Tom Lantos

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and pride that I pay tribute to an extraordinary woman, Jane Baker. For the past twenty years Jane has been an inspiration to those who wish to make positive change in their communities, as she has dedicated herself to serving both San Mateo city and County, located in my congressional district, through the various public service positions she held. Jane Baker was born in Hamilton, Ohio, and after graduating from Purdue University, she and her husband Bill moved to San Francisco. Shortly after moving to California, Jane hosted and produced a television cooking-show that aired in San Francisco and San Jose, where she demonstrated easy meals that one could make on an average night for the average family. By 1963, the Bakers had settled in San Mateo, where they have resided ever since. Mr. Speaker, Jane had always participated in community events, being very active in her local Parents Teacher Association (PTA) and the Girl and Boy Scouts. Her commitment to save open space on Sugarloaf Mountain in San Mateo from overdevelopment prompted her to run for the San Mateo City Council in 1973. Her historic victory, at that time only the second woman ever elected to a City Council seat, was made more dramatic by the fact that she captured more votes than two male incumbents. Jane's traditional smashing ways continued when she became the first-ever female mayor of the city of San Mateo. During the twenty years that Jane Baker served on the San Mateo City Council she remained devoted to public service and although people encouraged her to run for higher offices, such as State Senate and Congress, Jane declined because she recognized the value of local government and the closer relationship to the public that comes with it. Jane Baker's commitment to community service did not merely stop at being an elected official, as her drive and energy led her to serve on many boards and commissions. The number of boards and commissions that Jane served on is incredible. She represented the cities of San Mateo on the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as Chair from 1993 to 1995. Jane also chaired the San Mateo County Transportation Authority for two years and was a member of the Joint Powers Board-CALTRAIN. Additionally, she served on the Association of Bay Area Governments for ten years, from 1975 to 1985. In addition to her dedication to local government service, Jane was an active member of various statewide and national organizations. The litany of those organizations is too large to list in its entirety, but includes; the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, the State Job Training Coordinating Council, the American Association of University Women, California Elected Women for Education and the Women's Association of the First Presbyterian Church of San Mateo. As one would expect, Jane Baker has been honored for her numerous achievements by many of the organizations, including being named Safety Woman of the Year by the San Mateo Safety Council. She was also chosen as an Outstanding Graduate by the Purdue University School of Consumer and Family Services and inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame in 1999. Mr. Speaker, Jane Baker was often hailed as a maverick mayor because she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. In an era where women were often seen and not heard in City Hall Jane helped shatter the glass ceiling. A true pioneer for women's rights, Jane Baker has diligently served San Mateo for over 20 years. I know that I will not be the only one to miss her presence in our city government. I extend my very best wishes to her and hope she finds the future as rewarding as her years of public service.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah is blaming Zionism for recent terrorist attacks by Saudi groups in their own country. Zionism, the Crown Prince says, plays on the minds of terrorists and corrupts Saudi youth. What an outrage. What blatant hypocrisy. Mr. Speaker, 2\1/2\ years after the September 11 attacks, Saudi Arabia still cannot look in the mirror and face the truth. Its own extremist ideology is corroding Saudi society and exporting the damage to countless others. How ironic that Abdullah accuses Zionism, whatever he intends that word to mean, while the Saudi kingdom inculcates its young with hatred of Christians, Jews, and Western Civilization. Mr. Speaker, I urge Prince Abdullah to retract his sickening and absurd statements, and I call on him to apologize. His real enemy is homegrown bigotry, which can only be battled by dragging Saudi Arabia into the 21st century.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of Wayne R. Phillips, an extraordinarily gifted teacher of Geography, World History, Government, Economics, and International Relations at the San Mateo and Mills High Schools located in my Congressional district. During the past 32 years, Wayne Phillips has demonstrated a caring, supportive concern for each of his students and has profoundly influenced the lives of over 5,000 individuals with his extensive knowledge and wisdom, and his innovative teaching methods. Even from the early days of his career, Wayne Phillips had a talent for creating and implementing innovative classes. For example, while at San Mateo High School, he helped to create and teach the Social Science freshman curriculum. In addition he created and taught a course titled, Government In Action, which required students to intern in different types of governmental agencies in order to acquire a first hand knowledge of the realities of public service. When he taught economics, his students participated in a San Francisco Bay Area stock market simulation. His instructions proved so successful that many students went on to win the competition. Currently, at Mills High School he created and is teaching a stimulating elective for Junior and Senior students in International Relations. In addition to his teaching duties, Wayne Phillips has served as the Social Science Department Chairman for the past 12 years, where he has helped to bring positive changes to the curriculum, teaching methods, and organization of Mills High School. For his diligent efforts, Wayne Phillips was recently selected as the San Mateo Union High School District's Teacher of the Year. Mr. Speaker, beyond devoting countless hours in the classroom, Wayne Phillips has also selflessly dedicated himself to extracurricular activities that have enriched the school environment, in particular working tirelessly to create an understanding of, and tolerance for the many ethnic and cultural groups on the campus. Along with other school and community leaders he helped to create a unique all day program to understand, appreciate, and celebrate cultural diversity. He was also the driving force behind the production of assemblies to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, the Chinese New Year, and the Japanese Cherry Blossom festival. Connected to the production of the Chinese New Year celebrations, students created a one hundred-foot dragon that has appeared in the San Francisco Chinese New Year's Parade for the past six years. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of participating in a very special event Wayne coordinated to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights, and needless to say I was very impressed with what I saw. For the last 24 years he served as the Freshman Class Advisor and assisted students with planning get- acquainted evenings, welcome dances, homecoming parades, class competition activities, holiday decorations, class elections, fund raisers and much more. For Mr. Phillips, the classroom extends beyond the campus and he has consistently encouraged young people to participate in many types of educational opportunities. I am always delighted to see his students in Washington, DC, as part of Project Close-Up, which brings young people to Washington to see their government in action. His students also traveled to the Southern part of this country to learn first hand about the Civil Rights movement with the ``Sojourn to the Past'' program. As a long-time member of the World Affairs Council of Northern California, Mr. Phillips reads scholarship applications for the Council, leads ``Great Decisions'' student discussion groups on foreign policy issues, and chaperones students to Council meetings, special events, and the annual conference on world affairs at the Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California. Mr. Speaker, Wayne Phillips' influence spreads even to the United States House of Representatives, where we have benefited from an outstanding Congressional Page whom only became involved in the page program due to Mr. Phillips' encouragement and recommendation. Throughout Mr. Phillips' entire career, he has been an example of the best in the teaching profession, earning the respect and admiration of students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators, and members of the community. It is not hyperbole to suggest that the teaching profession is losing one of its giants with his retirement. Every student learns from him and knows that he values them and is there for them whenever and however they need help. He truly loves his kids, and his crowded classroom during non-class time is but one expression of his students' respect and love for him. Wayne Phillips may be retiring from his formal classroom responsibilities, but to paraphrase the famous Dr. Seuss book, Oh, the Places You'll Go, he will continue to learn and share knowledge, and continue his commitment to education. Mr. Speaker, as a former educator, I am proud to honor Wayne Phillips on his extraordinary career, to thank him for his contributions and dedication to public service, and to wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, nearly two years ago, Marla Bennett, age 24, was one of the nine innocent victims of a terrorist attack at the Frank Sinatra cafeteria of the Hebrew University Mt. Scopus campus in Jerusalem. Ms. Bennett was a recent graduate of the University of California at Berkeley who was studying to get her Masters at Hebrew University. Marla's tragic and needless death brought the horror of the Israeli conflict home to the Berkeley community and on May 9, 2004, the Berkeley Hillel will unveil its permanent tribute to her with the dedication of the Marla Bennett Peace Tile Garden Project. This is a fitting tribute to a young lady whose life was ripped from those who loved her by a senseless act of terrorism. During her academic career at UC Berkeley, Marla's face was a familiar one among the Jewish student population as well as the Jewish community of the Bay Area. She was an active student organizer, a Hebrew school teacher, and resident of the Bayit, the Jewish student cooperative of UC Berkeley. Marla's personality, her enthusiasm, and her zest for Judaism and the Jewish way of life made her well-known within her community and she was the first