Tom Lantos

Mr. LANTOS

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

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

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to invite all my Colleagues to commemorate during this week the 44th anniversary of one of the most tragic events in Tibetan history. During the bloody ``Lhasa Uprising'' in 1959, courageous people were killed while standing up for the religious, political and cultural rights of all Tibetans. Throughout this uprising, many large Tibetan cities were destroyed by Chinese artillery, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was forced into exile for fear of his life and, according to Chinese statistics, nearly 87,000 Tibetans were killed, arrested or deported to labor camps. The brutal crushing of the Lhasa Uprising tragically only further highlights the brutal suppression of the Tibetan people, which began with the Chinese invasion in 1948 and continues to this very day. Facing brave resistance after the invasion of Tibet, the People's Republic of China forced the Tibetan Government to accept a 17 point agreement in 1951 by threatening Tibet with further military force. The agreement made Tibet a part of China, but assured the people of Tibet that all political, cultural and religious institutions, including that of the Dalai Lama would be preserved. China has yet to stand by these promises. After systematic and ongoing violations of the agreement, a growing Tibetan rebellion began to reach a national scale. The Chinese blamed His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the resistance and rumors began to stir of plans to kill or kidnap him in reaction to this rebellion. On March 10th, 1959 the people of Lhasa surrounded the Dalai Lama's Norbulingka compound in hopes to protect their leader from an almost certain death, and the also demanded that the Chinese leave Tibet. This day is remembered by the Tibetan Community around the world as ``Tibetan Uprising Day.'' One week later, on March 17th, 1959, as feared by many, the People's Liberation Army began shelling the Dalai Lama's complex. Unbeknownst to the PLA the Dalai Lama had fled to India only a short 48 hours before the attack. Mr. Speaker, the people of Tibet have faced persistent brutal oppression for nothing more than the crime of having different beliefs than those of the Chinese government. Since China's occupation of Tibet, the PRC has enforced its despotic rule with violence such as military occupation, population transfers and the destruction of Tibetan cultural and religious institutions. The people of Tibet have had almost every human right possible violated over the past 50 years. To this day, the PRC continues to violate the 17 point agreement and commit horrifying human rights abuses in Tibet. The citizens of this country suffer through arbitrary arrests, detention without trial, torture and persecution for speaking out peacefully on political and religious views. As an American, I am proud to defend the Tibetan right to self- determination and recognize today as ``Tibetan Uprising Day.'' In 2002, under the Tibetan Policy act, which I authorized, the US Congress articulated our support for the Dalai Lama's attempt to attain a negotiated settlement through means of dialogue and not violence. The fact that this atrocity has gone on for so long is completely outrageous and unacceptable. The people of Tibet had their lives stripped from them; everything they knew and loved was taken in a appalling manner. These people not only fought and died for their own freedom, but for the freedom of their children and all future Tibetans. In 1989, the international community recognized the tremendous contributions his Holiness has made to a negotiated settlement through non-violent means by awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize. I commend the Dalai Lama and his people for their determination and strength throughout this ordeal. On this day of remembrance I hope everyone will take a moment to reflect on the situation to Tibet, and also consider what we have done and what we can still do in the future to further assist this country in their struggle for a peaceful resolution.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, I want to commend my friend for his powerful and eloquent and thoughtful statement. I would like to add that it is no accident that as we speak, Bulgaria is standing tall with the United States at the United Nations at another critical juncture of history.

