Tom Lantos

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to an extraordinary activist, volunteer and educator, Clara Brossell Crook, who recently passed away one week before her 93rd birthday. Born in Canada in 1910, Clara immigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1912, and was educated at the University of Wisconsin, Lawrence University, Marquette University, and the University of New Hampshire. As the single parent of two young children during World War II, she began a varied and amazing career that included being the Director of Personnel of St. Luke's Hospital, the Associate Director of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Vice Dean of the Business School at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During her 32 years as a resident of Burlingame, California, located in my congressional district, Ms. Crook was the founder of the Burlingame Senior Commission, the Emeritus Forum, and the Slippy Hippies support group. She was chair of the San Mateo County Commission on Aging, the College of San Mateo Emeritus Institute, the Burlingame Civil Service Commission, the Burlingame Senior Citizens Coordinating Council, chair of the Teamwork Ensuring Elder Support, and co-chair of the San Mateo County Alliance of Service Providers. Clara was also the gracious host of the KCSM-FM radio program ``Senior Talk'' and the KSOL weekly radio talk show host of TV program ``Senior Focus''. In addition to all of this, she was also a member of the Stanford Geriatric Advisory Committee and the San Mateo County Self-Esteem Task Force. Mr. Speaker, Clara was a resounding voice and advocate for the senior citizens of our community and country, urging and supporting independence, self-sufficiency, and dignity for seniors. Her boundless energy for these projects, and for life itself, made her a pillar in our community. Her diligence and astounding capacity to achieve her goals resulted in her receiving numerous accolades including: Burlingame Citizen of the Year, California State Legislature's Woman of the Year, and the Lion's Club-Burlingame Citizen of the Year. Additionally, the litany of her achievements includes being the first recipient of the College of Notre Dame's Human Services Award, the Shinnyo-En USA Citizen of the Year, being selected as Woman of the Year in the 20th Assembly District, being recognized by the California State Senate, and commended by President Clinton. She has also been listed in Who's Who in American Women, Who's Who in Public Relations, 2000 Women of Achievement, and Worlds Who's Who of Women. Finally, in recognition of all these accomplishments, Clara Brossell Crook was recently inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Mr. Speaker, it is without exaggeration when I say Clara was an exceptional influence on our district. Her amazing energy and extraordinary intellect was a source of inspiration for all and definitely provided us with a better understanding of the needs of our elderly, an area far too often neglected in our national zeitgeist. Her passing has taken away one of San Mateo's favored daughters and her contributions to the betterment of our local and national community will certainly be missed. Clara is survived by her daughter Victoria B. Zenoff of Richmond, California, her son David B. Zenoff and his wife Janet N. Hunter of San Francisco, her grandchildren Andrew Zenoff, Fay Zenoff Ginzburg and Alexandria Hunter Zenoff, and her sister Goldye Mullen of San Francisco. Mr. Speaker, my wife Annette and I are deeply grieved by Clara's passing and I urge all of my colleagues to join us in offering our most sincere condolences to her family.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw my colleagues' attention to a group of incredible human rights defenders. Each year the Reebok Human Rights Award recognizes young activists who, early in their lives and against great odds, have made significant contributions to the field of human rights strictly through nonviolent means. The Award aims to generate positive international attention for the recipients and to support their efforts. Honorees receive a $50,000 per person grant to a qualifying organization to further their work from The Reebok Human Rights Foundation. The recipients of the 2003 Award will visit Capitol Hill this week. I take this opportunity to commend Paul Fireman for creating this innovative corporate program for raising public awareness of human rights at Reebok and I congratulate the 2003 Award recipients for their remarkable accomplishments. At a time when the world's attention is focused on the war in Iraq, we ought not lose sight of the fact a more safe and stable world rests in our ability to promote human rights and the rule of law. Recipients of the Reebok Human Rights Award are working every day to defend fundamental rights on every continent. Award candidates must be 30 years of age or younger and cannot advocate violence or belong to an organization that advocates violence. Award candidates must be working on an issue that directly relates to the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Women and men of all races, ethnic groups, citizenship and religions are eligible. Each year the Reebok Human Rights Award program undertakes an extensive nomination outreach program, with over 10,000 nomination packets being sent worldwide. After all nominations are received, a team of international human rights experts and researchers begin the exhaustive task of researching and qualifying all nominees. Over the next several months, references are obtained, facts are checked, and accomplishments are verified for each and every application received. A group of finalists is presented to the Reebok Human Rights Board of Advisors, who select the Award recipients. A total of 72 women and men from 34 countries have received the Award. These young heroes have ranged from a Cuban prisoner of conscience to a Liberian human rights monitor to an American advocate for battered women. All of them have taught us unforgettable lessons about the true nature of courage and humanity. The recipients of the 2003 Reebok Human Rights Award are: Ernest Guevarra (Philippines) Early on, Ernest Guevarra (age 24) knew his life's mission was to be a doctor and to promote human rights. As a student activist, he helped found Medical Students for Social Responsibility and spearheaded campaigns advocating for