recipient of the Berkeley Hillel award, Hineni, given to the student who best exemplifies selfless devotion to the Jewish Community by answering ``here I am'' whenever a task needs to be completed. Marla's tragic death had a profound effect on the Jewish Community at Berkeley and led to many inspiring endeavors in honor of Marla. The Rosh Chodesh Women's Group at the Berkeley Hillel was revived to honor her memory and scholarship funds in Marla's name for students seeking to study Jewish education in Israel were established. As wonderful as these tributes were, Dana Blecher, the Cultural Arts and Educational Programs Coordinator, for Berkeley's Hillel wanted to create a permanent memorial to this extraordinary individual who blessed our world for too short a time. Ms. Blecher envisioned the unused backyard of the Berkeley Hillel as an ideal space to construct a lasting tribute to the memory of Marla Bennett. During the past year, Ms. Blecher has been instrumental in the creation of the Marla Bennett Peace Tile Garden Project and I want to publicly commend her for incorporating so many aspects of the Berkley and Bay Area community into the project. For example, she collaborated with Bay Area artist Jodi Gladstone, and invited the students of Berkeley Hillel to contribute sketches, poetry, and memories of Marla to be the foundation of the inspirational material for the creation and design of a tile project. Keeping with our Bay Area sensibilities, Dana contacted Jonathan Pilch, a student instructor in the subject of organic farming, and a UC Berkeley student, to prepare, recommend, and supervise the formation of the garden. Mr. Speaker, friends of Marla's, as well as students who never had the opportunity to meet her, have come from across the country to help build the Marla Bennett Peace Tile Garden Project. They all came to Berkeley to create a lasting tribute to a person whose life touched so many and was tragically cut short. This new space at the Berkeley Hillel, while dedicated to Marla, also will be presented in the name of peace and hope that there will be a time in the future of Israel when violence does not play such a tragic and terrifying role in the history of the Jewish state. The Marla Bennett Tile Garden will serve as a place for recollection and reflection, an appropriate memorial to a person who took investigating her Judaism very seriously. As the expression says, ``to live in the hearts of those who love you is to never die,'' and this wonderful memorial will allow the memory of Marla to continue to live on so that in the words of the Executive Director of Berkeley Hillel, Adam Weisberg, ``Her name will be for a blessing.''

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, please insert the attached statement into today's Congressional Record under Extensions of Remarks. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on March 30th, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus held a groundbreaking Members' Briefing entitled, ``International Disability Rights: The Proposed UN Convention.'' This discussion of the global situation of people with disabilities was intended to help establish disability rights issues as an integral part of the general human rights discourse. The briefing brought together the human rights community and the disability rights community, and it raised awareness in Congress of the need to protect disability rights under international law to the same extent as other human rights through a binding UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities. Our expert witnesses included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark P. Lagon; the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ecuador to the United Nations, Ambassador Luis Gallegos; the United Nations Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Johan Scholvinck; the distinguished former Attorney General of the United States, former Under- Secretary General of the United Nations and former Governor of Pennsylvania, the Honorable Dick Thornburgh; the President of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), Alan A. Reich; Kathy Martinez, a member of the National Council on Disabilities (NCD); and a representative of the United States International Council on Disabilities (USCID) and Executive Director of Mental Disability Rights International, Eric Rosenthal. As I had announced earlier, I intend to place the important statements of our witnesses in the Congressional Record, so that all of my colleagues may profit from their expertise, and I ask that the statement of Mr. Alan Reich be placed at this point in the Congressional Record. Mr. ALAN A. REICH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I come before you today in my capacity as Chairman of the World Committee on Disability. There are 600 million men, women, and children with disabilities in the world. Disability knows no political boundaries. Eighty per cent live in developing countries and are doubly disadvantaged by poverty and hunger. The numbers are increasing dramatically. Population growth, war injuries, landmines, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, disease, substance abuse, accidents, and environmental damage all contribute to this increase. Prejudice abounds. Many are consigned to the shadows of beggary. Anyone can join the disability community in an instant. No on is immune. While economic and social conditions vary among countries, all of us with disabilities are united by the pursuit of a common goal: full and equal participation in the life of our respective societies. And, we all yearn to end the hurtful discrimination that exists in all our countries. Is not access to employment, education, religious worship and basic services our human right? Surely it is. Mr. Chairman, I commend you and the Human Rights Caucus of our Congress for recognizing disability as a human rights issue and for calling on our nation, which consistently and forcefully provides leadership on human rights issues, to advance the United Nations Convention on Disability Rights. Disability is a silent crisis; it has not received the attention that this body and the United Nations itself have historically accorded other human rights issues. Indeed, we ourselves shaped the United Nations as the global forum for human rights law and policy. The time has come to end the marginalization of disability in the quest for universal human rights. As president of the National Organization on Disability, I thank you for this significant contribution. We also are most thankful to those nations who have pressed this cause as an issue of human rights within the U.N. Paradoxically and unfortunately, the United States cannot yet be counted among those countries that have come forward to lead this effort. This is evidenced not only by the U.S. position on the Convention, but also--in a most visible way-- by the composition of the U.S. delegation to the U.N., which unlike the delegations of so many other countries, does not include a single individual with a disability! It is very important that the United States take an active leadership role in securing an effective U.N. Convention. It is not sufficient for us to be a passive participant, any more than it would be for Ecuador, whose distinguished U.N. Permanent Representative Ambassador Luis Gallegos is with us today. Ambassador Gallegos' own involvement in disability matters came about through his nation's winning the World Committee's $50,000 Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award two years ago. He then quickly assumed leadership of the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee for the U.N. Convention, and it has been a privilege to work with him as he has generated support throughout the world and has guided this endeavor within the U.N. Its successful adoption by the general assembly and the world most certainly will be attributable to Ambassador Gallegos and his dedicated hard work. Mr. Chairman, for more than a quarter century the United Nations slowly but progressively has recognized the need to confront the disability crisis and has taken important actions. The General Assembly in 1976 proclaimed 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons. At the end of the year, I had the privilege of addressing the General Assembly, the first person in a wheelchair ever to do so, to urge adoption of the World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons. This was followed by the Decade of Disabled Persons and the development of the U.N. Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities of Disabled Persons. But these efforts, while important, have been non-binding. A binding instrument, or, a U.N. Convention, that states can sign and ratify is the next natural step, and it would be a travesty if the United States, which has been at the forefront of the United Nations human rights and disability efforts were not at the forefront of this one. People with disabilities in our country have benefited from the United Nations leadership. Our own National Organization on Disability, of which I have served as President since its founding in 1982, is a direct outgrowth of the United Nations initiative. Literally thousands of national and local organizations throughout the world have come into being and continue to derive their stimulus from the United Nations' core concern. The U.N. stimulates and nurtures interactions among those with disabilities and has helped enormously in solidifying our cause as a global one. Certainly, progress must come about within nations, but the international communication and interaction has provided wonderful opportunities for the exchange of ideas and learning centered on shared values. This International Convention will, as other United Nations instrumentalities before it have done, encourage and stimulate these interactions and that will be very worthwhile for those with disabilities and their family members. Intensified international communication in the important area of disability, as we witness every day, is good for Americans with disabilities and for our organizations--just as I know our participation benefits our counterparts abroad. This ongoing dialogue and sharing in this area of common interest helps create a climate conducive to active diplomacy in other more political areas of concern. It generates mutual understanding that is so much in need in our world today. It is incomprehensible that the United States would not seize the opportunity in this non-controversial area of common interest, an area in which we are acknowledged world leader, to ensure the best possible Convention that reflects our principles and values we cherish. Continued United Nations progress for our fifth of humanity is an economic, social, and humanitarian imperative. The eyes of the world are upon us. Like the United Nations World Programme of Action before it, the U.N. Convention on Disability Rights will be a beacon of hope for people with disabilities and for all mankind. Mr. Chairman, I