Tom Lantos

Mr. LANTOS

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

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me first commend my good friend and our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), for introducing this very important resolution and for all his hard work to give voice to the so-called ``comfort women.'' Mr. Speaker, the true strength of a nation is tested when it is forced to confront the darkest chapters in its history. Will it have the courage to face up to the truth of its own past, or will it run from that truth in the foolish hope that truth will fade with time. The Government of Japan's unwillingness to offer a formal and unequivocal apology to the women forced by its Army to be sex slaves during World War II stands in stark contrast to Japan's positive role in the world today. Japan is a proud global leader and a valued ally of the United States, which makes its unwillingness to account honestly for this part of its past all the more perplexing. The U.S.-Japan relationship, Mr. Speaker, is the bedrock of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Our reliance and friendship are based on mutual respect and admiration. And together, we have helped promote our shared values of democracy, economic opportunity and human rights throughout Asia. Yet Japan's refusal to make an official government apology once and for all to the women who suffered as so- called ``comfort women'' is disturbing to everyone who values the U.S.- Japan relationship. No nation can disregard its own past, neither the actions of a few nor the actions of many. Inhumane deeds should be fully acknowledged, a spotlight shined on the whole truth. This is essential to national reconciliation, and it helps the victims to heal. Withholding that acknowledgment only compounds the cruelty. Post-war Germany, with the most horrendous crimes in its history, made the right choice. Japan, on the other hand, has actively promoted historical amnesia. The facts, Mr. Speaker, are plain. There can be no denying that the Japanese Imperial military coerced thousands upon thousands of Asian women, primarily Chinese and Koreans, into sexual slavery during the Second World War. The continued efforts by some in Japan to distort and deny history and play a game of blame-the-victim are nauseating. Those who posit that all of the ``comfort women'' were happily complicit and acting of their own accord simply don't understand the meaning of the word ``rape.'' On June 14, members of the Japanese Government took out a shocking advertisement in The Washington Post that attempted to smear the survivors of the comfort women system, including those who bravely testified before our own House Foreign Affairs Committee. The ad suggested that these women, who were forcibly and repeatedly raped by soldiers, were engaged in ``licensed prostitution that was commonplace around the world at the time.'' This is a ludicrous and infuriating assertion. Our resolution calls on the Government of Japan officially to acknowledge and to apologize for the appalling acts that Imperial Japan committed against the so-called ``comfort women.'' It seeks admission of an appalling truth. Failure to do so would signal to others around the globe that such horrors can be perpetrated again and treated just as cavalierly as they have been in this case. But most importantly, Mr. Speaker, it speaks out for the victims of this monstrous system who were terrorized and brutalized by men at war. It gives voice to these courageous women whom others have tried to silence through shame, bigotry, and threats of further violence. It is appropriate that this House stand up for these women who ask only that the truth be honored. The world awaits a full reckoning of history from the Japanese Government. I strongly support this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 121) expressing 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, as amended.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to my good friend and our distinguished colleague from California (Mr. Honda), the principal author of this important resolution.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to my good friend, the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee of Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, Eni Faleomavaega. (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished colleague from California (Ms. Woolsey), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my good friend from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), a distinguished member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional requests for time and yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. I want to thank my friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference agreement. Let me express my appreciation for the fine work of the chairman, the Homeland Security Committee, my friend, Bennie Thompson. When the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks boarded their flights that crisp September morning, they hoped to crush the American spirit. They were profoundly mistaken. In the first few weeks following the terrorist attacks, our Nation rallied to help the victims and their families to reconstruct New York City and the Pentagon, but our resolve did not stop there. We steadfastly committed to the long-term goal of preventing future terrorist attacks on our shores. To accomplish