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

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. First, I would like to commend the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) for his leadership on this important resolution. I also want to recognize the contributions to this measure of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot). Madam Speaker, just in the past year Congress has focused attention on growing anti-Semitism in Europe. Unfortunately, some European leaders have used the pretext of the Middle East conflict to justify this ugly phenomenon of the 20th century reappearing in the 21st century. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to commend an important U.S. ally, a future member of NATO, on what it did during the darkest hours of European history. Bulgaria's actions during the Second World War prove that a small nation can have a tremendously positive impact on humanity. In Bulgaria, the effort to resist the Nazi pressure to enforce anti-Jewish laws and to deport its Jewish citizens to death camps was undertaken by the full spectrum of Bulgarian society. Members of the Bulgarian Parliament, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, politicians, intellectuals, but most importantly, ordinary citizens all played a part in the resistance to Nazi pressure to carry out the unconscionable act of deportation to death camps. March 2003 marks the 60th anniversary of Bulgaria's historic refusal to deport its Jews to Nazi concentration camps. Some years ago at the initiative of my wife, she and I went to Bulgaria to express our appreciation for this heroic action of the Bulgarian people during the most difficult years of the Second World War. We met with a broad spectrum of Bulgarian people, and we had the opportunity of telling them that their little recognized heroic action is deeply appreciated by the American people and the Congress of the United States. Sadly, Bulgaria was unique among its East European neighbors. In too many instances, the populations of other countries occupied by the Nazis turned against their Jewish compatriots or remained indifferent to their nightmare fate. That is why today, Madam Speaker, I shudder when I hear the excuses used by some governments in Europe to explain the rise of anti-Semitism again on that continent. As we commend Bulgaria for this historic rescue, we must note that neighboring Macedonia is marking the tragedy of the deportation of over 11,000 Jews to Nazi death camps. This region was under the control of Bulgarian authorities at the time, but the Jewish residents did not have Bulgarian citizenship and were not saved from the Nazi death camps. They all perished. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS

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

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 441, and urge all of my colleagues to do so as well. I would like to commend my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) for his persistence in pushing for Taiwan's observer status at the World Health Organization. I also wish to acknowledge the chairmanship of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) on this critically important subject, and that of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot). Madam Speaker, by battling the spread of infectious diseases and increasing the quality of health care to the global community, the World Health Organization makes a significant contribution to our national security. As we meet in this Chamber today, the WHO is dealing with an outbreak of Ebola in Africa, implementing new strategies to stop the spread of the deadly HIV/AIDS virus, and teaching the developing world how to stop the transmission of tuberculosis. Madam Speaker, the fight for quality health care around the globe will never cease. As a result, the World Health Organization and its member countries must look for help from every nation to strengthen the work of the organization. Unfortunately, strong and consistent opposition from the Chinese government in Beijing has repeatedly stopped the people of Taiwan from contributing to the work of the WHO. It is true that observer status for Taiwan will not come easy. Beijing holds sway over many WHO members, but the facts in support of Taiwan's case are clear and compelling, and support will undoubtedly build over time with active American engagement. Taiwan is one of our strongest allies in the Asia Pacific region. It is a beacon of democracy for people around the globe. Taiwan has the resources and the expertise to make a significant contribution to the work of the World Health Organization. The case for Taiwan as a member of WHO is clear and compelling, and I hope our administration will actively support this important initiative. I strongly support H.R. 441. I urge all of my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my dear friend and fellow Californian Congressman Mike Honda in support of H. Res. 56, commemorating the suffering of the Japanese-American, German-American, and Italian-American communities during World War II by recognizing February 19 as a National Day of Remembrance. It is my sincere hope and belief that by establishing a National Day of Remembrance, Congress will increase public awareness of the wholesale exclusion and internment of individuals and entire families in this country