the health needs of the vulnerable and disadvantaged. When Ernest graduated, he became a volunteer doctor in Mindanao with the Medical Action Group, providing care to victims of human rights violations. One month after September 11th, Ernest was asked to join a fact-finding mission to Basilan, an area with a number of Muslim rebel groups. Government forces were aggressively arresting hundreds of Muslim suspects, and it was alleged that many of them were being tortured. As Ernest was examining the prisoners, an armed guard threatened him with an M-16 rifle and locked him up with the detainees. Undaunted, Ernest continued his examinations and demanded that the prisoners receive proper treatment. When he was finally released, Ernest and the team pressed on into the perilous region controlled by separatist rebels to provide humanitarian assistance to a community under siege. They soon found themselves hostages. ``After hours of talking and offering sacks of rice and dried fish, we were able to negotiate a safe passage home,'' Ernest said. ``I was happy to come out of that situation alive, but sad that people there continue to confront harsher forms of violence and abuse. And, unlike us, they do not have the option to leave.'' Despite the personal risk, Ernest chose to remain in Mindanao. Several days ago, the Philippine military invaded the region where Ernest is working in search of a rebel group. Thousands of villagers have been forced to leave the area. As the only doctor in the region, Ernest is responding to the crisis, providing an emergency health response system to over 40,000 refugees. Pedro Anaya (United States) In his early teenage years, Pedro Anaya (age 24) was more interested in gangs than he was in human rights. But some influential mentors and a school assignment helped steer him in a different direction. When asked to write about an American hero, Pedro chose Mexican American activist Cesar Chavez. Dismayed when his teacher rebuked him for writing about a ``Mexican'' rather than an American hero, Pedro vowed to raise awareness about Chavez. Since then, he has used Chavez's life and values as a model to inspire young people. Pedro fights human rights abuses against Latinos of Mexican origin, the frequent target of discrimination and prejudice in the San Diego area. While still in high school, he organized a campaign to rescind the California proposition that would prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving benefits or public services. In college, Pedro brought campus groups and inner-city organizations together to support the United Farm Workers. He proved to local farm workers that by organizing, they could gain a voice, regardless of legal status or language. And he marshaled support to force growers to address health and safety problems and to replace deplorable worker encampments with proper housing. As continuing education director for the National Conference for Community and Justice, Pedro now pursues his personal campaign to empower Latinos. He has already worked with more than a thousand young people, fostering leadership and mobilizing them to learn to combat social injustices and prejudice. Oona Chatterjee (United States) Community organizer Oona Chatterjee (age 29) took inspiration from poet Antonio Machado who wrote, ``Searcher, there is no road. We make the road by walking.'' Oona became an activist for social change in Bushwick, a poor and largely immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. In 1997, she and a colleague founded Make the Road by Walking (MRBW), a unique community-based organization built on the belief that the center of leadership must be within the community itself. Since then, the organization has grown dramatically and now includes over 600 members, a member-elected board composed of low-income community residents, and a staff of twelve. Over the past 5 years, MRBW has achieved many improvements to the lives of Bushwick residents. Members recently forced New York City to conform to federal law and provide translation services to non-English speakers in all of its food stamp, welfare, and Medicaid offices. They also forced dozens of neighborhood employers to pay more than $100,000 in illegally withheld wages to garment workers. They have educated residents on how to prevent, detect, and treat lead poisoning. They launched GLOBE (Gays and Lesbians of Bushwick Empowered) to fight homophobia and to provide the community's first safe space for gay men and women. And, with Oona as the driving force, their Youth Power Project recently helped redirect $53 million of New York City's budget away from the expansion of juvenile jail facilities and toward youth development projects. Mohamed Pa-Momo Fofanah (Sierra Leone) Mohamed Pa-Momo Fofanah (age 30) is an attorney in Sierra Leone dedicated to defending the rights of children caught in a web of poverty and unspeakable atrocities. Sierra Leone recently emerged from a ruthless, decade-long civil war, in which tens of thousands of civilians were killed, over 100,000 were mutilated, tortured and raped, and millions were driven from their homes. Many were compelled to work as slave laborers, and children were forced to become soldiers and commit violent acts against family and neighbors. This decade of destruction has left 75% of Sierra Leone's population under the age of 25, and has decimated the country's economy and infrastructure. Extreme poverty is rampant, and an adequate juvenile justice system is nearly non-existent. As a result, children have become both victims of abuse as well as offenders--often resorting to crime just to survive. Since receiving his law degree in 1998, Pa-Momo has worked tirelessly to defend the rights of children and to improve the treatment of juveniles in the justice system. He has worked with the Sierra Leone office of Defense for Children International, where he provides free legal advice on children's rights, represents juveniles arbitrarily arrested and detained, and takes up cases of child abuse and rape. To further strengthen his fight for the protection of children, Pa-Momo also helped create the Lawyers Centre for Legal Assistance (LAWCLA), the only organization in Sierra Leone to offer free legal services to indigent victims of human rights abuses. Christian Mukosa (Dem. Rep. of Congo) Christian Mukosa (age 28), also an attorney, fights to expose human rights violations in the Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in one of the world's most dangerous and turbulent settings. Since 1998, the Kivu provinces have been the battleground between Congolese forces and a host of armed rebel groups. The broader war has fueled interethnic strife, resulting in civilian deaths and the punishment of groups for suspected loyalty to rival forces. Human rights defenders who try to report on the abuses are repeatedly threatened and arrested. As a field investigator and lawyer for Horitiers de la Justice, Christian gathered information on abuses by meeting with victims and visiting detention centers. He also represented indigent victims at no cost, pressured local authorities to respect the law, and trained local activists to monitor human rights violations. Christian and his colleagues responded to reports of human rights violations by confronting authorities directly with evidence. Each week, they released one-page appeals on particular cases and distributed them to local and international human rights organizations and the United Nations. They also published an annual report on human rights violations. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join these outstanding human rights defenders at a reception in their honor on Tuesday, April 8, at 6:00 p.m. in the Rayburn Foyer.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr Speaker, I rise today to introduce a critical and comprehensive initiative--the Uniited States International Leadership Act of 2003--aimed at strengthening American leadership at the United Nations and at other international organizations. Mr. Speaker, let me first express my sincere gratitude to the bill's cosponsor, the distinguished Chairman of the Rules Committee, and a dear friend from my home state of California, Congressman David Dreier. Many of the ideas for our bill came from a Council on Foreign Relations report that Chairman Dreier co-authored last year with our former International Relations Committee Chairman, Lee Hamilton. The report, ``Enhancing U.S. Leadership at the United Nations,'' focused attention on a critical problem in American foreign policy--our inability consistently to promote our interests and values in multilateral fora such as the UN. It also offered concrete steps to rebuild our influence. The United States International Leadership Act builds on the Dreier- Hamilton report and is designed to give our diplomats the tools they need to ensure that America once again punches at its weight in the UN. Specifically the bill: Creates a Democracy Caucus at the UN to encourage other democracies to join us in promoting positions at the UN that support freedom and oppose tyranny and hatred. Requires the State Department to pay high level visits each year to key countries to make sure that their leaders understand that support for our positions at the UN is critical to their overall relationship with us. Directs the President to use U.S. influence to reform the criteria for leadership and membership at the UN bodies to ensure that rogue regimes and authoritarian governments cannot continue to thwart the noble purposes that each body was created to advance. Provides increased training to our Foreign Service Officers to help them develop the skills they need to conduct effective diplomacy at the UN and other multilateral organizations. Affords Foreign Service Officers--for the first time ever--an opportunity to advance their careers by undertaking assignments to represent the U.S. to the UN and to other multilateral institutions. Creates a new Office on Multilateral Negotiations to be headed by a Special Representative with the rank of ambassador who has the responsibility to make sure that we have the resources and the strategies needed to prevail in each critical negotiation and decision we face at the UN and in other multilateral negotiations. Mr. Speaker, it is an undeniable fact of life that our participation in the UN and other international organizations is critical to achieving our foreign policy goals. Right now the UN is helping us to advance our war against terrorism by obligating all countries to freeze the assets of terrorist groups. UN treaties and inspectors are also an important part of our effort to prevent the proliferation of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. UN agencies are also critical in spearheading the fight to combat the ravages of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and now the terrifying new sickness, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). Despite these and many other examples of critical benefits we obtain from our engagement at the UN, the U.S. has often been blocked in its attempts to take action in these institutions to advance its goals and objective. A recent example is the United Nations Human Rights Commission, where Libya--a gross human rights violator--was elected chairman, and the United States temporarily lost a seat. Another was the UN's World Conference Against Racism, where rogue regimes successfully hijacked a critical forum on race and turned it into an ugly anti-Israeli and anti-American circus. A big part of the problem is that decisions at many international organizations, including membership and leadership, are made by regional groups where there is intensive cooperation by repressive regimes. The International Leadership Act, by building a Democracy Caucus and by developing expertise in the United States Government in the area of multilateral diplomacy, represents the beginning of what will be a long effort to rationalize and strengthen the UN, and other international organizations, by systematically reducing the leverage of repressive regimes and ensure that these organizations serve rather than thwart U.S. national interests. Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere hope that this measure will be quickly enacted and signed by the President, so that we can begin this critical project.