this, we convened some of our best and brightest minds from both the Democratic and Republican parties to map out a comprehensive strategy to prevent another terrorist disaster. With this bill today, we willfully implement the sound recommendations of this bipartisan 9/11 Commission and take concrete steps to strengthen the security of our Nation. I am pleased that the conference agreement contains several provisions authored by the Foreign Affairs Committee to fight terrorism and to stop the proliferation of dangerous weapons. The conference agreement will boost our efforts to work with other nations to secure nuclear materials and rein in loose nukes more effectively. It will also increase the visibility of the Voice of America and our other broadcasting services to quickly ramp up their public diplomacy efforts in future crises. With this bill, we will require the administration to develop a better strategy for cultivating U.S. relationships with three countries crucial to our counterterrorist efforts: Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Finally, I am gratified that the conference agreement includes provisions from the ADVANCE Democracy Act. This important bill firmly affixes the advancement of freedom and democracy as one of our top foreign policy objectives and requires long-term plans to promote democracy throughout the world. Recently, the Department of State has begun drafting strategies for Middle Eastern countries. The conference agreement includes a requirement for new written specific strategies for all nondemocratic and democratic transition countries building on the important work the Secretary of State has already been doing in the Middle East. This method ensures that we focus on institutions, not just elections. As this bill becomes law, our country will begin to turn its thoughts to the sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. We will, of course, mourn the victims, honor the heroes, and contemplate the lessons of that event. But we will also renew our efforts to fight extremism and terrorism around the globe. I urge all my colleagues to support this important conference agreement.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Chairman, I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the Agriculture Committee, my good friend from Minnesota, Collin Peterson, for his outstanding leadership on this critically important bill. Today we reconfirm one of this government's most solemn commitments: reaching out to help the most desperate people on the planet. By reauthorizing and strengthening the longstanding and successful Public Law 480 food aid program, we show the entire world that we are serious about using our vast resources for resoundingly positive action. The 850 million people around the globe without sufficient food cling to a precarious existence: foraging for daily sustenance, unable to take care of their starving families, and locked into a perpetual cycle of poverty and hunger. The lack of food is particularly vicious for HIV and AIDS patients, whose medications often make them even hungrier. They now live longer with the medications the United States has provided under landmark legislation we in Congress passed 5 years ago, but, Madam Chairman, in a cruel twist of fate, they trade the pains of the disease for the pangs of hunger. The plight of the starving represents one of the most disturbing and dire societal shortfalls on this planet, and addressing worldwide hunger represents the most unambiguous American moral obligation that faces us today. That is why the international food aid programs reauthorized in Chairman Peterson's bill we are considering today demand our full and enthusiastic support. We sit here discussing this bill in the comfortable, air-conditioned Capitol, where we cannot really fathom what it is like to be scrounging for food in one of the world's many developing nations. I hope my colleagues will remember this when considering any effort to weaken these indispensable initiatives. Our bill reauthorizes the historic and widely praised Public Law 480 food aid program. Public Law 480 was originally established in 1954, and it propelled the United States into worldwide leadership in the donation of food to developing nations and their millions of people. For more than half a century, our groundbreaking law has utilized the abundant agriculture resources of America to help ameliorate hunger around the globe. Public Law 480 and the other food aid programs are so successful because of a simple recipe: the combination of the American people's compassion, and the dedication of private organizations and the companies that make the programs work. This supply chain highlights the unparalleled productivity of our farmers and processors and the dedication of those who administer, transport, and distribute food aid. This broad and diverse network has enabled Congress and the executive branch to sustain strong funding levels to feed the world's hungry for decades. Our legislation before Congress today maintains this strong coalition; yet at the same time, it updates and modernizes the program to make it more effective. I am particularly delighted to highlight that this bill restores mandatory funding for the landmark McGovern-Dole program, which lives up to the accomplishments of the two great former Senators, one Republican, one Democrat, who created it. This program specifically targets the legions