanding that during those turbulent times the nation required a determined leader to represent the voice of so many Americans who felt dismay at their treatment. She took an extremely active role in changing the way women were to be judged from that point on. She remarked that, ``Women in this country must become revolutionaries. We must refuse to accept the old, the traditional roles and stereotypes.'' This is a sentiment that I myself take to heart. Women in this Nation are now told they have a right to determine the kind of life they want to lead; Shirley Chisholm was at the core of this movement. On January 25, 1972, Chisholm announced her candidacy for President. She stood before the cameras and in the beginning of her speech she said, ``I stand before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the Presidency of the United States. I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that. I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interests. I am the candidate of the people.'' Shirley Chisholm did not win the nomination; but she went on to the Democratic Convention in Miami and received 151 delegates' votes. More than that, she demonstrated the will and determination of so many Americans who had previously felt forgotten, she had lighted a fire under so many who had felt disenfranchised. Despite being separated by almost a century Hiram Rhodes Revels and Shirley Chisholm led very similar lives. They both were in positions of great responsibility during times when this Nation was under a great burden. The true greatness of their story is not just that they overcame the oppression they faced, but that they had the courage to help remedy a Nation that in many ways had spited them. They refused to bend their principles to the hatred they faced; they were true pioneers in leadership. They are my role models in Congress not only because they are African American but because they represent the kind of leaders that America has always needed at times of adversity, they had a spirit and a courage that could not be broken, they had a vision of America that exceeded most of their peers. I am very proud to be a Member of Congress from the city of Houston, a city that is home to NASA. This Nation has been blessed to have been the pioneer in space exploration. However, one of our greatest accomplishments has been that not only have we sent men to space, but that we have sent different men and women who represent the spirit of this great Nation. Major Lawrence was the first African American astronaut who trained at NASA. In 1983 Guion Bluford became the first African American to fly in space. He went on to serve on three more NASA missions and logged over 688 hours in space. Before becoming an astronaut, Maj. Guion Bluford flew 144 combat missions in Vietnam. Tragically, Ron McNair lost his life in the tragic Challenger accident, but we all will forever remember his great accomplishments. Mae C. Jemison also became the first African American female to fly in space. In less than a century and a half blacks in America had gone from the chains of slavery to the surface of the moon. Physically this is an amazing accomplishment, but spiritually these great men and women throughout black history could have accomplished what they did without those who came before them. Each great black man or woman gave hope to future generations and recognition to the fact that no amount of oppression could suppress a true vision of a greater America. The African American community continues to rise; this is still a beginning for us not an end. The vision for America that so many black Americans strived for is not yet complete. There are many more great black minds and souls that this Nation will be blessed to experience. I look forward to seeing our progress, I delight in our great history but I am really looking forward to our future progress. For all these reasons, Madam Speaker, I am pleased and proud to support H.R. 198, which gives due recognition to the significance of Black History Month.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 397, which condemns violence in Estonia and attacks on that country's embassies in 2007. It also expresses solidarity with the government and the people of Estonia. This past April 27, a crowd of more than 1,000 pro-Russian demonstrators gathered in Tallin, the capital city of Estonia. The gathering became unruly and riots broke out across the city. In the end, over 150 people were injured and one person died from stab wounds. On May 2, the Estonian Ambassador was physically attacked by protesters during an official press conference. That same day, the Swedish Ambassador to Russia was assaulted when he left the Estonian Embassy in Moscow. Since the initial riots in Tallin, this wave of violence continued, and the Estonian Government has reported other coordinated attacks against its embassies in Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Riga, Prague, and Kiev, among other cities. The Estonian Government, with the assistance of NATO, has been investigating cyber attacks against the government's website, as well as against the computer systems of political parties, banks, and media organizations. The Estonian Government estimates that these attacks have cost the targets tens of millions of euros. Estonia is a well respected member of NATO and the European Union. These incidents of violence have been condemned by a host of European institutions. The European Commission and NATO have expressed their solidarity with Estonia and urged Russia to respect its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that this House also express its disapproval of the unjustified attacks against Estonia. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution, which denounces violence in Estonia and attacks against its embassies, while also expressing solidarity with the government and people of the great nation of Estonia.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2206, the ``U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Act of 2007.'' I concur in House Amendment No.1 to the Senate Amendment because I believe in doing all we can to support our troops. But I cannot concur in House Amendment No. 2 to the Senate Amendment because there is a limit to the patience of the American people. They have been waiting for more than four years for the Bush Administration to develop a successful policy in Iraq and for the Iraqi Government to take responsibility for the security of the Iraqi people. Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us makes emergency supplemental appropriations for the Iraq War and additional supplemental appropriations for agricultural and other emergency assistance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007. This emergency supplemental provides $120 billion primarily for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for improving the health care for returning soldiers and veterans. It also provides for the continued recovery of the Gulf Coast from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina and fills major gaps in homeland security. Specifically, the agreement provides $99.5 billion for the Defense Department for continued military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The legislation includes a $1 billion increase for the National Guard and Reserve equipment and $1.1 billion for military housing. The supplemental legislation provides $3 billion ($1.2 billion more than the President's request) for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAP)--vehicles designed to withstand roadside bombs. Mr. Speaker, included in the bill is $4.8 billion to ensure that troops and veterans receive the health care that they have earned with their service and another $6.4 billion to rebuild the Gulf Coast and help the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. There is also emergency funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) totals more than $650 million. Finally, Homeland security investments total more than $1 billion, including funds for port security and mass transit security, for explosives detection equipment at airports, and for several initiatives in the 9/11 bill that recently passed the Senate. Most important, Mr. Speaker, this legislation includes the benchmarks and reporting requirements that were contained in the Warner Amendment in the Senate, which specifies 18 benchmarks for measuring progress by the Iraqi government, including the benchmarks that President Bush laid out on January 10. But they do not include the timelines included in prior versions of the supplemental that Americans approve, support, and demand. The Warner Amendment requires the President to submit two reports to Congress on the progress of the Iraqi government on meeting the 18 benchmarks--one by July 15, 2005 and the second by September 15, 2007. If the President fails to certify progress on each of the 18 benchmarks in the September report, the Iraqi government would lose the economic aid being provided by the United States unless the President exercises his authority to waive the certification requirement in accordance with the procedures set forth in the bill. The amendment also requires an independent report from the General Accounting Office by September 1, 2007 on the progress of the Iraqi government in meeting the 18 benchmarks. Mr. Speaker, in vetoing the previous emergency supplemental, the President claimed it will ``undermine our troops and threaten the safety of the American people here at home.'' Coming from an Administration that has been wrong on every important question relating to the decision to launch the Iraq War as well the conduct of it, this claim is laughable. It is nearly as ridiculous as the President's often stated claim of ``progress'' in Iraq. The facts, of course, are otherwise. The U.S. death toll in Iraq reached 83 in just the first 7 days of May--making it the deadliest month of the year and one of the deadliest of the entire war. It is therefore little wonder that nearly 70% of Americans disapprove of the way the President is handling the war. But more important, the President's claim that the Iraq Accountability Act undermines our troops and threatens the safety of the American people here at home is simply not true. Mr. Speaker, to date, the war in Iraq has lasted longer than America's involvement in World War II, the greatest conflict in all of human history. But there is a difference. The Second World War ended in complete and total victory for the United States and its allies. But then again, in that conflict America was led by FDR, a great Commander- in-Chief, who had a plan to win the war and secure the peace, listened to his generals, and sent troops in sufficient numbers and sufficiently trained and equipped to do the job. As a result of the colossal miscalculation in deciding to invade Iraq, the loss of public trust resulting from the misrepresentation of the reasons for launching that invasion, and the breath taking incompetence in mismanaging the occupation of Iraq, the Armed Forces and the people of the United States have suffered incalculable damage. The war in Iraq has claimed the lives of 3,431 brave servicemen and women. More than 25,378 Americans have been wounded, many suffering the most horrific injuries. American taxpayers have paid nearly $400 billion to sustain this misadventure. By vetoing the bipartisan Iraq Accountability Act last week, the President vetoed the will of the American people. The President vetoed a responsible funding bill for the troops that would have provided more funding for our troops and military readiness than even the President requested. By vetoing the Iraq Accountability Act, the President rejected a bill that reflects the will of the American people to wind down this war. By vetoing the Iraq Accountability Act, the President turned a deaf ear to the loud message sent by the American people last November. That is why I will proudly vote for H.R. 2206. This legislation places the responsibility for bringing peace and security where it clearly belongs and that is squarely on the shoulders of the Iraqi government. The legislation crafted by the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in consultation with the leadership and the members of the Democratic Caucus moves us closer to the day when we end the misguided invasion, war, and occupation of Iraq. It puts us on the glide path to the day when our troops come home in honor and triumph and where we can ``care for him who has borne the battle, and for his widow and orphan.'' Mr. Speaker, in passing H.R. 2206, this House will be doing the business and expressing the will of the American people. In the latest CBS News/New York Times poll, 64 percent of Americans favor a timetable that provides for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq in 2008. In the same poll, 57 percent of Americans believe that Congress, not the President, should have the last say when it comes to setting troop levels in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, in passing H.R. 2206, Congress is fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities and exercising the first check on the President's power in six years. As Iraq Study Group Co-Chairman Lee Hamilton has pointed out, ``The founders of our nation never envisioned an unfettered president making unilateral decisions about American lives and military power. They did indeed make the president the commander in chief, but they gave to Congress the responsibility for declaring war, for making rules governing our land and naval forces, for overseeing policy, and of course the ability to fund war or to cease funding it.'' Mr. Speaker, the President demands a blank check to escalate the war in Iraq against the will of the Congress and the American people. The Constitution does not require it, he certainly has not earned it, and I am not prepared to give it to him. That is why I cannot concur in House Amendment No. 2 to the Senate Amendment. I do concur in House Amendment No. 1 and I urge all members to join me.