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, recently I learned about an extraordinary individual, Mr. Gary Kibbee, a firefighter with the South San Francisco Fire Department and member of the Navy reserves. Firefighter Kibbee was activated shortly after September 11, 2001 and has remained deployed in an active duty role since then. He serves his country with honor and distinction, and I feel safe knowing that men like him are defending our nation. I am deeply concerned, however, that while Firefighter Kibbee is concentrating on the extraordinarily difficult and dangerous mission he had been deployed to perform, he is also being forced to worry about the welfare of his wife and two children. For Firefighter Kibbee's family has to worry not only about whether he will return, but also about how they will make ends meet. The Kibbee family is victim of a ``pay gap'' suffered by many of the over 200,000 Reservists and National Guardsmen currently activated. While he is activated, Firefighter Kibbee receives military pay that is significantly less than his civilian pay. This is a sacrifice he, his family, and his brothers and sisters serving in the Reserves and National Guard should not have to bear. Thankfully, for the past year Firefighter Kibbee has been able to rely on the generosity of the City of South San Francisco to cover the discrepancy between his civilian and military salary. However, South City, like so many other cities and towns, is facing looming deficits and is unable to continue to cover the difference in salary after 12 months, even for a two-time ``Firefighter of the Year'' award winner. Firefighter Kibbee was recently notified that his activation has been extended for another 12 months, taking his total time on active duty to the full two years. Mr. Speaker, if Firefighter Kibbee's concern was unique it would be extremely unfortunate. However, the fact that there are many other brave men and women sharing his concerns is truly a tragedy. Too many members of our Reserve components are faced with the difficult choice of defending their country or providing for their family. When a civilian is called up to active duty the Reservist's civilian salary is placed on hold and their paycheck now comes from the military. Often the amount of military pay is significantly less than the amount of their civilian salary. As a result of this discrepancy the families of reservists are asked to carry a double burden; a member of their family is temporarily absent--as is a portion of his or her salary. In order to substantially reduce the discrepancy in pay between civilian and military salaries for Reservists and members of the National Guard who are involuntary activated for more than thirty days, I, along with five of my colleagues, have introduced H.R. 1345, ``The Equity for Reservists Pay Act.'' I am pleased to report that this bi- partisan legislation also has the support of both the National Guard Association and the Reserve Officers Association. I request that copies of both are included in the Congressional Record. While the problems caused by this discrepancy in salary has long been known, the recent shift in the frequency and length of activations has aggravated the salary discrepancy issue. During the Cold War era, the Reserve components were hardly utilized, and in fact between 1945 and 1989 Reservists were involuntarily activated by the federal government only four times, an average of less than once a decade. In the aftermath of the Cold War our nation has relied more heavily on the Reserve components, involuntarily activating Reservists units six times since 1990, an average of about once every two years. Mr. Speaker, the mobilization of Reservists in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks has been the largest and longest since the 1990-91 Gulf War. Currently there are over 210,000 men and women Reservists on active federal duty. The average length of deployment since September 11th has been, for some, the longest continuous activation ever. The brave men and women serving in America's Reserve and National Guard make tremendous sacrifices for their country. Some are called to make the ultimate sacrifice. One sacrifice they and their families should not have to make is worrying about their financial security. It is the duty of our government to ensure that the men and women of the military reserves are not financially burdened when they answer their call to duty. Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that this bill does not provide extra compensation to members of the National Guard and Reserve components, but rather ensures that our Guardsmen continue to receive the amounts of their civilian salaries. It is well known in the Department of Defense that the potential for income loss during activation is a major concern for both officers and enlisted personnel in the Reserves. Given the Pentagon's increasing reliance on the Reserve Component, there exists a valid concern that the potential for financial losses would have a negative impact on recruiting and retention in the Reserves. Passage of H.R. 1345 would alleviate this concern and provides both for the financial security for our Reservists as well as security to our nation as a whole. Mr. Speaker, this important legislation is designed to ensure that federal, state and local government employees and those employed in the private sector can continue to defend our country without being forced to worry about their families pinching pennies to adjust to a life on a reduced salary. The legislation covers members of the Reserves who are involuntarily called up for a period of longer than 30 days as defined in Section 101(19) of Title 37 United States Code. The coverage of Federal employees uses a commonsense and cost neutral approach. The bill simply requires the employee's federal agency to pay the employee the difference between their military pay as defined by Section 101(21) of Title 37 (not including allowances) and their civilian base pay. Since Federal agencies and departments have already budgeted for their employees' salaries, there should not be additional expenditures required to cover any discrepancy the reservist employee suffers as a result of his or her involuntary call up. In addition to the numerous Federal government employees that this bill would cover, I believe that Congress should also assist state and municipal governments in providing the difference in salary that their Reservist employees face. H.R. 1345 also provides assistance to the state and municipal governments who choose to provide financial equity to their employees by allowing the states to request a reimbursement of 50 percent of the expenditures required for the first 9 months. After 9 months, the participating state and municipal governments are eligible for a full 100 percent reimbursement. In order to ensure