among the world's starving who are least able to help themselves: the children of the poor across the globe. The bill also increases funding for developmental food aid. The administration in recent years has blurred the line between so-called ``developmental food aid'' and ``emergency food aid.'' But with 850 million people starving on this planet and the vast majority of them chronically short of sustenance, the beneficiaries of developmental food aid are just as needy as recipients of emergency food aid. They don't care what pot of money funds the donated food; they only care to see their families fed. The manager's amendment proposed by the distinguished chairman Mr. Peterson includes language that was passed by my Foreign Affairs Committee authorizing a critical $2.5 billion for international food aid programs. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing this most important legislation, which will ensure the United States continues to lead the way in addressing the patently unacceptable plight of the world's hungry.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend for yielding. I want to thank my good friend and colleague from the Bay Area, Barbara Lee, for bringing this timely legislation before us today. The last thing Congress and the American people want in Iraq is to keep U.S. troops there permanently. We need a rational and reasonable exit strategy. Yet the administration has signaled that it intends, instead, to put down roots in Iraqi soil, soil that is already soaked with the blood of our soldiers and countless Iraqis. Mr. Speaker, enough is enough. Building huge military bases in Iraq to last the ages is not the answer. We want to bring our servicemen and servicewomen home to Nebraska and Idaho and California. Our legislation will prohibit spending funds to establish permanent military bases in Iraq, and I support it wholeheartedly. Let me be clear. This measure does not prohibit us from protecting our embassy and other vital interests and fighting terrorism. It only ensures that our troops do not put down permanent roots. The administration has drawn a parallel between our proposed, sustained presence in Iraq and the U.S. obligation to South Korea after the Korean War. Mr. Speaker, we have been in South Korea for more than 54 years, and I hope we won't be as long as that in Iraq. The Korean peninsula for over half a century was vital to our security interests during the Cold War, but Iraq is not Korea. It is now beyond question that our national security is being harmed, not helped, by our continuing vast footprint in Iraq. As long as huge numbers of our forces are there, the Iraqi Government will limp along, failing to undertake the far-reaching political and security changes desperately needed to promote lasting stability in that long-suffering country. And it will only anger the Iraqi people to promote the erroneous impression that our troops will be there permanently. In fact, a commitment not to establish permanent bases may facilitate an earlier, safer, more orderly exit, as it will reassure Iraqis that our intention is not to have a permanent presence in that country. I, therefore, strongly support this resolution to ensure that the administration heads in the right direction in Iraq.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my colleagues in the Congress to the excellent work of the Croatian Prime Minister, His Excellency Dr. Ivo Sanader. Under his leadership Croatia has made important strides in the important task of integrating Croatia with NATO and in preparing Croatia for full membership in the European Union. Dr. Sanader became the head of the Croatian government in December 2003 when his political party, the Croatian Democratic Union Party (HDZ), was victorious in the country's election on November 23, 2003. Prime Minister Sanader has had a distinguished record of government service that has prepared him well to assume the position of Prime Minister. Following his election to parliament in 1992, shortly after Croatia became a fully independent country, he was appointed Minister of Science and Technology--a position he held until January 1993 when he was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister. In this capacity, he participated in the bilateral talks that led to the establishment of the Croat-Muslim Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). At the end of November 1995, following the Dayton Peace Accords, Dr. Sanader left the cabinet to become chief of staff to then-President Franjo Tudjman. From 1996 to 2000, he again served as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 1998 he was elected president of the HDZ, which he worked to strengthen, modernize and reform into a pro-European, center- right political party. Madam Speaker, Dr. Sanader's main foreign policy priority has been Croatia's accession to NATO and the European Union. I applaud his efforts to ensure that his country becomes an active participant in these critically important international institutions that have done much to provide a framework for intra-European and trans-Atlantic cooperation. In October 2001, the Government of Croatia signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU making the country an official candidate for membership. Since becoming Prime Minister, Dr. Sanader has taken important steps to prepare for EU membership. Under his leadership Croatia has seen healthy economic growth of some 4 per-cent anually, and there have been important reforms in the country's judicial system and the system of land registry. He has been willing to take tough decisions to move Croatia forward. The Prime Minister has also steered his country toward NATO accession following Croatia's admission to the Membership Action Plan (MAP) in May 2002, which signified the institutionalization of relations with NATO and formally launched the accession process. It is expected that Croatia will receive a formal invitation to become a full member of the Alliance at the NATO Summit in Bucharest next summer. Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister's efforts to foster trans-Atlantic dialogue were on display in early July at the important 2007 Croatian Summit on ``Europe's New South'', which he convened in the beautiful Adriatic city of Dubrovnik. An impressive group of political leaders from across Europe joined Dr. Sanader to discuss how South East Europe can fully integrate into the Euro-Atlantic community, focusing on pressing security interests as well as NATO and EU expansion. Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I wish to commend Prime Minister Ivo Sanader for his role in moving Croatia from a past of divisive nationalism to a future of economic and political progress through active and responsible international cooperation.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my colleagues in the Congress to the excellent work of the Croatian Prime Minister, His Excellency Dr. Ivo Sanader. Under his leadership Croatia has made important strides in the important task of integrating Croatia with NATO and in preparing Croatia for full membership in the European Union. Dr. Sanader became the head of the Croatian government in December 2003 when his political party, the Croatian Democratic Union Party (HDZ), was victorious in the country's election on November 23, 2003. Prime Minister Sanader has had a distinguished record of government service that has prepared him well to assume the position of Prime Minister. Following his election to parliament in 1992, shortly after Croatia became a fully independent country, he was appointed Minister of Science and Technology--a position he held until January 1993 when he was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister. In this capacity, he participated in the bilateral talks that led to the establishment of the Croat-Muslim Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). At the end of November 1995, following the Dayton Peace Accords, Dr. Sanader left the cabinet to become chief of staff to then-President Franjo Tudjman. From 1996 to 2000, he again served as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 1998 he was elected president of the HDZ, which he worked to strengthen, modernize and reform into a pro-European, center- right political party. Madam Speaker, Dr. Sanader's main foreign policy priority has been Croatia's accession to NATO and the European Union. I applaud his efforts to ensure that his country becomes an active participant in these critically important international institutions that have done much to provide a framework for intra-European and trans-Atlantic cooperation. In October 2001, the Government of Croatia signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU making the country an official candidate for membership. Since becoming Prime Minister, Dr. Sanader has taken important steps to prepare for EU membership. Under his leadership Croatia has seen healthy economic growth of some 4 percent annually, and there have been important reforms in the country's judicial system and the system of land registry. He has been willing to take tough decisions to move Croatia forward. The Prime Minister has also steered his country toward NATO accession following Croatia's admission to the Membership Action Plan (MAP) in May 2002, which signified the institutionalization of relations with NATO and formally launched the accession process. It is expected that Croatia will receive a formal invitation to become a full member of the Alliance at the NATO Summit in Bucharest next summer. Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister's efforts to foster trans-Atlantic dialogue were on display in early July at the important 2007 Croatian Summit on ``Europe's New South'', which he convened in the beautiful Adriatic city of Dubrovnik. An impressive group of political leaders from across Europe joined Dr. Sanader to discuss how South East Europe can fully integrate into the Euro-Atlantic community, focusing on pressing security interests as well as NATO and EU expansion. Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I wish to commend Prime Minister Ivo Sanader for his role in moving Croatia from a past of divisive nationalism to a future of economic and political progress through active and responsible international cooperation.