during World War II. Following the issuance of Presidential Executive Order No. 9066 on February 19, 1942, tens of thousands of Americans were evicted from their homes, rounded up, and sent to internment camps across the western United States. In San Francisco, this program began in earnest on April 1, 1942, when all persons of Japanese ancestry--whether they were American citizens or not--were notified to report for ``relocation.'' In my own district, 7,800 people were assembled against their will in the San Bruno Tanforan Racetrack. Seven-thousand eight hundred human beings were confined there for months, living in horse stables. Today, we realize that such a policy was outrageous. But Mr. Speaker, I submit that it is not only in retrospect that the internment of the Japanese appears absurd and unacceptable. As early as 1946, Harold Ickes, President Roosevelt's own Secretary of the Interior, characterized the mass detention of Japanese Americans as ``mass hysteria over the Japanese''; he noted that ``we gave the fancy name of `relocation centers' to these dust bowls, but they were concentration camps.'' Mr. Speaker, the way we treated Japanese Americans was inexcusable. Moreover, any purported national security benefit derived from the government's internment policy was vastly outweighed by the enormous human suffering and the violation of civil liberties that policy caused and the hatred it sowed. Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II is one of the most ignominious and repugnant acts our nation has committed. Our government has taken cautious and gradual steps toward recognizing the insidiousness of its World War II internment policy, but it is not enough to apologize or to pay reparations for the wrongs committed by the United States government during that period. The internment was so evil that its commemoration merits more than the customary apologies and financial compensation. Indeed, we ought to be reminded on a regular basis of the dangers of fanaticism, and that is what this resolution is about. In addition to making amends for our country's inhumane treatment of Japanese Americans, Mr. Speaker, we must acknowledge the anti- democratic policies adopted by our government against Italian Americans and German Americans. Though their communities were not rounded up en masse as the Japanese Americans were, in many cases property owned by Italian Americans and German Americans was expropriated, and Italian- and German-American citizens were unlawfully detained and questioned, their patriotism ignored and their civil rights denied. While the Wartime Violation of Italian Americans Civil Liberties Act of 2000 represents an important measure of progress on this issue, it is my heartfelt belief that more needs to be done. And that, Mr. Speaker, is why it is my privilege to proclaim my support for my dear friend Mr. Honda's bill, which would make room for a day of mourning, reflection, and remembrance of the chain of egregious injustices against Japanese Americans, Italian Americans, and German Americans that was officially begun by our government on February 19, 1942. Mr. Speaker, this bill takes a day that is already a day of mourning in the Japanese-American community and reconsecrates it as a day of American remembrance. It also acknowledges the real and acute suffering of the Italian- and German-American communities during the war. I urge my colleagues to follow their conscience and join in commemorating this American tragedy.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bell), one of our new colleagues who has already demonstrated qualities of great leadership in this body.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First I would like to pay tribute to my good friend, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), for introducing this legislation. I rise in strong support of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, friendship with Israel and support for its security are unshakable elements of U.S. foreign policy. The primary reason for these close relationships is not just our strategic interests, but our shared values. Democracy and freedom form the core values of both the United States and of Israel. Mr. Speaker, that is why the occasion of Israelis going to the polls as they did just recently is the appropriate time to mark and to reaffirm this very special relationship. Israel is one of the world's most vibrant democracies. Some may wonder why we choose to honor this small country for holding an election. After all, Israel has held 17 elections in its 55-year history, five in the past decade alone. Yet another Israeli trip to the polls seems hardly remarkable. But, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what earns Israeli democracy its special place in our friendship and respect and its special status among the world's democracies. We take its democratic nature for granted. Yet Israeli democracy endures under extraordinary circumstances, of difficulties, tragedies, and suicide bombings found nowhere else on the face of this planet. The object of hatred from most of the regimes in its region, not one of which is a democracy, Israel would have every excuse in the world to lapse into the lamentable political mores of its region. But it refuses to do so. Instead, it brings democratic light to a region dominated by dictators. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the people of Israel who have again shown their unswerving devotion to democracy with little sense that they are doing something extraordinary. Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate Prime Minister Sharon on his impressive plurality and wish him good luck in forming a new government. In passing this resolution, we assure the new Israeli Government that it can look forward to the closest possible relationship with the American people and with the Congress of the United States. I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Texas for his eloquent and powerful statement, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend from Wisconsin for a truly moving and powerful statement. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I commend the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for his powerful, eloquent, and thoughtful statement. I also would like to express my deep appreciation to the original sponsor and drafter of this most important resolution, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), who has shown his customary leadership by presenting this to us. Mr. Speaker, last week my good friend, Vaclav Havel, stepped down as President of the Czech Republic. Normally, Mr. Speaker, the return to private life of a democratically elected leader in Europe would not warrant a resolution from the Congress of the United States. But Vaclav Havel was no ordinary President, nor did he serve in ordinary times. Vaclav Havel, an outstanding artist, playwright, and the conscience of the Czech people during decades of Soviet domination, was a key player in the Velvet Revolution under which the Czech people peacefully replaced their communist dictators with an elected and inspiring leadership. Mr. Speaker, it was a true privilege to have been in Prague to witness one small part of this Velvet Revolution. Thirteen years ago, I had just arrived in Prague on an official mission with my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), his wife and my wife. Vaclav Havel and his allies had launched large public protests demanding democracy and an end to communist rule. As the gentleman from Missouri and I headed to a meeting, we encountered thousands of Prague residents in Wenceslas Square demonstrating in support of democracy and freedom. We jumped from the car and joined the Czech crowds waving signs and shouting ``Havel Na Hrad,'' Havel to the castle. The people of Prague were making a simple request, that Vaclav Havel be elected President so he could occupy the home of power and authority in Prague, the beautiful castle which stands on a hill overlooking the city. These massive demonstrations were a small part of a long process that brought about the Velvet Revolution. Several weeks later, I had the honor of leading congressional colleagues to a meeting with Vaclav Havel when he was already safely ensconced in the castle. President Havel did not let the Czech people down as their elected leader. He led the Czech nation through a difficult period of political and economic reform. As a result of his extraordinary leadership, Vaclav Havel presided over 13 years of growing Czech prestige and influence in international affairs. He devoted enormous thought and energy to bringing the Czech Republic into the community of Western democracies. Under his leadership, the Czech Republic joined NATO; and next year it is poised to join the European Union. President Havel has been an unwavering ally of the United States in the war on terrorism, and more recently in our struggle to disarm the regime of Saddam Hussein. This should come as no surprise. Vaclav Havel is a person of great moral authority and enormous personal courage. He devoted his political and artistic life to resisting the totalitarian state. He cofounded the human rights organization Charter 77 and the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Prosecuted. He was persecuted by communist authorities and repeatedly arrested. Once he was given the opportunity to emigrate, but he bravely chose imprisonment instead. As President, Havel continued to resist authoritarian dictators by supporting dissidents in Cuba, and just last November by denying the Belorusian dictator, Lukashenko, a visa to the NATO Summit in Prague. I have no doubt that my friend, President Havel, will continue to work to ensure that the merging independent nations of Central and Eastern Europe join the community of democratic nations. Mr. Speaker, it was a fitting end to President Havel's presidency that he and the Czech Republic were host to the historic NATO summit last November. The leaders of the world used the summit to pay tribute to the wisdom and leadership of Vaclav Havel and to his remarkable achievements as President. I was honored to be part of the U.S. delegation to the Prague summit; and as I celebrated with Vaclav Havel the success of NATO in the castle overlooking Prague, I was once again struck by Vaclav Havel's long and bold journey from a prisoner of conscience to becoming the conscience of Europe. I want to ask all of my colleagues to support this resolution commending a true friend of the United States, a leading intellectual figure in Europe, and a moral force sorely needed in Europe by supporting and voting for this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), the author of this legislation.