that our government's generosity is not taken advantage of, I have included language into this legislation to prevent abuse. The anti-fraud provision of this bill, which is analogous to California law, requires municipal employees to return to their government jobs upon deactivation. An employee who accepts money to make up their salary discrepancy and doesn't return will have the received funds treated as a loan to be paid back in a manner to be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. Additionally, the appropriate Secretary has the discretion to waive all or part of the loan should an appropriate situation arise. Finally, Mr. Speaker, in order to provide the necessary incentive for non-government employers to make up the discrepancy in income that their brave employees encounter as a result of being involuntarily activated for more than 30 days, this legislation amends Subpart D of Part IV of subchapter A of Chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code, creating an ``Active-duty Reserve Component Employee Credit.'' This credit should provide an incentive for private companies to continue to pay their employees. This credit will be equal to 50 percent of the compensation paid to the reservist employee to make up the difference between their private salary and reservist pay. This legislation is a common sense solution to the unfortunate problem of financial insecurity suffered by the brave men and women of the Reserves. We cannot ask courageous men and women like Firefighter Kibbee to choose between supporting their families and defending our country. Since an extended activation results in financial loss for the Reservists and their families, it is only equitable that our government limits the financial loss as much as possible. H.R. 1345 is a fair and balanced approach to resolve this unacceptable and intolerable situation. I urge its expedited passage. Reserve Officers Association of the United States, Washington, DC, March 19, 2003. Hon. Tom Lantos, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman Lantos: On behalf of the nearly 80,000 members of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States, congressionally chartered to ``support the development and execution of a military policy for the United States, that will provide adequate national security,'' I want to thank you for your efforts in introducing the Omnibus Equity for Reservists Pay Act of 2003. The bill is an important step forward in recognizing the contributions of the members of the Reserve components of our Armed Forces to the Total Force and our national defense. Today as we wait anxiously for news of whether or when we will go to war with Iraq, more than 200,000 members of the Reserve components of our Armed Forces have been mobilized and/or deployed in anticipation of that event. Since September 11, 2001, a quarter-million citizen-soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen have been called to active duty and have left their homes, families, and communities in response to emerging contingencies. By the Department of Defense's own estimate, about one third of these activated reservists are losing money when their civilian paycheck is compared to their military salary (including the tax advantages of various benefits and allowances). Nearly seventy thousand troops is a hefty slice of Total Force assets going broke on active duty, going bankrupt before they even see the enemy they came to fight. The situation is bad and it can only get worse when you consider that Iraq will very likely take several years to be rebuilt, that the Reserve components will probably be supervising the project, and that if recent history is any guide, such occasions will continue. The issue here is that if we are serious about the societal benefits of the Total Force policy and the popular support it brings to any military undertaking, we need to reinforce it in every way possible. We cannot allow the compensation aspects of the system to drift so far off center that fully a third of its Reserve component members become economically dysfunctional merely by putting on their uniforms. Bankruptcy is not an effective recruiting or retention tool. With all of the other more immediate (and less tractable) issues mobilized reservists must face, we should do all we can to eliminate or ameliorate financial insecurity caused by post- mobilization compensation dysfunction. Your bill provides a range of solutions to the problem that has long plagued reservists and by extension the Total Force, and ultimately the nation. We are pleased at your vision in introducing it and we stand ready to assist in any way we can. Sincerely, Jayson L. Spiegel, Executive Director.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing H.R. 1462, the International Disabilities and Victims of Warfare and Civil Strife Assistance Act of 2003. Mr. Speaker, as we speak thousands of young men and women in our Armed Forces are beginning the long process of transforming Iraq and the entire Middle East by risking their lives in the desert plains before Baghdad. These brave members of our Armed Forces are facing many threats--threats from Iraqi's Fedayeen, who violate international humanitarian law by pretending to surrender and then attacking our troops, from weapons of mass destruction and from landmines. Mr. Speaker, I understand that already many of our casualties are related to these devices or have injuries similar to those inflicted by these weapons. The bill I am introducing today is intended to help those who face identical injuries. The suffering of individuals with disabilities and the innocent victims of landmines, civil strife and warfare--men, women and children who often lead shattered lives--transcends any politics. An often-difficult life in the developing world is instantly made nearly impossible, for example, as a landmine indiscriminately transforms a productive member of a village, an irreplaceable provider for a family, a child hoping for a better life, a young woman looking forward to marriage and children, into a crippled, demoralized person who is often shunned as a liability by his or her society. Persons with disabilities--either from birth, accidents, civil strife or other means--are marginalized, often without any hope of leading useful and productive lives. The United States provides some assistance for rehabilitation and societal