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable and heroic acts of Sir Nicholas Winton, who personally and by his own initiative saved the lives of 669 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia and brought them across Hitler's Germany to his native Great Britain. He is an immensely compelling symbol of how the caring of one man can truly make a difference while confronting evil on a personal level. Sir Winton said it best himself in a letter he wrote in 1939, ``. . . There is a difference between passive goodness and active goodness. The latter is, in my opinion, the giving of one's time and energy in the alleviation of pain and suffering. It entails going out, finding and helping those who are suffering and in danger and not merely in leading an exemplary life, in a purely passive way of doing no wrong.'' Nicholas Winton was guided by intuition and character. He understood the upcoming danger and realized the importance of acting fast. Having made many business trips to Germany in previous years, Winton saw Jews being arrested, harassed and beaten. Thousands of Jews fled to as-yet unoccupied Czechoslovakia, especially to Prague. Many settled into refugee camps in appalling conditions in the midst of winter. Near Prague Winton visited the freezing refugee camps. His visit deeply affected him and he felt the need for taking action. He gathered information from parents who wanted their children out and then pleaded to countries all over the world to take them in. He also personally raised the funds to pay for the operation and continued his important struggle even though no countries except Sweden and the United Kingdom were willing to take the children in. Further, the media refused to deal with the tragedy about to unfold. The first 20 of ``Winton's children'' left Prague of March 14, 1939 and Hitler's troops overran all of Czechoslovakia the very next day. By the time World War II broke out on September 1, 1939, the rescue effort had transported 669 children out of the country. I commend Nicholas Winton for his courage, compassion and foresight, for his willingness to stand up for what he believed was right in the face of indifference and to accept responsibility for being his brother's keeper. He has shown remarkable leadership, courage and ability of taking action when facing evil. Being a humble man who kept quiet about his heroic achievements for over 50 years, and without aspirations of being called a hero, he truly has shown complete selflessness and devotion to others. I also congratulate Sir Nicholas' small group of volunteers who helped him, not only for saving hundreds of lives but also for saving our faith in humanity. As time goes by, the values for which Sir Nicholas Winton fought have increasingly penetrated the consciousness of the world. The children, grandchildren and great-grand children of those he saved will go on to establish a world where human rights and decency are the priorities of civilized society. This is the meaning of Winton's legacy to us and the meaning of our struggle for human rights around the world.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, let me first express my appreciation to my friend and colleague from Michigan, Congressman Levin, for his help in bringing this important legislation to the floor, and to the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Charlie Rangel, for his great assistance and leadership. Mr. Speaker, nearly two decades ago, Aung San Suu Kyi embarked on a personal journey that would parallel the terrible nightmare of her people, the people of Burma. That was the year in which she helped found the National League for Democracy, a movement to promote democratic change in her homeland. Her long and torturous journey has led her to both a Nobel Peace Prize and seemingly eternal incarceration. Rather than cede to the widespread calls and massive protests for a free and fair election, a military junta seized and maintained power in Burma. The regime feared the power of one fearless voice for democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi. In 1990, the military junta finally permitted a general election, which the National League for Democracy won handily. The military promptly nullified the results, preventing the daughter of the very general who negotiated Burma's independence from taking her rightful place as Prime Minister. Since then, Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi has been tossed back and forth in and out of prison and house arrest as though she were simply a pawn in the tumultuous and chaotic game being played by the corrupt fat cats running Burma. But like the people of her nation, she is in fact much more than a pawn; she is an ardent champion of freedom, an exemplary defender of democracy, and one of the strongest willed moral beacons on this planet. She stands firmly in the tradition of Gandhi, Mandela, Martin Luther King, and all other voices of the oppressed. Those legendary figures eventually delivered their people to freedom, and we in this Congress aim to help Aung San Suu Kyi to do just that. Inspired by her resolve and the resolve of the Burmese people, this Congress has been committed to their cause for many years. Today, we renew import sanctions aimed at forcing democratic change in Burma, which I can say categorically is one of the most repressive regimes on the planet. America's tough sanctions against Burma, including an import ban, export sanctions, and arms embargo and financial sanctions, have spurred the civilized nations of the world to take similar actions against Burma. The European Union recently updated its own set of sanctions, though they need to be even tougher. The leading members of ASEAN, who for years went out of their way to defend Burma's horrendous behavior, are now exercising their significant diplomatic muscle to promote democratic change in Burma and to free Aung San Suu Kyi. The United Nations has held its first ever Security Council debate