have written President Bush urging that he and his administration vigorously support this Convention at the United Nations. I have urged him to support in all possible ways H. Con. Res. 169. I request your permission to include in the record this letter in its entirety along with my remarks here today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [Letter to President George W. Bush] March 31, 2004. Hon. George W. Bush, President of the United States, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. President: Shortly after taking office, on February 1, 2001, you announced the New Freedom Initiative and expressed your strong commitment to improving the lives of America's 54 million citizens with disabilities. I recall well how proud I was to be on the platform with you that day as you announced your plans to bring to reality the hopes and dreams of our constituency. The entire world has benefited greatly from America's leadership as our nation has set the pace for the world through our legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and our leadership in the United Nations of ongoing international disability initiatives. Thanks to this commitment, we are looked to by the world, and especially by its 600 million men, women, and children with disabilities, for spirited leadership in this area of concern. I therefore write to respectfully request that you continue our nation's world leadership in the area of disability by instructing the U.S. Departments of State and Justice to advance aggressively the work in which our nation and many others are engaged presently at the United Nations to develop a U.N. Convention on Disability Rights. Many other U.N. member nations are wondering why the United States, as a long-time leader in this area of concern (as you and your father have asserted and demonstrated), is not pursuing development of this Convention. There are humanitarian and economic reasons why America should be out in front on this issue. Because the world's disabled are highly marginalized as a distinct minority as well as within all other minorities, they need America's and the U.N.'s help. The U.N. Convention will encourage action among governments and non-governmental organizations everywhere that will have a profound impact over time. People with disabilities around the world will benefit from America's commitment and example. We Americans with disabilities will continue to benefit greatly from the interactions and sharing of experience stimulated by the Convention. The United Nations and most members regard disability as a human rights issue. America cannot afford to forfeit its avowed leadership as the champion of human rights in the world, and backing this initiative would be a wonderful expression of our human rights concerns. Please, Mr. President, direct your Administration team to take a positive, aggressive leadership role in bringing about the U.N. Convention on Disability Rights. I also request that you ensure that the U.S. delegation at the U.N. include people with disabilities themselves to maximize its effectiveness. I am sure you have heard our cry, ``nothing about us without us.'' We need to be at the table. Finally, the House of Representatives International Relations Committee has recognized the importance and value of such a Convention by voting H. Con. Res. 169 out of committee unanimously. It is currently awaiting scheduling for the floor. We support this resolution and the U.N. Convention itself. We respectfully urge you to seize this opportunity for the good of our nation and for people with disabilities everywhere. With all best wishes, Respectfully yours, Alan A. Reich, Chairman.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on March 30th, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus held a groundbreaking Members' Briefing entitled, ``International Disability Rights: The Proposed UN Convention.'' This discussion of the global situation of people with disabilities was intended to help establish disability rights issues as an integral part of the general human rights discourse. The briefing brought together the human rights community and the disability rights community, and it raised awareness in Congress of the need to protect disability rights under in international law to the same extent as other human rights through a binding UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities. Our expert witnesses included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark P. Lagon; the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ecuador to the United Nations, Ambassador Luis Gallegos; the United Nations Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Johan Schovinck; the distinguished former Attorney General of the United States, former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and former Governor of Pennsylvania, the Honorable Dick Thornburgh; the President of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), Alan A. Reich; Kathy Martinez, a member of the National Council on Disabilities (NCD); and a representative of the United States International Council on Disabilities (USCID) and Executive Director of Mental Disability Rights International, Eric Rosenthal. As I had announced earlier, I intend to place the important statements of our witnesses in the Congressional Record, so that all of my colleagues may profit from their expertise, and I ask that the statement of Governor Dick Thornburgh be placed at this point in the Congressional Record. Dick Thornburgh, Former Attorney General of the United States and Under-Secretary General of the United Nations before the Congressional Human Rights Caucus on 2203 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington,

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me today in welcoming to the United States and to the American Congress the Foreign Minister of Denmark, Dr. Per Stig Moller. Dr. Moller has served as his country's Foreign Minister since 2001. During his tenure, Denmark has shown strong support for the United States in the war against terrorism and has provided military forces to assist us in Afghanistan and Iraq. In a time of strained trans-Atlantic relations, the Danes have remained steadfast and unwavering supporters of the United States. Denmark has contributed one of the largest Special Forces contingents in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, as well as providing F-16 aircraft for use there. From the very beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Denmark has been an active member of the coalition and has contributed combat forces including a submarine and a corvette, as well as a medical team. Denmark has shown its willingness to continue its support in Iraq with stabilization forces and financial and human support. To date, Denmark has appropriated more than 500 million US Dollars for Operation Iraqi Freedom, including assistance for humanitarian aid and reconstruction. This represents a contribution of some 100 dollars per person, making Denmark the country that has contributed the most per capita except for the United States and the United Kingdom. At present, more than 500 Danish soldiers are daily risking their lives in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the American people, I want to express to the Danish people and the Danish government--and particularly to the families of those Danes who have made the ultimate sacrifice--our deepest gratitude for their assistance in the struggle in Iraq. Denmark has suffered both military and civilian deaths and casualties in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Moller has played a critical role in Denmark's support of our efforts against terrorism since he became Denmark's Foreign Minister in 2001. In addition, he has demonstrated remarkable foreign policy leadership during the Danish Presidency of the European Union in 2002. Under Denmark's leadership of the EU, the historic expansion of the European Union was agreed upon. Under Dr. Moller's leadership Denmark has affirmed its commitment to the war on terrorism and he has been dedicated to seeking a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East. Dr. Moller was born in Denmark in 1942. He received his MA in literature from the University of Copenhagen. In 1973, he received his PhD, and he is a highly respected intellectual. For many years he has been a widely read commentator in leading daily papers. For many years he was a member of the senior management of National Danish Radio, and he later became Chairman of the ``Radio Council,'' the Executive Program Board of National Danish Radio. Born into politics, Dr. Moller followed in the footsteps of both his father and mother, who were leading conservative politicians. He became a member of the Danish Parliament in 1984, and since that time, he has been a leading spokesman for his party, particularly on foreign affairs and human rights issues. For more than a decade, he was a member of the Council of Europe. In 1997, he became the chairman of his party. Previous to his appointment as Foreign Minister, he served as Minister of Environment, where carried out extensive environmental reforms. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Moller is the author of numerous books on a variety of themes--from the history of the Baltic Countries to environmental problems and the values of an ``open society.'' His book about Danish pastor Kaj Munk, who was a leading opponent of the German occupation of Denmark during World War II, became a national bestseller when it was published in 2000. The political and intellectual efforts of Dr. Moller have been recognized in numerous honors and awards that he has received. In 1997 he was elected ``Politician of the Year'' in Denmark. He has received a series of prestigious Danish awards, including the ``Georg Brandes Prisen'' and ``Kaj Munk Prisen.'' Internationally, he has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Raoul Wallenberg Medal. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I do not mention another facet of Denmark's efforts to improve relations with the United States--an effort in which the Danish Foreign Ministry has played an important role. Each year for the past several years, the Humanity in Action program has brought Danish students to the United States to serve as fellows in offices and committees of the United States House of Representatives, and a similar number of American students have gone to Denmark to learn first-hand about the Danish political system. Thus far, some 60 students have participated in this program. This exchange is an important element in strengthening the bonds of understanding between Danes and Americans of the next generation of political leaders. Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Friends of Denmark are hosting Foreign Minister Moller for his visit to Capitol Hill today. This Congressional member organization was established in 1999 to foster stronger relations with the government and people of Denmark. The Friends of Denmark include many members of this body who are of Danish heritage, who have Danish constituents, who seek to strengthen ties between our two countries and/or who admire the contributions of the Danish people and their government to international peace and security and respect for human rights. Mr. Speaker, urge my colleagues to join me today in welcoming and honouring Danish Foreign Minister Dr. Per Stig Moller on his visit to the United States Congress.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Israel on its Independence Day, the 56th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel. In 56 years, Israel has experienced more dangers and more triumphs, more success and more tragedy, more highs and lows than many states that have existed for many centuries longer. Throughout it all, Israel's indomitable spirit has conquered adversity. Israel has much for which to be grateful. Foremost, Israel has so often been blessed with great leaders, with wise and visionary leadership. This tradition goes back to Israel's modern origins. At the end of the nineteenth century, the founder of the modern Zionist movement Theodor Herzl made the most preposterous and prophetic prediction I know of, when he asserted that a Jewish state would be born within a half-century. He made that prediction in 1897, when virtually nobody took the idea seriously. Fifty-one years later, in 1948, the state of Israel was founded. In statehood, Israel's leaders have been practical, humane, bold, and peace-loving. It is a pity that Israel's neighbors generally have not been blessed with leaders of a similar type. Mr. Speaker, David Ben-Gurion and the Zionist leadership were practical enough to accept the 1947 U.N. partition resolution, though they had hoped for much more. They were humane enough to treat their Arab citizens as equals when Arab leaders were threatening to drive the Jews into the sea. They and their successors were bold enough to do what is necessary to keep Israel and the Jewish people alive, regardless of what the rest of the world might think. Usually, the world decides much later that Israel was right after all. Remember the bombing--the then much criticized bombing--of the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak in 1981? How universally scorned it was at the time. At that time, I was the only Member of the Congress to commend Israel for its action. How grateful the civilized world is now for Israel's bold move in 1981. Once again, courageous Israeli leadership has come to the fore. As I speak, I have no idea whether Prime Minister Sharon's plan for unilateral redeployment from Gaza and parts of the West Bank will be accepted by the Israeli people, government, and Knesset. I do know that Prime Minister Sharon's plan demonstrates a clear commitment to establishing a structure of peace in the absence of a viable Palestinian peace partner. And I do know that the Israeli verdict on that plan will be arrived at democratically. Mr. Speaker, Israel also has been blessed with the great friendship and unswerving support of the United States. It has earned this friendship not only because of shared strategic interests but also because Israel has fashioned a society that embodies the same fundamental values as our own. Against impossible odds, Israel has established a vibrant, open, prosperous, free, and fully democratic society; a pluralistic society built by people from virtually every country in the world; a society that is politically, economically, and intellectually on a par with the best of the West. In fact, the Arab population of Israel enjoys incomparably more freedom and democratic rights than do those who live anywhere in the Arab world. Mr. Speaker, the past four years have been among the most dangerous in the history of the State of Israel. The scale of Israeli loss in the so-called intifada is staggering--much of it the result of suicide bombings. Israel should know that its friends in the United States stand in complete solidarity with it in its fight against terrorism. Its friends here will defend its right to protect itself against all forms of terrorism, against the scourge of those who place no value on human life. Its friends fully understand and support Israel's right to build a security fence to keep out suicide bombers. And Israel should know that its friends here won't be afraid to stand up to unjustified and disturbingly persistent criticism coming from Europe, from those who have managed to misunderstand the lessons of their own history. And Israel should rest assured that its friends here agree that violence must end before negotiations begin. You cannot negotiate with terror; you can only defeat it. Only when the Palestinians learn that they cannot exhaust Israel through violence will they be ready for the kinds of political compromises necessary for a lasting peace. Israel's friends understand that. Mr. Speaker, for Israel's friends, today is a day for joy, solidarity, and reflection. As we join with our Israeli friends to celebrate the remarkable story of Israeli independence, we take special pride in the role our nation has played and continues to play in supporting Israeli security and in promoting the special bilateral relationship from which our nations have derived great and mutual benefit.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Trygve Lie, the first Secretary General of the United Nations. Mr. Lie was more than an outstanding citizen of Norway and public official, he was truly the beacon of light and bedrock of peace for which the world yearned in the aftermath of World War II. Trygve Lie was born in Oslo, Norway on July 16, 1896. After being elected a local Labor Party president at the age of 16, Lie's course in politics was set. Following his graduation from the Oslo University Law School in 1919, he was appointed Administration Secretary for the Norwegian Labor Party. He subsequently became a legal advisor to the Trade Union Federations, where Lie honed his skills at conflict resolution and negotiation. Trygve Lie's distinguished career in government saw him appointed to several different ministerial positions, but none more career defining than his time spent as Minister of Foreign Affairs. After the German invasion of Norway, Mr. Lie's triumph in saving his country's merchant fleet led to his appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister while the Norwegian government fled to England. This position would prove to be a seminal moment in Lie's career, and would elevate his profile internationally. As Norway's Foreign Minister, Lie was an outspoken advocate of international cooperation and a more level political playing field, while remaining acutely aware of the responsibilities inherent to the then-current world powers. Mr. Lie attended the U.N. Conference on International Organizations as Head of the Norwegian Delegation in April of 1945, where he also served as Chairman of Commission III, which was responsible for drafting the Security Council provisions of the U.N. Charter. Lie's diplomatic skills and shining abilities as an expert negotiator led to his near-unanimous election as the first Secretary-General of the United Nations in February 1946. In his new position, Trygve Lie faced the unenviable task of uniting a world that had been torn apart by the destruction, devastation, and hatred of World War II. Despite the onset of the Cold War and innumerable other set-backs, Mr. Lie held true to his beliefs in the U.N. Charter, the need for peace, and the importance of building a new world order. Though his new position granted him a great deal of oversight and authority, Lie's vision of the U.N. remained one of a body that would primarily act as a mediator for the world's conflict and friction. During his time as U.N. Secretary-General, Trygve Lie established his post as one of honor and dignity that held an internationally recognized sphere of influence. His rise to the top position in the U.N. illustrated as much about Lie's professionalism and diplomacy as did his decision to step down in April 1953. Upon realization that his departure could better facilitate peace in Korea and therefore help restore international harmony, he graciously offered his resignation. His sacrifice for the greater good is seldom seen. Trygve Lie was an outstanding contributor to his native Norway and to the international community at large. His success in transitioning the global society away from a period of seemingly irreparable damage created a legacy of peace and hope that should be both commended and emulated.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Reverend Hans Christen Mamen, an extraordinary and remarkable individual, who turned 85 on April 20th, and whose courage, humanity and unselfishness saved Jews during the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II. Risking his own life, Reverend Mamen guided Jews and other refugees into safety to Sweden. Reverend Mamen's life reads like a storybook. Born in 1919 on a small farm in Vogelland, outside of Oslo, Norway, he was the sixth of eight children. His parents, Hans Christen and Marie Louise, raised him and his siblings with strong Christian values and a profound respect for others. At the tender age of 13, he decided to study theology--in hopes of becoming a priest. In 1939, he started his studies at the Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology (``Menighets Fakultetet''). Sorrowfully, in 1939, dark clouds began encasing Europe. Hitler, elected to office in 1933, unveiled his true identity when German forces first moved into Rhineland (1936), and then occupied Czechoslovakia (1939). Shortly thereafter, the Soviet Union invaded Finland. Hans Christen, who was 20 at the time, felt it was his duty and obligation to do something. He volunteered for the Norwegian Red Cross, serving as an ambulance driver in Finland. On April 6th, just weeks after returning to Norway, Hans Christen married his childhood sweetheart Ruth. Three days later the Nazi's invaded and occupied Norway. While continuing his studies at the Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology, Hans Christen opted to get involved with the Norwegian Resistance. On October 26, 1942, the Nazi's began gathering, arresting, and deporting Jews to German concentration camps. Disgusted with the inhumane Nazi philosophy and ideology, Hans Christen Mamen helped Jews by guiding them to safety in Sweden. After completing theology school, Hans Christen Mamen was ordained and served a various parishes throughout Norway. In 1959, he and his family of five children moved to Inwood, Iowa, as a part of his Lutheran exchange. When Dr. Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Price, Hans Christen welcomed Dr. King on behalf of the Norwegian Church. His meeting with Dr. King remains one of the most unforgettable memories of Hans Christen. In recognition for his heroism, the State of Israel in 2001 bestowed upon Hans Christen Mamen--as the only Norwegian--honorary citizenship of Israel. He has also received several awards and medals for his courageous deeds during the war. Today, nearly 60 years after World War II, Hans Christen is still going strong--determined to persevere. His unequivocal thirst for knowledge has continued to increase throughout his life. And as a result, he has remarkably contributed to more than 40 books and over 300 articles. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring a great humanitarian, who continues to inspire, guide, and lead by displaying tremendous beliefs, compassion, and generosity for his fellow human brethren.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me today in paying tribute to Rabbi Michael Melchior, a distinguished member of the Knesset. Rabbi Michael Melchior was born in 1954 in Denmark. He received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Hakotel in Jerusalem. Rabbi Melchior comes from a long line of Scandinavian rabbis, and has served as rabbi of a Jerusalem congregation since 1986. He also has held the title of Chief Rabbi of Norway since 1980. Since 1996, Rabbi Melchior has been the chairman of Meimad, a modern- Orthodox party, which in 1999 became a faction of One Israel. He was elected to the Knesset in May 1999. From August 1999 until March 2001, Melchior served as Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, responsible for Diaspora and social affairs. Michael Melchior served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 2001 until October 2002. Rabbi Melchior has a passionate interest in the improvement of Israeli society. To this end, he established many programs that deal with the narrowing of gaps in the society between rich and poor, Arab and Jew, secular and religious. Rabbi Melchior has eloquently advocated for an Israel that allows Israelis to feel a strong sense of Jewish identity without pressure or coercion. He has won appreciation both in Israel and abroad for his tireless work for tolerance, democracy and peace. Furthermore, he is universally recognized, from the Israeli Knesset to the international stage, as a figure of vision, conciliation, and peace. Mr. Speaker, Rabbi Melchior was part of a very unique group of religious leaders at a summit meeting in Alexandria, in January 2002, which resulted in the historic Alexandria Declaration and initiated the Alexandria process, in which mainstream religious leaders of the Holy Land gave legitimacy for the first time to a religiously authorized peace process. Over the past 2 years the Alexandria process has created positive waves in Israel, Palestine, and throughout the entire Arab world. Among Rabbi Melchior's many awards are the Norwegian Nobel Institute's Prize for Tolerance and Bridge-Building, and Yeshivat Hakotel's Award for Work in the Diaspora Rabbinate. Rabbi Melchior has written numerous articles published in the Israeli and foreign press. Mr. Speaker, Rabbi Melchior's passionate commitment to a comprehensive and lasting peace reveals true leadership and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring him today.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today in the great rotunda of the Capitol Building, the annual Days of Remembrance ceremony was held to remind us of the victims of the Holocaust and again commit ourselves that such a horror shall never again take place. It was my great privilege to join other Members of Congress and leaders in lighting one of the six candles in memory of the six million victims of the Holocaust. The focus of today's commemoration was particularly meaningful for me, Mr. Speaker, because this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Holocaust in Hungary. In March of 1944, Nazi German troops occupied Hungary. Hungary had been an ally of Hitler, but as Germany began to fall back before the advancing Soviet army, the German high command was uncertain about Hungary's loyalty. Germany occupied Hungary, established a puppet regime in Budapest, and Adolf Eichmann was sent to Hungary to oversee the elimination of Hungary's entire Jewish population. As the Germans began to move against Hungary's population, the United States took action to help preserve the Jewish population. The U.S. War Refugee Board was established in January 1944. On March 25, 1944--less than a week after German troops occupied Hungary--President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the rescue of the Jewish population in Hungary: ``In the name of justice and humanity let all freedom loving people rally to this righteous undertaking.'' Mr. Speaker, at the request and through the involvement of the U.S. War Refugee Board, Swedish businessman Raoul Wallenberg was given diplomatic status and sent by his government to Budapest. He and his Swedish colleagues, including Per Anger, helped protect tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from being deported to Auschwitz by distributing protective Swedish passports or travel papers. With funds provided by the United States he also rented apartment blocks and declared them protected Swedish diplomatic enclaves, and he was able to protect numerous Jews in these buildings. Carl Lutz, a Swiss diplomat, also issued certificates of emigration that placed thousands of Jews in Budapest under Swiss protection. Italian businessman Giorgio Perlasca, posing as a Spanish diplomat, issued forged Spanish visas and established under his ``authority'' safe houses, including one for Jewish children. Many other diplomats, including the Portuguese diplomat Branquinho, were active in saving lives. Mr. Speaker, I was one of those fortunate individuals who were able to find refuge in one of the Wallenberg safe houses after I successfully escaped from a forced labor camp north of Budapest. Most of the members of my family and a large portion of my wife Annette's family were killed during that dark period. When Soviet military forces liberated Budapest in January and February 1945, more than 100,000 Jews were still alive in the city because of the efforts of Wallenberg, Lutz, Perlasca, and other diplomats and individuals. There are many individuals alive today--as well as our children and grandchildren--because of the work of these individuals and the efforts of the United States War Refugee Board. Mr. Speaker, as we mark the 60th anniversary of the Holocaust in Hungary, I urge my colleagues to join me in this solemn remembrance. At the same time, I urge all of us to recommit ourselves to fighting against the evils that led to the Holocaust--anti-Semitism, racism, bigotry, and intolerance. Unfortunately, as we have seen too often lately, these precursors to violence and the murder of innocents have not been eradicated. We have seen a resurgence of anti-Semitism in many places in Europe. We have seen religious extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere carrying out horrendous atrocities against others in the misused name of their God. We have seen ethnic differences lead to genocide in Africa--a tragic event whose 10th anniversary we marked just a few days ago. Mr. Speaker, let us recommit ourselves to fight against the intolerance and bigotry that led to the Holocaust and that continues to produce such suffering and tragedy in our world. Let us recommit ourselves to respect for individual differences and to fight for human rights.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to honor and pay tribute to Barry Reich, the Cantor at Peninsula Temple Shalom of Burlingame, California, located in my Congressional District. Cantor Reich, who received his Hazzan Minister Commission in 1979 from the Cantor's Assembly of the Jewish Theological Seminary, is not merely a Cantor, but a multi-talented musician who has used his talents to affect the lives of thousands of people. Cantor Barry Reich was born in 1948 in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, where he came from a long line of cantors. His father was a renowned cantor, and at the time of Barry's birth was the Cantor at the legendary Breed Street Synagogue. As one would imagine, Barry was immersed in world of music and religion as cantorial music from record players and music books could be heard and seen throughout the Reich home. From a very young age it was obvious that Barry possessed extraordinary talents. In fact, Mr. Speaker, at the young age of five, Barry sang a solo during the High Holiday service of Slichot with such mastery that when he was finished the entire congregation congratulated him. This wonderful performance had the unintended consequence of Barry upstaging his celebrated father, who had to wait out the hosannas before he could continue the service which was supposed to begin immediately afterwards. Another indicator of his magnificent musical talents was shown when Barry, then only 8 years old, joined the Breed Street Synagogue Choir as its youngest member. He was aided by the fact that his father, the Cantor was in desperate need for a soprano vocalist and Barry was a wonderful soprano. When the Reich family moved to Florida when Cantor Reich was offered an important position at Temple Emanuel of Miami Beach, Barry continued his musical education on the East coast where he attended the Frost Conservatory of Music. It was in Florida that Barry met Harry Volpe, a widely renowned guitarist, who Barry credits with being the single biggest influence on his musical direction. By the time Barry was ready to attend high school his family, which had expanded to include his brother Brian, had returned to Los Angeles. After graduating from Lincoln High School, Barry Reich went on to study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and San Francisco State College, where he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree. Mr. Speaker, it was while he was in college that Cantor Reich's future employer, Peninsula Temple Shalom's Rabbi Gerald Raiskin first heard Barry Reich. When the then future cantor was performing at an Israel Bonds rally. Rabbi Raiskin, who knew Barry's father, was so impressed with the eighteen year old Barry that he called Barry's father to request that Barry audition to be the cantor at Peninsula Temple Shalom. Since that fateful day, thirty-six years ago, Barry Reich has been the Cantor of Peninsula Temple Shalom and has become part of the fabric of the synagogue. By his own estimates he has prepared over 1500 youth for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah with his trademark passion and innovative approach to music and education. Mr. Speaker, Cantor Barry Reich has poured his heart into to his cantorial work and has generously shared his talents with many, passing on his passion of music onto numerous persons. He is most deserving of this tribute and our praise, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in honoring a great man, an excellent musician, and an extraordinary Cantor.