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

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to echo the words of my good friend from Illinois. It is a pleasure and an honor to begin yet another session of Congress with him. We look forward to achieving many things together.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume, and I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 27. Mr. Speaker, this important resolution condemns in the strongest possible terms the absurd selection of Libya as Chair of this year's United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Let me begin, Mr. Speaker, by expressing my sincere gratitude to my colleagues across the aisle, our distinguished Committee on International Relations chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), who chairs our Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, for collaborating with us on the text of this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, Colonel Muammar el-Gaddafi's Orwellian regime, a state sponsor of terrorism and a gross violator of human rights under United Nations sanctions, was elected by member states to chair the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, a body charged with responsibility for promoting universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. This, Mr. Speaker, is the ultimate theater of the absurd. By virtue of its position in the Africa group of member states in the United Nations, Libya emerged as the preordained Chair of the U.N. human rights commission. Traditionally, Mr. Speaker, this post has rotated among the U.N.'s geographic groups, with each group respecting the other's nominee without a challenge. Realizing that the Africa group's turn was due and that, appallingly, Libya would be its choice, our administration took the unprecedented step of breaking with tradition and challenging Libya's nomination. It was the right move, Mr. Speaker. The United States cannot stand idly by as monstrous abusers of human rights such as Libya hijack the human rights commission. Given the absurd realities of the United Nations in so many instances, our protest was too little, too late, and Libya survived the challenge. Only Canada and Peru had the courage to stand by us in standing up to this outrage. Although this piece of legislation focuses on the selection of Libya to chair the human rights commission, it is also relevant to a similar outrage which we learned about only recently. Because of an absurd alphabetical rotation scheme, Saddam Hussein's Iraq is set to assume the presidency of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament for a 30-day term starting on May 1. Apparently, Mr. Speaker, this is Saddam Hussein's reward for 13 years of success in his efforts to defeat U.N. sanctions and inspectors by rebuilding his capacity to create mass havoc with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons. Mr. Speaker, in response to these twin outrages, many of my colleagues here today will no doubt argue that enough is enough and conclude that it is time to pull the plug in our participation of such U.N. agencies. I fully understand their sentiment, but as we have seen in the current Iraq crisis, the U.N. is both a reality and, to some extent, a necessity. We cannot solve all of the world's problems without a forum to discuss our differences and hopefully to coordinate our responses. Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere hope that H. Con. Res. 27, the first piece of foreign policy legislation to be considered by the 108th Congress, will be remembered as a watershed event in our efforts to reclaim the United Nations human rights commission and other hopelessly misguided institutions from the rogue states which have captured them for their own propaganda purposes. This resolution is only a first step. We must follow up with a multipronged effort to bolster U.S. leadership at the U.N. and to reform its membership and leadership criteria. First, Mr. Speaker, we have to increase the capacity of our State Department to engage in multilateral diplomacy. Our diplomats have to become more effective in lobbying other governments to vote with the United States on critical matters at the U.N. The United States must also engage in a vigorous and sustained effort to establish and to build a new democracy caucus within the U.N. that will assist democratic nations to work within and across regional lines to promote democratic leadership within the U.N. system. Finally, Mr. Speaker, we need to engage in a comprehensive effort to reform the outmoded system of regional voting and decision-making, and we must challenge rotational alphabetical and other leadership schemes that permit nations under U.N. sanctions to assume leadership positions at the United Nations. I urge my colleagues to support this measure and to continue to work toward a more rational, sane, and effective United Nations. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield as much time as he might consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished Democratic whip, one of the most effective global fighters for human rights in this body or any place.