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 54, which supports the creation of a National Hurricane Museum and Science Center in Southwest Louisiana. The creation of a National Hurricane Museum and Science Center in southwest Louisiana will serve as a historical reminder for all Americans as well as the rest of the world of the importance of disaster preparedness. We must not forget the depths of the devastation and despair of Hurricane Katrina that resulted from the lack of proactive disaster planning and preparedness. Hurricane Katrina was the costliest and one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. It was the sixth-strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the third- strongest hurricane on record that made landfall in the United States. Katrina formed on August 23 during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and caused devastation along much of the north-central Gulf Coast of the United States. Most notable in media coverage were the catastrophic effects on the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and in coastal Mississippi. Due to its sheer size, Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast as far as 100 miles from the storm's epicenter. Mr. Speaker, the images of the detriment and devastation remain deeply etched in my mind and much of the remnants of the tragedy still remain in those communities today. The storm surge caused severe and catastrophic damage along the Gulf coast, devastating the cities of Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Biloxi/Gulfport in Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama, and Slidell, Louisiana and other towns in Louisiana. Levees separating Lake Pontchartrain and several canals from New Orleans were breached a few days after Hurricane Katrina had subsided, subsequently flooding 80% of the city and many areas of neighboring parishes for weeks. In addition, severe wind damage was reported well inland. Although we continue to mourn the loss of the thousands of victims who perished in Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, we must still push forward to gain knowledge and insight about these disastrous hurricanes and their effects on the public. The Hurricane Center has the potential to provide a great source of educational service to the American public as concerns about the rapidly changing climate in hurricane-prone regions rise. The Hurricane Center will not only educate but also motivate the young and the old in the fields of meteorology, environmental science, sociology, conservation, economics, history, communications, and engineering. In addition, the Hurricane Center can benefit everyone by providing resources that inform the public on preparing, surviving and recovering from natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Hopefully, this will enable us to avoid such needless and devastating results as those from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Examining technology, engineering, and preservation of natural barriers all can help to reduce the impact of hurricanes. It is only appropriate that the effects of hurricanes and the rebuilding efforts be captured in a comprehensive center such as a National Hurricane Museum and Science Center to interpret the effects of hurricanes in and outside of Louisiana. For these reasons, I strongly support H. Con. Res. 54 and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the creation of a Museum and Science Center that will serve to remind and educate Americans about the importance of hurricane disaster preparedness.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 1469, the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act of 2007. This important piece of legislation seeks to enhance the enrollment, diversity, and range of countries relating to U.S. college study abroad programs. The United States is failing to take full advantage of a valuable tool that should be used to enhance our standing in the world and to improve our national security. Opportunities for students to study abroad is integral to creating intercultural awareness, a globally competent workforce, ensuring America's economic competitiveness, and protecting national security. Students can be powerfully effective diplomats for American culture, democratic values, and foreign policy. H.R. 1469 aims to improve the diversity, the range of countries, and number of students that study abroad while in college. Only about 1 percent of all U.S. college students study abroad, and the vast majority study in Europe. Just 9 percent of those students are minority students, even though African American, Native American, and Hispanic students make up 30 percent of the total U.S. college enrollment. Inspired by the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and the congressionally chartered Lincoln Commission, the Senator Paul Simon Act will create a new government corporation charged with democratizing study abroad for American students the way that the GI Bill democratized higher education. The Simon Foundation Act is visionary legislation sponsored by Senators Richard Durbin and Norm Coleman, and the chairman and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Lantos and Ms. Ros- Lehtinen. The legislation authorizes $80 million annually for 10 years in order to assist 1 million American students study abroad each year by 2018. This funding from the Department of State budget will directly support student scholarships and organizations like Bardoli Global around the Nation. Bardoli Global is an organization that originated in my congressional district. It exists to provide greater access to study abroad opportunities for outstanding African American, Native American, and Hispanic American student leaders and to make those students globally competent change agents for their communities. The organization's Houston pilot program will soon expand to five other cities across the Nation in 2008. Mr. Speaker, we must act now to enact the vision of the late Senator Paul Simon from Illinois who worked tirelessly to promote a public- private partnership to democratize study abroad. We must act quickly to achieve equity and diversity in study abroad, especially targeting traditionally underrepresented students. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 422, calling on the People's Republic of China to use their influence and economic leverage with the Government of Sudan to stop the genocide and violence in Darfur. I am proud to join a large number of my colleagues, from both sides of the aisle, in cosponsoring this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, we stand in serious risk of allowing the ongoing slaughter in Darfur to become one of the blackest marks on humankind's history. This is absolutely unacceptable. It has been nearly 3 years since we in Congress declared that ``the atrocities unfolding in Darfur, Sudan, are genocide,'' a sentiment that has been repeated only recently by President Bush, who went on to say ``we have a moral obligation to stop it.'' Congress has been outspoken in expressing a bipartisan consensus of disgust at the atrocious human rights abuses committed in the western region of Sudan. Genocide in Darfur continues to play out on our watch. Current estimates put the death toll at 450,000 people, with an additional two million driven from their homes and livelihoods into wandering uncertainty or refugee camps. More than 3.5 million people within Darfur are currently entirely reliant on the international community for the crucial aid that might enable them to survive. Some valuable foundations have been laid. The 22,500-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission authorized by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1706 is absolutely necessary to boost the brave but struggling African Union forces already in the region. These U.N. soldiers must be deployed immediately in Sudan, and given unimpeded access to the Darfur region. We must continue to press this issue until U.N. boots are actually on the ground in Darfur. To do this, we must step up pressure on China. As the principle export destination of Sudanese oil, China is complicit in the genocide perpetrated by the Sudanese government. However, the immense economic and diplomatic weight wielded by the Chinese government could be used to great effect in ending the killing in Darfur, if applied to that end. It remains my hope that China may be persuaded to provide the type of constructive leadership in Sudan befitting a great power. To this end, this resolution strongly urges China to acknowledge and condemn the atrocities in Darfur, to cease all military arms and related sales, to suspend economic cooperation with the Government of Sudan, and to work to positively influence the Government of Sudan to achieve a number of specific objectives, including the full compliance with Security Council Resolutions. As China prepares to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, I believe we should expect China to work to live up to its own Olympic slogan: ``One World. One Dream.'' The time for admirable speeches and impassioned rhetoric, valuable though these are, has passed. The people of Darfur need definitive action and decisive leadership, and they need it now. Now is the moment to seize upon bipartisan common ground, and to work together to respond actively, to fulfill our humanitarian promises, and to finally help bring an end to this shameful chapter in human history. This bill is an important, definitive, and imaginative step toward this goal, and I commend my colleague for introducing this bill. Mr. Speaker, Darfur continues to burn on our watch. Since the genocide began, we have commemorated both the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide with candles and powerful speeches of regret. We have expressed a bipartisan consensus against the genocide, and yet it continues. Though we in Congress are currently faced with a number of important and pressing issues vying for our attention, Darfur must be made a priority, and it must remain so until the genocide has ended. I strongly support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the H.R. 430, introduced by my esteemed colleague Mr. Van Hollen of Maryland, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of dual Iranian-American citizens Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, Ms. Parnaz Azima, and a third unnamed individual also being detained against her will. Mr. Speaker, these three Americans have been unjustly incarcerated without due legal process. They have had their travel documents stolen, and they have been subjected to tactics of harassment. I strongly support this legislation, which expresses the serious concerns we have for these three individuals, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well. Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, one of the detained individuals, is head of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars and widely recognized as one of Washington's top experts on Iran. Dr. Esfandiari was robbed of her passport upon her arrival at Tehran airport in December of last year when she went to visit her ailing, 93-year old mother. After being refused new documents, she was interrogated at excruciating length by Iranian intelligence, and pressured to make forced confessions that would falsely implicate herself and the Wilson Center in trying to launch a full-fledged coup in Iran. She consistently refused to tarnish her good name or the reputations of her colleagues. Dr. Esfandiari was arrested on May 7th, and has been incarcerated, despite numerous efforts by countries, organizations, and individuals on her behalf. She faces ludicrous charges of seeking to launch a one- woman coup against the Iranian government. The United States government has called for her immediate release. Unfortunately, Dr. Esfandiari is only one of a number of American citizens who have recently been detained in Iran without adequate legal grounds. Another case involved a journalist for Radio Farda, who was courageously involved in the effort to bring free and open media to the Iranian people. These outrageous arrests are indicative of the Iranian political system, including the concentration of power and the lack of rule of law. Another American missing in Iran, former FBI agent Robert Levinson, disappeared after flying to Iran's Kish Island in March. I call on the Iranian government to use all the powers at its disposal to locate Mr. Levinson, if it has not already done so, and to repatriate him. Mr. Speaker, I believe this is an issue of basic human rights. We as a Congress, and we as a nation, cannot allow the Iranian government to continue trampling on the fundamental liberties of our citizens in this manner. Therefore, I rise in strong support of this resolution, calling for the unconditional release of these three American citizens unjustly being held in Iranian prisons, and I call upon all of my colleagues to do likewise.