on the security threat to the Asia Pacific region posed by the Burmese regime. But too many other nations, India and China in particular, continue to prop up the government through shockingly direct, blatant deals, including arms trading with this cruel junta in Burma. Just this past week, Mr. Speaker, the BBC reported that in any major hotel in Rangoon, and I quote, ``Russian arms dealers, South Korean and French oilmen, Singaporean consultants and Chinese bankers are all mingling over cocktails with their Burmese counterparts.'' Mr. Speaker, these despicable deals undermine the entire international effort to help the Burmese people. And so today, as we renew our import sanctions, we aim both to pressure directly the military junta in Burma, and to influence those in the international community who are currently asleep at the wheel of justice and human rights. Oppressive power can only be delegitimized when it is fully isolated. Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi remains imprisoned. So do the people of Burma. Even out of power and out of sight, she remains a powerful symbol and, therefore, a leader of the plight of some 50 million people in her native land of Burma. We must do our part to carry her torch. And I urge all of my colleagues to vote today for these sanctions once again.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Reverend Doctor Larry Wayne Ellis and his wife, First Lady Vanderler Ellis, on their two decades of leadership at Pilgrim Baptist Church, located in San Mateo, California, within my Congressional District. Pastor Larry Wayne Ellis, a native of Clarksville, Tennessee, graduated in 1975 from Austin Peay State University located in Tennessee. In 1981, Dr. Ellis earned a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate Theological Seminary. In 1988, he was awarded a master's degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family counseling from the College of Notre Dame in Belmont. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1995 from the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. Currently, he is vice president and professor at Southern Marin Bible Institute and teaches at Golden Gate Seminary. In August 1986, the Bay Area Baptist Congress of Christian Education named Dr. Ellis president of their organization. He was selected as Pastor of the Year in 1988, president of the Ministers' Council and moderator for the Bay Area Baptist District Association. Dr. Ellis served at Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Redwood City for nearly 10 years, serving as full-time minister during the last 4 years of his tenure there. Dr. Ellis' leadership has been instrumental in the revitalization of this Church. Dr. Ellis was called as the pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church on September 4, 1987. In addition to his teaching and preaching at Pilgrim, he consistently remains involved in the community. In 1988, he founded C.H.O.I.C.E.S., a drug information and referral non-profit agency. He also serves on several civic and corporate boards. In 1996, Dr. Ellis achieved one of his most recent accomplishments when he became an Adjunct Professor at Golden Gate Seminary in Mill Valley, California. Among his many other accomplishments is the fact that, in 1998, he taught in Russia. Additionally, in 1999, he was selected as President of Congress Christian Education. He currently serves as Vice President of the State Congress of Christian Education. In 1999 Pastor Ellis also founded ``Teach The Word'' radio ministry. In 2002, he became President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pilgrim Organization, Inc., a youth through senior non-profit organization. He is married to the former Vanderler Hines and proud father of three children, Tawana, Justin, and Austin. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House to join me in offering sincere congratulations and respect for the 20 years of dedication and service that Pastor Larry Wayne Ellis and his wife, Vanderler Ellis, have given to the Pilgrim Baptist Church community.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, June 20, 2007, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus held an extraordinary briefing on Morocco's progress toward gender equality. The briefing addressed the very important issue of women's rights in Morocco that has been the number one priority of King Mohammed VI. The Moudawana (the Family Law), adopted in 2003, has sought to raise women's status as full partners with men, in order to uphold equality between the two spouses and to protect children's rights. Women are now able to initiate divorce and to gain custody of their children. Polygamy has become practically impossible. Madam Speaker, Mr. Charles Dahan, the World Vice President of the Federation of the Moroccan Jewry, shared his exceptional knowledge of women's rights in Morocco. Mr. Dahan's speech was not only eloquent but tremendously important in educating the Members and their staff on this issue. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Mr. Dahan for sharing with so many prominent leaders his expertise. With that I would like to place Mr. Dahan's testimony in the Congressional Record. Morocco, Progress Toward Equality (By Charles Dahan) Thank you for inviting me to visit with you about Jews in Morocco today. Let me start with a brief overview of how the Jews came to settle in Morocco. Two major groups of migration: 1. 