reintegration of individuals suffering from disabilities and landmine victims, but so much more needs to be done; currently, only about 10 percent of U.S. assistance to address the landmine problem actually helps survivors. The International Disabilities and Victims of Warfare and Civil Strife Assistance Act of 2003 grants the President new statutory authority to conduct international disability and landmine victim programs, primarily through private organizations; authorizes and coordinates related activities of appropriate U.S. agencies; and authorizes increased funding levels for such programs. Let me make one additional point, Mr. Speaker, this bill is not about questions regarding the ban on landmines. It is simply a humanitarian measure designed to help the innocent men, women and children who face disabilities throughout their lives. I want to thank my cosponsor and cochairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, my good friend from Virginia, Frank Wolf for making this bipartisan legislation, as well as the Senate cosponsors, Senator Sam Brownback and Senator Hillary Clinton, who have been leaders in this area. I urge swift consideration and enactment of this legislation.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) to pay special tribute to women soldiers.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friends, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), for introducing this most important resolution. Mr. Speaker, today marks the seventh day of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a valiant campaign by the United States, the United Kingdom, and our partners to rid the world of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the regime that wields them. We have achieved much in this war so far. Iraq's southern oil fields have been saved, its western deserts have been secured, and its gulf ports have been opened. Our Air Forces have meticulously degraded Iraq's defenses while minimizing civilian casualties, and our Third Infantry Division is poised at Saddam Hussein's doorstep. We owe these successes to America's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who have performed bravely and brilliantly in this fight. The courage and skill they have displayed on the battlefield comes as no shock. Their training and leadership has prepared them well, but it does continue to inspire awe. I know I speak for all Americans, Mr. Speaker, in expressing my deepest admiration and strongest support for all of our military men and women fighting in Iraq. We admire especially the service of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in this war to date, and those who may do so in the days ahead. Our deepest condolences go to the families who have lost their loved ones. The brave men and women who have laid down their lives in Iraq are true American heroes whose debt our thankful Nation can never repay. America's Armed Forces, Mr. Speaker, represent the best our democracy has to offer. Their conduct reflects the values we cherish. We respect international law and uphold the highest human virtues in this fight. The enemy we face does not share these values. The Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein has waged this war in total violation of all norms of civilized behavior. Its armed forces use innocents as human shields, execute deserters on sight, hide in hospitals, fire from behind white flags, and deny their own people access to humanitarian assistance. They deliberately position their tanks and artillery next to mosques, schools, and hospitals, putting innocent Iraqi civilians at great risk. In a futile attempt to build support for his doomed regime, Saddam Hussein has waged a relentless and reckless disinformation campaign. To this end, he has utilized American prisoners of war as propaganda props, abusing, humiliating, and intimidating them, in clear violation of the Geneva Convention. The resolution before us delivers a stern warning to the Iraqi regime to end such atrocities and to comply with the terms of the Third Geneva Convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war. It places the full weight and power of the American people behind the enforcement of this code of conduct. We should not delude ourselves, Mr. Speaker. Saddam Hussein has utter contempt for the Geneva Convention and all international agreements. He feels no obligation to abide by the norms of civilized behavior, as he showed in his reprehensible conduct towards coalition soldiers in the first Gulf War. Our vote today is not likely to deter him, although we hope that it does. It will set the standard for the swift and certain justice we shall deliver to those who have perpetrated war crimes after Saddam's rotten regime collapses. It will show the entire world that the United States, the United Kingdom, and all of our partners are committed to the lawful, humane conduct of this war, despite the evil and cowardly tactics the enemy employs. I urge my colleagues to lend their support to this resolution and to the American prisoners of war currently in captivity. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to my good friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), the original author of this legislation and a distinguished member of our Committee on Armed Services.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that each side be given an additional 10 minutes so that Members who choose to speak on this important resolution may have the opportunity to do so.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Before yielding back my time, I would like to make one observation. We have paid tributes to our military who have been captured. We have expressed our determination that they be treated with dignity and within the confines of the Geneva Convention, and we have expressed our commitment that those who do not will be punished however long it takes us to find them and to bring them to justice. There is only one item that has not yet been mentioned in this debate. The Arab television network Al Jazeera has become part and parcel of Saddam Hussein's propaganda machine. I call on the government of Qatar and others who are capable of doing so of rectifying the outrageous policies of this television network which is being used to humiliate and intimidate our military. It is unacceptable that an international television network be used as part of Saddam Hussein's propaganda machine, and we expect action to be taken on that issue. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to an extraordinary professor, an esteemed colleague and dear friend, Don Castleberry. He recently passed away at his home in San Mateo, California on Sunday February 16, 2003, having lived a blessed and generous life. Don was born December 2, 1914 in Hollis, Oklahoma and received his Bachelor's Degree from Central State College in Edmond, Oklahoma. He then attended the University of Oklahoma to obtain a Master's Degree and went on to the University of Minnesota where he received a Ph. D. in Political Science. During World War II, he bravely served his country as the Assistant Director of Civilian Relief Operations (CRO) for the American Red Cross in Russia and then as Director of CRO in Poland. After returning from Europe, Don moved his family to California and began his remarkable career at San Francisco State University (SFSU). His extraordinary career at the University spanned a remarkable 31 years. During his tenure he taught political science and held a variety of administrative positions, the last of which as the Dean of the Graduate Division. Additionally, Don had the privilege of spending a year teaching at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon as a Fullbright Scholar in 1959. Mr. Speaker, it is without exaggeration when I say Don was an exceptional influence on my life. In addition to being a splendid professor, Don was a dedicated advisor during my first Congressional campaign. In fact I have always viewed Don's keen insight, astounding intellect and courageous spirit as great assets that were crucial to my first Congressional victory. His passing has taken away one of San Mateo's favored sons and his contributions to the betterment of our local and national community will certainly be missed. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Arline, his wonderful children Karen and Gerry, his grandchildren Samantha, Christopher, Timothy and William and his sister Beth. Mr. Speaker, my wife Annette and I are deeply grieved by Don's passing and I urge all of my colleagues to join us in offering our most sincere condolences to Arline and the rest of Castleberry family.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to pay tribute to one of my most extraordinary constituents, a beacon of kindness in the world, Ms. Nancy Rivard. This outstanding woman is a former airline attendant who single-handedly founded the Airline Ambassadors International (AAI), an extraordinary non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of needy children from all over the world. Ms. Rivard's desire to establish this organization, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of needy children began over ten years ago. After years of trial, turmoil and rejection her dream finally became a reality when AAI was founded in 1996. Every year this wonderful organization makes a difference in the lives of over 100,000 children in 25 of the world's most troubled countries by having its members hand-deliver food, clothing, medicine, school supplies and personal care products directly to the children in the receiving countries. Since its inception AAI has seen the ranks of its volunteers grow to more than 400 people who have contributed over 600,000 hours of their time. Mr. Speaker, this remarkable organization is made up of 4 different components. First, the Humanitarian Aid Program coordinates the local effort to collect and sort humanitarian and medical supplies. Volunteers arrange the pick up and packing of donations and then with the help of a participating airline, they ship the items to the countries that are currently receiving aid. From there the donations are hand-delivered directly to the children. The volunteers also are involved with facility refurbishing, holiday parties and planting trees. Second is the Children's Escort Program, which supplies volunteer escorts for children in need of medical care in the United States. AAI provides the adoption agency or nonprofit organization with a previously screened and qualified escort at a significantly reduced airfare. The child's airfare is provided through the ``Miles for Kids'' program. The third component is the Youth Programs. These programs give young people the chance to be involved in the humanitarian missions, a unique opportunity that offers adolescences the chance to help needy kids their own age and experience kindness and compassion on a whole new level. AAI also co-sponsors an annual youth art competition that has received entries from over 60,000 children in approximately 62 countries. Finally, the fourth component of AAI involves members volunteering at special events, locally, nationally and internationally with goals to better the world and bring goodwill into action. Mr. Speaker, Nancy Rivard's tireless work has helped countless children in their time of need. Her selflessness, passion and drive have not only given the world's needy children the chance to experience things they had only dreamed of, but more importantly, she has given these children a glimmer of hope. Her plan to build Airline Ambassadors into an organization of even more strength and ability is an ambitious plan, one that should be applauded. Nancy was recently presented with a well-deserved ``National Caring Award'' for her accomplishments with AAI. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to say that this remarkable woman is one of my longtime constituents and it delights me to think that I am representing such a fine example of the American people. I urge all my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Nancy Rivard, for this exceptional woman is truly an inspiration to all of us, proving that one person can make a difference.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS.Mr. Speaker, on Rollcall No. 83, recorded on Friday, March 21, 2002 at 3:00 a.m., I was unable to cast my floor vote due to miscommunication with floor staff. This vote was on H. Con. Res. 104, expressing the support and appreciation of the Nation for the President and the members of the Armed Forces who are participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As my colleagues can attest, I am a strong support of our Armed Forces and of our operations in Iraq. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted ``aye'' to Rollcall Vote No. 83.