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced H.R. 532, the ``Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act'' to improve the world's largest urban park. One of the nation's most visited national parks, Golden Gate National GGNRA comprises numerous sites, including Alcatraz, Marin Headlands, Fort Funston, Fort Mason, as well as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, and the Presidio of San Francisco. The Rancho Corral de Tierra addition to the GGNRA includes one of the largest undeveloped parcels on the San Mateo coast south of San Francisco, and it contains rugged land that is unparalleled in other areas of the park. These lands consist of some of the last undeveloped acreage adjacent to existing parkland in the Bay Area. Permanent protection of these open spaces will protect and preserve unique coastal habitats of threatened, rare and endangered plant and animal species, curb future disruptive development along the coast, and provide important scenic and recreation opportunities for Bay Area residents and visitors to our area. This important land conservation legislation was near enactment in the last Congress. In fact both Houses of Congress approved this legislation, but because our bill was included in a package with other unrelated provisions it was not approved in the same form by both Houses. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in seizing this unique, exciting and significant opportunity for a public-private-partnership to preserve open space. Companion legislation is being introduced today in the Senate by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer. H.R. 532, the ``Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate Boundary Adjustment Act'' will add three new areas to the GGNRA. These lands are critically situated between existing parkland and would connect national parklands with State parkland and San Mateo County parklands. Adding these lands to park areas in the City of Pacifica would help round out the uneven boundary along the Pacific coast and create a logical and appropriate entrance to the GGNRA for visitors from the south. The lands will also provide important regional trail links between the existing parklands, and would link the congressionally mandated Bay Area Ridge Trail with the California Coastal Trail. The lands would also provide a wildlife corridor for the diverse array of wildlife that inhabit Montara Mountain. Mr. Speaker, the largest parcel of land included in this bill is comprised of 4,262 acres, and is known as the Rancho Corral de Tierra. This parcel shares three miles of boundary with the GGNRA as well as with a California state park and a San Mateo County park. Its relatively untouched upper elevations preserve habitat for several threatened and endangered plant and animal species. This property also contains four important coastal watersheds, which provide riparian corridors for steel head trout, coho salmon and other aquatic species. When the owner of Rancho Corral de Tierra recently put this property on the market the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) negotiated to purchase the property. POST acquired the site for $29.75 million to save the site from development, to preserve this important natural area, and to donate, through private contributions, a substantial amount for the federal acquisition of Rancho Corral de Tierra. Mr. Speaker, POST is a local land conservancy trust in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has a remarkable track record in working with and assisting the federal government with the protection of other important open space in the Bay Area. In 1994, POST negotiated acquisition of the Phleger Estate in Woodside and its inclusion in the GGNRA. This provided local residents some 1,300 acres of pristine second-growth redwood forest, and the area has become a primary hiking destination in the mid-Peninsula area. I introduced the legislation that added this important parcel to the GGNRA, and I worked closely with my neighbor and colleague, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, who took the lead in securing the federal funding of one-half of the purchase price. In this case, POST also provided one half of the purchase price through private donations. POST also assisted the federal government with the protection and acquisition of Bair Island, an important wildlife refuge in San Francisco Bay, which is now managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Congresswoman Eshoo played a key role in the Bair Island acquisition. H.R. 532 also authorizes the National Park Service to include within its boundaries an additional 525 acres of land in the Devil's Slide section of Coastal Highway 1, which is the scenic highway that winds its way along the entire California coast. The Devil's Slide properties are also adjacent to the Rancho Corral de Tierra property. It is my understanding that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will acquire these lands when it builds the Devil's Slide tunnel. This legislation includes the five properties that border the highway alignment and will be abandoned when the tunnel is completed. Since these properties will have no access once the Devil's Slide road is abandoned, Caltrans will purchase these properties from their current owners. It is my understanding that Caltrans will donate these properties to a state park agency for open space use. Caltrans will also relinquish the abandoned Highway 1 alignment to San Mateo County, which will transfer these properties to a park agency after the tunnel is completed. I want to make something particularly clear, Mr. Speaker. It is not the intention of this legislation to give the federal government any responsibility for the acquisition of land or the construction or completion of the Devil's Slide tunnel. This legislation has nothing to do with the matter of the highway and tunnel construction. This legislation will simply make it possible for Caltrans to donate these properties to the National Park Service when the Devil's Slide tunnel is completed and when the National Park Service has determined the acquisition of these lands is appropriate. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 532 also includes within the GGNRA boundary the Caltrans-owned Martini Creek-Devil's Slide Bypass right-of-way, which was originally purchased by Caltrans for the purpose of building a highway across Montara Mountain. When San Mateo County voters overwhelmingly decided in a local referendum in favor of the Devil's Slide tunnel rather than the Martini Creek Bypass in 1996, this right- of-way became obsolete. This property, which covers approximately 300 acres, bisects the proposed additions to the GGNRA and will provide important recreation access to the surrounding parklands. It is my understanding that once the GGNRA boundary is adjusted to include this right-of-way, Caltrans will be able to donate this property to the National Park Service. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 532 will also reauthorize the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore Advisory Commission for 10 years. The GGNRA and Point Reyes Advisory Commission was established by Congress in 1972 to provide for the free exchange of ideas between the National Park Service and the public and to facilitate the solicitation of advice from members of the public on problems pertinent to the National Park Service Parks or sites in Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties. The Advisory Commission holds open and accessible public meetings monthly at which the public has an opportunity to comment on park-related issues. The Advisory Commission is an invaluable resource for park management. It provides an important forum for the gathering and receipt of public input, public opinion and public comment and allows the park to maintain constructive and informal contacts with both the private sector and other federal, state and local public agencies. The Advisory Commission aids in strengthening the spirit of cooperation between the National Park Service and the public, encourages private cooperation with other public agencies, and assists in developing and ensuring that the park's general management plan is implemented. As part of its regular monthly hearing process, the Advisory Commission held public hearings on this legislation in Half Moon Bay, California. Advisory Commission members heard overwhelming public support for the boundary study for ``Rancho Corral de Tierra GGNRA Boundary Adjustment Act'' that was produced by Peninsula Open Space Trust in consultation with the National Park Service. All Advisory Commission meetings are open to the public and an official transcript of each meeting is on record and available to the public. The activities and contributions of the Advisory Commission are critical to the efficient operation and management of the two adjoining national park units of Point Reyes National Seashore and the GGNRA. Mr. Speaker, preserving our country's unique natural areas must be one of our highest national priorities, and it is one of my highest priorities as a Member of Congress. We must preserve and protect these areas for our children and grandchildren today or they will be lost forever. Adding these new lands in San Mateo County to the GGNRA will allow us to protect these fragile areas from development or other inappropriate use that would destroy the scenic beauty and natural character of this key part of the Bay Area. Mr. Speaker, this bill was agreed to by both Houses in the 107th Congress and should have been enacted, but issues unrelated to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area precluded its final passage. I am hopeful that the House will take up this bill where we left off last year, complete legislative action, and enact H.R. 532 expeditiously. The Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act has the support of the Bay Area Congressional Delegation. Joining me as co-sponsors are my distinguished colleagues, Nancy Pelosi, George Miller, Anna Eshoo, Barbara Lee, Ellen Tauscher, Mike Honda, Mike Thompson, Pete Stark, and Zoe Lofgren. I urge my colleagues to take advantage of this unique opportunity to preserve these important lands for addition to our national parks and support passage of H.R. 532, the Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to Melinda ``Mindy'' Ohler, a brave woman and true trailblazer of the San Francisco Fire Department. Mindy's passing, which occurred while responding to a fire alarm at San Francisco International Airport, unfortunately marked the first death of a female San Francisco firefighter in the line of duty. When Mindy joined the San Francisco Fire Department in 1989, she was one of the first women to become a firefighter in the department's history. In the 13 years since her enlistment, the number of women firefighters in San Francisco has risen to an impressive 235 (12 percent of the force). This increase is in no small part due to Mindy, whose hard work and total dedication to her duties changed the minds of many who had originally opposed the idea of women firefighters. Her inspirational power was ably summed up by one of her colleagues at her memorial service who said, ``Frankly, I was against women joining the department, but her willingness to do the job showed me women had a place here.'' John Hanley, President of Fire Fighters Local 798, expressed praise for Mindy and characterized her performance as a firefighter as bold and versatile; she was able to handle the challenges she faced with courage, he said, whether it