3-400 BC Destruction of the Temple. Jews crossed Egypt and settled in the Berber region of what is now Libya and Morocco. These Jews are referred to in Hebrew as ``Tochavim''. At this time, the Berbers had no organized religion and the Jews lived their Jewish life coexisting with the tribes and, on occasion, conversions would occur. In the 1300s, Islam was introduced in Morocco and most Berbers converted to Islam. 2. 1490s Spanish Inquisition. Both Muslims and Jews were forced out of Spain and settled in Northern Africa. This was a shared historical experience. These Jews are called ``Megorachim'' in Hebrew and they numbered between 25-30,000. There were several important moments where the Jewish contribution to Moroccan life was recognized and, therefore, protected by the Sultans. Two examples are: We see the creation of ``Mellahs'' during the 1600s. Jews were considered ``dhimmis'' (literally, protected persons) at this time by the Sultan. Original purpose of mellahs was to protect Jewish communities. Mellahs developed center of services for royal authority like duties, minting coins, diplomacy, and royal merchants. In the 1800s, Sir Moses Montefiore met with Sultan Ridi Muhammad b. `Abd al-Rahman who issued royal decree proclaiming Jews in Morocco were protected by justice under Moroccan law. A very important development in 1862 is the creation of first school of the Alliance Israelite in Tetouan. The result of this school significantly increased the education level of Jews as the network spread across Morocco. This focus on education of the existing 200-250,000 Moroccan Jews is a major force in their historical value as a community. For example, in 1991 King Hassan II said to Moroccan Jews in a speech ``You preceded the Arabs in Morocco, and you still stand out by a quality which distinguishes you in the cultural and religious fields. The Moroccan Talmudic School was universally recognized as the best in the world.'' Feast of the throne, 1943: ``I consider the Jews as Moroccan citizens with the same full and equal rights, as their Moslem brothers. Their property and their persons are inviolable. I am completely opposed to the new anti-semitic laws, and refuse to be associated with measures which I disapprove. I wish to inform you that, as in the past, the Jews remain under my protection, and I will not tolerate any discrimination between my subjects.'' Moroccan independence from France greatly altered the Moroccan Jewish life. Anxiety over the future mounted among Jews. In 1955, a year before Moroccan independence, North African Jews represented 87% of new immigrants in Israel. Even though the newly independent King Mohammad V declared in 1956 ``The Jews will enjoy every right, in complete equality, and be associated in every form of our national life, including responsibilities within the government'', life dramatically changed for the Jews in Morocco. Several social, political and economic factors were conditions for a perfect storm: Decolonization led to an economic vacuum by the French. A whole level of life had been economically dependent on the French and the balance of this life shifted dramatically adding anxiety to the Jewish population. Arabization was one of the main objectives of the Nationalists. Remember that French had been the language of education, much culture, daily life and commerce for this generation. The Jewish elite, living outside of the Mellah, did not speak Arabic and this lack of communication led to more confusion and anxiety. Hardening of the National Political Party was new to the Jews. Encouragement from Nasser and the Arab League led to many demonstrations against the French colonists. In addition, the Party was leaning to the Left with communist ideas and forging relations with Moscow. It was too dangerous to attack French Christian citizens so the Moroccan Jews became the invented symbol of colonization. Any kind of demonstration or riot ended up targeting Moroccan Jews. After the Independence, King Mohammad V restricted emigration. The Jews were torn between the consequences and uncertainty of their future in Morocco and the illegal departure for a totally unknown life. Some chose to escape and one historical consequence was 1961 ship called the Pisces that sank killing all 43 Jews who had been smuggled aboard. This was an important event that politicized the Moroccan Jews. In 1962, upon the ascension of King Hassan II, Jews were allowed to emigrate. King Hassan told the community: ``. . . I have recognized your rights as full- fledged Moroccan citizens. I request that you will be the ambassadors of Morocco wherever you may choose to emigrate and that you defend the reputation of your country whenever it is maligned by the media through bad faith or ignorance''. That was the first major Jewish exodus from Morocco. Two- thirds of that population left Morocco for Israel and Canada. The second exodus was in 1967 during the Six-Day War and the third was in 1973 during the Yom Kippur War. This brings us to life today as a Moroccan Jew, both inside and outside the country. King Mohammad VI is a young and modern monarch who faces worldwide pressure. His legacy to follow is that of a peacemaker, often behind the scenes. His vision is to bring Morocco to a western level of development. Although the population of Jews within Morocco has dwindled to approximately 3,000, there remains a vibrant community involved in many levels