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, the legislation we are considering today is the absolute height of hypocrisy. H.R. 1779, the so-called Guardsmen and Reservists Financial Relief Act, is a sham, and it is an outrage. We are calling up members of our National Guard and Reserves, pulling them out of their regular employment, taking them away from their homes and families and communities, and asking them to risk their lives in the fight against terrorism in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. And what does the Republican leadership of this House propose to do in order to help them face the financial strain this call-up imposes on them and their families as they risk their lives for our Nation? This legislation provides the tiniest of tiny benefits. The bill allows the waiver of the early withdrawal fees as reservists and National Guardsmen and women use their own retirement savings, their own IRAs, in order to meet their urgent financial needs caused by their activation to serve our Nation. This bill still requires that these brave men and women pay taxes on the money they withdraw. This means that a reservist in the 25 percent tax bracket would have to withdraw $10,000 from his own IRA in order to meet expenses of $7,500. Instead of considering serious and substantive Democratic proposals to help those who risk their lives for all Americans, the leadership of this House continues to adopt grandly titled legislation which does little or nothing. At the same time, the Republican leadership continues to press for the top White House domestic priority, another tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. Where is the shared sacrifice? Where is the effort to balance what all Americans are being asked to sacrifice as we fight the war on terrorism? Tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, minute waivers of fees on early withdrawals for soldiers fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. I cannot understand how the leadership of this House can shamelessly bring this tepid legislation to the floor and claim it benefits members of the Reserves and National Guard. Months ago, Madam Speaker, I introduced H.R. 1345, bipartisan legislation supported by 80 Members of this body, that would provide real relief to the more than 40 percent of the National Guard and Reserves who suffer serious financial hardship when they are activated to serve our Nation. There are currently 170,000 Reservists and National Guardsmen activated to fight the war on terrorism, which means that 70,000 of them are attempting to get by on drastically reduced salaries. Madam Speaker, the time has come to provide real assistance to these families. I challenge the Republican majority in this House to take meaningful action that will truly benefit the soldiers in our Reserve and National Guard units. It is time to stop playing with sham legislation like this bill that we are considering today.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on March 30th, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus held a groundbreaking Members Briefing entitled, ``International Disability Rights: The Proposed UN Convention.'' This discussion of the global situation of people with disabilities was intended to help establish disability rights issues as an integral part of the general human rights discourse. The briefing brought together the human rights community and the disability rights community, and it raised awareness in Congress of the need to protect disability rights under international law to the same extent as other human rights through a binding UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities. The Caucus welcomed as expert witnesses Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark P. Lagon; the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ecuador to the United Nations, Ambassador Luis Gallegos; the United Nations Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Johan Scholvinck; the distinguished former Attorney General of the United States, former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and former Governor of Pennsylvania, the Honorable Dick Thornburgh; the President of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), Alan A. Reich; Kathy Martinez, a member of the National Council on Disabilities (NCD); and a representative of the United States International Council on Disabilities (USCID) and Executive Director of Mental Disability Rights International, Eric Rosenthal. I intend to place their important statements in the Congressional Record, so that all of my colleagues may profit from their expertise, and I ask that my own statement at the briefing be placed at this point of the Congressional Record. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to welcome you to today's Congressional Human Rights Caucus Briefing on international disability rights and the proposed UN Convention. I would like to thank the Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, James Langevin, as well as my good friends Peter King, Betty McCollum, Jim Moran and Jim Cooper for attending this important briefing. We all owe a special thanks to our former colleague, the former Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Benjamin Gilman, for his active participation in this briefing. His support for this noble cause is invaluable. This is the first time that the Congressional Human Rights Caucus has held a briefing on international disability rights. While I am very pleased that the Caucus is holding this groundbreaking briefing today, the mere fact that this is the first of its kind highlights an important shortcoming of the work of the human rights community, which, so far, has largely been absent in its support for the disability community. Ladies and gentlemen, an estimated 600 million people in the world have a disability of various types and degrees. The day-to-day life of 25 percent of the world's population is affected by disability--affecting entire families, not just individuals. 80 percent of the world's people with a disability live in developing countries, where only 1 percent to 2 percent have access to the necessary rehabilitation services. The majority of an estimated 150 million children with disabilities worldwide remain deprived of learning opportunities. Only 2 percent of children who have disabilities in developing countries are attending schools or have access to rehabilitation facilities. These facts only begin to describe the global disparities in the living conditions of persons with disabilities. According to the recent State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, in the People's Republic of China, some protection laws were passed and attention to disability issues raised, particularly in light of the upcoming Special Olympics in 2007. However, a wide gap exists between protection laws and the practical implementation. Additionally, some remaining legal provisions outrightly contradict those protection laws. The Maternal and Child Health Care Law prohibits the marriage of persons with certain specified contagious diseases or certain acute mental illnesses. If doctors find that a couple is at risk of transmitting disabling congenital defects to their children, the couple may marry only if they agree to use birth control or undergo sterilization. Doctors frequently force parents of children with disabilities to place those children in state- run institutions, which cannot provide adequate rehabilitation. Government statistics showed that almost one- quarter of the approximately 60 million persons with disabilities live in extreme poverty. The Higher Education Law enables universities to legally exclude disabled candidates for higher education. Other countries also have codified laws to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities, but fail to implement them. Traditional myths and misconceptions further compound harsh living conditions for people with disabilities. For example, in Zimbabwe according to traditional beliefs, persons with disabilities are considered bewitched, and reports of children with disabilities being hidden when visitors arrive are common. In response to the existing global discrepancies, the UN set non-binding standards in 1993 through the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (UN res48/96). To further strengthen international standards, the General Assembly established an Ad Hoc Committee in 2001, which is charged with the drafting of a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. The Ad Hoc Committee is chaired by Ambassador Luis Gallegos, whom we welcome today to this briefing. Currently, 27 countries and 12 representatives of NGOs participate in a working group, which is considering draft proposals for such a convention, and which reports to the Ad Hoc Committee. Unfortunately, some critics have come forward and spoken out against this noble effort, characterizing it as either needless, naive, or too complex for an international solution. Arguments such as: ``Are we really going to tell the poorest countries of the world that they now have to build ramps for people in wheelchairs, when they barely can feed their citizens?'' do not only miss the purpose of a Convention, but also do not recognize the realities on the ground. To address the latter point on the practical implications first, I am fully convinced that poor and developing countries can only move forward in their development if they include people with disabilities. It is impossible to feed a starving population on the ground with food donations when, as I have mentioned earlier, a significant number of people in the developing world have a disability, and cannot even reach this food aid. International Donor countries could have hardly intended to provide food aid so we all can witness scenes on television reminiscent of Darwin's ``Survival of the Fittest,'' where only the strong survive. The same is true for any economic development. If significant numbers of people are excluded from any development and opportunities in a country, we can expect their dependence on international aid to continue. Furthermore, how can persons who are deaf or blind ever benefit from significant efforts in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, if they cannot be part of any education campaign, an issue recently addressed in a New York Times article from Sunday, March 28th? The United States can hardly change the infrastructure of a country over night. Nor can we do it alone, we need the international community and encourage all nations to move forward with our guidance and support. Critics also miss the point of what the purpose of the proposed Convention really is. The most important role of the proposed convention is the elevation of disability rights to the highest level of international law. Only if we can establish an internationally verifiable consensus on what disability rights are and through what mechanisms they can be achieved, can we expect to make them part of a meaningful international dialogue. This is exactly the purpose of other UN human rights instruments the US has not only entered into, but helped bring into existence, most notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which has become part of customary international law. This convention most certainly is not a ``silver bullet'' for all disability rights problems everywhere, nor does it change the situation in a country over night, only because it has become a party to this treaty. It also does not serve to ``threaten'' developing countries with the overnight implementation of unachievable goals and standards, but to offer an opportunity for a country to commit itself to a verifiable journey toward standards, which are the result of an international agreement. I think it behooves the United States to let other countries benefit from our expertise and the standards we have achieved, most notably in the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are undoubtedly the leading nation on disability rights, and we are the sole remaining superpower. This unique position realistically means that we can either provide active leadership toward passage of such a document, ensuring that it gains international credibility, or we can stand aside. Therefore, I was disappointed by the remarks of former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Ralph Boyd, before the Ad Hoc Committee on June 18, 2003. In his remarks, Assistant Attorney General Boyd, recognized that ``Unfortunately, persons with disabilities have too often been the targets of improper discrimination . . .'' and continues that: ``. . . the activism and attention of UN Member States brings hope that one day they will be seamlessly integrated into the societies in which they live.'' Interestingly enough, the U.S. does not seem to be one of those states infected with ``activism and attention,'' as he points out that--while the US has a lot of experience, and other countries are more than welcome to learn from us-- we do so considering our ``comprehensive domestic laws protecting those with disabilities, not with the expectation that we will become party to any resulting legal instrument.'' We have invited the Department of Justice to participate in today's briefing, but the Department declined our invitation yesterday. I find it very curious that the Department of Justice speaks at the United Nations about these issues, but has nobody available to share their position with Members of Congress at this briefing today. I, and all of my colleagues on the International Relations Committee, strongly disagreed with the position expressed by former Assistant Attorney General Boyd when we passed unanimously H. Con. Res. 169, a bill I have introduced in strong support of a UN Convention. I seriously hope that the Administration is reconsidering its position, and I call on the House Leadership to schedule my legislation as soon as possible, so that the Full House and the Senate can go on record in calling for an international convention before the next working group meeting in May. We also need to bring the complete resources of the U.S. Government to help in addressing the problems of people with disabilities abroad. That is why Frank Wolf and I introduced H.R. 1462, the International Disabilities and Victims of Civil Strife and Warfare Assistance Act, and we hope to see legislative action on that initiative soon. We should be the engine of this effort, not the breaks. Apart from our moral obligations as the richest and most powerful nation on this planet, the United States also stands to benefit directly from such efforts. First, only equal and full participation of all groups of society in all aspects of life can guarantee a stable country, and a strong democracy. I do not need to discuss this in great detail, as the spread of democracy around the globe has long been the foremost foreign policy goal of the United States. A leadership role in the field of international disability rights will significantly impact the positive perception of the United States globally. Second, in an increasingly global economy, American companies have to be global actors to be competitive. Maybe the critics of a strong US leadership role on this issue can explain to us how American citizens with disabilities will participate in those global opportunities, and the career chances they present, if persons with disabilities would not even be able to get to a branch office of their company in El Salvador, Rwanda, Vietnam or--let's say, Uzbekistan? As you are aware, the US government recently made fundamental changes in the way we will consider foreign aid. The Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-199) established the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and clearly proscribes in Sec. 607(b)(1)(B) as one criteria for a country's eligibility for funds through the Millennium Challenge Account the `` respect [for] human and civil rights, including the rights of people with disabilities.'' According to our legislation, ``Such determination shall be based, to the maximum extent possible, upon objective and quantifiable indicators of a country's demonstrated commitment to the criteria in subsection (b), and shall, where appropriate, take into account and assess the role of women and girls.'' The legislative intent is clear, the implementation is not. According to the MCC's Report on the Criteria and Methodology for Determining the Eligibility of Candidate Countries for Millennium Challenge Account Assistance in FY 2004, the disability rights criteria will largely be determined by the findings of the State Department's Human Rights Report. Unfortunately, the Country Reports vary widely in comprehensiveness and quality on this issue, precisely because of the absence of recognized international standards, which we have for other human rights issues. Clearly, only global and enforceable disability rights standards which have become part of accepted international law by UN Member Countries through a UN Convention can provide us with appropriate reporting criteria, so that an objective determination can be made.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), our distinguished colleague and my good friend.

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, we have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Madam Speaker, first I want to commend my friend, the distinguished gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), for his outstanding leadership as the current president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and as a long-time champion of NATO in our Congress over many years. He is serious and thoughtful in his leadership, and he has served our Nation well through his commitment to NATO and in many other ways. Madam Speaker, it gives me pleasure and a sense of personal delight to welcome seven new members to NATO. I passionately believe that in NATO we have a powerful group of allies who share our democratic values and objectives. Congress has consistently led the way in supporting NATO enlargement and in promoting a strong and robust role for NATO. NATO is the longest effective alliance in our time, and it has endured because it is comprised of free and democratic nations. No country was ever forced to join the Alliance by a larger and stronger power. There can be no better endorsement of NATO's success than the eagerness of the newly emerging Central and East European democracies to be part of it. The accession of seven countries is a milestone in Central and Eastern Europe where, not long ago, some people were skeptical about the fate of democracy and human rights. Some argued that the American emphasis on democracy in this region was misplaced and that our Nation's efforts would fail. We proved the skeptics wrong. These new NATO allies have taken positive steps to advance their integration into Europe, and they have already contributed to the security and the stability of that continent. They have acted as de facto NATO allies by contributing forces to both peacekeeping and other military operations, both within and outside of Europe, in Afghanistan and in Iraq. So today, Madam Speaker, as we raise seven European flags at NATO headquarters, we again reaffirm the close friendship and partnership we have with Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia; and we express our desire that this friendship grows stronger and even more vibrant within NATO. Madam Speaker, let me just say a few words about Russia's relationship to NATO. It is evident that as Russia strives to join the international community of democracies, it is in Russia's interests to have the arena of stability and prosperity in Europe expanded to Russia's borders. It is clear that if democratic forces gain strength within Russia, these democratic forces will welcome the enlargement of NATO and the growth of stable democracies in adjacent countries. It is not in Russia's interests to have a country on its border which is a totalitarian and authoritarian state, like Belarus. It is in Russia's interests to have countries nearby which are democratic, such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, prosperous, free, and proud members of NATO. During the Cold War, Madam Speaker, I never accepted the notion that NATO threatened Russia, and I do not accept it now. There is no NATO leader who has the slightest ambition to invade or act in a way that is contrary to Russia's long-term interests. NATO's leadership hopes for the evolution of a democratic and prosperous and stable Russia. The leadership and the members of NATO want nothing more for the Russia people than an improvement in their economic conditions and an improvement in their political and civil liberties. In conclusion, let me just say a word about the responsibility of NATO out of area. When NATO was established, Madam Speaker, it was designed as a shield against the Soviet Union. Thanks to our efforts, the Soviet Union no longer exists, and NATO must find for itself a new raison d'etre. That new raison d'etre is in places like Afghanistan and Iraq, where the free and democratic way of life we enjoy and other NATO members enjoy is threatened. Now, NATO today performs a very limited function in Afghanistan. I call upon NATO leadership to dramatically increase its presence in Afghanistan. Short of that happening, the new Afghanistan will collapse, and we will have countless hearings as to the reasons why. Well, we know what the reasons would be. It is the failure of NATO members to have a presence in Afghanistan commensurate with the need. In Iraq, NATO has a profound responsibility. While NATO members were divided initially with respect to moving into Iraq, today there is not a NATO member who has not benefited by the establishment of stability in that country. I call upon the leaders of all NATO countries, old NATO countries and the seven new ones, to recognize that for NATO to have any reason for existence, it must be present in a robust way in places that can desperately use NATO's presence. I call upon our leadership and the leadership of all NATO countries to recognize this. And I look forward to the time in the very near future when NATO will be present in both Afghanistan and in Iraq, in a major and robust way, that can guarantee success in these two important areas. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, a favorite son of Foster City, California is being mourned today after losing his life in Iraq. Andrew Dang, a bright and capable and enthusiastic young man, was a U.S. Marine who had served two weeks overseas when tragedy struck. Our hearts go out to his family and friends, former teachers and classmates, and all who remember him in sorrow today. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the Record an editorial from the San Mateo Daily Journal. The Horror of War Comes Home [From the San Mateo Daily Journal] For many, the war in Iraq is dealt with in abstract terms. Car bombs and fire fights are on the same level as images in a historical text. Here in the Bay Area, the war in Iraq and the war on terror mean there is longer lines at the airport and more training for local police. We see it as a level on the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System. It is removed from our reality despite its presence in current events. Often, our only connection is a daily dispatch from across the world. Even the names and faces of the casualties of war have yet to be solidified in our collective consciousness. So far, there have been 582 U.S. casualties since major conflict began just over a year ago. Sixty-five of those deaths have been Californians. The Peninsula has been spared--until now. Today, a Foster City family, the student body of Aragon High School and the community at large mourns the loss of Andrew Dang, a 20-year-old lance corporal for the U.S. Marine Corps whose life was cut short in a gun battle during a patrol near Ar Ramady, Iraq. The horror of war is now suddenly more real. Those that knew Dang describe the Foster City resident as someone with passion for science and technology who spent his free time building robots and rockets. He was one of the founding members of Aragon's renowned robotics team and by his senior year, Dang was taking multiple advanced placement classes in physics and chemistry. Dang was a bright, enthusiastic and popular young man who sought out a career in the military to get technical experience. It was his way of getting a college degree and obtaining a career path. In doing so, he also made a decision to defend the United States in its war on terror. His friends say he believed in the cause he was fighting for. He was proud of his job. Whether you believe the war is justified or not, its local impact can now be felt on very real terms. Too often, war is politicized and processed into sound bites. But war--and its casualties--is more than politics and candidates. Politics falls by the wayside when comprehending the loss of such a promising young life. Dang put his life on the line to protect what he believed in. In his heart he sought to protect the United States from terror and he fought to give the Iraqi people a taste of freedom. And he paid the ultimate price for that belief. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and the community that knew and loved him. Today, there is a hole in the heart of the Peninsula.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to pay tribute on Greek Independence Day to one of the United States' most important allies--and one that is held in such deep affection by millions and millions of Americans. Western civilization as we know it today owes a profound debt and, indeed, its very origins, to Greece. Classical Greek philosophy, sculpture, and theater set standards to which today's practitioners still aspire. And, as the cradle of democracy, Athens is the spiritual ancestor of our own Republic. The very word democracy comes from Greek, and so when we speak of the principles most dear to us, we are, in effect, speaking Greek. The history of Greek independence is one of the inspiring stories of our time. It is the tale of the revival of a great and ancient people through sheer commitment, sacrifice, and love of freedom and heritage. Transmitted through the generations, the ideals of the ancient Greeks inspired their revolutionary descendants in the 19th century, when gallant stalwarts of the War of Independence such as Theodore Kolokotronis and Rigas Velestinlis wrote of their belief in the rights of man. The histories and fortunes of the United States and Greece have been intimately intertwined ever since the beginning of modern Greek sovereignty. The cause of Greek independence evoked sympathy throughout the Western world. Well known is Lord Byron, whose uncompromising commitment to Greece was epitomized by his declaration ``In for a penny, in for a pound.'' Less renowned but no less committed were the many American Philhellenes, who repaid their debt to Greek culture by crossing the ocean to fight for Greek liberation. I am pleased that these American citizens were honored with a monument in Athens 4 years ago. Greek citizens also crossed the ocean in the other direction, emigrating to the United States, where they enjoyed great success and shared their prosperity with their kinfolk in their original homeland. They have served as a bridge of understanding between our two nations, and they have refreshed America with their spirit, their patriotism, and their hard work. Today, some 5 million Americans claim Greek ancestry, with understandable pride. Greece is one of less than a handful of nations which have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States in every major war of the 20th century. Our close relations became even closer after World War II. The Truman Doctrine helped save Greece from communism, indeed helped save it for the Western world, and the Marshall Plan helped in its economic regeneration. In 1952, Greece joined NATO, formalizing the deep, mutual commitment of Greece and the rest of the Western world to protecting freedom. In more recent times, Greece has been one of the world's amazing success stories. A full-fledged member of the European Union for two decades, Greece has become increasingly prosperous; it has whipped chronic inflation and qualified to join the ``Euro currency zone.'' This year we celebrate the passage of three decades since modern Greece reclaimed its mantle as a democratic role model for the nations of the world. Its once unsettled domestic politics has long since given way to an incontestably stable, yet colorful, democracy. Just this month, we once again witnessed the peaceful electoral transfer of power from one democratic party to another. This year we have more reason than ever to celebrate the legacy of Greece, as the Olympics return to their birthplace and real home. Just as Greeks gave the world democracy, so they taught us the Olympic ideals of peace, cooperation, and fair and noble competition. And so it is appropriate that Athens, the city that first lit the torch of Democracy, now plays host to the Olympic flame. Greece remains our critical strategic partner in today's post-cold- war world. We cooperate closely in promoting peace and stability in the Balkans. Economic ties with Greece are vital to virtually every Balkan state. Athens has been a firm supporter of efforts to settle the Cyprus problem, and it remains committed to a just, lasting, and democratic settlement of the Cyprus issue. And I'm sure everyone in this body applauds Greece's historic and courageous efforts in recent years to resolve differences with its neighbor Turkey. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Greek people on the 183d anniversary of their independence, and I join my colleagues in thanking them for their vast contributions to world civilization and especially to our Nation.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a most talented and remarkable scholar--Professor Istvan Deak, the Seth Low Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University, and a world- renowned expert about 19th and 20th century Europe. Professor Deak was born in 1926 in Hungary and after surviving the Second World War, enrolled in college at the University of Budapest. Later, after Hungary was overtaken by the communist regime, Professor Deak fled his homeland and arrived in the United States in 1956. He earned his Doctorate in Modern European History from Colombia University in 1964 and then began a distinguished career as a professor there. Mr. Speaker, Professor Deak has focused his research on the history of resistance, collaboration and retribution of political movements in 19th and 20th century Europe. His research and publications on this topic has been extraordinary and has provided great insight into this often neglected area of academic pursuit. Professor Deak's research has been especially important when compared to his colleagues working on similar topics but trapped in Eastern Bloc countries. While Professor Deak was able to write and research unfettered, his colleagues in Eastern Europe were dictated to and directed by party rulers that desired to rewrite the history of their regimes in the best possible light. Mr. Speaker, it should be pointed out that while Professor Deak was able to work freely in this country, his work was hindered by the fact that many of his crucial sources remained behind the Iron Curtain, and were often only available to members of the Communist party. As a result, Professor Deak often traveled to Hungary for his research, placing himself in danger. The ruling regime had the power to interrupt his travel if his work was deemed a threat. Undaunted by these constraints, Professor Deak continued to produce brilliant work on the Hungarian Revolution as well as the history of European Nationalism. Mr. Speaker, in addition to his extraordinary research and writing talents, Professor Deak devoted much time to his students, both at Columbia and around the world. He lectured in universities in Germany and the United States, where he continuously taught his students to be critical thinkers. He also stressed to his students the idea that history should be considered an art and that their historical prose should be elegant. Professor Deak is a prodigious writer himself and has authored numerous articles, reviews, and books, including; Weimar Germany's Left-Wing intellectuals: A Political history of the Weltbuhne and its Circle and Beyond Nationalism: a Social and Political History of the Habsburg Officer Corps, 1848-1918. He continues to prove himself as an articulate and gifted historian; his recent essays have been published in the New York Review of Books and The New Republic, and he also recently published a book entitled Essays on Hitler's Europe. Mr. Speaker, Professor Istvan Deak is an extraordinary scholar and his work on collaboration and resistance has provided numerous invaluable lessons to our generation and future generations. I urge all my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to him today.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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