was a small fire or five-alarm conflagration. In addition, Mindy's lighter side--she was a noted prankster--was credited with lifting spirits around the firehouse. A tireless worker who once held down six jobs at one time, Mindy, 46, was still working two other jobs in addition to her primary one as a firefighter at the time of her death. In the spirit of solidarity with Mindy, over 3,000 people from around the country--including many fellow firefighters and law- enforcement officers--came to St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco to pay tribute to Mindy. In addition, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce that Mindy's name and contributions will be honored forever. Her name will join the names of other men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty as firefighters at the National Fallen Firefighters' Memorial's Roll of Honor. The memorial, located in Emmitsburg, Md., was designated by Congress as the official, national memorial to fallen firefighters, and it will be further sanctified by the addition of Mindy's name. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and mourning the loss of Melinda Ohler for her sacrifice and contributions to the people of San Francisco. She will be sorely missed on the Peninsula, in her birthplace of Valparaiso, Ind., and in the hearts of many across this nation who had the privilege of knowing her. To know her was to admire her; her legacy will be one of compassion, selflessness, and a commitment to being all she could be.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a mixture of pride and sorrow that I invite all of my colleagues to join me in celebrating the career of Broadmoor Police Chief Timothy J. Guiney, who is retiring after 33 years in law enforcement. Chief Guiney began his career in 1969 as a full-time reserve Deputy Sheriff for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. After three years there he joined the Brisbane Police Department. During the next 17 years, Tim Guiney served the Brisbane Police Department with distinction as he held every rank in the department from Officer to Acting Chief of Police. In 1990, the Broadmoor Police Protection District persuaded Chief Guiney to assume the title of Chief of Police and District Manager, where he continued to perform above and beyond the call of duty. Mr. Speaker, Tim Guiney is the heart and soul of San Mateo County Law Enforcement. In addition to performing his job with extraordinary distinction, Chief Guiney has woven himself into the fabric of our community. He is the founder of numerous programs including the Police Activities League and Adopt-A-School Brisbane, as well as the ``Cops and Kids'' North County Community Day. Additionally, he is a Past- President and long time executive board member of the Daly City-Colma Chamber of Commerce and a past-president of the Daly City Employees Federal Credit Union. An active member of San Mateo County, Chief Tim Guiney truly is the personification of community policing. Combining the intellect of Eliot Ness, the dedication of Joe Friday, Andy Taylor's honesty, Barney Miller's patience, Steve McGarrett's ability to delegate, and aspiring towards Sonny Crocket's sartorial splendor, Chief Tim Guiney represents the best of American Law enforcement. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my esteemed colleagues to rise and join me in paying tribute to Chief Tim Guiney's lasting legacy of law enforcement excellence.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today and urge my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating the Boys and Girls Club of North San Mateo County on the occasion of their 50th Anniversary. This extraordinary organization traces its roots back to April 16, 1953, when the State of California granted the South San Francisco Boys Club non-profit status. Nine years after being recognized by the state, the Boys Club of America elected the South San Francisco Boys Club to full membership. During the following decades, the South San Francisco club continued to expand, and in the early 1970's began granting memberships to young girls. A merger with the Pacifica Boys and Girls Club augmented the continued growth of the club, and the collective organization changed its name in 1991 to the Boys and Girls Club of North San Mateo County. While its name may have changed, the club continues to inspire and assists all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Providing a safe place to learn and grow, the Boys and Girls Club of North San Mateo County remains focused on its founding mission through five core areas of development. These areas, leadership skills, education, career development, health and life skills and the arts are key elements to providing a secure foundation from which the kids of today can develop into the leaders of tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, the Boys and Girls Club serves more than 3.3 million boys and girls at 3,103 locations across the nation and around the world. The illustrious roster of alumni include Bill Cosby, Alex Rodriguez, Brad Pitt, Michael Jordan, President Clinton, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Martin Sheen, Derek Jeter, Neil Diamond, and Denzel Washington. Since its inception in 1931 the Boys and Girls Club of America has made a difference in the lives of countless American children. However, it is with great pride that I am proud to say of all the locations the Club of Northern San Mateo County is the best around, and I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Club on its 50th Anniversary.