of society. Although many of the Moroccan Jews have left, we still retain our unique blending of Judaism and Moroccan culture. This infusion is apparent in: Religion: only Moroccan Jews pay homage to sainted Rabbis buried on Moroccan soil. These pilgrimages, ``hiloulahs,'' involve a return to Morocco and a visit to the buried site which is tended and respected as well by Moroccan Muslims. Weddings in Israel and Moroccan Jews worldwide are preceded by Hennas--typical of the Berber/Muslim religion. Also carrying of brides on ``litters''. In conclusion, there is more to bring Moroccans together than to separate them. The single biggest threat to unity is extremism. The United States needs to support Morocco in the strongest way to encourage their development as through the recent Trade Agreement and to help them fight the threat of terrorism. Through investment and development, there are promises to be a bright future. As for Moroccan Jews who have emigrated, I think the words of Yitzhak Shamir sum it up: ``Moroccan Jews were the only Jews that never renounced their country, nor were they rejected by their country''.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation and yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, in Iraq today a misguided war is raging in our country's name. We in this Congress and the American people across the country are filled with admiration for the heroism and sacrifice of our soldiers on the battlefield. But we cannot fathom the mindless stubbornness of the administration fixated on illusory aids. It is pathologically preoccupied with pursuing that despite all the evidence of how destructive the situation has become. Mr. Speaker, we have seen this movie before, quite literally, as any classic film buff knows: ``The Bridge on the River Kwai,'' an Academy Award-winning tale based on real events in World War II. Alec Guinness plays a British colonel mesmerized and hypnotized by the goal of building a bridge that will last through the ages even though doing so will only strengthen the enemy. For a while Alec Guinness persuades his fellow prisoners of war that completing his weird project will leave a legacy of which they can be proud. But it soon becomes clear that the real goal is to build a monument to himself as he looks back on his few true achievements in life. At one point this antihero tells his men, We can teach these barbarians a lesson in Western methods and efficiency that will put them to shame. Mr. Speaker, at this point the audience knows where the real shame lies. The American people know that what happens by our hand in Iraq will be our legacy. We are no longer willing to tolerate keeping our sons and daughters in the midst of a sectarian civil war. The war in Iraq was launched by an administration using faulty intelligence and mesmerized by a dream of some sort of monument to democracy in the Middle East with Iraq at its center. It is past time to stop enabling the construction of this folly. The legislation before us directs that the redeployment of U.S. forces in Iraq be carried out in a safe and orderly manner. It sets a time certain by which that should start, and it is clearly intended to bring about a major reduction in our troop presence by April of next year. And in the meantime, our legislation will compel the administration to come up with something which amazingly enough to date it hasn't had: a comprehensive strategy for Iraq addressing our national security interests not only there but in the entire region and the ways to maintain our interests even as this redeployment is carried out. Mr. Speaker, today the administration issued its interim report on the troop escalation in Iraq. Though the White House chooses to focus on the benchmarks that have been met in what it calls a ``satisfactory'' way, the assessment, in fact, shows that Iraq has made unsatisfactory progress on half of the 18 political and military goals that Congress set for Iraq this spring. The people of Iraq and our fighting forces there know the situation all too well. The index of progress that they face each day tells them much more than a 25-page report can ever say. With every car bomb that takes a civilian toll, every insurgent's bullet that finds its mark, every roadside explosive that maims or kills one of our own brave men and women in uniform, the sacrifices mount; and the result is anything but satisfactory. This is why, Mr. Speaker, our measure deserves our full and unwavering support. We need to direct a misguided administration to face reality and to start the responsible redeployment of our forces from Iraq. By asking this Congress to extend our patience yet again, by pointlessly risking our troops, and by continuing to ignore the will of the American people to end this war, the administration is reaching for a bridge much too far. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Wexler of Florida.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished Member from the State of Washington (Mr. Smith) of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to a distinguished colleague from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), a valued member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to a valued member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, my colleague from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my good friend and distinguished colleague from California (Mrs. Capps).