Mr. LANTOS

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

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I first would like to applaud the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, for expediting consideration of this very important bill in support of President Enrique Bolanos and his administration. I also want to acknowledge the two cosponsors of this bill, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt), my good friend, who has been one of our leaders on all Western Hemisphere affairs. Mr. Speaker, the world last year witnessed the constitutional and peaceful transfer of power in Nicaragua from one democratically elected president to another. The inauguration of President Bolanos thus represented the further consolidation of democracy in Nicaragua after many decades of authoritarian rule. Since his inauguration, President Bolanos and his administration have struggled to reinvigorate the Nicaraguan economy, create jobs, reduce widespread poverty, and battle institutionalized corruption. Although the task is daunting, as Nicaragua remains to this day the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere after despairingly devastated Haiti, it is not insurmountable with the help of allies like the United States. H.R. 868 reflects our commitment to assisting Nicaragua in meeting its many challenges in a couple of ways. First, the Nicaragua Property Dispute Settlement Act enables us to bolster the efforts of the Nicaraguan administration to address the claims of U.S. citizens who have had property expropriated by previous Nicaraguan administrations. Equally importantly, our legislation signals our strong support for the new administration as it attempts to purge Nicaraguan institutions of cronyism and corruption. As we consider H.R. 868, I am confident that President Bolanos is as resolved as we are to strengthen the ties between our two countries by working together on issues of common concern like voting patterns at the United Nations. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt), my good friend and distinguished colleague.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. First I would like to congratulate my good friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the principal author of this important resolution, for bringing it to our attention. She is a valued member of our committee, and I want to thank her personally for this important initiative. Mr. Speaker, it is a sad commentary on the 21st century that we have seen the resurgence under Islamic Sharia religious law of the practice of execution by stoning, where an individual is buried up to his or her neck in sand, and witnesses are invited to throw stones until that person is dead, while shouting, ``God is great.'' It is the ultimate oxymoron on the face of this planet that as a human being is buried up to her neck in sand and is pelted with stones, the phrase can be heard ``God is great.'' The stones in this vile practice are carefully chosen so that they are large enough to cause horrendous pain, but not so large as to kill the condemned individual immediately. Victims of stoning are guaranteed a slow, torture-filled death. Sometimes, Mr. Speaker, their children are forced to watch. This past year, the world was horrified as mothers were tried, convicted and subjected to this horrible death sentence. The fact that these women have been given the recourse to court appeals does not make the punishment any more acceptable. Execution by stoning violates all international standards of human rights and decency. We must let the world know, Mr. Speaker, that civilized nations and the United States in particular reject with disgust and horror this form of punishment. I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 26. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the author of this resolution.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, but before yielding back my time, I want to join my colleague from Minnesota in paying tribute to the people of Minnesota for their extraordinary commitment to human rights and to their commitment to protecting victims of torture. I also want to make an observation concerning the absurdity of the current composition of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, where countries serve where the practice of stoning women to death is legal and practiced. This is just one more example of the absurdity of many of these international organizations, pretending to be something totally different from what they are. Stoning women to death and serving on the International Commission for Human Rights are incompatible activities, and it is high time we focus on bringing some reality to international organizations. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. First, I would like to commend my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the vice-chairman of our committee, for his continued and steadfast leadership on all issues relating to human rights. The political, human rights and security situation in North Korea is deteriorating rapidly, Mr. Speaker. It is critically important that our Nation have a strategy for addressing the whole host of our concerns with North Korea. We indeed have a crisis on the Korean Peninsula, and the sooner the executive branch engages at the highest levels to deal with that crisis, the better. When policymakers, journalists, academics, and Members of Congress discuss the North Korean situation, the natural focus of attention is on North Korea's dangerous and destabilizing nuclear and missile programs. North Korea's nuclear program poses a clear and present danger to all civilized nations, particularly with North Korea's increasingly advanced medium- and long-range missile program. But this legitimate focus on North Korean security issues often obscures the horrendous human rights situation in that country. Mr. Speaker, the United States must develop a comprehensive approach to North Korea, one that allows us to tackle North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and the destruction that North Korea's leaders are imposing on their own people by their human rights policies. Mr. Speaker, it is evident that the world has no greater abuser of internationally recognized human rights than the Government of North Korea. Over the past 8 years, North Korea's leaders allowed more than 1 million citizens to starve to death rather than to implement economic and agricultural reforms. The children who survive starvation face a life marred by permanent physical and mental disabilities caused by their severe and long-term malnutrition. Meanwhile, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Il, imports the finest foods and luxury items for himself and his entourage, living in the lap of luxury in Pyongyang. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, death and destruction are only part of North Korea's pattern of gross violations of human rights. Those citizens who make even the mildest criticisms of the government are immediately imprisoned, tortured, or killed. There is no freedom of assembly, no freedom of worship, no freedom of speech, no political freedom. In short, Mr. Speaker, North Korea is the worst kind of totalitarian police state. The United States and other civilized nations must make it clear that vast improvements in North Korea's human rights situation must be part of a dialogue with North Korea, and normalization of relations will not occur under current circumstances. The best way to send that signal from the international community is for the United States to pursue a resolution critical of North Korea's human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Our resolution urges the administration to undertake this initiative, and I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo), my friend and our distinguished colleague, who in the short time she has been with us has already made significant contributions to the work of this body.